Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-01-02

was 1t Imagined by sensible men. that a regulatiyc or DECLARE
N, si !" mno,h 81 enacted ten or i,fiy years ago. rs IRE
IL indeed, there were In the facts any cause to impuic bad
faith, IL would attach TO those only. Who have never ceased,
from thetlne Il the enactment of The restrictive previsont to the
present DAY, 70 denounec and 10 ounaemn IL who have con-
stanly refused to complete IL by needfal supplementary logis-
lation who have spared no cxeriion TO deprive IL of moral
force who have Themselves again aud again attempted its re
the inevitable reaedouary effect Of their own violence ON the
subject, awakened the country 10 perception of the true con.
$ ntional principle, oileasing them atierinvolved.to the discre.
non oil the people OF the respective existing or lneipient States.
1t is act pretended that this principle, or any other precludes
~ i 10 81. oleNils ~ praetie'' Disturbed as leil.ieal action
Is taoie to be by human passions. No form OF government Is
suit II the abuse, and not Of the legitimate exercise, OF the pow
gs reserved or e9nierred IN tho organiastien Of a Territory.
sovereignty on the contrary, they disappear hefofo the intel.
lot box their peaceful aud shen, but irresistible power.
If the friends of the Constitution are to have another strug'
gle lis enemies could not present a more acceptable issue than
mat OF a state, whose constitution clearly embraces " repne'
lean form of government" being excluded from the Union be-
cAaseits domestic institutions may not In al. respects eomport
with the Ideas of what is wise and espedlent entertained In
breach Of faith against others, men will commence the agits.
ton of this new question with indubitable violation of an OK
the United States and of the republic of Texas, as well as Of
the older aud equally solemn eompacts which assure the oqnali
But, d~eplorabo as would be- such a violation of compae, in
OF the evils involved. When sectional agtators shall have sue.
ceeded IN forcing ON this issue, can their rretcnsions fail to be
met by counter pretensionsi VIII not dihercnt States be com
pclled respectively to meet extremes with EXTREMIST And, If
either extreme Gerry lis point, what Is that Sc far forth but dis
solusion OF the Union II new State, formed from the terri.
tory of the United States. be absolutely excluded from admis
un therein, that fact OF Itself constitutes the disruption OF
Union between 1t and the other States. hut the process Of dis
solution co-ld not stop there. Would not n sectional decision,
producing such results by a majority of votes, either Northern
or southern, OF necessity drive out the oppressed and aggrived
minority, aud place In presence OF each other two irreeoncilea
bic hostile considerations
Its necessary to speak thus plainly of projects, tho offspring
o, that sectional agitation now prevailing In some of The States,
which are as inpractieahle ms they are unconstitutional, and
which, If perseVcred in, must aud viii end calanltously II Is
either disunion and civil war, or 1t is mere angry, idle, aimless
disturbance of public peace aud tranquility. psunion for
whHtt Ii the passionate rage of ianatlCism aud Partisan spirit
did not force the fact upon our attention, it would be difficult
to believe, that any considerable portion Of the people of this
enlightened country could have SO surrendered themselves to a
ttnatieai devotion to the supposed interests Of the relatively
few Africans in the United States. as totally to abandon aud
disregard the interests of the tw en- five millions OF Americans.
10 trlnplc under foot the Injunction of moral and constitutional
o5ligat5on-and 10 engage in plans of indicative hostility
against thosc who are associated with them in the enjoyment
of the common heritage of our national institutions.
Nor Is it hostility against their fellow citizens of one section
If the Union alone. Tho interests, the honor, the duty, the
peace, and the prosperity of the people OF all sections are equal.
ly involved and imperilled In this question. And are patriotic
madly To invite all the consequences of the forfeiture of their
constitutional engagements II Is impossible. The storm Of
phrcnsy and faction must inevitable dash itself in vain against
the mistaken rock Of the Constitution. | shall never doubt It,
| know that the Union il stronger Thousand times than all the
wild and ehinciieal schemes of social change, which are gene
rated, one after another, In the unstable minds of visionary So
phiats and interested agttatnrs. rely confidently on the pat
rintisIn of The people, on the dignity aud self respect of the
States. on the wisdom of Congress, and above all, on the CON
tinned gracious favor Of Almighty God, to maintain, against
al enemies, whether at home or abroad, the sanctity e the
Constitution and tho integrity of the Union.
FRANKLIN RIERCE.
WASHINGTON. December 81 ie55