Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1857-12-31
IND.
No More Free States,

Upon the principles announced by the
present Administration, remarks the
Washington Republic, it seems to be i'm
probable that any more free States can be
organized and admitted into the Union.
The President, in his annual message, OBJ
serves:
Should the Constitution ithout Slave
~ be adopted by the votes of the majority,
the rights of property in slaves now in the
Territory are reserved. The number of
these is very small, but if it were greater,
the provision would be equally Just and
reasonable. These slaves were brought in
to the Territory under the Constitution of
the United States, and are now the proper
ty of their masters. This point has at
length been finally decided by the highest
judicial tribunal of the country-and this
upon the plain principle, that when a CON
fcderacy of sovereign States acquire new
Territory at their joint expense, both equal
ity and Justice demand that the citizens of
one and all of them shall have the right to
take into it whatever is recognized as prop
crty by the common Constitution To
have summarily confiscated the property in
slaves already in the Territory, would have
been an act uf gross injustice, and contra
~ to the practice of the elder States of the
Union which have abolished Slavery"
The number of the slaves actually in
Kansas, the same paper adds in continue
ton. is probably small, although it may be
increased by transfers from Missouri be-
fore the I.ecompton Constitution becomes
operative, but the principle claimed by the
President would apply. "Va rerc greater, y
as he himself observes
Under the doctrine of the Drcd Scott dc
! cision. the owners of slaves NAV take them
into all the Territories, and hold them be
yond the reach either of Congress or of the
Legislative power of the Territories. IT, il
addition to this, it is not to be permitted
To the people. when they reach the point ot
framing State Constitutions, to touch tho
a.tually existing relations of master and
slave, whatever the number of slaves may
he. greater or less, it is most certainly true
that no such thing as free State is posi-
bic in any part of the domain of the Uni
ted States, in which slave labor can be en-
ployed.
The President says that the Constitution
of II auSas -rorlJ no cbo rooo 10 w., II ..oroe
iniusticc, without it's provisions protect
ing Slavery so far as it now exists. Thi
is strong language. If the idea conveyed
is IA correct one, Congress would be JUST
fed in rejecting new State with Con
sttution not containing these provisions
and this. we apprehend, is precisely th'
point which the Southern leaders are de
tcrmined to make
The Washington Union. two articles
from which TO this effect we have heretotor
quoted, continues to follow up the idea o
the President In its issue of December 9
commenting upon so much of the Lecomp
ton Constitution as GUARANTEES Slavery for
ever, SO far as it now exists, the Unio,
says
mo other provision could be or worLI
EF tolerated either i.y Congress or by an,
respectable judicial tribunal" +"
Upon the whole, the Administration
position clearly is, that there shall be p
morc free States, IN any quarter or lot;tuoe
~Lerc shareholders choose 10 carry hei
property.
When the Democratic party, commenc
ing it's downward career, abandoned tn
.Ieifersonian policy of prohibiting SLAYER.
in the Territories. by Congressional law
the substitute with which the people wer
amused was, that the Territories themselve
could prohibit it, and might safely b
trusted with the subject.
Driven at length from this position, an
conceding to the South that Slavery coul
no. be interfcred with, SO long as the terri
torial condition remained, the Democrat
party has, until recently, affirmed with Ell
tire unanimity. that the people, in the aC
of framing State Constitutions, could cor
troll all their institutions, and especial
that Of Slavery.
The doctrine now is, that any State Cor
stitution, interfering with the actual cond
tion of Slavery, would he grossly unjust,
and neither "couid be or woutd be tolero
ted either Ly Congress or by any respccta6
judicih tribunal"
Are the people of the free north prcpa
ell to swallow this new dose their Pres
dent and the Southern nulliiers and dist
nionists have prepared for them9 W
hope not. Even this concession. il mat
for party's sake, will not be the last OF
, YOU will be called on TO make. 1t IS no
but too apparent that the design OF Il
Southern politicians is. step by step,
make this slavery Republic, to brir
. which about the African Slave trade mu
be re-opened. so as to increase the nun
Der and reduce the price Of negroes. Th