The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1860-01-12

IeElSldIuTe hiNu uo"
iu no considerable degree, attracted the
attention of the Nation. and which. troa
the nature and extent of the DISCUSSIONS
10 Congress, has been productive OF much
crininaticn and recriWinatioD between d
the various sections of our common coun
try. Popular Sovereignty having hnaii>
prevailed. in the full. free aud iair adop
tion of the funda mental law OF the Ietrl-
tory, according TO the ~i-bes oil the peo-
pie, tbi, vexed and dangerous question.
10 tha; Territory. may now De consIdered
a, satisfactorily AMI Ffrpetuaily settled
/ Copies OF the corre-I ondence between
the Governor OF Virginia and the Gov
cruor OF Pepusy ylyania. on the -ubJeet oil
tie recent outrage at lIarpers Ferry, are
bcreHlib transmitted TO the Legislature.
! The letter addressed by the Governor o.
Virginia to the Governor Of PennsylVa-
mia, as mi,sent to Harri-ouhurg, Virgin
la. and hence was not received until the
first day of Deceu brr one day before tb
execution of John Browp: and, therefore.
it vas Impossible to reply to it, y mall,
in tim to reach the Governor of Virginia
before the execution The sBswer was
con -equently sent by telegraph, which
aiIl account for its brevity and senteD
tiouS character.
The receut seizure of the public proper
ty of the UuIteo States at Harpers Ferry
and the inva-ion of the State OF Virginia,
by sm all band OF desperadoes, with AMI
tention TO excite the slave popuIat'on to
insurrection. have drawn attention to the
dan. ers which besrt our ied'ral relations
1t is a source OF satisfaction TO kno" that
the authorities OF Virginia possessed the
means and the determination to punish
offenders with promi tness aud justice;
that the military force OF the United
States was power Immediately avsIia-
ble to aid in putting down the outbreak
against the public peace;-that the slave
populatioD we're couteuted with their con-
dition. and unwilling to unite with dlSor-
derl, white men IN acts OF treason aud
murder; that the great masses OF
the people have 90 -ympathy, whatever,
with any attack upon the rl%bts and 10
~titutious of any OF the States. and have
a dep and abiding devotion to our great
aud glorious Union. To US, a. Penn
syysnians, it is gratifying to believe that
the citizens of this Commonwealth have
not, in any manner, participated 10 thI-
unlawful proceeding. and to know that
when sone OF the guilty perpetrators wer
arrested. within our jurl-diction, they
we're pron pits surrendered to the justice
Of The otfepded and injured State
The several State- of this Union are
independent sovereigDties, except 80 tar
IS they have granted certain enumerated
poser~ to the Federal Government luI
ca>e- not pro.ided for in the Fedora
u,titutioD. the several States, in their
relations to each other. ought to be gov
ern,d by the princite les wbIrh re u|ate
the conduct OF civilized uatlon-, These
principles forbid 10 all nations "everJ
evil practice tendins to excite dl>turba Dee
IN anothrr Stste:" and are founded OF
the maxim. that "diff~reut nations ought !
in time of peace, to 90 one another all
the good they can, without prcjuiicins |
their real Interests" This maxIu rccog |
nizcd by all ciVIIiz j goVern.Deu,s, ap
plies with peculiar force to the several
States of this Union. found together, "a
they are, by sa,red compact for mutu
al support and protection; and, tberr |
fore. sny attempt in Que State, to excite
in,urTPctlon 10 another. Ii an offence
gaiU-t all the States, because al! are bouDH
: Y the Constitution to put down such dI-
tur rbarce; and the act OF Congress author
lzrs the Pre-Ident of tue United State
to call out the militia OF the -evsrai
States for the purpose L: is a high OF
(, nee against the peace of our Common
wealth, for dlsorderly persons within our
jurisdiction. TO cou bine together tor the
purpo-e OF stirrlng up in>urrection, in any
of the States. or to ln4uce the slaves III
tie Southern States to ahsooD from their
d alter; aud it would be proper, in my
jud : Z Ineut. for the General Assembly to
consider whether additioDal legislation
III sy not be nccessary to i>-ure the prompt
punishment of such offenders against our
D. ace and security.
III O6teT ulUiUE our TtldJlFe uuIieH tu
wards our sister States, the morality o.
-ersitude is not an open qu~-tion, for We
are bound by the legal and moral obll
alton of the conpact OF the Union. uD
der which We have been brought into ex
i-teuce, and preserved as Iudrpt ndent
States. as we'll as by the principles oi III
terUational law. to respect the institution
which the laws of the several States re-
coguize, and in no other way can We
faithfully fulfil our obligations, as mem
bers of this coDfederacy.
While | entertain 20 doubt that the
great Republican experiment on this con-
tinrnt, 80 happily commeDcrd. and car
ried forward to it, present exalted posi-
ton in til" eyes of the world, will contin
ue. under the Providence of God, to be
uccessful to the latest generations. it is
the part of wisdom aud patriotism to be
watchful and vigiant. and to carefully
guard treasure so priceless Let mod
crate counsels preVail--let spirit Of bar
mony sod good will. aud a national fra