Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-07-13

mistake was made in this case, than that it
has been seized on by enemies of the Admins
tration as an excuse for vehement predeter
mined attacks upon President Buchanan, under
the allegation that he has been ungrateful to
the South and unfaithful to his pledge of non
interference in the future of the institutions Of
the Territory, after all that he has done and is
honestly doing to carry out to the letter all his
pledges in this connection, and for the main
tenance of every bona fde constitutional and
legal right of our section of the confederacy.
Surely, those opponents Of the present Ad-
ministration who seek to weaken the confidence
of the South in it, by denouncing it for failing
to remove Governor Walker, can have but one
Of two objects in view. Viz: either to oppose
it for the sake of opposition to it, or on the other
hand, to drive it to the abandonment of the
principle of the Kansas N ebraska act-to the
point of administering its trust in Kansas for
the benefit of the South. Or, in other words. so
as that the weight of its influence in the Terri
tory shall be thrown into the Southern scale ::
winch Is as contrary to its pledge of perfect
neutrality In this matter, as q directly contrary
policy or course would be. To our mind, so to
do would be as unjust and as reprehensible,
under the circumstances as to seek to give the
Free Sellers triumph there. We accepted the
kansas-Nebraskaa act and advocated it in the
last election in good faith. and scorn to turn
our back upon it now, Us we would be doing
were we to countenance any departure from its
principle for the nominal benefit of our own
section; and, we doubt not that ninety-nine in
every hundred Southern men who voted for
James buchanan will, on reflection, hold with
US on this point.
Besides, the idea of bad faith which ;s in
volved in that of turning the back of our hands
on the principle OF the KanSas-N ebraska act
now that there is less prospect that it may not
operate in Kansas so as to secure for us there
all we desire, forms by no means all the leeiti
mate inducement for continued southern sup
port of the principle. Those who war on our
rights and interests are largely in the majority
IN the Confederacy, and the tendency of the
tunes with them is to induce perseverance on
their part IN this war. Our only hope of fu-
ture peace and agreement with them rests
upon the influence Of moral power which shall
stay their encroachments. That power Is the
ascendency of the true principle of our overn-
ment-that of the Kansas Nebraska act-oyer
the popular mind. 1t will be said that moral
influences are broken reeds for dependenee
against the influence of essential differences of
race and interests, such as those which exist be-
tween our northern and southern States. While
the history of the world shows the truth of that
axiom as applied to periods of time wherein
centuries are but as years to briefer periods
to those wherein the memory of individual man
runs back and the influence of national tradi-
ton extends. the rule is not sound one This
Is evident in the moral power of received ideas
of religion for which not only individuals but
communities and whole nations have inundated
themselves; enduring tOrtures and other pains
and penalties too terrible to be described; en-
dured, not unfrequently so far as individual
men are concerned, in such cases. by persons
utterly incapable of acting under the influence
OF the ideas or principles for which they were
suffering Most irreligious nations. so far as
the personal character of their citizens is con-
cerned, have exhibited heroism and perse
veranee in religious wars. not second to those
displayed by the most fanatical or truly re-
ligious.
The reader may ask what has all this to do
with the current effort to discredt President
Buchanan in the estimation of the Democracy
OF the South , We answer, much, in our iudg-
ment He is struggling faithfully to sustain
anu administer the great idea of this Govern
ment-the right Of each sovereignty of which it
Is composed to dispose Of all its own domestic
questions, as to it may seem best for its own
happiness and interest Upon the continued
supremacy Of that idea and principle in the adj
mlnlstratIon OF our Government. hinges all the
future hope OF the South in the Union. If it
continues to rule in the minds of our country
men for brief half century longer, So as to
yindicate its ascendency whenever seriously as
sailed, the war of AbOltionism on the rights
OF the South must prove abortiye of really eC-
fectiye results. A few negroes here and there
may continue to be stolen, and for some time
longer laws may continue to be enacted for the
benefit OF the North at the expense of the
South
But, day by day, and year by year, the great
inevitable law OF nature will moro surely work
Its way-that law which in the course of time
surely directs population to regions wherein it
can live best with the least labor; which, though
Its operation is often temporarily disturbed,
always eventually yindicates its own omnipo-
tence. The so remarkable settlement IN and
improvement Of our Northwest is but an experi.
ment at best and while in the brief time it
has been under way that region has become
from end to end almost as densely populated as
our older States, themselves still sparsely popu-
lated when compared with the settled countries
OF the Old World, it has, SO soon, been demon
strated to the satisfaction of men of science that
the length Of its (the northwests) winters and
the severity of its climate will, together, greatly
limit the future maximum of its population :;
just as those and other insuperable natural OBJ
jections have limited the population of regions
OF the Old World, which have been comparative
wastes so far as mans occupancy and use of
them is concerned, since time was.
Nearly every foot Of our Northwest, wherein
the winter endures less than eight months of
the year, is now occupied by our countrymen
Of the North, principally; and it is found that