Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-03-02

atneRg the late OppO61Ll0n OoAS
Vention, ut Richmond.
The claim of legislative power to OK
cIude slavery from tue common territory
was a fruitful source of agitation. In the
/ ordinances of 1887, providing govern
nent for the Northwestern territory, 1t
was declared that involuntary seIvitude
! EXCEPT for crime should be forever eIclud-
ed thercfrom. This ordinance was con-
! temporancous with the formation OF the
/ federal constitution. Being adopted by
/ the Congress of the confederation, it was
! ratified BIZ express provision of that iu-
strument and SO tiIe unfortunate policy
/ was ina,lgurated at the birth OF the Gov
eminent. But for a long time nothing
ioccnrredrto disturb the peaceful relations
of the States. Under Mr.. JeGerson's adj
ADMINISTRATION, Louisiana was purchased
! from France and subsequently Florida was
I purchased from Spain, and in both terri
! tories slavery was recognized and cstab-
/ lished by law, and in the Inhabited parts
was actually existing at the time of the
purchases. No effort was made by the
/ federal authority to interfere with it, bnt
! when Missouri applied for admission it
was proposed to impose upon her people
the condition of excluding slavery from
the new State. The struggle ended in
compromise by which the line of $3.50
was drawn through the remaining part of
the Louisiana purchase. and the applca-
ton of the prohibition of the ordinance of
l-l7S7 to the part North of that line. The
country acquiesccd in the settlement and
the excitement subsidized. but in the divi-
sion OF parties, the question of slavery was
not permitted to enter.
The States of Arkansas and Florida, in
the course of events, were duly admitted,
without question rs to their system ot'ia-
Dor. But, i'll 1850. another condition pre-
vailed; the fathers of the Republic had
passed off from the scene of their useful
ness; the great republican party had given
place to the fierce Democracy, and theagi-
tation of slavery was the pabulum of its
existence. Under their conduct of the
government, sectionnlism had erected its
horrid head, and parties already threaten
ed to divide by Mason and Dixon's line
When, therefore, Congress came to make
disposition of the territory coded by Next
CO, it furnished no just ground Of surprise
that this vicious element should distract
the repose of the country. Bur fortunate
" there were distinguished patriots of
both parties then in the conduct of affairs.
These great minds addressed themselves to
the work of pacificatiOn, and series OF
enactments, known as the Compromise
measures of 1880, were placed on the
statute book. By these the law for the
rendition of fugitives from service was
made more stringent; California was adj
mitted as Il State with Constitution pro-
prohibiting slavery; a government was
provided for the territory of New Mex
leo, without any provision on that sub-
iect; the line OF the Missouri Compromise
was extended through the Northern part OF
Texas: the trade in slaves was prot ibt-
ted u the District of Columbia. The pur-
pose of these acts was to dispose. at once,
of all the subjects touching which the
question Of slavery was likely to be ngita-
ted, and thenCeforward to exclude that
topic as matter of legitimate discussion,
from the halls of Congress. In this spirit
Mr.. Fillmore accepted them, and, in his
message, declared them to be n final adj
iustment in substance and in principle of
the questions to which they related. The
State OF Virginia, by her Legislature, ex-
pressed her acQuieSCence; the country was
content, and peace and concord seemed
about to be restored to a divided brother
hood The Democratic Convention that
nominated Mr.. Pierce, adopted resolution
declaring the Rnality Of the settlement,
and made it plank in their platform; the
Wing Convention that nominated Gen.
Scott did the same. In his inaugural adj
dress, Mr.. Pierce rea1irmed the settlement,
and both in that and in his first message,
expressly pledged himself to the country
that by nothing that he would do, or
countenance in the doings of others,
should the distrncting question of African
slavery, during his term of Office, he OBJ
truded upon the deliberations Of Congress.
When Mr.. Pierce entered upon the du-
ties of his Office, there had been no time
since the first Introduction of this mis-
chicvous element into party politics, at
which the agitators, in both sections, were
nj - w
zed, and parties were rallying TO bring
again TO issue, the great questions from
which they had so long been led nstray.-
II was Mt this juncture, that the act OF
1920, known as the Missouri Compromise,
was repealed, and through the tloodgatcs
of Congress. the slavery discussion poured
its torrents over the land. OF its disns-
trous effects, the whole country is witness.
That it disrupted the Wing party; that it
drove from the administration hosts of
democrats: that il gave rise 10 the modern
republican organization; that it brought
the two divisions of the country into angry
opposition, upon sectional issue; that it
caused civil, and threatened scrvile war;
that it relieved the agitators from their
paralysis, and invigoratcd their strength;
that it SwGlled the ranks of the disaitectcd,
and itnperiled the Union, are facts Of pre-
sent existing history, the evils and dangers
| OF which, are yet to have Their soihtioh.
Had the repeal been demanded by some
great exigency in the affairs of the country,
| the evils encountered in its accomplish
ment, might be compensated y-the object
| it was successful in obtaining. But no cX-
igency pressed its demand; no State Legis-
lature, and no member of any; no primary
assembly of the people; and, as far rs is
known, no individual of the masses, sent up
either petition or request. The scheme
was concocted in the closet of the politi-
clan, and to serve the ends of political
adventures, sprung suddenly from the
Senate chamber on the public Had it