The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-03-21

cxerts in the General Government. Clos
students of political events will readil
trace the path Of its ambition through th
past twenty-five years Of national history.
II was under the administration Of Pres
dent Tyler, and during the negotiotio
! which preceded the annexation Of Texa,
that the Federal Administration for the frs
time declared, in its diplomatic correspond
ence with foreign nations, that Slavery i
the United States was "roLiric,L iSsri
TUITION, ESSENTIAL TO THE rE,cE, sArEr'
AND PROSPERITY or THOSE STATES OT til
USIoS IN WHICH 1T EXISTS; " and that tn
paramount motive Of the American Gov
ernment, in anncxing Texas, was two-fold-
first, to prevent tho abolition Of SLAYER,
within its limits, and, secondly, to rende
Slavery more secure and more powerful
within the Slaveholding States ofthc Union
Slavery was thus taken under the spccia
care and protection Of the Federal Govern
ment. II was no longer to bc left us Q
State institution, to be controlled exclusive
" by the States themselves 1t was TO b
defended by the General Government, mo-
only against the invasion or instruction o
armed enemies, but against the moral senti
ment of humanity and the natural deycl
opment Of population and material power.
Thus was the whole current Of our ma
tional history suddenly and unconstitution
ally reversed. The General Government
abandoning the position il had always held
declared its purpose to protect and pcrPctu'
ate what the great founders Of our Republic
had regarded M an cyil,-as Mt yarianc'
with the principles on which our institu
tions were based, and as Il source Of weak
ness, social and political, to the communi
ties in which il existed. Al the time of th,
Revolution, Slavery existed in all the colo
nies but neither then, nor for halfa cent
ury afterwards, had it been an element o
political strife. for there was no diiisrenct
of opinion or OF policy in regard to il. tn,
tendency of aiElrs had been towards Eman
cipation. Half the original thirteen States
had taken measures Mt an early day, TO fre'
themselves from the blighting influence anC
the reproach of slavery. Virginia and Nortl
Carolina had anticipated the Continental
Congress of l774, in checking the incrcas'
of their Slave population by prohibiting tn
Slave trade at any Of their ports.
SENTIMENTS or THE TRAINERS oF THE ooNsTI
TUITION CONCERNING SLAVERY.
The Constitution, comforting upon Con
gress full power to prevent the increase o
Slavery by prohibiting the Slave trade, had
out OF regard for existing interests and yest
ed rights, postponed the exercises Of tina
power over the States then existing until th'
year S0S,-lcaving Congress free to exer
cisc ii over new States and over the Terri
tories of the United States, by prohibiting
the migration or Importation Of Slaves int
them without any restriction except such n
its own discretion might supply. Congress
promptly availcd itself of this permission
by reaifrming that great Ordinance Of tn,
Consideration, by which it was ordainet
and dccrced that all the Territory then be
longing to the United States should be for
ever free. Four new States were formed
out of Territory lying South of the Ohio
river, and admitted int the Union, previous
to 1890 but the .crritory from which
they were formed had belonged To States IN
which Slavery existed at the time of theil
formation and in ccding it to the General
Government, or in asserting To the forma'
ton of new States within il, the old States
to which it belonged had inserted provrt
against any regulation of Congress thai
should tend to the emancipation of Slaves
Congress was thus prevented from prohibit
ing Slavery in these new States, by the nc
ton of the old States out Of which they
had been formed. But, rs soon rs the Con.
stitutional limitation upon its power oyel
the States then existing had expired, Con
gross prohibited, by fearful penalties, tn
additions by importation of single Slave
to the numbers already in the country.
The fnmers Of the Constitution, although
tho historical record of their opinions proves
that they were earnest and undivided il
their dislike of Slavery, and in their conylc
tion that 1t was hostile in its nature and ii
influences, in Republican freedom, after tax
ing these steps TO prevent its increase, di,
not interfere with il further in the State
where il then existed. Those States wer
scperate communities, jealous of their soyer
eighty and unwilling to enter into an.
league which should trench. in the least dc
gree upon their own control over their owl
affairs. This sentiment the trainers OF th
Constitution were compelled to respect
and they accordingly left Slavery, as the.
left all other local interests, to the contro
of the several States. But no one who read
with care the debates and the recorded opin
ions of that age, can doubt that the ulti
mate removal of Slavery was desired by tn
people OF the whole country, and that Con
gress had been empowered TO prevent ITS in
crease, with view to its gradual and ulti
mate extinction. Nor did the period o
Emancipation seem remote. Slave labor
employed rs it was in agriculture, was les
profitable then the free labor which wa
pouring in to take its place. And even il
States where this consideration did not pre-
vail. other influences tended 10 the same re
suit. The spirit Of Liberty was then young
generous and strong. The men Of the ma
ton had made sacrifices and waged battle
for the vindication Of thesc inalienabl
rights to life. liberty and the pursuit Of hap
pincss; aud Il was not possible for them 4
sit down in the quiet enjoyment of blessing
thus achieved, without feeling the injustice
as we'll rs the inconvicnce, of holding gru,
numbers of their fellow men in bondage
In all the States, therefore, there existed
strong tendency towards Emancipation
The removal Of so great an evil was felt 3
| be a worthy object OF ambition, by the hes
and most Sigacious statesmen OF that age
and Washington, jefferson, franklin, an
all the great leaders and representatives q
, public opinion, were active and earnest j
: devising measures by which II could be a'
, complished.
But the great change produccd in the IN
dustry of the Southern States, in the carl
part Of the present century, by the increase
: culture of cotton, the introduction OF ne'
/ inventions to prepare Il for use, and I
growing importance to the commerce Of tll
, country and the labor Of the world, by mal
: ing Slave labor moro profitable than Il ha
over h,cn before. checked this tendency Il