New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-12-22
PEACE Or PIRACY.

1t is o fact not to be gausad that when the
trainers of the United States Constitution pro
vded that the trade in slaves between this c0un-
try and Africa should cease in twenty years
they believed that Domestic Slavery was in pro-
cess of gradual extinction, and that probably
within half century the thing, slave, which
they carefully avoided to recognize by name in
the great Charter of American Liberty, would
cease also to be known to the laws of the cOun-
try, even under the delicate euphemisTn of q
person held to service" The compromises
which they made were intended only to serve a
temporary purpose, and while they did not mean
to forget the great Declaration, which only few
years before had startled the world, that L" ALL
" men are born free and equal" they were ready
to make generous concession to the weakest
members of the Confederacy, and to grant them
time and opportunity TO rid Themselves of sys-
tenn which stood lone and monstrous anomaly
amid the institutions of the young Republic.
But events are greater than men. In tue lapse
of time the little crop of Cotton has grown from
fifteen hundred thousand pounds to four millions
of bales, and Slavery has Oyerrun, under the I'M
pulse of that interest, region more than three
times az large as that in which the Fathers con-
sented it should live for season, and where
they hoped it would speedily perish
They hoped it would speedily perish, and
they consented to compromise only with that
hope. The success of the Republican party in
the late Presidential election places us. in our
generation, where the trainers Of the Constitution
stood in theirs We also are called upon to
make compromise with Slavery. They con-
sented only that it should live a little longer. OF
US it is demanded that we should extend and
make it perpetual If we cannot, "a they I'M
doubtedly hoped We would, better their example,
let us, at least, emulate il, and be Us true in
our day to the theory of the Constitution as they
believed they were in theirs.
Our clear duty is 10 check the extension Of
Slavery We have still vast region of almost
uninhabited territory yet to be made into States,
and on that soil should never be impressed the
foot print Of a bond man. We owe it to genera
tons of men yet unborn. We have no right
TO leave the question to be settled by the con-
tngency of climate, or the accident of any exist
ing or possible circumstance. One unyarying
law, as stable and inevitable as the great law of
nature, must be applied to it all and for all time
-ThE TERRITORIES MUST BIZ FREE.
If such n law be necessary because it il posi-
bic that Slavery may yet creep into some portion
of the region we now possess, it is oil the more
imperative if that be impossible. II is all the
more imperative if We have no territory now
where Slavery is likely to extend, because, in
that case new territory will be acquired for that
very purpose Should Mr.. Crttenden's PROPOSE
ton become part of the Constitution, and the
Southern system be recognized and protected
south of So 80, the dogs of fllibusterism will
be let loose at once, their masters trusting
that when the prey is run down, it may be
dragged into the Union with no troublesome