New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-03-15

u imprscticsble ard therefore will Turn out " be
stupendous mbeclity.7 81.
Mr. Seward here declares il is impractic able to
do just what the country has been doing during Mr.
Stewards oEp public LIFE and just what the ruling
interest declare il j. their purpose to do in the fa-
ture. Does Mr. Seward really mean TO say that
either our times or our circumstance the max
inns of our National Administration or the prlnci-
pies of the Constitution as now eXpounded by the
Federal Courts forbid " the expansion oil territory
10 make Slave States Or does he mean to say
merely that if they are made they will be unnsde 2
This must be the meaning of the Senator But
this, it seems to us, is very much like declaring
that Slavery will longer exist because II VIII not
EXIT forever. The annexers of Texas, authors
Of Ostend ManifestOes and Centrsl America hllous-
tiers might well laugh in their sleeves over such an
axiom, in view of the facts of the case In reply 20
what Mr. Seward says canrot be, they can trl'
umphantly point to what is. Was the annexation
of Texas an imprscticability and an "imbeclhty
as regards the spread of Slavery Mr.. Seward
may say so, and undertake to philosopher away
one Of the most pregnant facts of our political his
tory; but q man must get into very rapt
and millennial state of mind to believe him.
Mr. Stewards philosophy is too fne for everyday
wear. If the men who striving to convert
this Government into an engine for the spread and
perpetustion Of Slavery are simply engaging in
an "imbecility,' Why need practical statesmen
oppose or resent the effort We think President
Buchanan in his forts to buy for or steal for US
three or four new Slave States in Cuba and Pre5I-
dent Walker who proposes to rob for us in Cen.
tral America, may well look with great compla-
cency upon the views Of Senator Seward. We do
not wonder that the sappers and miners for Slavery
compliment Mr.. Seward upon bis soaring specula-
tons; but while they do thi' they very industri-
ousy prosecute their work on earth, and when Mr.
Seward comes down, he will understand the mean
ing of their compliments.
But, leaving the matter of generalization, We
come to practical proposition Of our distinguished
Senator. He proposes the reinstatement OF the
Missouri restriction and on this point we again let
him speak for himself:
cit would be wise to restore the Missouri prohibi-
ton of Slavery in Kansas and Nebraska. There was
peace in the Territories and IN the states until that
great statute OF Freedom was subverted'
One of the principal obje ,tons if not the chief
objection TO the repeal ofthe Missouri Compromise,
was, that it would compel the Free States to fight
battle for the Freedom of the territory north OF
3jo 80, while it had by bargain and sale been once
already made over to us in perpetuity. We did not
want to take the trouble, nor incur the risk OF
loss. in this battle But we have had to do both.
The result has been favorable. The right has tri-
umphed, or is on the eve OF triumph. Money has
beenlayshed and valuable lives have been sacrificed.
still greater number may yet be taken by
hateful oppression before Freedom shall be as
firmly planted on the territory north of go 3O,
as it was before the repeal of the Missouri COmpro-
mise But the territory is again ours. What, then,
do we want of an act Of Congress saying Freedom
shall have what it has won by its own good right
arm and intends to keep BY the same token This
would be but mochery indeet. But this is not
the worst Of the proposition. The restoration OF
the Missouri restriction takes with it its original lm-
plicaticDs. These were that Slavery should have
the territory south of that line. But these lmpica-
tons have been destroyed in the contest, and Free
dom is now free TO carry its conquestS South as
il was 10 make them where it has made them. Do
we desire to relinquish this advantage We do re-
In quish il if We restore the Missouri restriction.
Most certainly we are entirely opposed to any such
proposition at this stage Of the Slavery contest.
We have suffered every possible evil that could be
suffered from the repeal and now if We can obtain
any benefits from it, We are certainly entitled to
them, and should be indeed 'imbecile' to volunts-
rily foreg0 such advantages.