Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-01-01

In the act, were influenced by motives far
above all sectional Jealousies. II 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 con.
feration. and attached together by indissoluble
ties the East and the West, as well as the North
and the South.
As to Florida, that was but the transfer BY
Spain to the United States of territory on the
east side of the river Mississippi, in exchange
for large territory, which the United States
transferred to Spain on the west side of that
river, as the entire diplomatic history of the
transaction serves to demonstrate. Moreover,
it was an acquisition demanded by the COM
mercial interests and the security Of the whole
Union.
In the meantime, the people of the United
States had grown up to proper consciousness
of their strength, and in a brief contest with
France, and in a second serious war with
Great Britain, they had shaken off all which
remained OF undue reverence for Europe, and
emerged from the atmosphere OF those trans
atlantic influences which surrounded the in
FAINT Republic, and had begun to turn their
attention to the full and systematic develop
ment of the internal resources of the Union.
Among the evanescent controversies of that
period, the most conspicuous was the question
of regulating by Congress Of the social condi-
ton of the future States to be founded in the
territory of Louisiana.
The ordinance for the government OF the
territories northwest of the river Ohio had
contained provision, which prohibited the
use of servile labor therein, subject to the con-
dition of the ext tradition Of fugitives from ser
vice due in any other part of the United
States. Subsequently to the adoption of the
constitution, this provision ceased to remain
as law; for its operation as such was abso-
lutely superseded by the constitution. But
the recollection of the fact excited the zeal of
social propagandism in some sections of the
confederation; and, when q second State, that
of Missouri, came to be formed in the territory
of Louisiana, proposition was made to extend
to the latter territory the restriction originally
applied to the country situated between the
rivers Ohio and Mississippi.
Most questionable as was this proposition in
all its constitutional relations, nevertheless it
received the sanction of Congress, with some
slight modification of line, to save the existing
rights of the intended new State. It was re-
luctantly acquiesced in by southern States as
a sacrifice to the cause Of peace and of the
Union, not only of the rights stipulated by the
treaty of Louisiana, but Of the principle of
equality among the States guaranteed by the
constitution. 1t was received by the northern
States with angry and resentful condemnation
and complaint, because it did not concede all
which they had exactingly demanded. Hav-
ing passed through the forms of legislation, it
took its place in the statute book, standing
open to repeal, like any other act of doubtful
subject to be pronounced null
and void by the courts of law, and possessing
no possible efficacy to control the rights of the
States, which might thereafter be organized out
of any part of the original territory of Louisiana
In all this, if any aggression there were,
vs-tsp
which portion of the Union are they Justly
chargeable2
This controversy passed away with the oc-
casion, nothing surviving it save the dormant
letter of the statute.
But, long afterwards, when, by the proposed
accession Of the Republic of Texas, the United
States were to take their next steps in terrific.
rial greatness, a similar contingency occurred,
and became the occasion for systematized at
tempts to intervene in the domestic affairs of
one section of the Union, in defence of their
rights as States, and of the stipulations of the
constitution. These attempts assumed a
practical direction in the shape of persevering
endeavors, by some Of the representatives in
both houses Of Congress, to deprive the south
ern States of their supposed benefit of the pro.
visions of the act authorizing the organization
of the State of Missouri.
But, the good sense of the people, and the
sectional prejudice, and the political errors of
the day, and the State of Texas returned to
the Union as she was, with social institutions
which her people had chosen for themselves,
and with express agreement, by the re-an-
nexing act, that she should be susceptible of
subdivision 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
prnOress of time IN thOsa which fro,,
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 Institutions
it was cause Of qualification that such an op-
pOrtunity had occurred to illustrate our advan-
cling power on this continent, and to furnish
to the world additional assurance Of the
strength and stability of the constitution
Who would wish to see Florida still Euro
pean colony? Who would rejoice to hail Tex
as as lone star, instead of one in in the
galaxy of States! Who does not appreciate
the incalculable benefits Of the acquisition Of
Louisiana! And yet narrow views and sec
tional purposes would inevitably have exclu-
ded them all from the Union
But another struggle on the same point en-
sued, when our victorious armies returned
from Mexico, and it deyoiyed ON Congress To-
treaty Of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The great re-
lations Of the subject had now become dis
tinct and clear to the perception of the public
mind, which appreciated the evils of sectional
controversy upon the question of the admis.
sion Of new States. In that crisis intense SO.
icitude pervaded the nation. But the patriot
ic impulses of the popular heart, guided by
the admOnitory advice of the Father of his
Country, rose superior to all the difiiculties Of
the incorporation of new empire into the
Union. In the cOunsels Of Congress there
was manifested extreme antagonism of opin-
ion and action between same Representatives.
who sought by the abusive and unconstitu.
tonal employment Of the legislative powers
OF the government to interfere in the condi
ton OF the inchoate States, and to impose
their own social theories upon the latter; and
other representatives, who repealed the inter.
position OF the general government in this re.
spect, and maintained the elf-constituttpr
rights of the States. In truth, the think at.
tempted was, in form alone, action of tho Een-
eral government, while in reality it was the
endeavOr, by abuse Of legislative power, to
force the ideas of internal policy, enterta med
in particular States, upon allied independent
States. Once more the constitution and the
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