Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1856-12-11
LA S G w WEEKLY TIMES


convictions Of public policy and private in
terest, there 10 found in their discretion,
subject to such limitations as the Constitu-
ton and acts Of Congress might prescribe,
new States, hereafter TO be admitted into the
Union. 1t was a free field open alike to
all, ~hether the statute line OF assumed re-
striction were repealed or not. That re-
peal did not open to free competitor of the
diverse opinions and domestic institutions
field, which, without such repeal would
have been closed against them; it found that
field of competition already opened. in fact
and in Law. All the repeal did was to re-
lieve the statute Of an Objectionable enact
ment, unconstitutional in effect. and injuri-
Gus in terms TO large portion OF the States.
| Is il the fact, that, III all the unsettled re-
gions of the United States, if emigration be
left free to act in this respect Tor itself,
without legal prohibitions on either side,
slave labor will spontaneously go every
where in preference TO free labor? Is it
the fact that the peculiar domestic institu.
tions of the Southern States possesses rela-
lively so much of vigor, that wheresoever
an avenue is freely open TO all the world,
the- will penetrate TO the exclusion of those
Of the Northern StatesP Is it the fact, that
the former enjoy, compared with the latter,
such irresistibly superior vitality, indepen-
dent Of climate, soil, and all other acciden-
tal circumstances, as TO be able to produce
the supposed result, in spite of the assumed
moral and natural obstacles 20 its accom-.
plishment, and of the more numerous popu-
lation OF the Northern States?
The argument Of those who advocate the
enactment of new laws of restriction, and
condemn the repeal of old ones, in effect
aver that their particular views Of govern
ment have no self-exending or self-sus-
tanning power Of their own, and will go no.
where unless forced by act of Congress-
And if Congress do but pause for moment
in the policy Of stern coercion; ii it venture
to try the experiment Of leaving TO Judge
for themselves what institutions will best
suit them; if it be not strained up TO perpet-
nal legislative eXertion on this point; ii
Congress proceed thus 10 act in the very
spirit of liberty, it is al once charged with
aiming to extend slave labor into all the
new Territories ofthe United States.
OF course those imputations on the inten-
tions Of Congress in this respect, conceived
as they were In prejudice, and disseminated
in passion, are utterly destitute of any iusti-
fcation in the nature OF things, and contrary
| to all the fundamental doctrines and princi
pies of civil liberty aud selfgovernment.
While, therefore, in general, The people
If the Northern States have never at any
time arrogated for the Federal Government
the power to interfere directly with the do
nestle conditions OF persons in the South.
ern States, but on the contrary have disa
vowed all such intentions, and have shrunR
from cons picuous utilization with those few
who pursue that tanatcal objects avowedly
through the contemplated means Of revolu-
tionary change Of the government, and will
acceptance OF the necessary consequences
, a civil and servile war-yet many citizens
/ have suffered themselves to be drawn into
one evanescent political issue OF agitation
after another, appertaining 10 the same Sc
of opinions, and which subsidized as rapidly
as they rose when it came TO be seen, as il
uniformly did, that they were incompatible
with the compacs OF the Constitution ant
the existence of the Union. Thus, wheT
the act of some Of the States to nullilv the
/, existing eXlradition law imposed upon Con
gress the duty Of passing a new one, the
country was invited by agita,ors to enter into
party organization for lis repeal; but tina
, agitation speedily ceased by reason of the
mpraciicabihty of its object So, when th'
= statute restriction upon the institutions o
new States, by geographical line, hat
been repealed, the country was urged TO de
mand lis restoration, and that project alsc
, died almost in its birth. Then followed thC
? cry of alarm in the North against imputed
Southern entertainments; which cry sprang
{ in reality from The spirit Of revolutionary
, attack on the domestic institutions Of the
South, and, after troubled existence Of {
I few months, has been rebuked by the voice
) of patriotic people.
e KANSAS AFFAIRS.
OF this last agitation, one lamentable fe0
ture was, that it was carried on al the imme
diate expense Of the peace and happiness o
l the people of the Territory of Kansas
2 That was made the battle field, not so mucl
of opposing factions or interests within it.
] self, as of the conflicting passions Of The
0 whole people of the United States. Revo
lutionary disorder in Kansas had its Origin
+ in projects Of intervention, deliberately ar.
= raigned by certain members Of that Con
0 gress which enacted the law for the organi
5 cation of the Territory. And when propa
gandist colonization Of Kansas had thu.
b been undertaken in one section Of the I'm
S ion, for the systematic promotion of its pc
a culiar views of policy, there ensued as
0 matter Of course, a counter action with OPP
|, posite views, in other sections Of the Union
t In consequence of those and othet Incl
h dents, many acts of disorder, it is undenia
Y bic, have been perpetrated in Kansas, t
It the occasional interruption, rather than tn
: permanent suspension of regular govern
g ment. Aggressive and most reprehensibl
$ incursions into the Territory were under
= taken, both in the North and South, and en-
It tered it on its Northern border by the wa
e Of Iowa, as well as on the Eastern by til
y way of Missouri; and there has eXiste
: within it state of instruction against III
/ constituted authorities, not without counte
= nance from inconsiderate persons in eac
u Of the great sections of the Union. Blu
the difficulties in that Territory have bee
Of I'D for ,,urpnsas r