Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-03-18


tion was based on the principle of the po-
litical equality of all men, would blight ant
curse with Slavery a conquered land VIII icf
enjoyed universal Freedom. The Slave
States denied the obligation of these laws
and insisted on their abrogation The
Free States maintained them, end demand
ed their confirmation through the enact
ment of the Wilmot Proviso. The Slave
States and the Free States were We: in
equilibrium. The controversy continued
here two years. The settlers of the new
Territories became impatient, and precipi.
tated solution of the question They or.
ganized new freeStates in California & New
Mexico The Mormons also framed Gov
erument in Utaa. Congress, after be-
wiidering excitement, determined the mat.
ter by another compromise. IL admitted
California. Free State, dismembered New
Mexico, transferring a large district free
from Slavery to Texas, whose laws carried
Slavery over it, and subjected the residue
to Territorial Government, as it also sub.
jected Utah. and stipulated that he future
States to be organized in those Territories
should be admitted either as Free States
or as Slave States, as they should elect
! pass over the portions of this arrange
ment which did not bear directly on the
point in conflict. The Federal Govern
ment presented this compromise to tine peo-
pie. as comprehensive, final and perpetual
adjustment of all then existing and all fu:
ture questions having any relation TO the
subject of Slavery within the Territories
or elsewhere. The country accepted it
with that prorerbial facility which Free
States practice. when time brings on stern
conflict which popular passions provoke,
and at distance defy. This halcyon peace,
however, hid not ceased to be celebrated,
when the newborn necessities of trade.
travel and labor required an opening of the
region in the old province of Louisiana
North of SO deg. 80 min., which had been
reserved in 1920. and dedicated to Free
Labor and Free States. The old question
was revived in regard to that Territory, and
took the narrow name of the Kansas uues-
ton, just as the stream which Lake Supe-
rior discharges, now contracting itself into
rivers and precipitating itself down rapids
ard cataracts, and now spreading out its
waters into broad seas, assumes a new
name with every change of form, but con-
tinues nevertheless the same majestic and
irresistible flood under every change, in.
creasing in depth and in volume until it
loses itself in the all-a5sorbing ocean.
No one had ever said or even thought
that the law of Freedom in this region could
be repealed, impaired or evaded. Its con-
stitutionulity had indeed been questioned
at the time of its enactment; but this, with
all other objections, had been surrendered
as part of :he compromise. 1t was regard
ed as bearing the sanction of the public
faith, as it certainly had those of time and
acquiescence. But the slaveholding people
of Missouri looked across the border into
Kansas, and coveted the land. The Slave
States could not fail TO sympathize with
them.f 1t seemed as If no organization .of
Government could be effected in the Terri
tory. The Senator from Illinois Mr..
Douglasl projected scheme. Under his
vigorous leading, Congress created two
Observation-Disclosures and Kansas. The
former 0he more Northern one) might, it
was supposed, be settled without Slavery
and become a Free State. or several Free
States. The latter 0he Southern one) was
accessible to the Slave States, borGered
on one of them, and was regarded as con-
tanning region inviting to slaveholders.-
So it might be settled by them, and become
one or more Slave States. Thus. indirectly,
further compromise might be effected if
the Missouri prohibition of 1920 should be
abrogated. Congress abrogated it, with the
special and effective cooperation of the Pres
ident, and thus the National Government
Directly intervened in favor of Save Labor.
Loud remonstrances against the nasure, on
the ground Of its violation of The national
faith, were silenced by clamorous avowals
of discovery that Congress had never had
any right to intervene in the Territories
tor or against Slavery, but that the citizens
of the United States residing within Ter
ritory had, like the people of everv State,
exclusive authority and jurisdiction over
Slavery. as one of the domestic relations.
The Kansas Nebraska act Only recognized
and affirmed this right, as it was said. The
theory was not indeed new, but vagrant
one, which had for some time gone about
seeking among political parties the charity
of adoption, under the Eame of Squat:er
Sovereignty 1t was now brought to the
font and baptized with The more attractive
appellatioE of Popular Sovereignty. 1t
was idle for time to say that, under the
Missouri Prohibition, ireemen in The Terri
tory had all the rights which freemen could
desire-perfect freedom to DO everything
but es tablsh Slavery. Popular Sever
eighty offered the indulgence of taste Of
the fruit Of the tree Of the knowledge OF
evil as well of good-a more perfect free
dom. Iusomuch as the proposition seemed
! to come from Free State, the Slave States
could not resist its seductions, although
sagacious men saw that they were delusiye.
Consequently, a small and Intellectual stream
of slave labor was at once forced into Kan
sas, engineered by large number of poll
| tic ians, advocates at once OF Slavery and ol
tine Federal Administration, who proceeded
with great hastedo prepare the means SO
to carry the first Relections as to obtain the
laws necessary fpr the protection of Slave.
ry. 1t is one thing, however, to expunge
statutes from national code, and quite an.
other to subvert national institution, even
though it be only a monument of Freedom
located in the desert. Nebraska was re.
signed 10 Free Labor without struggle
and Kansas became theater ef the frsl
actual national conflict between slavehold
ing and free labor immigrants, met face tc
face, to organize, through The machinery
of republican action, civil community.
The parties differed as widely in their ap
pointments, conduct and bearing, as in
their principles. The free laborers CANT
into the Territory with money horses, cattle
implements, ,anG engines, with energies con
centrated by associations and strengthened
bv the recognition of some of, the States