The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1863-09-01

In 1856 he again went as ueIegate nom tue
State Of Alabama tothe Cincinnati Convenr
ton, with his old ultimatuns in bis pocket.
Contrary 10 bis wishes and expectations it
was incorporated into The CINCINNATI plat
form, and being thus left without an excuse,
he supported Mr.. Buchanan foI the Presiien
cy in the fall of that year. In the meantime,
however, that fatal measure, the repeal Of the
Missouri Compromise has been contaminated.
IL was brought about by the extremists OF
the South, aided by few partisan Democrats
at the North. The avowed Object Of its au-
thor was to open TO slavery the territories
North of the Missouri Compromise line, not
wilhsianding tho agreement OF 1920, that
said line should forever divide the territories
between The slave and free States. Is is said,
however, that the compromise OF 1920 was
unconstitutional; but what is that to the pur-
posea Ii was a most solemn compact be
tween the two sections Of tho country, ;S:ae ;sas
for the selliemenn:; of q ajost perpexiug ques
ton, aud without any reference to its consti-
tuiionali,y should have been regarded as nm
organic law, ond observed US sacredly as the
Constitution itself
The effect Of this MEASURE was great and
rapid, and there eau be no doubt that IL was
such as majority Of its authors coD'empla-
ted. The result was the formation Of great
party at the North opposed to the fur her ex"
tension of Slavery, and which party nearly
succeeded 10 electng their candidate for the
Presidency, Mr.. Fremont, in 1856. After
the election. this party seemed to be on the
wane, until the Anti. Slavery epirit of the
whole North was aroused to madness, by an
attempt on the part Of Mr.. Bucbanan's ADJ
ministration to force the Lecompton Consttu-
ton with Slavery upon the people Of Kansas,
in opposition to the kaoWa and expressed
wish of three fourths Of them. But for this
most unjustifable measure the Republican
party would undoubtedly have dwiaded
down to moderate proportions; and even after
this, it is doubtful il they could have succeed
ed 10 the Presidential election Of 1860, if the
Secessiouists, with Yancey at their head, bad
no, determined that they should succeed. At
ter Mr.. Yaucey and his party had, against
their wis hes, succeeded in getting their uli
matun, of hon Intervention Incorporated into
the CINCINNATI platform, they went to wor''
to conjure up anotber, to present to the
Charleston Convention. Abandoning their
doctrine Of non irterventiou, they went to the
opposite extreme and demanded that the in
OF Congress for the prot' ction OF
slavery in the Territories should constitute
part of the Charleston platform. This de.
masd they well knew would not be compiled
with--uor did they desire that it should be.
Their object was to secure the secession OF the
delegates of the cotton States from the Con
veution, and Thus. by defeating the uomina-
tion Of Mr.. Douglas aud reuding assun6er
the Democratic party, 10 ensure the election
if Mr.. Lincoln, and therefore forge for thorn
selves grievance which would seem to justi
~ th,m in the execution of the long medta-
ted designs Of DESTROYING the Union. All Of
this they accomplished, and the election OF
Mr.. Lincoln wss perhaps hailed with greater
ioy at Charleston than at New York. will
do them the justice 10 s,ate that they also
claimed 70 have some other grievances;
mong them, that some Of the Northern States
by their statutes obsrucied the execution Of
the Fugitive Slave law, but the ooly States
that could complain much on that score, were
wiling to remain in the Union, while South
Carolina. the State which set the ball in mo
ton. peria,,s never lost a slave. But it must
be borne in mind that no act of the National
Government constituted any part Of their
grievances. They did rot pretend that any
act Of Congress iufricged their rights, and The
decisions of the Supreme Cour, were mainly
such Ms they would themselves have made.
Nay. even al the very time of Mr. ilncolns
inauguration, if the Cotton States had allow
Ell tbei, Senators aod Representatives, to re
main thew would have had decided maJor'
tv in both Houses of Congress in favor OF the
extsnsio, Of slavery and IN opposition to the
policy of the party W ich elected him.
The great cause Of complaint was, that
man opposed to the extcns'en ct Slavery IN
tho Territories had beca elected President of
the United Sts ties, according 10 the form OF
the Constitution which hc was sworn toade
fend and protect, and who discamed any
other than constitutional means in the accom-
plishment Of his objects. Under such clrcum
stances il seems that il they bad labored uu-
der arv real grievance, their course was plain.
They should have taken the course OF our
revolutionary fathers. When the 5 ates as
senbled in Convention, instead OF proceeding
ut once to declare their indcpendence-for the
idea of secession, peace1Jle Of right, seems, as
Plubius says, to have exploded and given up
the QnOot-snOulu Nic"''1 ""' >O"~S~'J '-'
stated what their grievances were, and do
m.nded redress in respectful, yet firm and de.
cided terms They should have exhausted
every constitutional means Of obtaining guar
au,ees-if any were needed-by representa-.
tion AID remousiraDce, by petition; and fail.
inc in all these, they should have done as our
revolutionary sires did, l. G. fight in the Uaion
for their rights until they were driven out of
it. Such course would have procured Tor
"a. as it did for our fathers, the respect, the
sympathy, and the assistance OF other nations
Instead Of that, we have not friend in Eu
rope. But such was not the course which
these--in their own estimatiou-wise states
men chose to pursue. When such course
was suggested or recommended to them, they
evaded il by a long list Of maeniticet promi.
ses, which looked so splendid as almost 10
dazzle the mind with their brilliancy. haf
First and foremost, they promised that se-
cession should be peaceable. l