Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-01-05

were guarded by the limitation Of the powers gran
ted, and by express reservation of ali powers nos
granted, IN the compact of the union. Thus, the
great power Of taxation limited 70 purposes Of
common defense ard general welfare, excluding
objects appertaining to the local legislation OF the
several States; and those purposes of general vel
iare ana common defense were after wards defined
oy specined enumeration, being matters only Of
coreatlOH between the States themselves or be-
tween them and foreign governments, which be-
cause OF thelr general and common nature, could
not De left tor the separate control Of each Stste
or the circumstances OF local condition interest
and rights, in which portion Of the States consti-
tntIng one great section Of the Union differed from
the rest, aud IRON another great section the most
important was the popularity of a larger relative
eolored population in the southern than Ia the
northern States
population OF this class. held in subsection
/ existed in nearly All the States. but was more
1 numerous aad vi more serious cOncernment in
/ the south than in the North. on account of ma
/ tural differences Of climate and productions. and
II was forseen that. for same seasons, while this
! population would diminish and sooner or later
cease to exist in some States. it might increase
| in others. The peculiar character and NAOMI
/ tude OF this question of local r.hts, not in ma
/ lerial relations only, but still more in social
ones, caused il to enter into the special stipula-
/ tons Of the Constitution.
Hence, while the general government. as we'll
! III
those not enumerated, AID therefore refused 10
it, was forbidden 10 touch this matter in the sense
| or attack or otense, it was placed under the GEN.
eral safeguard OF the Union, in the sense of de-
/ tense against either invasion or domestic vio-
lenee, like all other 10 al interests of the several
\ States. Zach state expressly st pulated as we'll
Tor Itself rs for each and all OF its citizens and
every citizen of each Stale because soIemnIv
bound by his allegiance to the constitution.
that any person, held to service or labor in one
| State, escaping into another, should not in con
sequence OF any law regulation thereof lie
discharged from such service or labor bat should
| be delivered up on claim OF the party to whom
such service or labor might be due by the laws
| of his State.
Thus, and thus only, by the reciprocal guaranty
OF all the rights Of every State against interference
on the part OF another the present form of gov
eminent established by our fathers and transmitted
to US; and by no other is il possible for il 10
exist II one State ceases tosFespect the rights Of
another, and ootFusivey Intermediates with It's local
interests-if portion of the States assume 10 i'm.
pose their institutions on the Others or refuse to
| lul6 their Obligations TO them-we are no longer
united, friendly States but distracted hostile ones
| with little capacity left Of common advantage but
! abundant means Of reciprocal injury and mischief
Practically, it is imniieria whether aggressive
interference between the States, deliberate reu-
sal On tie part Of any one Of them to comply with
I erroneous
victon or blind prejudice, whether it be perpetra-
] ted by direction ndirrction. In either case II
j, full Of threat aud danger to the durability OF the
Union.
CONSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS on SLAVERY.
Placed in the Office Of Chief Magistrate Us the
| executive agent of the whole country. bound to
take care that the laws be faithfully executed,
and especially enjOned by the Constitution to
| give information 10 Congress on she state of the
| Union, it would be papable neglect of duty on
my part to pass over a subject like this, wh eh,
beyond all things ut the present time vitality
concerns the Individual and public security.
Ii has been matter Of palnfll regret to see
/ States conspicuous for their services in founding
| this Republic and equally sharing its alvanta-
ges, disregard their constitutional obligations to
! it, Although conscious Of their inability 20 heal
! admitted and palpable social evils of their own,
| and which are completely within their juTisdic-
tion. they engage in the offensive and hopeless
! undertaking OF reforming the domestic institu =
tons Of other States wholly beyond their control
and authority.
In the vain pursuit of ends, by them entirely
unattainable, and which they may not legally
attempt 10 compass, they peril the very existence
OF the Constitution, and all the countless bcne-
fits which it has conferred. While the people of
the Southern States Contine tther attention to
their own affairs, not preSumng OdiciOusly to
intermeddle with the social Institutions of the
Northern States. too many OF the inhabitants of
the latter are permanently organized in assoea-
tions to ntlict injury on the former, by wrongful
acts, which would be cause OF war as between
foreign powers, and only fail to be such in our
system, because perpetrated under cover of the
Union.
Ii simpossible to present this subject as truth
and the occasion require, without nouciug the rtt
Grated, but grOund!ess allegation, that the South
has persi>tenty asserted claims al obtained sdvan.
ages in the practical administration OF the general
government TO the pr, judce Of the North aud in
which the latter has acquiesced. That s. the States
which either promote or tolerate attacks on the
rights Of persons aud property 10 other States to
disguise their own inIstice, pretend or Imagine,
and constantly aver that they whose constitution
al rights are thus Systematically a>=aed a. them
selves the aggressOrs. At the present time this
imputed aggression, resting, as il does only in the
vague, deelamat ~ charges Of political asitatoFs,
resolves itself iEto misapprehension misuterpre-
tation Of the principles aud facts Of the political
organization Of the Territories Of the United
r States.
WHAT'S the voice Of history When the ordnance
which provided for the government Of the territory
northwest Of the river Ohio, and for its eventual
subdivision into new States was adopted in the
Congress of the confederation It IS not 10 be sup
posed, that the question Of future relative power,
) as between the States which retained and those
which did not retain a numerous cOlored populs.
yet the concession Of that territory TO the in
terest and opinions Of the Northern States terri
tory now the seat OF five among the largest mem
bers OF the Union, was in great measure the at
! oflhe State Of Virginia and OF the South.
: When Louisiana acquired by the United
States il was acquisition not less TO he north
than to the south, for while il was important 70
the country at the mouth OF the Mississippi 70 be.
the emporium Of the country above il. so also
it was even more important 20 the whole Union to
have that emporium, and although the new prov
nce By reason Of its imperfect settlement was re
girdrd as on the Gut of Mexico yet in fact IL en-.
tended to the opposite boundaries Of the United
States with far greater breadth above than belo.
and was in territory in everything else, equally
delasion and prsjadiee, therefore, 10 speak Of
Louisiana as an acquisition in the special interest oil
the South.
The patriotic and just men who participated ia
that act, we're Influenced by motives above all Sec
tioRal eaousies. Il was in truth the great event,
which, by completing for us the possession Of the
valley OF the Mississippi, with commercial access
TO the Gulf OF Mexico, impaired unity and strength
to the whole confederation, aud attached togethes
by iniissOlube Ties East and West well North
aud South.
As N Florida, that but the transfer By Spain
20 the United States Of the territory the east side
OF the Mississippi in exchanges for the large terri
tOry which the United States transferred 10 Spain
on the vest side Of That river, a. the entire oPo-
matte history Of the Transaction serves 20 demOn-
strste. Moreover. it acquisition demanded
~ the commercl Interests aud the security Of the
vi ols Union.
10 the meantime, the people Of the UuIted
States bad grown up % proper consciousness
e IL Their strength, aud 10 a brief contest with
France, and IN second serious war with Great
|, Britain, they had sliaSen of al which remain
ed Of undue reverence f0c Europe, and eineTg.
co from the atmosphere 81 those transatlantic
Influences which surrounded the infant RsDub-
lie, aud hsd begun 20 turn their attention 10
, the luli and systematic development vi the