The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-01-09

INSTITUTIONS OF any Othcf portion. Inc |
scope and effect of the language of APP
peal we're not left in doubt. 1t was dc.
clarcd in terms to be the true intent and V
meaning Of this act not to exclude it
thcrcfrom, but to leave the people there
Of perfectly free to form and regulate
their domestic institutions in their own
way. subject only to the Constitution Of
the United States
This measure could not be withstood
upon its merits alone 1t was attacked
with violence on the false and delusve
pretext that it constituted breach of
faith. Never was objection moro utter.
ly destitute Of substantial Justification
When before was it mtinta ,ed by sensi
BILE men that rcgulative or declarative
statute, whether enacted ten or forty |
years ago, is irrepealablc That an act |
Of Congress is above the Constitution, if |
indeed there were in the facts any cause
to impute bad faith, it would attach to
those only who have never ceased from
the time Of the enactment of the rcstrc-
tive provision to the present day, to de-
nouuce and condemn it; who have CON
stantly refused to complete it by the
needfll supplementary legislation who
have spared no exerton to deprive it of
moral force who have themselves. again
and again, attempted its repeal, by the
enactmeuts of incompatible provi-
sions, and who, by the inevitable rcac-
tonary effect of their own violence on
/ thc,subject awakened the country to per-
ception of the true constitutional prin-
o;,,Io 6 Lao
the discretion of tn, respective existing
or incipient states.
1t is not pretended that this principle,
or any other, procludes the possibility of
evils in practice, disturbed as political
action is liable to be by human
passns No form of government is ex-
empt from Inconvenience, but in this
case they are the result of the abuse and
not Of the legitimate exercise of the
; powers reserved or conferred, in tho or
gauizaton of territory. They are not
to be charged to the great principle of
popular sovereignty, on the contrary
they disappear before the intelligence
and patriotism of the people, exerting
through the ballot box their peaceful
aud silent, bu. irresistible power. II
the friends Of the Constitution are to
? have another struggle, its enemies could
@ not present more acceptable issue than
2 that IF State where the Constitution
! clearly embraced representative form
4 of government being excluded from the
r O"'o" o'"'u9I no uo''''''0 i'''''. ~ 'o,'
II may hot III all respects con- port VIII tn'
N Ideas VI what Is wise and eSpculeht, en-
tcrtuiued in some other States.
Fresh from groundlrss inuutatious O
t. breach oCf,ith against Others. men will com
It m,uce the AGITATION of this new question witt
e indubitablc violation of AN EXPRESS compac
# between the independent sovereign power
= Of the United States and Of the rcuublic o
Texas. As well as of the older and cquall,
c solemn compacts which insure the enualitv o
:. all the states; but dcplorablc AS would h.
Il such a violation of such "A comDact in itself
If and in all its direct consequences. that is tn
; very least of the evils involved when sec
tional acitations shall have succeeded in fore
y inc ON TINS issue. can their pr.trp.ious "a
IN tn he met hv encounter urct,usiuns wi
lc not different state, be conpelled rcsnec
lively. to meet extremes with cxtrcmc>
-. And if either extreme carry its MONT wba
- i, that so far forth but dissolution of theUu
u ioul If new state formed from the teri
a tory of the United States be absolutely e,
ll- ClEutG from admission therein, that fact
j.. itself constitutes the disruption of the Vi
-. ion between it and the other states, but ii
process OF dissolution could not stop Their
~ Would not a sectional decision producer
al such result by majority of votes, eithc
IT. Northern or Southern, of necessity drive OF
of the oppressed and aggrievcd minority an
:, ulace in presence of each other two irrcco
- Liable hostile considerations. 1t is ncccssal
Id, to sneak thus plainly of projects the on>prir
al of that sectional agitation now prevailing
es some of the states which are AS impractic
70 hl,. AS they are unconstitutional. and viii,
49, if t.rscrycred in must and will end calanli
y" ouSlv. 1t is either dismion and civil war,
les If i, mere idle. angry. aimlcss disturbance
on nubiic pencc and Tranquility. Disuuion f
eft WHAT
M If the passionate rogc of fanatici>m ar
,nl partizan spirit did not force the fact M,
'"' nnr attention. il would he difficult to belle
'g- mar any considerable. norton of the reou
~ or Ills ruliohtcned country could have
I'd surrendered Themselves TO "A fanatical dev
bo tinn tn tLc sunnos,.d interests of the relatiy
=: ~ Gov ,fric,,is in the Unit,d states AS +
~ tally to abandon and DISREGARD TIN, intcrc.
zee of tycntv.Gvc millions 3f Americans.