New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-03-30
MIR. CRsTTENpRN,s spERCH.


with the Joint invitation of both Houses, de-
livered an address to the Legislature of Ken
lucky on the subject Of our present National
troubles. After depicting in glowing colors the
greatness and the glory of the Union as it was,
and the disasters that had 80 suddenly oyertaken
il. he proceeded TO state the cause of this catas
trophe: at is enough to say" be remarks,
Z" that it has all grown out of controversy be-
90 tween the Saveholdihg and the non-SlTehold-
:" ing States, concerning questions of Slavery and
of anti.Slavery, questions about the Territories
"of the United States."
With all Difference to Mr.. Crittenden, we think
the cause of the trouble may be more accurately
stated as arising from the existence of a slave
holding class who, in the practice Of their afro
cious vocation, have become corrupt in morals
and perverted in intellect, and have cast aside
the democratic and Christian ideas of justice and
of human rights on which alone the institutions
of America can be maintained and have adopted
in their stead the most insane arstocratic and
anti Christian notions that ever infested human
understandings. These notions they have sought,
unnecessarily, to impose on the whole country,
and failing in the attempt have risen in rebellion,
rejected the Constitution and the Free system of
the Revolutionary fathers, aud set up or endeav-
ored to set up Government for themselves.
After stretching the rise of the Republican
party, Mr.. Critterden proceeds to consider the
question Of the right Of the General Government
to exclude slaves from the Territories. lie de-
nies this right on the ground that it gives to cer
tain of the States monopoly Of the Territories
and that the trainers of the Constitution intended
they should be open to ali the States. In answer
to this it is sufficient to say that the trainers Of
the Constitution themsclYes by the ordnance Of
1857, excluded slaves from the territory north
west of the Ohio, aud that such exclusion oper-
ates equally on all the States. The citizens of
Kentucky were not excluded from Ohio, Indiana
and Illinois any more than the citizens Of New
York or Pennsylvania. In point Of fact, large
proportion of the population Of those States was
derived from Kentucky, whose people enigrated
thither and settled there as freely az the people
of any of tho States Of the North.
Passing on to the period of the admission of
Missouri, Mr. Critt,nden speaks Of the adoption
Of the line Of So so as a concession from the
South demanded by the North, and as implying o
full right in the Shareholders to take aud hold
slaves below that line. The facts Of history are
otherwise. The Missouri line was forced upon
the North, and unwillingy acquiesced in at the
time for the sake of peace. Ii was never under
stOed at the North az involving concession Of
the right to hold slaves in all the territory south
Of $50 30, but as applying only to the Louisiana
purchase. But whatever the nature of the con.
tract or agreement, il was deliberately violated
and broken by the repeal Of the Missouri Com.
promise in 1884, and can never be- restored,
much less extended to territory not included in
the Louisiana purchase.
Referring to his own resolutions of Compro.
mise, Mr.. Crttenden declares in the most solemn
manner his belief that if offered 10 the people of
the North, they would BIO accepted by immense
majOrities in all tho Free States. lie fays he
has been so assured by hundreds Of intelligent
and respectable gentlemen. We do not doubt it.
Unquestonably Mr.. Crittenden so believes and
unquostonably he is mistaken in his belief. The
intelligent aud respectable gentlemen who gave
him these assurances with perfect honesty and
confidence no doubt, are also Themselves mis-.
taken. They are the same intelligent aud re-
spectacle gentlemen who last Autumn layished
their money and their time and threw away their
votes in the confident expectation of electing
John Bell and Edward Everett. They are the
men who led the North ten years ago, and have
not yet found out That power and influence and
popular sympathy are with another aud differ
cnt class of men, and that ;hey Themselves
neither control nor comprehend the political move.
ment OF the country
On the great question Of uni9n or Secession
Sir. Crittenden dwclls with force an eloquence
Oh the advantages of the Union to Ken.,'"ay,
and on the folly of Secession as a remedy for
political evils. Tho burdens Of the Sccsdinp
States, be declares, will be enormous, aud their
hangers imminent aud terrible. lie exhorts Lis |
learcrs TO stand by the Union to the last-to |
ote for it, TO fight for it, never TO abandon ii,
lever to give il up AL that Kentucky has |
light to ask, she can ask and eau obtain in tho
jniOn. She runs no risk of oppression Tie
rec States, says Mr. Crittcudcn, have no desire
0 wrcDg her; and if they had the wish tbey
ave not the power. " For myself," exclaims the
statesinan, 81 have been asked, when
would consent to give up tho Union an
swer, Never Never Never !"