Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-01-23
SOUTHPORT, WISCONSIN; TUESDAY, JANUARY. g. 1914

should not BE- liberated without the con
sent of The masters, or without paving an
qulvalent to the owners. Under the
sanction OF law, one man invest the pro-
cecds Of his labor in slaves. another in
land; in the course Of lime il become neces-
sary to the common veal TO buy up The
lands for redistribution OF culture in com
mon-how should the tax be laid2 or
course upon lands, slaves and personsal
prop"rty--in word upon the whole prop
erty of the whole people. If. on the other
hand. it should nearly concern the safety
and happiness Of society, both the slave
holder and the non-slaveh holder, that slaves
should be taken ard emancipa ted, then hy
The same Legitimate course Of reasoning
taxed for the purpose Il emancipation
shall take place by force of law, shall it be
by the laws of the states or by the law Of
Congress? Let Congress abolish slavery
wherever she has jurisdicion--n the
military places, in the territories, and on
The high seas, and in the District OF
Columbia, if the Contracts Of cessjons with
Virginia and Maryland allow. lay down
the broad rule that Congress shall do no
more for the perpetuation Of slavery than
she is specially bound to do. The debate
in the Federal Convention prove that the
free states did not aaintend to assume the
responsibilities of slavery. In the lang
uage of Roger Sherman and others, they
could not acknowledge the right Of "prop-
erty in men," There is then no moral
obligation in the Union to sustain the
| rights of the South in Saves, except only
they are mo ally bound to regard the con
tract with the South, and in the construc-
ton of that compact, the presumption in
all cases Of doubt il in favor Of Liberty.
On the contrary the United States are
morally bound by all means consistent
with the Constitution to extingnish slavery.
The word slave is not used in the Cons itu-
:Ion, because the promises Of all the South
ern members of the Convention led to the
firal emancipation, and noble shame on
all hands induced the expulsion of the
word from the charter Of Human Liberty.
| cannot agree that there is any law SUI
perior 10 that Of the Fede raj Constitution.
1t is the part Of Christians to model hu-
man laws after the Divine code, but the
law IN the present state Of light from on
High, must be paramount to the Bible IL
self. Ii any other practice should prevail
the confusion Of religions interpretations
OF the Divine VIII would be endless and
nsutferable. In a country whore Jews.
Christians and Infidels, and D,ists and
Ca'hnlics and Protcstan.s, and Fonrioris,s
and Mormontes and Millerites and Shakers
all are concentrated into one nation, it
would be subversvn of all governmental
action, that each sect should set M Di-
vine code, as each understands it," supe-
rlor to the Constitution itself. Ii ever
case arises where conscience diciates a
different doctrine-that the penalty Of the
law is rather to be borne than its pcescrp-
lions eyed--lhen also there arises at the
same tim" case where the stuff rer must
look to God only for appreciation and suS-
tainment-he has passed from all appeal
10 mankind.
| dissent, then, from the ultra anl-Slave-
nv aud he ultra pro-slayerv men. | can
not Join the North in the violation or the
Constitution! cannot stand by the South
in asking the moral sanction % the North:
nor do | regard ii as a breach Of the con-
s;ltutonal compact that she should seek a
higher grade of civilization by using al
legal means for the entire expulsion of
slavery in the United States. Congress
having no power over slavery in the states,
the states, each one for itself, where lis
Constitution does not forbid. certainly has
and should exercise the power OF purchase
and enlancip patton. In Kentucky the Con-
stitu,ion lorblds the Legislature to act upon
the subject. We must therefore look to
Convention. or that which mos, hope.
10 voluntary emancipation Enlightenel
Interests, humanity and religion, are NOV
ing on with slow yet irresi>t BILE force TO
that final result. Let tho whole North in
mass. in conjunction with the patriotic
Of the South. withdraw The moral sanction
AMI legal power of the Union from the
sustainment Of slavery, then our existence
rs people with undivided interests NAV
yet BE- consumnated.-May the uler of a il
nations, the common Flther Of all men,
who is no respectnr of persons, and whose
laws are not violated with impuniiy by in
dlvlduals nor bg states. move US to be lust,
happy aud free. May that spirit which
has elerRaIl5 consecsatcd in the adm ration
81 men Saamis and Marathon. and Bunk.
er's Hill and Yorktown, inspire our hearts.
Ill the glorious principles Of seventy-six
shall be fully vindicaled, and throughout
the land shall be Stablished-"L rtv and
Union, one and inseparable, now and for
ever" G.. II. CLAY.
Lexington, KY, Nov. lo43.
\ CUTTING REPLY.-A charitable d.