Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-01-24

resetativcs in Congress would obey the voice oi the
foi bade by an almost unanimous vote
the admission Of Missouri MS q slave State The
vote stands unrepeaed To this day. and it's gene
rous spirit spoke again, yet mure impressively, ut
the late election, swhen it said that Kansas too,
must he free. The Missouri Compromise was re-
sisted by this State an unwarrantable conces-I ]
sion to slavery and deep wrong TO freedom but
with the loyaiitv TO tho Constiton and the Union,
in which she has never faltered when the Com
sress of the United States decided to sanction that
Compromise and to admit Missouri az a slave State'
conditioned that bencefOrth slavery should not be
carried north of the line of SO deg. 30 min., New
York acqujesced without approving, and never
sou ght to disturb that settlement. When, however,
slavery having received its full equivalent IT was
proposed to Withhold or to withdraw the equ,v"iehV
to freedom in the restriction of slavery within tue
specified limits and so TO open all the territories OF
the United States to that blight, New York insist
ed on what virtually was n contract; ana thoush
unfavorable to it when made, was nevertheless IN
tent that freedom should not lose its share OF the
bargain.
Hence. New York opposed, of right and in per-
feet consistency. the repeal of the Compromise
adopted against her will. In vain; that act
which has stood on the statute book Tor more
than thirtyfour years, with all the sacredness oi
an mped contract, was repealed, and the freSl-
dent OF the United States in mis- recent Message
characterizes it as, 'an objectionable enactment
unconstitutiouaP in its effects, and injurious III
terms large portion Of the States. ODec'
tonable to this State that enactment undoubtedly
at the time, but Tor precisely opposite rea-
SONS to those implied in the Presidents censure,
because it restricted freedom and extended slavery
The Compromise was forced 10y the South upon
the free States, but New York was thoroughly
opposed to ii then, the South, speaking through
| the President can lie hnw when they hnve reclev-
ed all its benefits, and the turn of freedom Ia com
| ing. But Leither New York or the free States ev'
er deemed that enactment unconstitutional, bu
submitted reluctantly, yet unreservedly, to it; Tor
the love of freedom and respect for law have ever
been inseperable nere At this late day, Prcsi
dent Of the United States pronOunces the Missouri
Compromise unconstitutional, although 1t has ev-
cry sanction of precedent cOtemporanenus ext0sr
ton, unbroken usage, and up to recent date
universal assent
1t was the uniustiiable repeal of the Compro-
mise that, ut the recent election, reused so deep
an excitement, which was aggravated by the fear
fu scenes of violence and wrong in kansas.-I
These evils sprung from the same bitter root--the
effnrt to extend savery-and were brought about
by the faithless renunciatiOn on the part OF Con
gress, of the absolute and exclusive right confer
red upon by the Constitution Of making all need
full rules and regulations respecting the Territory
and other property belonging to the United
States 1t is not competent for any branch Of
this Government, nor all its branches combined.
Ehart of an amendment of the Constitution in the
prescribed form, to transfer to others power con
fded by that Constitution to Congress; and when
the phantom sof Squattsr Sovereignty set up
as M exsu,c for this abandonment Of duty not
was there treachery to the Constitution but a
mockery of substantial popular Sovereignty
Since, in theory, it proessed to leave to the inbab-
tants of the Territory the right to govern them
selves while, in fact the Federal Executive ap-
pointed all the chef oficers-Governor, Judges
and Marshals; and again, the pretext was to
transfer to the first few accidental settlers the
right to determine, fnallyit might be, the condi-
tion of Territory capable of sustaining millions,
while in fact as irrefutably established by the |
Committee of the House of Representatives up |
pointed to investigate the troubles in Kansas the /
iona tide settlers ousted of the right thus |
pretended to be conferred upon them. Hordes OF
armed men from Missouri and other States took |
pUssessiun of the polls drove ir0m them the actual
residents who would not cooperate in their avOwcd
purpose Of imposing slavery upon Kansas and
chose members OF the Legislature infamous to all
time, 10y the atrocuus laws which they afterwari
enacted. Happily and honOrlbly for free institu
tuns though must dsastrously to themselves the
sons of this State, OF other free States, and, We
may even hope. some from the slave States who
went to Kansas fur n new home have steadily and
successfully resisted this usurpation. Yet these
are the acts which, hy judicial tyranny, and at
the point of the bayonet Of troops of the United
States, paid out of the common Treasury, the
| President of the United States has upheld and en-
forced. The consequence to some Of the settlers
was imprisonment to some death, to all uncer-
lainty and alarm. and to many aggravated loss and
suffering. 1t is hoped that, under better counsels
order, and law, and harmony may be restored !;
but, mean time great distress and privation will
be endured and therefore, would re1ectrullv
submit to your consideration the expediency, OF
contributing, by an appropriation OF moneys TO be
used in case of need toward the relief of the des-
titution and suffering which misgovernment
has OccasOned IN Kansas, with tho single remark
that to do So would o..ly be act of duty toward
Lon kith and kin. who have MIGRATED to that
new region. of like character. but certainly Of
higher obligation, with the appropriations which
in n spirit of benevolence, the Congress of the
United States have made from time to time for the
relief IF distant and foreign populations oyertaken
by great and sudden calamity.
| I cannot close this communication without ad-
verting to the striking illustrations afforded by the
recent election of the harmonious working of our
institutions and of the spirit Of submit IsOn to laws
of their own devisag, and which they feel to be
equal and Just evnced by the citizens of all por-
tiOns of our extended Republic. After an exciting
canvass, lasting through many months in which
all took part sooner was the result ascertained
than the most entire and absolute acquiesce ence
ensued, and without raucor or menace or dstur
bance on the part of those who were defeated; tho
ordinary routine of life was resumed, without
shock of any sort to industry, to credit or Other
interests of society 1t is greatly 10 misudge suci
a spectacle, and wrong to the cause 0f Constitu
tiuna Liberty, to fl d. as has been don6 IN sucl
a contest only on groonds for eliminating the mo
tives OF q large portion of the most Intelligent, ed
ucatsd and moIa of our population ana none OF
rejoicing in the signal vndoati m of the stability
of popular governments of thanksulness to the
Almighty for his protection in this rs in every
past epoch of our history as a people. May that
good and gracious Being still watch over and
guide us in our deliberations. JoHN A. KING.
Albany. January 6, 1857.