Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1851-01-24


Suppose, then, We push the matter to TINS
issue. Suppose We refuse obedience TO the
acts Of Congress, resist with violence the Fu-
giiiye Law, OF have IL in our power in any
way to put slavery aud its supporters in such
a position as To drivC them To secession or TO
dissolution Of the Union. The question
now comes up, what is gained by this result,
lor the abolition Of the evil complained Oft
How much Is done toward the deliyeranoc Of
these three millions Of slaves or even to-
ward making their condition more iolerablc :
The Union, to be sure, is abolished, but sla-
very is not. And the real evil, II We see It
Alright, Is slavery itself, not our involuntary
political connection with Il.
This point has not received that share Of
serious thought which It's obvious truth and
importance socin 10 demand by forcing this
controversy TO the extremity Of secession or
disunion, We do no, get nd Of the evil COM
planned Of, We do not free the slave, nor me
llorale HI, lot in any way. We know what
NAV be- said OF the difficulty OF maintaining
slavery in the northern districts Of the border
states, and preventing the escape Of It's VIC
tins into free territory but this, after the
most is made OF IL, is but small item IN the
account. The great monster, which Is the
real object Of attack, It'll plants hIs feet upon
the millions, and NC cannot reach him, nor
move him IN any way. ThccSPluslon which
has blown the migniGccnl aud spacious TEN.
pie into f.. rmcnts, has left the foul and re-.
voting IDOL unharmed. las leit the icrocious
deity frcaio tear the ncsh and drink the blood
Of IT, victims.
What then, Il II come Ia this at last, have
YOU, or the slave. or humanity, really gained
lfyou p-,s your rghtcou, hatred Of slavery
to the extremity OF ,lolcn, resistance, or even
legal resistance, which shall end IN disunIon
do you clearly sco the good that is To come OF
Il, To any Of the Plrtlc, most interested =
When you have flung away all power To con-
troll, hinder, or IN any way act upon THIS evil,
can YOU persuade yourself that Il Is ANY nearer
removed than before When hc Union J.
dissolved aud Az independent slave kingdom
is set np IN the South, free from all northern
influences, free to declare war and Ia make
couqur,'s, can ans man satisfy himself that
slavery 3, any nearer abolition or extinction
than al co., present moment And this, after
40, Is tic real point a, issue, the rral oblcc,
aimed a..
but ii.s last inquiry provoke, another Ia a
ncw direction. IN tie event of the Union b..
ing broken np. wIa, bccomcs OF the national
territory, especially that acquired from Mex
lcul California perhaps is strong enough, OF
will be-, To take care of herself ~ the cuuiu-
-,uu and wreck b., What j, tn become ol
New MaNir, and lhc adjacent districts, which
lately same M near falling under slave pow
e. II Texas, by mere h'u,lcr, could render
the question at ~ Iou5,Iul, can there hr any
doubt II the rr,al, when ihr cnt,rc South j,
united in the natter IN case 1t secession,
the fitr oC New M.,icu D, sailed beyond alI
QUESTION, as "a slave State and 10 flr, l,cc.s"II
lu,cs, and slavery gains by d..uuiun. hud
vhcn an independent sovereignty Is firmly e.
iabl.shrd, who can suppose that the northern
districts Of Mexico will lons b. spared fum
ihc foo, II the invader, even II Mexico her.
self j, spared.
With these results, then, not unly pruhl-
bic, bu, almost certain, IN casc Of disuniuu.
thC question rcnrwrdly prc,,r, Itsrlf upon ,hr
enemies Of slavery, What is To be- gained by
~ Suppose you unylcld.ng DIVE It To tins
result, uha, good 30 YOU briDg To the slave or
10 dee cause Vt Freedom You do not brcl.
Doe sllcslrs OF the slave. You de- not opcu
hi5 PRISON doors you do not abolish slavery
nor cuuGuc !, within narrower l,mils, noe soil.
en- auy Of iIs hard and revolving lcaiur,,.-
b., You do increase %, territorial limits You
give 10 this Institution, which you seek Ia De-.
s,my, m independent and more lasting cNis.
trnoc than II can have ia ~ present. position
ald you shut yourself our from ~ control
over d, aud all interference with IT. selfish
scheme, Of extension, conquest and power
Aud may II no, be- asked, ~ view Of these ll.
suits, does not the question Of d,sunlon be-.
CON, a very solemn, awful one aud 90 not
those who advocate %, aud prc,s toward IL,
rockies Of all consequence, assume a fear
ful rr,fonslbiity' And DO they not really,
though conscIcuiiously, hinder the removal ol
the great evil, and stand IA tIic way OF The
slave, dclNcuncc.
But there !. one other aspect ufihs subject
to which We would give a passing glance
We refer Ia the value OF the Union to the pco.
pie of sthor nations As well as our own the
influence OF our institutions, aud of the stability
orour government, upon the struggle, and
tie progress Of the nations Of Europe, and ia
deed Of the world. We cannot discuss the
question ofunlon or dlsunlon, orIcror anarchy,
with reference TO ourselves alone Millions
of others in other lands are interested in the
question and the interests of the nations are
50 interviewer with our own, aud their
hopes and their success in the great battle for
freedom, depend TO 80 great an extent upon
the result Of our own governmental expert
mcnt, that We have no right to settle the mat
ter IN 50 summary manner as many are
ready to do. Ii have 4 right to set e.. To-
my own house when standing alone and far
from Others, have no right 10 do 1t when it
is surrounded by the dwellings of neirhbor.