New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-10-15


Tle telling Of the country aTpea~ tn be running
up oil thence Of drcut "n II E true Una, under
t,csc le IN part the old methods Of ConsntionI
tor which bsve divided public opinion before,
ana which voud naturally lead " Wings to choose one
aide rather than the other but thee are 40 distorted
ard trained ouy bear ha, dgree Of resemblance
10 their former selve- which carcaiure may bear to
the original and 40 warped and complicated IN their
profsed application To- and results that the
people N tie country seem 10 leave both OF the Oh
demo parties to- bury their dead
On one eide we find the power OF the people Of the
Union 10 mold and direct the institutions under
which their vacant iands stall be peope1 formed mo
States aud admitted into the CuiOn Denied lheH
sovereignty their own dcusin n sought 10 De
sult fed Scarcely any question in the pogrs. OF me
countr, be vital To the people OF tho Cni,eo
Stats than ths. glance ut tn. map shows us that
the lsrges portion Of the surface of country Is not
W; admitted into the Union n States and slight IN
sight into the current Of events shows the prooaoty
Of adding yet further 10 our DOMAINS; consequently se
States vet TO be admitted will ultimately control the
government If the people q the United otates can
not maintain their supremacy and exercise choice and
discretion what influences shat people their va
cant domain what shall be- the character OF their
peivbbos where and bow new shall be omitted
IL the making Of their laws they cannot control fhe
destiny ofther government they have In iact oodcaed
popular sovereignty they are gwen over 20 com.
panioI ship which may be injurious or repusve, but
in regard 10 which they have power ofressance nor
even the right of protest This denial Of the night OF
the people Of the United States through their govern
sjmlet form of expression this GENIAL to the people OF
the United States rhe right of selgovernment is the
retut of the Old mode of treating the Constitution rs
its objects were uDwhOles,nne and as II no power
should be considered in il which is not written out 40
at length 40 to render denial impossible. But 1t Is the
elo node forced into distortion by the application OF
racks aud thumb 1t Is strict construction 80
refined upop and attenuated to leave an ordinary
trict copstructionst on the laudinarsn side. AS
nile of construction its result If TO convert the Const-
tuition framed TO the Peoo the rghf OF sell
government, into means Of depnving them oil that
right. -
gerous popular liberty and so unreasonable Ia not
rendered more attractive by the object TO which 1t Is
aprlied. Its immediate is TO extend Slavery but
il Il equally favorable TO polygsmy.
Coupled with the above mode Of construction il
another, which belongs to the opposite extreme 1t
asserts power under the Constitution and by virtue
Of il not much bnted Of in the language Of that
instrument the power of the STAKEHOLDER 10 take his
slsves into any Territory acquired or to be acquired,
and hold them thtre without and against the consent
Of the people Of the Union or of the Territory itself
This pow is asserted upon the credit Of several i'm
picaiions and nferepces requiring for their support
latitude Of construction compared With which ordinary
beraity is barrow and strict
The result of it, if this power be sustained and |
may say the purpose Oft in the preceding inst snce
ad Is nothing 10 the attraction OF the thing itself 1t
extends Slavery over all the Territories of the United
States acquired or to be acquired The same prhci-
pie would seem to authorize the indefinite extension Of
polygany.
Thus are coupled together two modes Of constituting
the Constitution opposite as the poles both asserted
by the advocates; one, by extremely strict
structon deprvDg the people Of the power of sede-
fense the other, by extremely loose construction,
comforting upon q few almost unlimited power TO
corrupt and annoy the body polite
So far either of these proposed modes of construc
ton depends depend upon argument DECISIONS
they have been long since adjudcated; and the prac
tce OF the Government until very recent PERIOD has
sanctioned those decisions. The only thing that re-
mains is ascertain whether the people by their votes
ART willing to consent to the proposed abdicaton of
their right to control the destiny Of their own Govern
ment.
The merits of slavery and pelygamy as form. Of
cal organization, ought to be great TO justify their
tension by such means and at the expense OF such
strain upon the fundamental law But the people of
this part of the country entertain, perhaps erroneous
iy unfavorabe Opinions Of both slavery and poygamy
They not intimately acquainted with either, but |
have seen and heard enough of both to create dis
like it may be prejudice. Since slavery already has
room than can occupy, they do not perceive |
why it should be extended and they look upon the de-
SIRE uge it forward continually, in opp ,son 10 the
predictions Of all who are not engaged in it, as pre-
tentious unneighborly and offensive. When you meet
again to inform how TO rally The old Wing party, as
take it for granted you will, think you will do
well to consider that the people have great propensity
make no scruple to acknowledge that they love the
Wing party, but who insist upon it they Also love vr-
tue, and that poygamy is hostile to virtue who insist
upon they also love justice and that tine further e.
tension of slavery at this time Is unjust. Some of them
40 80 far az to say that they love the Constitution aud
that the claims put forward, unless met and over
thrown, will subvert that instrument.
So much diversity Of OpiIi III s expressed az to what
il national and what sectional, that not a few old |
Wbigs have been looking their files to hnd where
they stood when they were acknowledged on all sides
10 be national An exainiDa ion, they say, confirms
their recollection. They find acts of Congress some Of
quite recent speeches, declarations, resolutions.
platforms, Judicial decisions OF the highest Federal
Court all concu1ng In the assertion that congress mas
power to prohibit the extension If slavery into
Territories aud they say they find that general con-
curence of opinion existed of the expedcncy of exer
ciDg that power especially to territory north OF 80
deg 80 min north latitude. The leaders OF both the
old parties took this ground In addition to this gem
era argument ss to Constitutional power, they hnd
there was general striking of hands on the matter OF
sxpediency and fairness In 1870 and again In 1897.
They reconect feeling OF satisfaction and comfort Ia
n andng on such solid national ground. The nag
seemed to float over them with feeling OF safety,
and gave it's ample folds to the breeze a, II 1t were
indeed the flag of the Union On this Union, ma
tonal ground they stand yet, without any change
whatever They wish to know how it hap
pens, that without the slightest variation from their
fo,mer national position they should now De charged
with sectionslsn al d their fidelity to the Union i'm
peached They are curious 10 understand how the |
ueanin. of words has been so suddenly reversed |
They desire to be Informed from whom comes thus ac-
cussiiOn and whether, upon the whole The charge Is
open q suspicion OF imposturef In case they 40 |
conclude 20 change points now, tbey are anxious 10 DC
informed how soOn and how frequently hereafter they
will be required to turn ftp flaps in order to DO consd-
cred natic nal men and friends Of the Union They de-
sire To be patriots and not t. suffer political ouuawly;
bpt M their zoe of life with fixed habits and joints
stened by hard pulling for the old national doctrines,
tley 6nd certain inc )nvenience IN throwing soiher-
sets; and if they begin, they would hike to know now
many will be expected OF them Wll they, 1t Is |
asked after turning against the old Wing doctrine be
suv the surer Wings on that account When you issue
your next manifesto please inform us now 10 fauy sucn
Wings, or what 10 do with theni ,