The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1861-02-12
Compromise.

although not very clearly is still very
candidly given. 1t says it believes that
the general government should protect
its citizens and its property from enemies
abroad and traitors at home, but still is
not in favor Of coercion. Our neighbor
don't seem to agree with the secession.
lists relative to the term coercion. They
contend that enforcing the laws, and pro
lecting the public property, is coercion,
and cry out against it. Ii it is, then our
neighbor, we presume, is, like ourselI
and Republicans and Democrats gener-
ally at the North, coercionists. We all
believe that it is the right and duty Of
the government to enforce its laws and
protect its property, and should it be re
sisted in this, we all, it is to be hoped, are
ready to sustain the government, even il
fighting is necessary. That as we un-
derstand it, is all that Repaid icans pro-
pose AMI desire, and coercion has that ex :
tent and no more.
Our neishb says that Mr.. LINCOLN
has expressed willingness to divide the
territory we own by the line Of $3.50,
giving freedom the Northern and slavery
the Southern portion. We venture 10 say
that Mr.. LINCOLN has expressed no such
inclination. He stands immovably, we
hope, upon the Chicago platform, and ia :
vors no surrender of principle. This is
clearly and distinctly asserted to be his
position, by the Springfield Jo@rnal,
which probably speaks by authority.
Our neighbor still continues to charge
bad faith upon the Republican party for
refusing TO adopt Crttenden's proposed
change of the constitution while profess
ing to deprecate the repeal of the Mis-
souri, Compl omise. he most unaccounta-
bly, continuing to allege that CR1rTENDES
proposes restoration Of the old Mis-
souri, restriction. Our neighbor must
know better than this. The Missouri
Compromise was contract in which the
South agreed, in consideration of the ad
mission of Missouri into the Union as a
slave state, that all of the Louisiana pur-
chase north of the south line OF Mis-
souri-or the latitude of 36-3J-should
forever be free territory. Nothing was
s,pulatel as to any territory south Of
tina, line. The compact was simpy one
in which the South received considera-
ZION in hand, and the North pr prospective
consideration Missouri alone was the
South's consideration. not the whole ter.
ritory south OF $3.50. That was left
open. by implication. for the triumph OF
either freedom or slavery. BUT is this
identical with CKITrENDEN's proposed
constitutional amendment? Not at ALL
That irrevocably fastens slavery upon all
territory south of $3.50. New Mexico
and Arizonia are compelled to accept
slavery. and should chihuahua, Cohahui
Ia, aud half dozen, or the whole, of the
Mexican States be acquired, SO long as
they remained as territories they would
be forced to accept slavery. Their pre-
sent laws against it would Immediately
become null and void, and in spite OF
them slavery would be fastened upon
Them. And as our neighbor seems to
feysrd HENRY Glars views as worth
of quotation, let us show him what that
great statesman thought of such propo
si,ions In 1859 Mr. CLAY said
owe it TO myself, howe it to truth, | owe it
to the sui jcet, to state that no earthly power
could induce me to vote for specific measure
for the introduction of slavery where it had not
before existed, either south north of that line
Coming rs / 10 from slave state it is my sol
emn, deliberate, and well maturcd determ ina
ton that no power--no earthly power-sha
compel me to vote for the positive introduction
Of slavery either north or south of hat line.
Mr.. CLAY says that no earthly power
could induce him TO vote for a specific
measure for the introduction OF slavery
where il bad not before existed, and yet
Mr. CRITTENDEN proposes to pass such a
measure, aud maize il irrepealable by
embodying it in the constitution, thus
admitting into il what lis trainers refused
20 incorporate. recognition of the rig hit
Ut property in man. And we are told
that the proposition is but restoring the
old Missour Compromise, of which Hen
RY CLAY was the author 1t is a viola.
lion Of every principle, every sentiment,
ri HENRY CLAY.
But il is comardly, ii is abominable, it
is drbaSing, to be talking now of com,
promises or of parties. There is but one
uurs,ion at this time TO be decided, and
that is, Have we government Until
.his is soIvad. every other question should
and must be of small moment. Ii our
goyerpmen, can be disrupted ~ the ca
price OF any State which may choose TO