, 1861-02-05

what becomes Of the present territory of
the United Statcs? Mr. Clemens, Of Vir-
ginia, said in his recent speech that Wat
oftweny years would not wrest from tho
Federal Government as much Of it as he
could grasp in Ills hand, to be addedto the
area Of slavery: Tho .preposterous notion:
has been put forth in South Carolina, and
perhaps elsewhere, TINT the States volunta.
ri1y and unlaWfully Withdrawing from the
Union have arights" in the territory from
which they secede. Indeed, it is difficult
to sec how those States can avoid laying
claim TO portion Of that territory without
being disgraced in their OWL eyes and in
the eyes Of the world. The whole scces-
sion business springs FROM . controversy
concerning The alleged right to carry
slavery into: the Territories, and, if the
slaycholding States secede because this
claim is denied, all men will ask what has
been gained. The territory is there. 1t
belongs to the United States Of America.
1fit were possible by any means to garry
slavery there before the Southern States
went of, it is quite impossible after that
event What then has been gained?
Self respect, to say nothing Of self inter
est, will demand that the seeding States
present claim to part Of the federal ter
ritory, and back up that claim by an ap-
peal to the sword. We quite agree with
Hi. Clemens that. war Of twenty years
would not secure to the South q square
inch Of that territory, but We think that
the eloquent Virginian has not stated the
whole truth. Those who arc SO exercised
at the prospect Of civil war will hardly
deny that war commenced under national
auspices in the Indian Territory or New
1Texico-a war Of defense on the part OF
those who remain faithful to their com
pacts and loyal to the Union-will lead ir-
resisibly to war between the two sections
directly. War is cruel arbiter. 1tbreaks
through and breaks down national comfy.
Its first principle is to strike where the
most harm can be done and to strike as
hard as possible all the time. The idea Of
localizing the strife in the territories is not
only absurd but impossible. Lett be once
begun, in the uttermost corner Of the fed
cral, domain, and we may look for raid
upon Southern Ohio OF Illinois from some
quarter Of the slavo confederacy, to be fol-
lowed By the bombardment Of Charleston
OF Sayannah-and then who shall limit
the destruction and ruin to ensue from IN
actual clash Of arms?
The moral is this. Civil war is not to be
avoided by acknowledging the right of Sc
ccssion. We can understand how that
privilege might be granted BY revision OF
the Constitution on the part Of the whole
people, but We cannot see how even that
process could guarantee us peace, unless
the seeding States renounce all claim to
the territory from which they have Tolun-
tari1y withdrawn. The Roman empire was
accustomed to put forth all its
energies to hold the most worth
i leas patch Of desert in it's domain,
+; lest it should incur the worlds contempt,
| and plant the seeds Of its own destruction.
The British empire, tho French empire,
! and even the Austrian empire, arc accus-
| toned to stake everything on the issue OF
/ maintaining their Jurisdiction, to the hairs
breadth, over soil once confirmed to them
by treaty or conquest. Shall the United
States do less? Granting, for the sake OF
present argument, that the secessio1
| Of South Carolina, or Of any num-
her Of slave States, can be toler.
atcd, can the territory which belongs
TO the Federal Union, and to no other pow
er under heaven, be dismembered before
! the Federal Union is ssubjugated? Never
What then is to be gained in the direction
! Of peace by permitting the treason at tls
! South to progress unchecked? Nothing
Slavery requires expansion, and expansion
! it can have only at the end Of aggressive
! and successful war. To this complexion
| must it come at last -