Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-12-23

fathers 1t had guaranteed to every emf
grant liberty of conscience-the right Of
trial by jury-the right of equal representa-
,tion land the inviolability Of private prop
erty. i, had declared that ''no law i'm
pairing the validity Of contracts, previously
made without fraud, should ever have any
binding authority Within the territory,
And it had proclaimed, that schools, and
the means of education, should forever be
encouraged; for the plain reason, that re.
ligion, morality, and knowledge, are ne
cessary to good government, and the hap.
piness Of mankind"
But, of all the provisions of that ordi.
nance, the most important to the cause Of
humanity, and the most beneicent in its
operation upon the morals, the rights, the
happiness, and the prosperity of the mill.
ions, who in all time to come will inhabit
these States, is that which makes the soil
northwest Of the river Ohio, forever inca
pable of sustaining slave.
With African servitude, as the trainers
Of our government found it within the linn
tits of the original slave holding States, the
people ofOhlo have no desire TO meddle.
Not that we look upon the subject with
cold Indifference, or ever cease to contem.
plate with earnest solicitude as men and as
Americans, the course which our brethren
of those States, united with us in the same
great bond of union, may feel it to be their
duty no less than their true interest, to
pursue towards that oppressed and down
trodden race; nor, much less, that we coun.
tenance the doctrine broached by some, that
human slavery is not in itself an evil, but
because we look upon it as an institution
beyond our jurisdiction, subject to the con-
troll alone Of the legislatures and the peo-
pie of the several States wherein it exists.
There the convention which framed our
Federal Constitution found it and thereby
were compelled reluctantly to leave it.
But surely it is a matter of rejoicing to us
no less than Of honor to our fathers, that,
in laying the foundations Of the social sys-
tenn here, where slavery had never existed,
they in great wisdom and humanity hedg-
ed it out, by perpetual interdict and con-
secrated the land to freedom.
In contemplating the history of that Pc
riod, and dwelling upon the difficulties
which beset our fathers, in compromising
the conflicting interests Of the several Sec
tons of the Union, how cheering it is, thus
to witness the ever living doctrines of the
Declaration of American Independence
bursting forth into practical operation
wherever it was possible to give them i'm
mediate efficacy!
And how should sense Of deep humil-
alton and guilt fall upon us, the descend
ents Of such men, when with the prosper
GUS carees of Ohio and of the other free
States ofthe North Western Territory be-
fore our eyes, and with all the lights of
this age Of Christianity and freedom BEAM
ing upon us, we compare or rather con.
trast the ordinance Of 1887 with the con-
stitution Of Texas, the one perpetually pro-
hibiting freedom! How can we reflect
upon the motives and means which brought
about the annexation of that province with
such constitution!- constitution fasten-
ing slavery forever upon a vast region
wherein neighboring republic had alrea-
dy "broken every yoke and let the oppress-
ed 60 Free"
And how, with the constitution of the
United States in our hands, proclaiming
that Congress alone shall nave power to
declare war, can we behold President ol
the United States trample that sacred in.
strument in the dust, deliberately and with.
out the advice of Congress then in session
involve the country in foreign war ol
conquest, and yet,not dare give utterance
to our indignant condemnation of his un-
constitutional acts! Where is the man
who does not know and feel that this Mex
lean war is q presidential war! A war
which before its commencement, Congress
would not have declared! A war begun
without adequate cause, and without any
great justi6able and commensurate object,
compatible with the interests and integrity
Of the Union. A war conducted without
wisdom Of design at Washington, and re.
lieved from utter disaster and public odium
only by the prudence, bravery and brill.
liant exploits Of Gen. Taylor and his gal
liant army of ofregulars and volunteers, who
have triumphantly upheld our national
banner, and won for themselves imperisha-
bio renown, and the gratitude Of their
country %ys"a 9' "S'@
In conclusion Of this subject, let it never
be forgotten, that whilst the freemen Of
Ohio will in all time to come, as they have
in all times past, cheerfully march to the
I field Of hatfla atgtha cnlI Of the constituted
authorities Of the country. they will not
fail, by word and deed, BY The ballot,box,
and all other constitutional means in their
power, to. hold these functionaries to a
strict accountability for every violation ol
the trust committed to their hands, and es.
pecially for every infraction Of that great
Constitution, to which we are indebted no.