Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1860-03-15

cd capital States.
The circumstances which the fathers did not clear
ly foresee were two, namely: the re invigoration
of Slavery consequent on the increased consump-
ton Of cotton, and the extension of The national
domain across the Mississippi, and these occurred
before 1920. The State OF Louisiana, formed on
saveholding French settlement, within the newly
acquired Louisiana Territory, had then already
been admitted into the Union. There yet tremlin-
ed. however, vast region, which included Arkan-
sas and Missouri, together with tire then unoccu-
pied AMI even unnamed Kansas and Nebraska -
Arkansas, slaveholding community, was nearly
ready to apply. and Missouri, another such Terri
tory actually applying for admission into the
Federal Union. The existing Capital States Sec
onded these applications. and claimed that the
whole Lousianan Territory was rghtfully open to
Slavery and 70 the organization OF future Slave
States. The Labor States maintained that Con-
gress had supreme Legislative power within the do
MAN, and could and ought to exclude Slavery there
The question thus opened was one which related
not at all Slavery in the existing Capital States.
II was purely and simply national question wheth-
cr the interest of the whole Republic required that
Arkansas. Missouri. Kansas and Nebraska, should
become Capital States. with all the evils and dan
gers of Slavery, or be Labor Stites, with all the
security, benefits and blessings OF freedom. On
the decision suspended the question, as was
thought, whether ultim tey the interior ofthis new
continent should be an asylum for the oppressed
AMI the exile coming year after year, and age af-
ter age, voluntarily from every other civilized land.
as we'll as for the children of misfortune in our own,
or whe her, through the renewal OF the Airi-
can Slave-trade, those magnificent and luxur
ant regions should be subjec ed to the control Of
capital, wrncing out the fruit of the earth through
the impoverishing toll of negro slaves.
That question fls2) was identically the ques-
ton of 1869, far principle, and even the field
Of its application was concerned. Every element
OF the controversy now present entered it then; the
rishtfuncss or the wrongfuness of Slavery; its ef-
fects p;escn, AMI future; the Constitutional author
ity o! Congress; the claims of the States and OF
their citizens; the nature OF the Federal Union.
whether il is compact bctSec the States, or an
independent G 'vemment, the springs of is powers
and the ligltu-es upon their exercise. All these
were discussed with zeal AMI ability which have
never been surpassed. History tells us, | know
not how tr1,y. that the Union rceled under the ve
hcnence of that great debate. Patriotism took
counsel from prudence, and enforced a settlemen,
which has proved to he not fnt one; and which,
rs is practically LEFT open all the grea,
political issues which we're involved. Missouri
and Arkansas were admitted rs capital States while
labo. obtained, a reservation, the abridged bu.
vet comprehensive field ofKans,s and Nebraska
Now, when the present conditi of the various
parts of the Louislnian Territory observed
and we see tllt capital retains undisputed posses
sion Of what il then obtained, while labor ia con-
vulsing the country with so hard and prolonged
, then guaranteed to il under circumstances Of SC
great solemnity. we may well desire not to be un
, deceived il the Missouri Compromise WAS indeed
unnecessarily accepted by the Free States inhgcn
ce by exagger .tions of the dangers OF D:sunion
The Missouri debate disclosed truths Of great mo
ment for Interior use.
First-That i. is easy to combine the capita
States in defense ofeven extern i interests, while
. il Is hard TO unite the labor States in common pol
icy.
Second-That the la5or States have n natural
LOYALTY 10 the Uuon while the capitil States have
Al facility for alarming that loyalty by threat
: ening Dsunon.
) Third-Tha, the capital States DO not practcall,
distinguish between lestimi ite and constitutional
resistance to the extension Of Slavery in the com
mon TrrrtOre: si;,s Nsisn nggnaeeastyu'iSua
laws in the capital States.
The early political parties were Or anizci with
ont reference to Sltvcry. Bat since 1922. Euro
an questions have left practically unconccrned
There has been a great increase of invention, mi
ning manufacture, and cultivation. Steam on linc
and on water has quickened commerce. The
press and the telegraph have attained proiigous ac
tivity, and the social intercourse between the States
. and their citizens has been immcasursbly increas
ed; and consequently, their mutual relations affect
ing Slavery have been, for mn years, subjects o
earnest and often excited discussion. 1t IS in m,
way only to show how such disputes have operatet
the course of political cvents--not to re-cper
: them for argument here. There was slave insur
rection in Virginia Virginia AMI Kentucky deba
ted and, the great sorrow of the Free States,
jected the system Of voluntary labor. The Colo
2 nizstion Society was established with much favor
in the capital States En- incpation societies arose
in the Fiee States. South Carolina instituted pro-
ceedings to nullify obnoxious Federal revenue laws
The Capita, States complained Of Courts and Leg.
isstures in the labor States for interpreting the
constitutional provision for the surrender Of fugi
tives from service so to treat them persons
and not property, and they Disseminated against
coorcd persons Of the labor States when they como
to the capital States. They denied, in Congress
the right of petition, and embarrassed denied
freedom Of debate on tie subject ofslavery. Pr SIS
es, which undertook the defense of the labor sys
TEN in the c,pital States, were suppressed by vic
lence and even i'm the labor States, puolic Assem-
bes, convened to consider slavery questions. were
dispersed by mobs sympathizng with the capita
States.
; The Wing party. ben, generally an opposition
party, practiced some for;,elrance toward the in
terest of labor. The Democratic party, not without
demonstrations of dissent was generally found sus
tanning the policy OF capital. A disposition tow rt
the removal of slavery from the national capita
: appeared in the District of Columbia. Mr.. Var
Buren,. a Democratic President, launched pros
, pective veto against the measure. Democratic
Congress brought Texas into the Union, stipula
ting practically for ts future re reorganization into
four Slave States. Mexic, was incensed War en-
sued. The libor SfItes asked that the Mexicin
law ofliberty. which covered the Territories brought
in by the treaty of peace, might remain and be
. frmed. The Democratic party refused. Ths
Missouri debate of 1870 required now, under cir
cumstances OF heat and excitement, in relation to
these conquests. The defenders of labor took a
larm lest the number Of new capital States mi ght
become great to enable that class OF States to
dictate the whole policy of the Government, and
in case OF constitutional resistance then TO form
new saveholI n, confederncy arouni the Gull
OF Mexico BY this time the capital States seemed
tn have become fixed in the determination that the
Federal Government, and even the Labor States,
should recognize shcir slaves though outside Of the
Slave States aud within the United States as prop
erty OF which the master could not be- in any sway
or by authority, divcstcd and the labor States
having become now moro essentially Democratic
than ever before. by the great Development OF free
labor. more firmly tsn ever insisted on the con-
etitutiona doctrine that slaves voluntarily carried
by their masters into the common Territories, or
into labor States, are persons-men.
Under the auspicious Influences ofa Whig sue
J cess. California and New Mexico appeared before
Congress as labor States. The capital States re-
fused to consent to their admission into the Union;
and again shreats Of disurion carried terror and
CONSERVATION throughout the land. Another COM
promise was made. Specific enactments admitted
California as labor State, and reminded New
Mexico and Utah to remain Territories. with the
right to choose Freedom or Slavery when riponed