Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1856-01-09

is it possible ior it to exist. Ii one State ceases
to respect the right Of another, and oUtrusi,eiy
intermediates with it's local lbterests.if apornon
OF the States to impose their Institutions
the others, refuse to iulhi their obligations
to them, ,--Neare NO longer united, friendly States.
but distracted. hostile unts. with little capacity
left Of common advantage, but abundant nleans
of reciprocal injury and mischief
Practically .Slt is iminaterial whether aggres-
sye interference between the States, deliberate
refusal on tie part oi any OF thein to comply
with coisttutioial obligatigIls arise from errone
c,ls CONVICTION, blind prejudice, whether it be
rerpetrated by direction or iadirectica Ineitier
case. il is full Of threat and Of s,.auger to tie
durability OF tie Onion.
e'oNsTI1 UTIoNAL RELATIONS OF SLAVERY.
Placed la the ONCE Of Chief Magistrate as the
executive agent cf the whole country, bound to
I. Ike care that he laws be faithfully executed,
and specially enjoned 10y the constitution to give
information to Congress the state of tie Tn
ion, it would be alpable neglect Of duty ON my
part to pass over subject like this, which. be
yond all things at the present time, vitality Con-
Germs individual and public security.
1t has been matter of painful regret TO see
States, conspicuous for their services founding
this Rel ublic. and equally sharing its advanta-
ses, disi egard their constitutional obligations to
it. Although conscious IF their inability 10 heal
admitted and paipahe social evils OF their own,
and which are completely within their jurisdic-
ton, they engage the offensive and hopeless
undertaking of reforming the domestic instita-
tions of other States wholly beyond their control
and authority. In the vain pursuit of ends, by
them entirely unattainable, AMI which tIey may
not legally attempt to compass, they peril the
very exist. nee of the constitution, aud all the
countless benefits which it has conferred. While
the PEE pie of the southern States confne their at
tention 10 their affairs, not prcsuniing Off
ciously TO interme.idlc with the social institutions
Of the northern States. too many of the inhabi-
tants Of the latter permal tly organized in
sociations to infiict injury en- the former, by
wrongful acts, which would be cause OF war as
tetweep foreign powers, and only fail to be such
| in our system, because perpetrated under cover
of the Union.
1t is impossible to present this subject truth
and the occasion require, without noticing the re-
iterated but groulless allegation, that the south
has persistently asserted claims aud obtained I'D
vantases in the practical administration Of the
general government 10 The prejudice of the north.
and in which tie latter has acquiesced. That Is,
the States. which either promote On tolerate at
tacks on tie rights of persons and OF 2rol erty IN
ot er States, to disguise their own injustice, pre-
| tend imagine, and constantly aver, that they,
whose consti tuional rights are thus systematically
assailed, are themselves the aggressors. AT tie
present this imputed aggression. resting, as
| it does only in the vague, declamatury charges of
political agitaturs, resolves itself Into niisappre-
hension. or misinterIretaton, Of the principles
and facts of the political organization of the new
Territories Of the United States.
W hat is the voice of history =? When the or
| dinance, which provided for the government of
tie territory northwest of the river Ohio, and for
its eventual subdivision into new States, was adop-
ted in the congress of the confederation. it Ia not
to be supposed that the question OF future relative
power, as between the States which retained, and
| those which did not retain, numerous colored
population, escaped notice, failed to be consid-
cred. And yet the concession of that vast terri
tory to the interest and opinions of the northern
States. a territory the seat OF live among the
largest members of the Union, was, i great meas
ure. the act OF tie State of Virginia and Of tie
south.
When Louisiana was acquired by the United
States it was an acquisition not les, to the north
han to the so lth for while it WAS impf rtant Il
the country at the mouth of the river Mississippi
to become the emporium of the country abo' c it
| it also even more important to the whoie I'm
ion t. have that emporium and although the
new province, by reason Of its imperfect settle
ment, was mainly regarded as on the Gulf .
Mexico, yet, in fact, it extended 20 the opposit'
boundaries of the United States, with far greater
breadth above than below. and was in territory
as in evei ything else, equally at least an acces-
sian To the northern States. 1t is mere deiCsior
AMI prejudice therefore, to speak OF Louisiana a.
acquisition in the special interest Of the south.
The patriotic and just men, who participated
in that act, were influenced By motives far abov,
all sectional ealousies. 1t was in truth the grea
event. which, by completing for us the possession
of the valley of the Mississippi. with commercial
access to the Gulf of Mexico, impaired unity ane
strength to the whole confederation, and attached
together by indiss luble ties the east and th
west, as well as the North and the south.
As to Florida, that but the transfer b,
Spain to the United States Of territory on tn
east side Of tie river Mississippi in exchange fo
large territory which the United States transfer
II. - kl.ok- ~.
entire diplomatic history of the Transaction serve
to demonstrate. Moreover, it WAS an acquisition
demanded by the commercial interests and tn
security of the whole Union
e In the meantime, the peopf Of the United
States had grown up To a proper consciousness Q
their strength, and IN brief contest with France
and I'D second series war With Great Britain
they had shaken eif all which remained of ,snda
reverence for Europe. and emerged from the at
mosphere of those transatlantic influences whic
$ surrounded the infant Republic. and had begu
to turn their attention The full and systemati
: development of the internal resources of the In
ION.
: Among the evanescent controversies of tina
period, the most conspicuous the question q
regulation by Congress of the social condition c
the future States to be founded in the territory
Louisiana.
, The ordinance for tie governnrent Of the terri
tory northwest of the river Ohio had aimed
: provision which prohibited the use Of servile labo
therein, subject TO the condition If the extradtio
OF fneitives from service due in arv'ither part
the Unted States Subsequently, tothe adoptio
OF the constitution, this revision ceased to re
: main as a law; for IFS operation such was at
: so.ately superseded by the constit}iin. Eut tll
recollection OF the fact excited the zeal of socis
propagandisna sectis,us of the corfesicru
S tion and when second State, that IF Missouri
came tn be formed in TIE territory of Louisians
proposition was made to extend to the latter tel
, rltery the restriction originally apIlied to tn