The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-19

UpTtsEIvt
was no other means of redress than open and
lent resistance From the day the English Barons
bed at Runnymede, until the contamination of the Revo
luton OF 1855 THIS principle OF the ultimate right of
resistance, where no other would avail,
has been acknowledged and acted on by that great
ration, from whom derive origin. The history of
all other nations offers the same instructive lesson: and
Declaration did but enunciate in appropriate
and eloquent language universal sentiment which had
long before received the assent Of lnkind.
The sentiment. however, not OF rapid growth.
Denounced IN high places its only refuge Tor ages was in
The heart OF man, and It's only slndicator The sword
Slowly, however, the world advan ced TO more just
ideas q us strength and to truer sppre ,ation OF IT'S
divine origin The historian hoDored himself by defend
ing 1t, and the puDcist by Incorporating II into the code
or nations. II made its way oitentmes by the influence
bowed themselves the dust No longer under ne
cessity OF fishing its claims TO snition, had
which il rests, that resistance TO oppressive and
stutona acts against which there is other remedy
is an Inherent aud indeleasblc right.
But ia considering the causes which the revolution
airy action Of the seeding States is based IL
cape attention that they not alleged to exist
against the government which they Intended to sub
vert The ordinance passed by the State South Caro-
lima tans word Of complaint against the of that
government Nor is it probable that the procamatons
OF the conventions Of other states VIII pe Of different
character.
We shall then have presented to the world the extraor
binary spectacle Of revolution for the overthrow Of
government. against which no bill of indictment has been
presented by those who plotting its destruction Such
cannot fail TO excite the astonishment and
indignation OF Chrstendom.
THE rREroNpERATNG INFLUENCE OF THE REVOLVING STATES
if the spectacle OF revolution undertaken sub
vert government against whose acts charges have
been brought be an extraordinary one what viii be said
OF the fact that the states which have commenced it,
have for long period had prepondeIatng influence ia
that government and at this moment contEol majority
CT its coordinate branches Such is the solemn truth
and whilst il takes from such movement all that SYM
pahy which real oppression call forth, it must
deprive those who aid and abet IL Of all claim the
charitable judgment OF the world.
TIE GRIEVANCES OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
IN the long list Of grievances presented by the Cnyen
ton of South Carolina, the non enforcement Of the
Fugitive Slave law the interfering with slavery in the
States the exclusion Of the institution from the Terri
tories the denial Of protection property under the
constitution, and lastly the election Of republican
President are the Chief subjects OF complaint
regard the first point may be said that the ad-
minstraon Of that law is The duty of the general
ment and there has been any want Of vigor carry
good part ascrbed to this II s not denied that
there repugnance TO some of the provisions of the
law IN the minds Of the people Of the NGrsn put Is
parties that the principle which requires fugitive slave
to be returned to his master is constitutional proyi
sion, and such must be obeyed. AL that asked
that the Ian should be stripped Of It's oOus and oensice fsa
res II this were done such acts of legislation as have
been passed by Northern States with reference this
law would be cheerfully and promptly regarded
Your committee not informed of the character and
provisions Of the laws Of other Northern States on this
subject but the act Of 1910 OF this State declared by
the courts TO be uncon7tutoDa and is therefore null
and void.
TIVE PERSONAL liberty BnIs.
Again. the personal liberty bills they are termed,
many Of them passed previous to the enactment Of
the Congress OF 1850, could not therefore,
have had reference to it, and the fact that the State
Of Virginia has at this time law on her statutes con-
.anmg essentially the same provs ons and enacted for
the purpose of protecting the liberty OF her free citizens,
would afford warrant for the enactment Of
similar laws in other States The whole difficulty this
subject has arisen in the opinion Of yonr committee
from the unnecessary severity Of the provisions Of the
of 1850 and they repeat the conviction already
pressed, that If these were modified there would be a
cheerful scGuesccn il the enforcement Of the law
On the subject OF interfering with slavery In the States
where it exists your committee deny that there is any
the right Of such procedure, OF who have any intention
Of encouraging much less OF aiding or absttiDg, any
attempts Of such character The fact that both the
r political parties OF the North are denounced by the
acknowledged leaders OF the aboltionists, shows how
wide is the chssm that separates that sect from the mass
Of their fellow citizens and how little is there TO DC
apprehended from Their most earnest and persistent
efforts.
SOUTHERN OPINIONS THE NORTH.
The determined pertinacty with which the people Of
the south cling TO the belief Of design TO make
their institutions is striking proof OF the
ideas prevailing there this question, else of deter
minaon the part OF designing TO faisify and mis-
opinions and purposes II may be perhaps use
less TO what has often been said this sub
ect, and inserted in political Platforms but your com
m,tee cannot refrain from soemnly disavow
ing the people Of The North Of both the great political
parties any iuNntion right TO interfere with the nsi
tuition of slavery in the States where il now exists
In regard TO the great principle of the dominant party
of the Northern States which another subject Of com
plant, your committee desire in the first place TO say
that principle which engratcd in the ordinance OF
1877 and by the operation Of which the States Of the
Northwest preserved to free labor, not be
garded by with any other feelings than those of
ration and respect That il was incorporated in mea
sure proposed advocated by OF the greatest
Statesmen, himself citizen OF the South, and passed
by the aid Of Southern votes should save il from some
portion a. least, of the hostility with which IL is
garded by their descendants By series OF acts, from
the of this ordinance down TO the sation Of 1850
the subject Of slavery in all Territories had been
withdrawn from the arena of politics. and appeared as
the two great forces under government, chained
down by compromises and tired Of contest as old as the
constitution itself, had at length declared truce
The repeal OF the eighth section OF thu act admitting
Missouri into the Union once more brought the sub.
ject before the country. BY that act Kansas and
Nebraska opened to institution which had al
ready connected itself with the destncs OF the three
great States out Of the Louisiana purchase.
rRIScTPfE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
The principle OF intervention which was the basis
Of the settlement Of 1880 TO which the North reluctantly
submitted and which had been finally endorsed by the
great national conventions in 1852 made 70
apply TO the territory covered bv the Missouri restriction
and used a cover for its repeal
This act destroyed the confidence OF the people OF tho
Northern states in the binding force of compromises and
led v 1856 to the first national convention of the
repblica party, and to the adoption In lis platform OF
Jeferscu's principle Of exclusion. Whilst the his
tory Of that party, from that time until the
present, has been struggle to give this principle
recognition in the administration Of the government
il has never thought Of using for this object any
other than strictly constitutional means achiercd
its first national ricory in he lac Presidential election
and far the first n'c in its history, can claim the control
| If a single coordinate branch Of The government.
The adoption of the prin ipe OF exclusion by the
publican party purely defensive act.
tempt TO extend the principle which tho basis Of
the settlement Of 1850 TO territory already secured "a
freedom by the Missouri compromise The repeal OF that
restriction by the votes Of Southern representatives was
exceedingly offensive TO the free States. No time was
given TO prepare the public mind for 30 great change
II had not been foreshadowed the debates Of 1850 and
when without any warning, the blow was struck, its
effect what might might have been anticipated from
the romorscloss vigor with which IL dealt. Then
followed the administration OF the Kansas act ard the po
ltica outbreaks in thai Territory consequent thereon.
The acts Of the free settlers, although in strict
formty TO the principle Of the Kansas b denounced
in the proclamation Of the President revolutionary
their resistance TO laws made without the shadow OF
thorty reasonable, and their further contumacy
threatened and after visited with the nterposton
OF federal bayonets On the other hand the conduct OF
those who working in the interest Of slavery was
excused oxtenuated and sofened down; where that
could be dopo, by finished special pcadcr
the President passed over In utter silence.
Thus free meetings of the people free speech
had almost said free thought consigned to the grave
which had already received the fess remains Of Popu
lar sovereignty.
CHANGES ~ THE STATUS PARTIES
IL would be difficult 10 point TO period in our history