The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1856-04-16

the people of,hat quarter Of the country; and
on the question of the abolition Of slavery iI
the District Of Colunbis, MIR. Buchanan used
the following emphatic language:
"What is now asked by these memorial
lists That in this District Of ten miles square
"a district carved out of two slaveholding
States, and surrounded by them on all sides,
slavery shall be abolished! What would be
the effect Of granting their request! You
would thus erect citadel in the very hearts
of these Sta,es, upon q territory which they
have ceded 10 you for far different pur-
pose, from which Abolitionsts and incendia-
res could securely attack The peace and eafe.
ty of their citizens. You establish 4 spot
within The slaveholding States which would
be a city of refuge for orssez.yslaves. You
create by raw eurifsst point r.arn which
trains of guupowder may be securely laid,
extending into the surrounding States, which
may al any moment produce fearful and
destructive explosion. By passing such a
law, you introduce the enemy into the very
bosom of those two States, and afford him
every opportunity 10 produce servile insur-
rection. Is there any reasonable man who
can for one moment suppose that Virginia
and Maryland would have csded the Dislric,
of Columbia 10 the United States, ifthey had
entertained the slightest idea that Congress
would ever use it for any such purpose g.
They csded for your use, for your convent.
euce, and not forRtheir own destruc'ion.-
When slavery ceases 10 exist under the
laws Of Virginia and Maryland, then, and not
till then, ought il 10 be abolished in the Dis.
irict of Columbia"
When, al the same session. ..of Congress,
the two bills were reported, admitting the Ter
ritor:es Of Michigan and Arkansas as States
into.,he American Union, Mr.. Buchanan was
selected as the Northern. Senator who should
presen, the bill admitting Arkansas, and ad.
vocate il before the Senate, which he did
with signal ability, and Mr.. Benton was cho-
sen as the Southern Senator who was 10 pre-.
sent and advocate the bill admitting Mich.
gan into the Union. During the exciting de-
bates on these issues, Mr.. Buchanan spoke
repeatedly He took the broad ground thai
the people of the territory, having formed a
Republican Constitution, after the model OF
the o,her.. States, ,scould be and should be ad-
mitted into the Union irrespective Of slavery,
and that Congress could not and should not
interfere TO prevent ,Eeir admission for any
such reasons as is nov rrstA against The sd.
mission OF Kansas. 1t wa during The de-
bate or the admission of Michigan that he
used the memorable words, on the first Of
April, 1896, in his place as Senator from
Pennsylvania
"Ihs older gro.0, the more am inclined to
be uhat is called State rights man." The
peace and security of this Union depend up
on giving 10 the Constitution literal and fair
construction, such as would be placed upon
it by plain, intelligent mau, and not by in-
genious constructions, 10 increase The pow
ers of this government, aud thereby dimin.
ish those OF the States. The rights OF the
States, reserved 10 them BY that instrument,
ought ever 10 be held sacred. If, then, the
Constitution leaves them 10 decide according
10 their own discretion, unrestricted and un.
limited, who shall be electors, it follows as a
necessary consequence lhsi ihsy may, il they
think proper. confer upon resident aliens the
right Of voting" &c., &c.
And a, the same time, in the very same
speech from which the above is copied, he
made the following gieloquent allusion 10 the
adopted citizens:
"The territory ceded BY Virginia to the
United States, was sufficiently extensive for
an immense empire. The parties TO this
compact of cession contemplated lha, il
would form five sovereign States of this Un-
ion. A. that early period, we had just emerg-
ed from our revolutionary struggle, and none
of the jealousy was then felt against foreign.
ers, and particularly against Irish foreigners,
which now appears 10 haunt some gentle.
men. There had then been no attempts
made TO get up Native American party in
this country. The blood Of the gallant Irish
had flowed freely upon every battlefield in
defence of the libsrierwnieh we now enjoy.
Besides, the Senate will well recollect that
the ordinance was passed before the adop-
ton of our present Constitution, and whilst
the power of naturalization remained with
the several States. In some, and perhaps in
all of them, il required so shsrt residence,
and so little trouble TO be changed from an
alien to a citizen, that the process could be
performed without the least difficulty. ] re-.
peat that no jealousy whatever then existed
against foreigners"
After The splendid campaign Of 1914, which
resulted in the election of Mr.. Polk. TO which
result Pennsylvania, led by James Buchan.
an, contributed her electoral vote, the Presi.
dent elect, casting his eye over the long roll
of Democratic Statesmen then living, weigh.
ing the claims and the qualifications Of each
and all, profoundly sensible of the exciting
questions which must come up for adjustment
during his administration, and after consult
ing the venerable sage then in the sunset Of
life in the shades of the Hermitage, invited
Mr.. Buchanan TO accept the portfolio of the
State department, the head OF his cabinet;
and in ls45, Mr.. Buchanan resigned his seat
in the Senate Ito which he had only lately
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