The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-01-04

river Mississippi to become the emporium o.
the country above it, so also it was even more
important to the whole Union to have that en-
poriun; and although the new province, by
reason of its imperfect settlement was mainly
regarded as on the Gulf of Mexico, yet, in fact
itsextended to the opposite boundaries of the
United States with far greater breadth above
than below, and was in territory, as IN every
thing else, equally at least an accession to the
northern States. 1t is mere delusion and pre-
JUDGE, therefore, to speak of Louisiana as &C
QUESTION in the special interest of the South:
The patriotic and dst men, who partit ipated
in that act ere il flu need By motives far above
all sectional iealousics. Il was In truth the
great EVEN, which. by completing for us the
possession of the valley of The Mississippi, with
commerci il access to The Gulf Of Mexico, i'm
parted unity and >irengh 10 The whole coniedrra-
Iion ar d attached toge her by indi soluble ties
thr East and the West, as we'll the North and
the South. .-,, ..-.
Az TO Florida. that was but the transfer by
Ssaia 20 the United States OF territory en- The
East side of The river Mississippi, in exchange
for large territory, which the United s ats Trans
ferred TO Spain on the West side of that liver as
The entire diplomatic hi tory of The transaction
serves 10 demonstrate. Moreover il was &C
QUESTION demanded by The commercial interests,
andt the security Of the wh;l Union.
In the meantime The people of The ULi.ed
of their Strength, and in brid cont st with
France, and in second serious war with Giea
Britain, III. v had shaken off all which remaihed
al undue reverence for rope, and en- erged
from the atmosphere ofthose TRANSATLANTIC infu-
euces which surrounded the infant public. and
had begun to return their attention the full and
systematic development of The internal resources
OF the Union.
Among the evanescent controversies of that
period the most conspicuous was the question
ofregulation 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
territory northwest of the Ohio had contained
a provision, which prohibited the use of SER
vile labor therein subject to the condition of
the extraction of fugitiVes from service due in
any other part of the United States. Subse-
quently to the adoption of the constitution this
provision ceased to remain as law; for its
operation as such was absolutely superseded
by the constitution. But the recollection of
the fact excited the zeal of social propaganda
ism in some sections of the confederation, and,
when social State, that of Missouri, came to
he formed in the territory Of Louisiana, propc-
sition was made to extend to the latter terri
tory the restriction originally applied to the
country situated between the rivers Ohio and
Mississippi.
Mosl questionable was this proposition in
the cid constitutional ralalions nevertheless 4,
received the sanction of Congress, with some
slight notifications ofiinetc save The existing
rsshis of the intended new State II was reluc-
family acqniesccd in by Southern States as IL
sacrifice TO the cause of peace and Of the Union
Mt only of the rights stipulated by The treaty of
Louisiana, bal of The principle OF equality among
the States guaranteed by the constitution. Ii was
received BY The Northern States with angry md
tf,,I mil
il did not conccde all whicfi they had ex-c;nglN
demanded Having passed Through The forms OF
iegi-laiiun il took its place int he statute book
standing open to repeal, like any e'her act OF
doubtful constiiu ionality suljfci to be pro-
nuunced mil and void by the courts IF 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 lerrito
~ of ouis'ana.
In all this, if any aggression there were, any
innovation upon pre-existing rights, to which
portion of the Union are they justly charged
BILE?
This controversy passed away with the oc-
casion, nothing surviving it saved the dormact
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 step in terrific
rial greatness, similar contingency occurred
and became the occasion for systematzed at
tempts to interfere in the domestic affairs of
,one section of the Union, in defiance of their
rights as States, and Of the stipulation of the
constitution. These attempts assumed prac-
tical direction, in the shape Of persevsring en-
deavors, by some of the representatives, in
both houses of Congress to deprive the South
sern States Of the supposed benefit of the pro-
visions of the act authorizing the organization
of the State of Missouri. as4
But the good sense of the people and the
vital force Of the constitution, triumphed over
sectional prejudice. and the political errors Of
the day, and the State of Texas returned tc
the Union as she was with social institutions
which her people had chosen for themselves
and with express agreement. by the .re-annex
ing act, that she should be susceptible of sub
divisioninto aplurality 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 sprung from
previous concessions made by the South
,,Toeyery thoughtful friend of the Union-tc
the true lovers Of their country-to all WHIT
.lonsed ard labored for the full success of this
roreat experiment of republican institution
It was cause of graduation that such an oppor
tunity had occurred to illustrate our advanc
lng power on UhS continent ana 10 lurnlsi
TO the world additional assurance of tn
strength and stability of the constitution
Whe @eSld wish to see Florida stiH a En-
Fopean colony? Who would rejoice to hal
Texas as lone STAR instead of one in tn
galaxy of States? Who does not appreciat
the incaicuable benefits of the acquisition
louisiana? And yet narrow views and sec
'tional purposes would inevitably have exclud
ed them all from the Union.
But another struggle on the same point er