The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-01-05
.uIhori1ing the organi1a.ion q as Sac Of

autno11inB the organization On tne osaeo ot
Missouri.
But the good sense Of the people, and the
vital force of the Constitution, triumphed
over sectional prejudice, and the political er-
rors of the day, and the State of Texas re-
turned to the union as she was, with social
institutions which ber people had chosen for
themselves, and with express agreement by
the reannexlng act, that she should be sus
ceptible Of division into plurality of States.
Whatever advantage the interests Of the
Southern States, as such, gained by this
were far inferior in results, as they unfolded
in the progress of time, TO those which
sprang from previous concessions made by
the South.
To every thoughtful friend of the Union,
to the true lovers of their country, to all
who longed and labored for the full success
of this great experiment Of republican insti-
tutions, it was a cause of graduation that
such an opportunity had occurred to illus
trate our advancing power on this continent,
and to fnrnlsh to the world additional assu-
rance Of the strength and stability of the
Constitution. Who would wish to see Flor
ida still European Colonyi Who would
rejoice to hail Texas as lone star, inst cad
of one Of the galaxy of Statesl Who does
not appreciate the incalculablc benefits Of
the acquisition of Louisiana! And yet mar
row views and sectional purposes would in
evitably have excluded them all from the
Union.
But another struggle on the same point
ensued, when our victorious armies returned
from Mexico, and it devolved on Congress to
provide for the Territories acquired by the
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The great
relations Of the subject had now become dis
tinct and clear to the perception Of the pub
lie mind, which appreciated the evils Of
sectional controversy upon the question of
the admission of new States. In that crisis
intense solicitude pervaded he patton. But
the patriotic impulses of the popular heart,
guided by the admonitory advice Of the
Father Of his Country, rose superior to all
the difficulties of the Incorporation of new
empire into tho Union. In the counsc's of
Congress there vas manifested extreme an
tagonism ofopinion and action between some
representatives, who sought by the abusive
and unconstitutional employment Of the
legislative powers Of the Government to
interfere in the condition of the inchoatc
States, and to impose their own social theo-
rics upon the latter; and other representa-
tives, who repellcd the interposition of the
General Government in this respect, and
maintained the selfconstituting rights of the
States. In truth the thing attempted was
in form alone, action Of the General Govern
ment, while in reality it was the endcavor,
by abuse of legislative power, to force the
ideas Of internal policy entertained in par
ticular Statcsupon allicdindependent States.
Once niotc the Constitution and the Union
triu,nphed sisnally. The new Territories
were organized without restrictions OIL the
disputed point, and were thus left to Judge
in that particular for themselves; and the
sense of constitutional faith proved vigorous
enough in Congress not only to accomplish
this primary object but also the incidental
and hardly less important one of so amend
ing the provisions Of the statute for the
extradition of fugitives from service as to
place that public duty under the safeguard
Of the General Government, and thus relieve
it from obstacles raised by the Legislation Of
some Of the States.
Vain defamation regarding the provisions
of law for the cxtrajition of flgtives from
service, with occasional episodes Of frantic
effort to obstruct their execution by riot and
murder, continued for a brief time to agitatc
certain localities. But the true principle Of
lcaving each State and Territory to regulate
its own laws of labor according to its own
sense of right and cxpediency, had acquired
fast hold Of the public judgment to such a
degree that, BY common Consent, it was OBJ
served in the organization of the Territory
of Washington.
When, more recently, it became requisite
to organize the Territories of Nebraska and
Kansas, it was the natural and legitimate
if not inevitable, consequence Of previou:
events and legislation, that the same great
and sound principle, which had already beer
applied to Utah and New Mexico, should be
applied to them, that they should stand
exempt from the restrictions proposed in the
act relative to the State of Missouri.
These. restrictions were in the estimation
of many thoughtful men, null from the be-
ginning, unauthorized by the Constitution
contrary to the treaty stipulations for the
cession of Louisiana, and inconsistent with
+ho aau,llitv of the States
They have been stripped Of all moral au
thority, by persistent efforts to procure theil
indirect repeal through contradictory en-
actnaents. They had been practically alb
roeated by the legislation attending the or
panization of Utah, New Mexico and Wash
ington. II any vitality remained in them
il would have been taken away in effect by
the new Tcrrite rial acts, in the form original
" proposed to the Senate at the first ses
sion of the last Congress. 1t was manly
and ingenious as we'll as patriotic and jus
to do this directly and plainly, and thus re-
Iieve the statute book of an act which NIGH
be Of possible future injury, bat of no posi-
Bile future benefit; and the measure OF its re
neal was the final eonsummation and com
plete recognition of the principle that NJ
norton of the United States shall undertake
through assumtion of the powers Of the Gen
eral Government, to dictate the social insti
tions of any other portion.
| The scope and effect OF the language OF
repeul were not left in doubt. 1t was de-
clared, in terms. to the ''true extent snt
"meaning Of this act not to legislate Slave
cry into any Territory or State, nor to ez