Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-06-27

/ In latt years, he says "Mr. SCOT uHs JOIN
od the number of those who condemn the repeal oi
the Missouri Compromise" What was known as
.the Missouri Compromise" WAS M act OF Con
rres-onal legislation. involving The assumption ut
! the power 10 prohibit the introduction Of slavery
/ into the Territories. The parallel of 30 80 was
prescribed "a "A line of division between the free
and the slave holding States. Above that line 1t
wa declared slavery should not 20, while below
il all rhe territory acquired IRON France was lett
uHdvr regulations and laws that permitted aud
protected that institution.
The Sentinel SAYS: ION the 10th OF August,
! 1913 the Oregon territorial bill being under CON
, sileration, amendment extending the Missouri
Compromise line 10 the Pacific, passed the Senate,
yeas -, nays 90. Every one Of the nays was n
/ Northern man. The next day that amendment
was rejected in the House, yeas 50, nays l2l. OF
! the nays, all hut one WAS Northern man. The
Senate then receied; yeas 2g, nays25. Every nay
gas Southern man"
Th. Oregon hill which thus passed both bodies
/ Of d Democrats Congress, and because law by
the approval uf Mr.. Polk, contained ! provision
/ excluding slavery from that Territory, and MIR.
! Polk assigned as his reason for the approval that
1t was sanctioned By the principle OF the Missouri
| Compromise. Ii is certain that the Democratic
Executive, when he approved the bill, thought
that the exclusion OF slavery from common ter
rirory TELL arly within thc constitutional power Of
/ Congress: aud tho Southern Senators and Repre-
! sentativss of the same opinion when they
! voted Tor the Amendment, proposing u extend the
! line through other Territories {" the facIhc.
/ There /. no escape from the conclusion. The
Sentinel continue. The refu sal to extend the Mis-
souri, Compromise line was steadily insisted on IN
! reference 10 the territory acquired from Mexico
/ The South then stroye 10 make that measure u
O."rip'' the italics the Seninol-) oi settle
mcnt nni even offered lower line than go 80.
IL was not until the South failed TO establish that
. ..u..ar,n'g" that resort had 10 another, OF
whioh the Sentinel l. now the advocate. In his
own language, iii established the broad pr'ncipir,
/ that the bound, of slavery should he determined
/ by the preference OF the people, rather than the
/ lines ut the map makers; that meanwhile the com
mon heritage should be open 10 common immigra-
tlon, whether from the white population Of the
/ North. or the mixed population Of the South. -
/ Now We not considering which principle III set
Element. ou the at states nan>hIp Is preiera
BILE; whether the first or second love OF our
Southern politicians would roniucc more Ia the
Interests Of the Southern States. The question Is,
upon what principle Of ethics, upon what rule oil
reason, justice aud fairness Mr.. Scott is 10 be con
de,nurd Tor aulhering IN SIG L. un opinion. on Il
question II constitutional law. to which Southern
/ Executive. all the Southern Senators and Repre-
/ semtatires in Congress. and Southern politicians
al every stamp. were Srleinuly committed III lSlS :
Men certainly are al liberty IL change their
. opinions nni on measures OF eXpclicncy entire
revolutions often occur. In this country, where
politicians exert 80 much control over public opln
! ion. IL t. by means unconmon; for unfortunate
IT, measures "f legislation, too often find their orr
sn in mere party cxpe,licncy, and Ms this shifts.
the former bent To- serve the cxi genry 1t was,
therefore. matter of surprise that the old love
"f lSiS should give place IL the new love OF 'S39
in Democratic affection: that the pr;ncipl. of just
partition between the Nv" great interests Of the
country. l." territorial possessions. should be
abandoned for the 'brund principle that the bounds
"t slavery should hc determined 10y the preieren-
ccs of the people rather than the lines of the map
! makers. and that the rights al the South should
! lac surrendered To the superior power OF Northern
! mmi grafton. But while this latitude Is conceded
! on question. of rrpcfj"Dcy. different condition
( was supposed I" obtain matters al psincipts.
+ and the world would hardly have been prepared
/ Tor the phenomenon "i the sudden revolution III
Southern settlement on II grave question of con
SiituUnul law; tor il Is 10 he remembered that the
/ Dr.d Scott rus. had not yet been decided.
II then Mr.. Scott expressed the erroneous 0pln
ion III 1919. 10 the power of Congress over the
territories, some excuse might be found in the tact
tina; the contrary had never before been decided
10y any dourt. ana the entire cuuntry was commit
TED 10 the same opinion in 1873. And II he ''in
later year. joined the number of those who con
denim the repeal of tho Missouri Compromise
some justification might he found in the fact that
he ahhcring I" the first love ot the united
south aud rejected that pr "H,T, t" which others
permitted themselves IT, he driven in their disap
pointnent. lie Was IL Whig. and ia n matter OF
/ principle adhered Ia principle; and On measure 0t
rSpedemry did not discover that facility Of change
which characteristics his accuScrS"This is the head
and front of his offending; il has this extent. no
more" But why should Mr.. Scott Ice assaulted in
/ the South for expressing IL sentiment in favor OF
. the principle of territorial PARTITION between the
/ great atug"ni~tic interests which divide the conn
Try. in preference to that which, practically, rs all
! admit, by the superiority al the Northern power
ui immigration, necessarily drpriyc- the slave h"
Ter al all participation i'll the common possession,
Il will certainly be difficult for the Sentinel to give
u satisfactory answer To- the question. since he has
joined the number of those VIII" condemn the leg
,latiun by which others propose that Congress
/ >hrml carry out the principle of the bred scott
case. something more will be required. even OF
! "a modern c,lItor," than 10 call 1.-The broad
principle. capable of universal application and
the other 'rhe mere local expedcnt," "degraded
/ to the rank Of an ordinary statute The editor
has, doubtless, his own notion of the degraded
nature of acts Of Congress, and scale Of his own
H., which he measure, their relative rank. But in
the grave discussion upon which he has thrust
himself. he must cOnicIcend to language of com
mon sense. and submit to the Use OF admeasure-
mcn;s sanctioned by universal acceptation. Why
should Southern citizen he assaulted IN the South,
for maintaining and ende8voring to uphold. the
rights of tho Southern States in the territories?
The mea il is said, b. which he would do this,
ID the source of the objection. They rest, it is
true, upon the duty Of Congress to supply proper
legislation, and thls only be done by 'Ordi-
nary statutes. Vow as Congress can not amend
the constitution, and is confined to the enactment
of 'orlnary statutes" the force of this objection
is not perceived. But the means contemplated
involve the concession of the power in Congress to
proijJif. we'll to provide for the introduction
Of slavery l. this the objection? If Congress
Gun provide by law for the settlement of the terri
tories aud in that law secure the exclusion of sla
very b. force of Inducements TO immigrants from
the free States, in what does the two differ!
Ia il any consolation TO the STAKEHOLDER that he is
excluded in one, rather than in the other way
"mOiern editor" may find ground Of prefer
ance in ideal scale, by which he chooses to mca-
sure the rank of the respective statutes eevating
one To- the consequence Of broad principle"
degrading the other TO the insignihcanre OF IAN
ordinary statute" and thus subserve the purposes
II the party, in whose interests he serves but the
intelligent and the interested owner of slaves
will reject the device, and deem il of little
qucnce, IN which way the exclusion Is accomplish
Cd, il in the end hi. rights are be disregarded.
He will have no preference. between the ordinary
statute" Of WilmOt provsO and the broad
principle" Of Sq"nns' Sprs"oy'dy.
1t is otherwise with the Sentinel. He il looking
To the next Presidential election. His fayOrite hn-
lone. and yet promises to do, good party service.