The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1856-01-12

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fer by Spain to the U. s. of Territorial
rights of the East side of the river Mis-
sissippi, in exchange fot large territor,
which the United States transferred t.
Spain on the west side of that river, ant
the entire diplomatic history of the trans.
action shows that it was demanded BY
the commercial interest and the security
Of The whole Union.
In the meantime the people of the u
5. grown up to proper consciousness Of
their strength; and in brief contest with
France, and second severe war with
Great Britain, had shaken off all which,
remained of undue reverence for Europet
emerged from the atmosphere of those
transatlantic influences which surrounded
the infant Republic, and had begun to
turn their attention to the full and syste-
matte Development of the international
resources of the Union. Among the con-
troversies Of that period the most con-
spicuous are the questions of the regula-
ton by Congress Of the social condition
of the future States to be founded in the
territory of Louisiana.
The ordinance of the Government for the
territory northwest of the Ohio river had
contained provision which prohibited the
use OF services therein, and was subject to
the condition of the extradition of fugitives
from slaqery due in any part of the United
States. Subsequently to the Constitution,
this provision ceased to remain as law, for
its operation as such was absolutely superse-
ded by the Constitution, but the recollection
of the past, excited the social propagandism
in some sections of the confederation, and
when a second State-that of Missouri
came to be formed from the territory of Lou
isiana, the proposition was made to extend
it to the latter Territory. The restriction
originally applied to the country situated be-
tween the Ohio and Mississippi, Most ques-
tionable as was this proposition in all its con-
stitutional relations, nevertheless it received
the sanction of Congress, with some slight
notifications of line to save the existing
rights of the intended new State. 1t was
States, as sacrifice to the continuance of
rights stipulated by the treaty of Louisiana,
constitution. 1t was received by the North
ern States with angry and revengeful con-
demnation, and because it did not concede all
the rights of States, which might thereafter
be organized out of any part of the original
territory of Louisiana.
In all this, if any aggression there were,
or invasions Of preexisting rights-to
which portion of the Union are they Just
ly to be ascribed? This controversy
passed away with the occasion; nothing
surviving it, but the dormant letter of the
Statute; but long afterwards, when by
the proposed accession of the Republic
of Texas, the U. S. were to take their
next step in territorial greatness, SINH
lar contingency occurred, and became the
occasion for systematic attempts to inter-
fere with domestic affairs in one section
of the Union, in defiance of their rank as
States, and the stipulations of the Consti-
tuition. These attempts assumed prac-
teal direction in the shape of preserving
endeavors by some Of the Representatives
in both Houses of Congress to deprive
Southern States of the supposed benefit
of the provision Of the act, authorizing
the organization Of the State of Missouri.
But the good sense of the people, and the
vital force of the Constitution triumphed
owe, sectional prejudice and the political
ssues of the day, and the State Of Texas
returned to the Union, as she was, with
social institutions which her people had
chosen for themselves, and with the ex-
press agreement by the re-annexing act
that she should be susceptible of division
into plurality Of States.
Whatever advantages the interests of
the southern states gained by this, were
FAR inferior in results to that unfolded in
the progress of time, to those which
sprang from previous concessions made
by the south. To every thoughtful friend
of the Union, the true lovers of their
country, to all who labor and long for the
full success of this great experiment of
Republican institutions, such an opportu-
nifty had never occurred to illustrate our
advancing power on this continent, and
illustrate to the world full assurance
Of the strength and stability Of our con-
stitution. Who would wish to see Flor
ida an European colony ? Who would
desire to hail Texas as the "lone STAR"
instead of one in the galaxy Of States?
Who does not appreciate the incalc,ila-
bic benefits of the acquisition of Louis
lana? And yet the narrow vieW of Sec
tional purposes would inevitably have
excluded them all from the Union.
But another struggle on the same point
easued, when our glorious armies returned
from Mexico, and it devolved on Congress to
provide for the territories acquired by the
treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. But the great
relations of the subject had now become
clear and distinct to the public mind, Which
appreciated the evils OF sectional controver-
sy upon the question Of the admission of
new States. In that crisis solicitude perva-
ded the nation, but the patriotic impulses of
the popular heart, guided by the adtnonitc-
ry advice of the Father of his country, rose
superior to all the difficulties of the incorpc-
ration of new empire into the Union. In
the councils of Congress there were nantes
ted extreme differences of opinion and ac-
ton between some representatives who de-
sired the unconstitutional employment of
the legislative powers of the Government to
interfere in the condition of incohate States,
and to impose their own social theories upon
the latter, and other representatives who
repealed the interposition of the General
Government in this respect, and maintained
the self-controling rights Of the States. In
truth, the thing attempted was, in form a.
lone, the action of the General Government;
while in reality, it was the endeavor, by
abuse in legislative power, to force the ideas
of internal policy, entertained in particular
States, upon allied independent States.