Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1858-03-18

controversy seemed to shake the Union
to is foundations, aud it was tcrinina-
ted bv compromise. Missouri was
admitted as Slave State. Arkansas.
rather 10y implication than by express
agreement, was to bc admitted, and it
was afterwar,ls admitted, as Slave
State On the other hand, Slavery
was forever prohibited in all that part
of the old province of Louisiana yet
remaining unoccupied. Which lay
North of the parallel of 36 deg. so
min. North latitude. The reservation
for Free Labor included the immense
region known as the Territories of
Kansas and Nebraska, and seemed
ample for eight, ten or more Free
States. The severity of the struggle.
and the conditions Of the compromise
indicated very plainly, however. that
the vigor of national intervention in
favor of Free Labor and Srce States
was exhausted. Still the existing
statutes were adequate to secure an nj
innate asccndcncy of the Free States
ISTEEyrNT,oS IN FAVOR OF SLAVERY
RISE OF THE FREE SOIL PARTY.
The policy of Intervention in favor
of Slave Labor and Slave States began
with the further removal of the bor-
ders cf the Republic. ] chccrfully adj
nit that this policy has not beer per
sistcnt or exclusive, and claim only
that it has been and vet is prcdomi-
nant. ] am not now to dcplore the
annexation of Texas. ] remark sim
ply that it was bold measure, of
doubtful constitutionality, distinctly
adopted as as act Of Intervention in
favor of Slave Labor, and made or in
tended to bc made most effective by
the stipulation that the new State OF
Texas :asy Hereafter be divided lpd SO
reorganizcd as to constitute five Slave
States. This great act east long
shadow before it--a shadow which
pcrplcxed the people Of the Free States.
1t was thoI that Il feeble social move
mcnt, which aimed by moral pcrsua-
sion at the manumiSsion of Slaves,
gave place to political organizations,
which have ever since gone on iaecas-
ing in cnergy and extent, directed
against further extension of Slavery
in the United States. The war be-
tween the United States and Mexico,
and the acquisition of thc Mexican
provinces Of New Mexico and Upper
California, the fruits of that war, were
50 Immediately and directly conse-
qucnccs of the annexation of Texas,
that all of ilosc evcGts, ir fact, may
bc regarded as constituting one .ct Gi
intervention in favor of Slave Labor
and Slave States. The field of the
strife between the two systems had be-
come widely enlarged. Indeed, it was
now continental. The amazing min
cral wealth of Cqlifqrpia stimulated
settlements there into Il rapidity l;le
that of vegetation.
The Mcxicap lays which prevailed
nthc newly acquired Territories. dcdi-
Gated them to Free Labor, and thus
the astounding qucstior arose for the
first time, whether the United States
Ct America, whose Constitution was
based upon The principle of the politi-
cal equality of all men, would blight
AMI curse with Slavery conquered
land which enjoyed universal Freedom,
The Slave States denied the obligation
of these laws. and insisted on their
abrogation The Free States main
tanned them, and demanded their con-
iirmation through the enactment OF
the Milmot Previso. The Slave
States and the Free States were vet in
equilibrium. The controversy contin-
ued here two wears. The settlers OF
the new Territories became impatient,
and prccipitatcd solution of the ques
tion, They organized new Free States
in California and New Mexico. The
Mormons also framed a Government
in Utah Congress after a bewiller-
ing excitement, determined the matter
bv another compromise. II admitted
California 8 FREQ State, tismembercd
New Mexico, transferring large dis
trict free from Slavery to Texas, whose
laws carried Slavery over it, and sub
icctcd the residue TO Territorial Gov
crnmcnt. as it also subjected Ut4h,
and stipulated thst the future States to
! be organized in those Territories should
! bc admitted either as Free States or as
Slave States, as they should elect
pas over the portions of this arrange
ment which did not bear directly on
the point in conflict
The Federal Government presented
/ t5is compromise to the people, rs a
comprehensive, final, aud perpetual
adjustment of all then existing and all
future questions having any relation to
the subject Of Slavery within the Ter
ritorics or elsewhere. The country
accepted it with that proverbial facility
which Free States practice, when
time brings on stern conflict which
popular passions provoke. and at dis
tancc defy. This halcyrqn peace
boyeyer. had not ceased to be oelcbra-
tel, and labor required an opening Of
tho region in the old province of La.
North of 36- 80 which had Zen re-
served in 1920, and dedicated TO Free
Labor and Free States. The old ques-
ton was revived in regard tc th2t
Territory. and toosI the narrow "a (nsaanc
of the Kansas question, just as the
stream which Lake Superior dischar-
ges, now contracting itself into rivers
and prccipitatins itself down rapids
and cataracts. and now spreading out
its waters into broad seas, assumes :,
new name with ever change of form,
but Continues. nevertheless, the same
majestic and irresistible flood under
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