The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-12-03


together, North and South, In union and har-
mony.
The Great Issus Of the Dsy-How are We
TO Meet IL!
The solution Of the great question, para
mount over all others ct the present moment
the perpetuity or dissolution Of the coufede.
racy- commences to-day Ia the federal CAPT
tai, and one Of the greatest misfortunes at the
present crisis is the paucity Of able statesmen,
gifted with wisdom and acumen, to meet the
issue with that frmness, moderation and fore
sight which it demands; for there would seem
to be not one real statesman in Congress, not
one equal to the task of graphing with this
gigantic difficulty, and mastering it.
The momentous issue now to be met Ia that
of the rights Of the South and secession OF the
Southern States.
The constitution guarantees to the S3uih
the right Of holding slaves as property, and
confirms It's right to remove that property into
other States and Territories; it gives the
South equal rights with the North in the
public domain, and promises to protect it in
the enjoyment of ell these rights under
the agis of the most solemn compact ever en-
tered into between man and man. The domi-
nant party of the North, which has just elected
| President, who received only one third Of the
popular vote denies thcee rights, and ignores
the pledges of the constitution. Ten or eleven
of the Northern States have passed Personal
Liberty bills" which nuliify the Fugitive Slave
law--enacted in compliance with those guaran-
tees of protection which the constitution gives,
and they thus effect practical dissolution OF
The compact. Under the spirit which dictated
| these unconstitutional epaciments over 10000
slaves have from time to time been
| seduced from the Southern States. the value
| of which Ia upwards Of sixty millions o.
dollars. There are now not much less
than 4o000 fugitive slaves in Canada, and
about 1000 scattered over the Northern States,
which represent over forty millions Of the pro
perry of the South. 1t is true that many of the
more conservative republicans are in favor OF
tbs repeal Of these laws, but the leaders of the
party are opposed to any such conciliatory com
promise, and the only attempt MAIDS to repeal
one Of these obnoxious statutes has just failed
this aggressive spirit antagonistic to the rights
and interests of the South 30 far as fugitive
| slaves are concerned.
Now, in regard to the rights Of the Southern
States TO the public domain, how stands the
question
All the leading politicians of the republican
party ard, Chase, Trumbull, Sumner Will
son and Doolittle-in their speeches and letters
and conversations since the election, have
declared emphatcally that the success Of Mr.
Lincoln Is the great public verdict against any
more extension Of slave territory. II 1t Is,
what becomes Of the right Of the fifteen South
ern States to the public lands, upon every acre
of which they have an equal claim with the
eighteen Northern States which elected Lincoln!
II their property upon that domain Ia not to
receive the protection which the constitution
fully and absolutely guarantees TO II through
ort the entire territory of the United States, Of
what avail il that instrugent a all, and what
becomes Of the compact winch i. confirmed and
ratified According to the report OF sbe Lad
| Office, the whole territory Of the United Ste..s
contains go 600 square miles, Of which
$3.50, 600 IL composed of public land-the PRO-
perry equally of the whole people, North aud
South-or fourteen hundred millions OF acres;
being more than two-thirds of the entire geo.
graphical extent Of the country, and almost
three times as large as the United States were
at the adoption OF the constitution. l. the
election OF Mr.. Lincoln by one-third Of the
IF fha mir m ~ Ia Of
the South Of their right to this magnificent do.
main, which 1t virtually would do If ii inaugu-
rates the policy Of no more slave territory.
Thus, even with the repeal OF the Personal
Liberty bills the question would not be set
tied, because they form only one part Of
the impending crisis. The South requires
new guarantees for the protection Of
iis interests and the maintenance Of It's
rishis, and any one who supposes tina, its most
conservative leaders would accept ny other
terms for o continuance Of the Union misoou-
ceives their sentiment and their language. In
oil fhe public meetings held at the South,
whether by Union men or secessionists the same
policy Il declared in regard TO their rights. Mr..
Stephens. Of Georgia, In bis great Union speech.
which if so much praised throughout the entire
country for lis moderation aud Conservatism,
and Governor Msgcfin, Of Kentucky, whose let
ter Is viewed In the same light take the ground
absolutely aud distinctly that the South must
have new guarantees that the Personal Liberty
bills must be repealed By the State lie yislatures
or Get aside by Congress; that he right Of the
South 10 the Territories aud the public domain
must be recognized, or the North and the South
niue, separate. Il is mistake to suppose that
thsse gentlemen conservative and moderate ~
they area for Union under Al circumstances.
They are conditional Union men only. II the
Personal Liberty hills are repealed. and the
rishis Of the South are recognized aud protected
10 the Territories aud the public dom,in, they
are for Union Il not, they are TOR secession a.
much as South Carolina Is. Either new guar
autees must be given or the North and Snuth