The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1856-12-11

I should ans, Wn tier AS affecting rub!ic ~ pri
vatc rj.hts-- IN q : .~tiun> OF pubic dumalis th'
/ ,hc s.,eral S ais arr go equal in dom ID lrS
\ islatige powsr. Congress- cannot tiispge 4 law
Of dom ic rslh ton ~ any State, and VI slatup
which ptupnsps TO do this is nullity; itieNa
away no rgld,ii copGrs none Yet vhen Z, "
grcss srcpr.gd this dead letter ~ tIie isw, NM
ltcptaI was made tn occesdn Of swide- -spfras
I and dangerous ugitstiun, and it was churdct Z
zsd as br'ach vt 'uiih, in a compact OF p.rp etu
sl moral obligation.
An unrppaltd act Of Congress, If decided tt
be constitutional. is binding on the conscirnc'
Of each good Ciisir of the R-publici Brl
twas to-. enactment in question invested w'i
peretuity on entitled to the respect of u solemi
compact B'tween whom was the compact
No distinct con ending powers OF The govern
mrnt entered into treaty sipulaioifs on ilit
subject. IL was -a-mere CLAUSE OF an aei-ol
Congress received final shapr aud was passed
by compromise of conflicting opinions of the
ncinbers of Congress. But it il had moral nu-
horiy over nru's conscirn e., TO whom did
this authority atiach2 Not 10 those Of the
North, who had repeatedly refused to confirm
II by extension: aud il not by the North, it
could not have had any TO the South, for such
compacts must be mutual, and Of reciprocal
obligations.
II not unfrequ'nty happens that law-5ivers
with a view OF impartng peculiar strength TO q
law, make II perpetual IN terms bat they can
no; thus bind the conscience Of those who sue
coed them Experrnte may show the law to
be unsound in principle, aud impfacticsble in
execution. Aud thu exp riencc and reason
combine to require its repeal.
The Constitution is supreme over all the de-
par'mrn;s OF the government but Congress or
iF,' S'atrs may propose amendments to 1t. In
'le present instance. n political enactment
v hich ceased to have legal power or authority
Of amy kind was repealed The position assum-
ed that Congress had no moral right to enact
such repeal was strange enough, aud singularly
so as it came from those who had refused ohe-
Gience 10 laws having the same populaI quality
and designation as compromise acts. 1t was
imputed thtt he measure was desire to extend
the area of slave labor beyond the limits Of
those previously assigned to it; and in he
North this bdseless assumption was made the
ground OF unceas ng assaults upon constitution
al rights.
All that ,he repeal of the restriction did was
TO rrleva the slOtue book book Of an uncon.
stiulional enaclm. mt. and left the unsettled
r gions Of the United States open TO cmigraion
wihou. i"ral prohibition nn either side.
OF this last agitation one lamcntabl5 feature
was, tat il was carried ~ a. the immediate ex-
pcnse of he pace and happiness Of the people
Of the territory Of Kansas. That was made the
not so mach of he opposing fac
tnns or interests within itself. as Of the con
hicting passions of the whole pc pie of the
Cuit.d States, revolutionary in its origin
in pfoj cts of direct intervention, deli beraey
by certain members Of Congress, which
enacted the law for the organization of the Ter
ritcry. And when propagandist colonization of
Kansas had thus been undertaken in one section
o( the Union, for the promotion of p culiar
views OF policy, there ensued as a matter of
course. counter action with opposite views
in other sections of the Union.
The consequence was that many acts of dis
order have been perpetrated in Kansas, aggrts
Sive, and most reprehensible incursions into the
Territory were undertaken, both in the North
and The South, and there has existed state of
InsurreCtiOn against the constituted authorities
encouraged by inconaidcrale persons from all
sections of the Union.
These difficulties have been eXtravagantly
mognified aud the whole Territory has red
TO be filled with extreme violence, when the
whole amount of such acts have been no greater
Than sometimes occur in our cities without
beiug regarded as political consequence
Attempts to erects revolutionary government
in tn territory, though encouraged aud supplied
with pecuniary id from active agents OF dsor-
der in some of the States has completely failed.
Bodies Of armed men have been prevented from
entering, or compelled to leave the territory.--
Predatory bands engaged in lawlcss acts have
been arrested or dispersed, and every we'll dis
posed person can now peacefully fol ow his own
legitimate pursuits,
The restoration Of comparative tranquility in
ihat Territory furnishes the means of observing
calmly, aud appre ciating at their Just value, the
events which have occurred there. We perceive
that the controversy concerning It's future
domestic institutions was inevitable that no
human prud, nee, no form Of lrgislation no wis
dom on the part of Congr SIS, could have pre-
veored his.
We perceive. also. that spctionalinterssts and
party passions have been the great impedimen,
10 the aluatory operation OF the principles ad-
opted, and the chief cause of lhr disturbances
in Kansas, resulted from nterfrrencp on the part
of persons not inha abtants Of the Territory.
In those parts of the Union where the public
mind las bee, me inllImcd by miSrepresenta-
lions it has been assumed that it was the duty
OF the Executive not only to suppress insurec-
tionary movements in Kansas, but to see to the
Irregularities at III ir local elections.
The President has not the power to inierpose
in elections, to see TO their freedom, to canvass
their votes, or to pass upon their Legality in the
tultories any more than in the States Such
a power would in fact be monarchy
Full information in relation to recent events
IN This Territory will be found in tn. documents
commnnirajoA h rewiIh from the Departments
OF State and War.
Daring ,ho las: fiscal year the receipts from
customs W'r', fus The first time, more than six
ty-tour lulIiuu dollars, aud from all sources es.srv
su'y-'hT,' million nine hundred anil eighteen
thousand on hnndred and forty dollars; which
wan The BALANCE on innl up TO the lst OF July
ie5j, mad the total sources of the yearamnunt
10 uin .ty-iive million eight hundred AMI fifty
thousand one huniral anil seventeen dollars
The expenditure, iuc'u ling three million dol.
lars IN execution with the tranty Of Mexico, anil
excluding sums paid on account of the public
drh. amounted to sixty million one hun lied
nna seventy two thousand four hundred and one
lnIlars; aul. incluling the latter. To seventy.
,"" million nine hundred and for'y-cisht rhon.
sand seven hundred and ninety.two dollars. rh.
pay ment on this account having amounte to
twelve million seven hundred and ninety dol.
lars. On the 4th Of March. 1853, tn amount