New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-11-24

by their interpreting Constitutional objections to
measure he supported, "Ibese Virgnians
carry the Constitution like revolver, and they
draw it on you on the slightest proVocation. We
now know, by the letter, among others, of Mus
coe II. II. Garnet, then Member OF Congress
from Virginia, to William II. Prescott, lead
Ing aristocrat of South Carolina, that more
than twelve years ago, while the ruling poliii-
clans of the South were governing the country
under preieuscs OF especial Democracy and de-
yotion to the Constitution, they were privately
denounciDg Democracy as glaringy inconsistent
with Slavery, (asit is. and plotting to oVcrthro"
the Constitution.
Half tho brawers for the Constitution have n
muddle in the place where their ideas would
be if they had any winch confounds the Con
sitution with Slavery, and when they vocier-
ate their love of the Constitution only mean
that they are thick and-thin devotees of Slave
~. They are not even aware that the Constl-
tuition does not mention Slavery-that its
principal trainers, though themselves slayehold-
ers, thought it wrong that there should be
embodied in that instrument nDy affirmation
that man may hold property in man, and sup
posed that they had, by authorizing Congress
70 prohibit the importation of Slaves after
leO- provided for the early though gradual
extirpation Of Slavery from the mon. Nothing
was further from the thought of those great
and good men thsn the preservation OF
perpetual balance between Liberty aud Slavery.
They looked confidently aud joyfui'y forward
10 a day when the whole Union should be Free
Soil.
What lie really meant by our sticklers for
the Constitution is what Breckenridge & Co.
meant by it sixteen months agc-to shacile
the Union Government, and thus relatively
strengthen the Rebels. Our sympathzers do
not mean, as Breckenridge did, to help the
traitors break up the Union--they only mean
TO compel the loyal Millions TO get down on
their knees 10 those traitors aud beg them TO
come back and govern us on their own terms.
But the Rebels despise their lifelong Northern
locqucys too intensely to accept their proileTed
return to service if they can possibly help 1t.
Tie Federal Constitution is truly great
and glorious structure-not fauliless, yet hardly
surpassed by any human work. Its declared
ends are "to form more perfect Union,
establish Justice, insure domestic tranquility,
provide for the common defense, promote the
general welfare, aud secure the blessings OF
liberty to ourselves ard our p'steriiy;' and
these It has mainly achieved in tbs past, and
will more completely and certainly achiere IN
the future. The Constitution established Slavery
nowhere, but provided (as was inienied) for
ITS Ultimate extinction everywhere III liking Il
limit IN time to the importation OF slaves. The
allowance to each State Of representation for
thee.d.,hs Of its slave with oil Il free popula-
ton was regarded by it, authors rather
as a penalty than premium for slaye-
holding. Provision foI thc restitution OF fugi
extreme south and repeatedly refused. Al,
last the bunClng clause which Is held
10 accomplish that end was pFessnied aud
hurriedly adopted, not seeming t. amount 70
much. Eigidly construed. according TO gram
nlatical rules, II would seem TO prescribe that
" No person being a fugitive in one State
from labor due ia another, 81 snail be delivered
Ups" but the opposite OF tins was probably
meant b, whoever cvbb.ed the haltins sentences
together. v hlteyer may have been the
purpose q tins dead Gy Ia tho constitutional
tox Of ointment. IL is very certain thst II was
not intended % diyest the States OF their in
iolent, inalienable right TO protect their osn
ct.zcus araust the possibility Of being hid.
Iapped and hu.red oil into slavery and exile
under a lalle claim thu. they owe " service
TO somebody thousand miles away. And this il
lust what come oil them have done by the " Per
soual Liberty" acts 20 much DETAINED, but
which never vet defeated the slaye-catcher ia
. ease where his claim was clearly Ipade out
We slatc this fact, because the Seymourite
oracle in our City il pettiioggiug The cause Of
the Rebels on the assumption that the Personal
Liberty bills, with ihe general repugnance OF
humane persons in the j rec States 10 partic-
pate N siaye.catcbins, constituted some sort OF
q uroyocaiOn or excuSs for the Slayeholders'
Rebellion. IL Is due to the Rebels TO say that
they never made it a pretext. Mr.. Douglas
in 1861, proved TO them beyond contradiction
that the Fugitive Slave Law Lad in the main
been faithfully executed and Was quite a
effective IN the hands Of Republican as Of Demo
cratic marshas. The shareholders did not
rebel because wc did not catch their fugitive
negroes satisfactorily, but because wo would
not become their partuers ia tie guilt
aud shame of extending tie area OF
Slavery. They might have passed
the Crlitcnden CnmnrnIn.e hY tic helm