The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-03-13

i.y any authority Invested: and the labor States
havlng become now more essentially Democrat
C than ever before by the great development
: ot free labor more firmly than ever insisted OF
thu constitutional doctrine that slaves volunta
: rilv carried hy their masters into the cummo.
Territories, or into labor States are persons
/ men.
Under the auSpicious influences of a Whis
success, California aud New.Mexico appeared
before Congress as labor States. Tie capita
States refused 10 consent 10 their admission
into the Union; and a--in threats of Disunior
carried terror and CONSERVATION throughout
the land. Another compromise was made. Spe.
ciEc enactmcnts admitted California as a Labor
State, and remanded New-Mexico and Utah 10
remain Territories, with the right 10 chose Free
dom or Slavery when Iipenei into States, while
they gave new remedies for the reception OF iu-
gitvcs from service, and abolished the open
Slave market in the District OF Columbia. These
new enactments collated with the existing stat
utcs, namely, the Ordinance OF 1857, the Mis-
souri Prohibitory law of 1870, aud the articles
OF Texas annexation, disposed by law of the
subject OF Slavery in all the Territories OF the
United States. And so the ComprnrniSe of $50
was pronounced a full, final, absolute and COM
rrebcns:vc settlement Of all existing and possible
disputes concerning Slavery under the Federal
authority. The two great parties, fearful f0f
the Union, struck hands in making and present
Ing this as an adjustment, never afterwards 10
be opened, disturbed, or even questioned, and
the people accepted il by majorites unknown
before. The new President, chosen over Az il.
luStrious rival, unequivocally on the ground OF
greater ability, even If not more reliable purpose
TO maintain the new treaty inviolate, made haste
to Justify this expectation when Congress as
sembled. He said:
CI,n h.. crave Al. have .la-..l ,,.4- -.
nov cnletvoI:ng 20 meet tie ob-3jons Of duty the
year lo5o WI! be recrIei 10 a. peri-d hlod with
ety and apprehension successful had Just
mated peace brought with 1t great augmenJati,n of
territory. Disturbing questions bearing upon the
domestic institutions OF portion Of ihe CoEeieracy
. ana involving TIE constitutional uGn:s oi the States
But notwithstanding differences Of opinion and scuti-
neut an relation 10 details and specific provisions. the
acguieserce Of DISTINGUISHED citizens " hose devotion
to Union be doubted has given renew e.,
yisor to institutions and restored Of security
ami Tepose 10 the pubic mind throughout tie Con.de
racy That this re pose To suffer shock during NV
Official term, have the power to avert it, those who
! piaccd me here miy b. assured
Hardly, however, had these inspiring sounds
| died away, throughout rcassured and delighted
land, before the national repose was shocked
again-shocked. indeed, as il had never before
| been, and smitten this time by a blow from the
very hand that had just released the chords of
the national harp from their utterance of that
exalted symphony of peace.
! Kansas and Nebraska, the long-devoted re-
servation of labor and Freedom, saved in the
agony of national fear in 1920 and saved again
in the panic of 1850, were now TO be opened
| by Congress, that the never ending course of
seed time and harvest might begin. The slave
capitalists Of Missouri, from their own well-assu-
red homes on the eastern banks of their noble
river, looked down upon and coveted the fertile
prairies Of Kansas while sudden terror ran
through all The capital States, when thew saw a
seeming certainty that NJ last new Labor State
would be- built on their western border ineyita-
bly, traught, they said with Near on remote
abolition OF Slavery.
/ What could be done? Congress could hardy '
BE- expected to intervene directly for their safety
:, soon after the compromise of 1850 The
labor hive of the Free States was distant the
way new, unknown, and not without pcrils
Missouri was near and watchiul, and held the
KEYS of the gates of Kansas. She might seize
the new aud .-.'!-.t' Tertiary hy SurnriSa IF an.
" Congress would remove the barrier establish
| ed in 1920 The coujuncture was favorable
Clay aud Webster, the distinguished citizens
whose UNREASONABLE devotion 10 the Union
was manifested by their acqgiesccnce in the
compromise Of 1880, had gone down alread,
into their honOred graves. The Labor State,
had dismissed many of their representative
here for two great fidelity 20 Freedom, and too
great distrust of the efficacy OF that new bond o
peace, and had replaced them with partisans VII,
were only timd bat not unwilling. The Deilo
cratic President and Congress hesitated, but no
long. They revised the last compromise, all,
found with delighted surprise, that it WAS so IA
from confirming the law of Freedom of Is2r
that, on the other hand it exactly provided 70
the abrogation of that venerated statute; nay
that the compromise itself actually killed tn
spirit of the Missouri law, and devolved on Con
gress the duty of removing the lfeless lette
: from the national code. The deed was done. Tn
new enactment not only repealed the Missouri
prohibition of Slavery, but it pronounced til
people of Kansas and Nebraska perfectly fire
to establish Freedom or Slavery, and pledge
Congress to admit them in due time As State:
either of Capital or Of Labor, into the UnioI
The Whig representatives of the Capital States
in an hour of strange bewilderment, concurred
and the Wing party instantly went down, nevt
= to rise again. Democrats seeded and stoo
: aloof: the country was confounded; and ami
= the perpIexities of the hour, Republics
party was seen gathering itself together wit
! much earaestnesS, but with little show
;. organization, to rescue, If it were not too lat
r. the cause of Freedom and Labor so unexpe
! tedly and grievously imperiled in the Territor
:, of the United States.
# | will not lingcr over the sequel. The pop
" lar sovereignty OF Kansas proved to be the Sta
\ Sovereignty of Missouri, not only in the perso
N Of the rulers, but even in the letter of All
q trarv and cruel code. The perfect freedom pr
II we'd to be a hateful and intolerable bondag
Df From lSJ5 to 1860, Kansas, sustained and e
D. couraged only by the Republican party. b
= been engaged in successive and ever vary il
:. struggles, which have taxed all her virtue, "
;. dom, moderation, energies. and resources, a
fv often even her physical strength aud mart
n courage TO save herself from being betrayed
a. TO the Union a. a Slave State. Nebrasl
IL though choosing freedom, i, through the dire
es exercise of the Executive power, overriding b
/. own will, held "a a Slave Territory; and y,
IL Mexico has rclapsed voluntarily into the pr;
ey tice of Slavery, from which she had redeem
in herself while she We: remained a part of 1
ID Mexican Republic. Meantime, the Democra
Of party. advancing from the ground OF POpu
- Sovereignty a. far As that ground Is from
re Ordinance Of 1877, now stands on the pOsiti
0r that both Territorial Governments ard Congr
Ter are incompeten, to legisate against Slavery
M the Territories, while they are not only COM
tent. but are obliged, when it il necessary,
81 leCi-late for is protection there.
rd Ia this new and extreme position the De
". ocratic party now masks itself behind the !
7n- terry of the Supreme Court, as if Il were po
al bIv true construction of the Constitution, {
7! the power of deciding practically forever
ip- tween Freedom and Slavery in portion OF
An continent far exceeding all that is yet organz
o. should be renounced by Congress, which al
u possesses any legislative authority, and sho