Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1856-04-04

into them. when any reasonable proba-
bllity of such intrusion existed. Ger
tainly, all those persons who maintained
opinions like these. during nearly -four
wears of animated. earnest and searching
discussion cannot support the legislation
of 1854. which expressly gives up all ma
tional control over slavery in the Terrific
rics. without admitting. and indeed plead
ing. an enire change Of views The
Constitution of the United States is this
day precisely what it was in lS47; the
powers Of Congress are precisely the
same the duties OF Congress are pre-
cisely the same the institution of sla-
very is precisely the same. The same
sun shines in the heavens the structure
Of the human mind is unchanged aud
the same premises conduct logically 70
the same results. now as then. In q
speech which made at Ellsworth. du
ring the summer Of 1855. the delivery
Of which you honored by your presence
and to which you now doubtless refer.
read the resolutions Of the democratic
Legislatures of Maine. Of ls47-S-9-5o,
and the resolutions Of the democratic
State Convention in Maine. Of lS49. all
. fiirIning with clear and unbroken uni
ft rmity. the power and duty of Con rcss
to prohibi' slavery in the Territories.
insisted that the men and the party COM
mitted to those resolutions. could not
consistently support the Nebraska bill
and I au, still unable to perceive tina, l
was in error in So doing.
On the other hand, there was small
number Of persons, very small a, first, bu.
gradually increasing as the pressure from
Washington augmented. who denied either
the power Of Congress TO interfere with
slavery in the Territories. or the naees.i-
~, or expedieney. of the exertion Of such
a power. if it existed. I.would seem .ha.
You was one Of those persons, and if SO,
l doubt not that your opinions were vel
ma,ured. and based upon no other consii.
erations than such as might properly inau
ence rejecting and upright man
l beg YOU to observe. however. that il
was never contended by such persons. and
is no. now. that Congress may not. as
mater Of adjustment. and compromise, d.
vide the Territories. between slavery and
freedom by parallel Of latitude. Mr..
Stephens. Of Georgia, admits this. Mr..
Cadwalader, ard othe' gentlemen Of that
school, insist indeed, that in this way on
" can there be secured 10 the South wha,
are claimed to b. lis common rights in
the Territories Precisely this thin. was
actually done in 1870, in reference to the
Territory embraced in the Louisiana pur.
en- Sc. The South having received impor.
tan, benefits ana accessions of power un-
der this adjustment Of 1870, the question
arises whether we OF the North can, with
or safety, permi; that adjust.
men, to be set aside, Ny own judsmen,
is, that We cannot bu, without now argu-
ing that point; trus. you will see tn a,
nobody can be precluded from arrivin. at
this conclusion, by any opinions they may
have expressed as 10 the power and du,y
Of Congress in the premises, as an oyisi-
nal question. This was not an original
question. 1t was question compromised,
IN the strict sense in which 4 compromise
implies something more than 4 mere gree.
nent There hid been = consid
paid on the other side. To en:orc, god
faith from those with whom We de !, is =
duty hardly less plain than that Of ob-
serving II ourselves; and j, seemed 10 NE
in 1854. tina: the overthrow by the South
D; the adjustment. CT 1920. was shame.
less and wicked treachery. calling for
resistance which ought to be uncompro.
missing. and might well be resentful.-s
Neither the reflections. nor the events of.
the two years which have elapsed, have
satisfied me Of the error of this opin.
ion.
Even then if i. be true, that did no,
,oncur in the resolutions as above referred
to, Of the Democracy of Maine. running
through the period from ls47 to 1850, l
was in no wise preciuded from resisting
the repeal Of the Missouri Compromise
But in point Of fact, now assure YOU
that a, all proper times and on all proper
ccasions, have maintained ,hati, WAS
clear y and indispusably within the D. wer
Of Congress 10 eontroj the question of sls. /
eery within the Territories, and tia, the
bower ought to be exercised. no. where
here was no occasion for it, never for
mere purposes Of agitation and irritation