The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1860-09-20

"nou AssomPss were moo0 70 aFre9s sho as
eass'on Of the Slavery question all over the
Union. and when the trial BY jury said the
writ OF habeas corpus was overriddsn by
the fugitive slave Law? Aud even lately,
when the slave power With one gigantic
grasp attemp. ed to ssi1e the whole OF our
national domain, what else Was and is your
new constitutional doctrine but an i'll disgul-
sed attempt To clothe . long cherished de.
sign with the color Of law!
! Read your history with An impartial eye.
and you will find that the construction of
the Consultation always shaped itself accor-
ding TO the prevailing moral impulses OF the
predominancs of material over political in
'erests. The logic Of our minds is but too
apt TO follow in tha tvack OF our sympathies
aad aspirations. II was when the South
had control of our Government that acts
were passed for the raising Of duties on inn
ports. for the creation of . national bank,
an in aid Of the American shipping interest.
1t was under the lead of the South that the
systems of internal Improvement aud of the
protection of home industry were inau xura-
ted; it was the South no less than the North
that insisted upon and exercised the power
of Congress to exclude slavery from tho
Territories. So long ss these measures
seemed to agree with the predominant in-
terest. there seemed to be no question about
their consiitutionaity. Even Mr.. caino- n
imself said in one of his mos, celebrated
speeches. delivered in the sessiot If 1915
l6. THAT it was the duty Of tie q .ver--
''ment, as a means of defense. 10 encourage
1.-THE domestic industry of the country
But as soon as it WAS found out that this
policy redounded more to the benefit OF free
labor than that OF the unenterprixing South.
then the same men who had inauxurated il,
worked its overthrow on the plea that it
was at war with the PRINCIPLES II tue Gou-
stitution. Murmurs Of sppla ,se. The
constitutionahty of the Ordinance Of 1877
was never questioned a. long as the prevail
ing sentiment of The South ran against the
p=rpetuation Of Slavery. The Missouri
Compromise was held a. sacred and inviola.
BILE as the Constitution itself. SO long as it
served to Introduce slave States into this
Union; but no sooner we're, by virtue Of its
provisions, Free Territories to be organized.
than its unconstitutionality was at once dis
covered
The predominance of interests determines
the construction Of the Consti,ution. So
it was aud it ever will be- Oaly those
who remained true t" the original programme
OF the tat ers. remained true to the original
construction. Decide the contest of prin.
cipies underlying interests. and the conflict
OF constitutional constructors will settle tt-
self. This way seems a dangerous political
theory. II is not an article of nv creed
NOT matter of psinoipls-bus . matter Of
experiences; not a doctrine, but a fact.
THUS the ali pervadng antagonism stands
before us, gigantic in It, dinen sions. grow
ing every day in the awful proportions Of
It's problems, involving the character Of our
institutions; involving our relations with the
world abroad; involving our peace, our
rights and Liberties at home; involving our
growth and prosperity; involving our moral
and political existence rs a nation.
How short sighted. how childish are those
wh' find its origin in artificial agtationi AZ
though We could produces tenn pest by blow.
ing noses. or an earthquake by stamp
ing our puny feet upon the ground. Laugh
ter. But how to solve. how to decide il?
Let US pass in review our political parties.
and the remedies they propose. There We
encounter the 50 called Union party, with
Bell and Everett. who tell US the best way
to settle the conflict is to ignore it. Laugh
teri
Ignore it! Ignore it, when attempts are
made to plunge the country into war and
disgrace, for the purpose Of slavery extern
sion! Ignore it, when slavery and FREQ
Labor wage their fierce war about the pos
session OF the national domain! Ignore it.
when the liberties OF speech aud press are
attacked! Ignore it, when the actual set.
tier claims the virgin soil. and the slavehoi-
ling capitalists claim it also! Ignore il,
when the planting interest seeks to estab-
lish AMI MAINTAIN its exclusive supremacy
IN our economical policy! Ignor il. indeed.
snore the FIRE that consumes the corner
posts OF your house! Ignore the storm
that breaks the rudder and tears to tatters
the sails of your ship! Coniure the revolted
elements with meek Mount Vernon lsc-
ture! Pour upon the furious waves the
placid oil of a quotation from Washington's
farewell address! Cheers and laughter
1t is true they tell US they will enforce
the laws and the Constitution we'll enoughl
Bi, ~ha. kwsl Those that Free Labor
demand. or those that slavery gives us!-
What Constitution? That OF Washington
and Madison. or that of SlidelI, Douglas
and Taney. Loud and long continusd
cheering
rhe conflic, stands shers with the stub
born. brutal force Of reality. However &C.
vsrely it may disturb the nerves of timid
gentlemen. there il stands and speaks the
hard, stern language of fact I understood
we'll that great problems and respon .ibili-
ties should be approached with care and
caution. But times like these demand the
firm action of men who know what they
will. and siA u. not that eunnuch policy.
which. conscious Of its own unprodactive-
ness. invites Us blandly 70 settle down into
the imbscils contentment Of general impo-
tency. They cansot ignore the conf,ct II
they would. but have not nerve enough to
decide i, If they could.
The next party that claims our attsntioo
is the so-called Democrscy. As il is my
object 10 discuss the practical. not the con-
stitaiional merits Of the problem bslore NJ
might pass over the divisioa existing :.
that Organisation. In fact. Tie point which
separates Mr.. Doagias from Mr.. Breckin-
ridge is bus mere quibbl~. mere matter
OF etiquette. Mr.. Douglas u rnwill'ag 70
.dmi, u words What he has hundred times
admitted in fact. for. can you tell me. what
: practical difference in the world there 10 b.
s~eao dire<t and Indirect ioserveotion by