The Constitutional. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1860-1861, 1860-08-25

L
passing away, brief in the life of nation.
since this hall rcsounded with angry and
agitnting discussions upon the topics which
now disturb and divide US, and since every
breeze chat spreads out TO the Heavens the
nag that waves over us,---our fathers fac,
and blersed be God; yet our own---broueLt
us from crowded city and from lonely cabin.
irom bill, valley and prairie, from ocean
ana lake, the echoes Of anxiety and alarm.
passing over the country, and which an
nouncedthat q great people had reached
Crisis IN their destiny, which, for veal or
Tor wo' might mark their history during
the long ages to come. Vel MI Ills yoss,
| ed a~oy by the mercy Of Providence.
rather than by the wisdom oe man. md n
beautiful tribute was furnished 10 tho most.
Unable value Of free institutions. Cor ,boro
Is not another Government under Heaven
\ which could bave.entered into such a trial
and come out unscathed. Peace and ,,ro,-
Perify and good fcelirg reye restored. and
we looked forward to long years of tram
quiiiity. The events now upon us arc
another illustration of the vanity of human
expectations. BIT yeSfe7aay Me wLaJe
hemisphere ras ,cithout cloxd, ercn IN ,6e
distant hor1Som. Today ME 1gns of an
approaching tempest are aUdiJie and risi,
| be"
"Mr. President, have not withheld IN,
expression of my regret elsewhere, nor
shall withhold 1t here, that this question
OF the repeal Of the Missouri Compromise,
which opcrs all tie disputed paints connect.
ed ~ith He satyect IF Congrcssionai ac,ion
rpm adrery IN he Territory Of tie IInited
'Sfates, has been byo1ght Jcfote u.s. / do
not think the practical advantages to result
from the measure will outweigh the injury
which the i'll feeling fatcd 10 accompany
the discussion of this subject through tbs
country is sure TO produce. And ! was
confirmed in this impression by what was
said by the Senator from Tennessee, fMr.
Jones,) by the Senator from Kentucky,
Mr.. Dixon,) and by the senator from
North Carolina, (NIr. Badgcr;) also by the
remarks which fell from the senator from
Virginia, (Mr. 1imtcr,) and in which
fully concur, that the South will never de-
rive any benefit from this measure, so far
as respects the extension of slavery; for,
legislate,as we may, TO human power can
ever establish it in the regions defined by
these bills"
If according to Mr.. CAss, peace and
prosperity and good feeling were restored
by the compromise.of 1850, while the ma
ton Cooked forward to long years of tran
guilty; and it, as he added; the proposed
repeal of the Missouri Compromise opened
anew ''all the disputed points connected
with the subject of Congressional action
upon slavery" it Of course only remains
for Us 10 inquire who were the principal
supporters Of that proposition, in order To
ascertain who are chiefly responsible for
a revival of the agitation which Mr.. CAss
50 niue Il drplorcd. As wcarc now simply
rcciting historical facts, without weighing
OF Judging motives, it may be safe to say
that the Democracy Of the present day
pride themselves upon the special cham
pionship which they awarded the measure
thus appreciated by Mr. CAss; and if his
premonitions of the pproachrg tempest"
have been only too fully verified by suLsc-
qucnt events, it is now too late To affect
surprise at the storm they have evoked,
and quite too late to ask conservative citi-
Gems TO rrposc fresh confidence in n party
which has already given to th. country
such n striking illustration Of the lnutabili-
ty which marks it purposes. Iftbe body
polite finds itself nothing bettcrcd but
rather grown worse, underline prescriptions
Of the Democratic doctors, it strikes Us
that they indulge in rather untiincly pleas
antry when they ask us to double and re-
peat the dose.-Nationoi htcA!g,pccr.