The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-01-03
to be- either on the side that line of latitude or on the

is be- either on the side that line of latitude the
other. Eshr
Organization to effect this purpose whether by mme-
date interference with elections by turning the balance
Of the population by procuring acts OF Congress- by
influencing pubic opinion Is equally unconstuu and
has equally been frustrated in all these Developments The
federal constitution does not possess within itself the
of altering the law of State. The very agita-
ton or dscusson the attempt to influence the mind and
enlist the sympathes in favor Of the emancipation of the
negro is reasonable much any alteration in the
laws Of State with view to alter the laws Of another
to impede the enforcement Of that law. The Missouri
Compromise and any agitation against the extradion
of fugitive slaves thus unanswerably disposed or
In Kansas unfortunately made the battlefield OF this
dsloyal agitation there might for aught the President
knew be irregularities in the election there certainly
overt acts with view TO alter the federal law 80 says
Mr. Pierce With the former he had nothing TO do. They
the affair of the State itself The latter It was his
duty to repress in behalf of the Union he did The
suit of the presidential election gave the verdict OF the
whole population in favor of his policy and his view OF
constitutional law. Henceforh then, all is plain sailing
There ought to be dispute Sing then without fear the
song of unbounded prosperity from sea to sea- from earth
heaven with evergrowing, evssbrghtenng future
embracing States diffnsng new laws OF peace and
humanity teaching the laggard morality OF the Old
World superseding its camps and armies its fleets and its
cruisers Never much canvas spread, bright
sea, with fair wind, to 80 delightful haven. But
Mr.. Pierce" Prosperity Pierce they would call you in
this fastidous slanderous Old World country of ours
how about these three million negro slaves You have
disposed Of them at all the points OF your argument og
very cevery but practically what Is to become of them
and their masters2 On this point leave US as much
in the dark ever were. We admit you going
fog This night dark pitch These icebergs float
ing athwart the very path of your prosperity You will
certainly encounter them some day or other
Here them is the significant omission In the message the
fatal blank which alone would be important than all
its actual contents this side the Atlantic. Not word
about syllable as to any hope design of
its gradual mitigation or its final extinction 1t only APP
pears under the delicate euphesm of the domestic ns
uton and in that way casts its hideous shadow the
whole domestic sphere the matrimonial and the pa
rental relations free service and all that constitutes
the home In place. indeed, the President tauns the
northern party with want of confidence in their prin
cples as If they thought slavery natural vivacous
and spreading to require acts of Congress and
graphical lines to keep it within bounds and one could
almost hope Mr. Pierce himself of opinion that slavery
had only to be left alone and it must die out Yet the
great probability s that slavery will continue much in its
present FORM its present numbers and its present necessity
the value Of the southern States till the day when the Uni
ted States will contain three four times their present
ulaton and than that proportion of increased wealth
and power while the slaves will not have increased by
than million and their masters in much the
slow proportion The day must when the slave
States will be outnumbered and outvoted by the free.
Meanwhile opinion will grow also, and still more The
sentiment which Mr. Pierce attempts to crush with the
Of the federal constitution which he denounces as in
solent dsloya and fruitles is much vital and too
deeply founded to be repressed. Right wrong-and
not ourselves among those who think slavery
compatible with humanity the Christian relgion-the
nAtreN OF slavery ana the desire 10 repudae all contact
and compromise with it feelings that endure extend
and will finally prevail So then, have to look forward
to the time when deep and burning sentiment will be
armed with overpowering numbers and influence When
this shall be the case is it any comfort security be
told that the sentiment thus powerful will be wronghat
it will be unconstuionalthat it will not be able to
pass its end without treason conspiracy and violence?
Does Mr. Pierce mend matters by telling that it looks
towards its end devastated fields burning homesteads
ravaged hearhs and total dissolution of society Grant
it and do grant it, Mr. Pierce only prophesies terri
Bile page in the future history Of the States and does not
offer one ota Of advice to the means for preventing
mitigating its horrors He procaims the law he stigma
zes the treason he denounces the offenders and there he
stands pointing his finger mute guide-post to the
tain though may be still distant disaster Yet he is right
He can do nothing else
He has not to teach the several States their duty
their best wisdom It is Office there The union
is Mezenan links the living and the Dead the free and
the slave The former Of these is at the mercy of the lat
ter and must hide the of that decay which win in
vove life and death in of corruption Life may
not purify death in the States for it is not the federal
but death will infect life for though not the law it is the
way of nature That is the solution which threatens the
great American difficulty The social mseries Of slavery,
and the resentment they will continually and rapidly
increase and the greater the resistance offered by the law
the worse for the peace of the Union.