The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-09-29
The Dangers Of the COuntry-Nullifcation Of
the Constitution I'm Ftfseen states.

During our long experience IN the DISCUSSION
of public affairs there have been several crises
of danger to the institutions of the country, of
which we have not hesftated to warn the Ameri-
can people without reference to men, to cliques,
parties or sections. But since the origin of this
| government there never has been crisis of such
| open, widely extended, and fragrant defiance. OF
the rights of free people, guaranteed by the
federal constitution as the momentoGs crisis that
is now upon as Not only in the Territory OF
Kansas is free speech, free opinion, and freedom OF
the press trampled under foot, but in fifteen States
of the Union these "inalienable rights of the con-
stitution are suppressed by the despotism of an
irresponsible mob.
Practical Observation-Disclosures Of the
constitution of the United States-exists we say,
in the most barbarous despotic and dangerous
form, in fifteen States Of this Union The funda-
| mental principles Of American liberty, upon
which our Revolution was fought, and which lie
at the foundations of our popular institutions,
have no real existence now, except in the sixteen
Northern States Of the contederacy. In the South
the constitution is dead letter-it is practically
extinct-it has been superseded by despotic es-
ponage over the public press and the private ndi-
vdual, as stealthy, omnpresent and deadly as that
| OF the Council of Ten Of ancient Venice and in
fnitely more odious than the existing censorships,
either of France, Austria, Italy or Russia. Among
the liberals and among TIE despots of Europe this
| may read like an extravaganza exaggeration; and
| yet it is the simple truth. A Reign of Terror
| has arisen in our Southern States-the terror OF
| the mob compared with which the well-defned
limitations Of popular privileges, even in Russia,
are better adapted to the security of life,
liberty, and the pursuit Of happiness"
Within few months past we have had num-
Der of striking illustrations of the prevalence
and yirulence of this supreme law of the mob
throughout the South. The savage assault by
Bully Brooks, Of South Carolina, upon Mr. Sum-
ner, in the Senate chamber, and the lion
which the Southern democratic oligarchy have
made of their hero of that frightful spectacle,
indicate, in the outset, condition of the Southern
governing sentiment deplorably demoralized.
Such condition Of the public mind can only
exist where constitutions and laws have ceased
to be morally binding, and where brutal terrorism
is the order of the day. In rapid succession,
after this bloody scene in the Senate, we have
had brutal dispersion of popular meetings at
Wheeling, Va, Baltimore Nd, and various other
places in the Southern States; the lawless ex-
| patriaion Of Southern citizens from their homes
| and their families, for the astounding crime
| of speaking their own opinions upon the
political questions of the day, and an interdict-
perfect Chinese law of exclusion-established
fbrou hort. fhn II, JaT acffl H.
tion against all Northern men, suspected even of
doubling the infallible blessings of Southern
slavery.
The latest Southern outrages attempted, in
this connection, have not been Limited to North
ern invaders of Southern territory. They have
been addressed TO Southern born men, and by the
leading organs Of the Democratic Jacobin Club
in the capital Of Virginia. Mr.. Botts-a native
born and distinguished citizen of yirginia-ven-
tured the other day TO utter the opinion in Rich
mond that the South would submit to the election
| OF Fremont and remain in the Union; and for
| this audacious declaration the democratic jour
mails Of that city have LETT no stone unturned in
order 10 stir up . democratic Governor or a de-
mocratc mob TO the fogcible expulsion Of Mr.
Bolts from the state. A man OF less influence in
The shoes Of Mr. Bolts, and with fewer friends al
bis back would probably have been tarred and
leathared before sundown for q similar offence
Q timiiar attCmpt-to coll into force the inyisf.
pie Powers # tho democratic mob which nos 10
worms tae S1s'h. wac tried against The Hon Henry
Winter Davis q rromiuon; and promising mem-
b,r q Congress from Maryland. The democratic
Richmond EHgp'ru is horriGcd a. the temerity Of
Nr. Davis. and suggcstivcly says that The oppo-
nents Of Mr. Buchanan will very likely next an
nounce the appointment Of Mr. Burlingame
| to speak to tie people Of Richmond. Mr.
| Burlingame is the gentleman who cut the comb
Of Bully Brooks but let him not show bis face
IN Richmond, If be desires to escape the ven
gence Of the Virginia Buchanan democracy with
a whole skin.
And such Is the existing supreme law Of the
South.-the law Of practical nullfcation,-th law
Of democratic jscobin club the law of brute
force'-tbe law Of spies, nformers outlaws and as
sassins the law Of general and remorseess ter
rorism!
In fifteen States OF the Union we Of the
North arc thus denied the liberty Of speech, the
liberty Of opinion. aud even those social privi-
leges which barbSrians co3cede TO strangers, as
arising from the universal rights Of hospitality.
We dare say that in no region Of tue civilized
world. during the present century, has there been
parallel to this irresponsible. lawess and inyi-
siblc desp0tism which how lords Il over the South.
II is nevertheless. infamous from The fac, that II
has been generally overlooked, in view Of the
bloody conspiracy at work to make Kansas
slave state through The same savage Law Of brute
force
And where lice the responsibility for this
! frighuul state or things? Il rests with this
wre'chcd democratic Pierce administration. with
Its disunion managers. with The party, and the
candidate pledged to pcrpetuate its policy 1t
rests Grst with that plotting and deliberate So