New-York daily tribune., 1858-03-04

sESns Thirdly they established esey simple
S ;foym process Of na.urahz alton. The change Of
M taisnce of power from the Slave State. 70 the Free
sstes which We are now vitbe sing, IS due chiefly 10
those four early measures Of national Intervention 10
favor sf Free Labor. II would have taken place much
sooner IL the borders Ct the Republic had remained
unchanged The purchase Of Louisiana and the &C.
ouisition Of Florida, however, transactions
sung from high political necessities 10 disregard OF
the question between Free Labor and Slave Labor. In
admitting the new State Of Louisiana, which was
gsnized on the Slave Labor settlement OF Sew.Or-
leans Congress practced the same neutrality which IL
had before exercised in the States OF Kentucky AMI
Tennessee. No sed0ns dispute arose until 1919,
when Missouri, organized within the former prov
ipce of Louisiana upOn n Slave-Labor settlement 10
st. Louis, applied for admission "a Slave STATE, and
Arkansas Danifestly preparing 10 appear soon IN
the same character. The balance OF power between
the Slave States and the Free States was already re-
duced to an equilibrium, and the eleven Free States
had an equal representation with the eleven Slave
States in the Senate of the UDited States The Slave
States unanimously insisted on an unquaihed adin.'
sion Of Missouri. The Free States, with less unanlnl-
~, demanded that the new state should ren0unce
Slavery. The controversy seemed to shake the Union
TO is foundations, and II was terminated hy conpro-
mise Missouri was admitted Slave State. Ar
kansas rather by implication than by express agree
ment was to be admitted, and it aiterward adj
mtted, Slave State On the other hand, Slavery
was forever prohibited in all that part Of the old prov
ince Of Louisiana yet remaining unoccupied, which
lay north of the parallel of '6o 80 north latitude.
TIE reservation for Free Labor included the immense
region now 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 Free States exhausted.
Still the existing statutes adequate to secure an
ultimate ascendaDcy of the Free States.
The policy Of intervention in favor of Slave Labor
and Slave States began with the further removal OF
the borders OF the Republic cheerfuliy admit that
this policy has not been persistent exclusive. and
claim only that it has BEEN and yet is, predominant
| am not SOW to deplore the annexation OF Texas.
remark simply that it bold measure, OF doubtful
contitutionalty distinctly adopted act of inter
ventiOn in favor of Slave Labor and msde intended
to be made most effective by the stipulation that the
new State Of Texas may hereafter be divided and 80
reorganzed 10 constitute i've Slave States This
great act cast long shadow before it-a shadow
which perpexed the people of the Free States. 1t
was then that feeble social movement which aimed
by moral persuasion at the manumssiOn OF slaves
gave place to political organic cations, winch nave
ever gone on increasing in energy and extent
directed againsta further extension of Slavery IN the
United States. The war between the United States
ard Mexico, and the acquisition of the Mexican
Provinces of New Mexico and Upper California, the
fruits of that war, We're Immediately and directly
consequences of the annexation of Texas that all OF
those events in fact may be regarded constituting
one act of Intervention III favor of Slave Labor and
Slave States The field of the strife between the two
systems had become widely enlarged. Indeed it was
now continental The amazing mineral wealth
of California stimulated settlement there into
Mexican Jaws which prevailed in the newly
acquired Territories dictated to them Free Labor,
and thus the astounding question arose for the
first time Whether the United States of America,
whose Constitution based on the principle ef the
political equality of all men, would blight and curse
with Slavery conquered land which enjoyed unver-
sal Free dom The Slave States denied the obligation
of these laws, and insisted their abrogaton. The
Free States maintained them, and demanded their
confirmation through the enactment of the Wilmot
Proviso. The Slave States and the Free States were
trnN 4InIIa
two years. The settlers OF the Territories be-
came impatient, and precipitated solution of the
question. They organized new Free States IN Callor-
MIA and New-Mexico. The MornOns also framed
Government in Utah. Congress, after bewilderng
excitement determined the matter by another com
promise. 1t admitted California Free state, dis
membered New Mexico, transferring a large district
free from Slavery, to Texas, whose laws earned
Slavery over it, and subjected the residue to Tern;
toria Government, as it alsO subjected Utah, and
stipulated that the fu'ure States to be organized III
those Territories should be admitted either as Free
States Slave States a. they should elect: |
pass over the portions of this arrangement which
did not bear directly on the point in conflict
The Federal Government presented TINS compro,
mise to the people, as q comprehensive, hnal ana
perpetual adjustment of all then existing and all
future questions having any relation to the subject OF
Slavery within the Territories or elsewhere. Inc
country accepted with that proverba facility which
Free States practice, when time brings on stern con-
fict which popular passions provoke and at distance
defy. This halcyon peace, however, had not ceased
to be celebrated, when the wborn cessitlts OF
trade travel and labor required an opening OF the re-
gion in the old province OF Louisiana north OF 80 e
which had been reserved in 1870 and dedicated 10
Free Labor and Free States. The old question was
revived in regard to that Territory and took the mar
of the Kansas question, just as the stream
which Lake Superior discharges, now contracting
itself into rivers and preciptatng itself down rapids
and cataracts and spreading out its waters into
broad seas, assumes new name with every cnsnge
of FORM but continues nevertheless the same majestic
and irresistible flood under every change increasing
in depth and in volume until 1t loses Itself IN the all
absorbing ocean.
No one had ever said or even thought that the law
of Freedom in this region could be repealed impaired
or eyaded Its constltutionay had indeed been ques
toned at the time Of its enactment but this with ali
other objections had been surrendered a. part ol the
comp romise. II regarded as bearing the sanction
OF the public faith, as certainly had thoe oil tune
and acduisscence But the saveboldng people OF
Missouri looked across the border into X snsas and
coveted the land The Slave States could nst faA TO
sympathze with them. 1t seemed as IT no organiza-
ton of Government could be effected III the Territory.
The Senator from Illinois Mr.. Douglas projected
scheme. Under his vigorous leading Congress ere
ated two Observation-Disclosures and Kansas. The
former (the more northern one might, 1t was sup
posed he settled without Slavery, and become Free
State or several Free States. The latter THE south
ern one was accessible 10 the Slave States, bordered
on one Of them and regarded containing
gon inviting TO Shareholders. So il might be settled
by them and become more Slave States. Thus,
indirectly, further compromise might be effected, II
the Missouri prohibition Of lS2e should be abro.
gated Congress abrogated it, with the special
and effective co peration of the President and
thus the National Government directly in
terveped in favor of Slave Labor Loud re-
monstrances against the measre, on the ground of
its violation Of the national faith, slenced by
olamorous avowsls OF discovery that Congress had
never had any right to intervene in the Territories for
or against Slavery but that the citizens OF the United
States residing within Territory had like the people
of every State, exclusive authority and jurisdiction
over Slavery rs one of the domestic relations. The