Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1853-02-11
The Death of Agitation.

ing Is SO dangerous 10 the gOod 1eeilng De-
tween North and South as the perpetual Ag
itation of the subject of Slavery. Agitation
is covert treason, and Agltators are 81 traitors.
Of course the South and its friends were de-
termined to suppress Agitation. The success
has been eminent 1t has not only been put
down, but put down a hundred times, and
there is a chance for hundreds of times
more.
In the South the methods Of suppressing
Agitation were admirable. The United
States mails were put at the discretion of ev-
cry postmaster to rid them of infamitory
matter. That produced great quiet among
the Agitators. Laws were enforced for the
imprisonment of free citizens of the North,
if found in Carolina with a skin of the wrong
color, so that man to-day might vote for
Pierce and King in New York, go to Charles
ton, and next week be clapped into jail, and
in short time, sold into slavery to pay his
Jail fees. Peace like dew on roses has fallen
from this mild police regulation.
Massachusetts, sent venerable man. in an
open and honorable manner, to test this law
in the Courts of South Carolina. Ever stu
dious of peace, the citizens of Charleston as
sembled and drove him and his daughter
precipitately from the city; thereby giving
Agitation terrible downset. For the same
reasons men were blandly lynched upon sus-
picion of being Abolitionists; native clergy
men were expelled the State for holding
wrong views of duty, and all for the sake of
peace. South Carolina has been Kissing hot
with rebellion any time through ten years;
she has talked treason up and down every
village street in her border; and, latterly,
neighboring states have gone in chorus, de-
flying the government threatning secession,
villifying the North, calling the Yankees ex-
ccedingly naughty names speaking proudly
of our factory girls; and even finding fanlt
with Abolitionists. The general tendency
of these things has been to suppress Agita-
ton, of course. There has not been hearth
full of southern frebrands that there have not
been northern shovels enough to take them
up and scatter them for the suppression of
combustion.
But men still felt, and thought, and talk
ed; and the talking grew louder and began
to be heard in strange places; in legislatures,
in conventions and even in pulpits. 1t was
determined to clap Congress on the rising
flame like an extinguisher on lighted can
die. The right of petition was denied the
gag law was applied to discussion, and per-
sonal threats and abuse were heapcd on any
man who dared assal Slavery. Probably
no experiment in modern times has had such
success as this. There are seldom more than
twenty speeches day, now, in Congress, on
the Slavery question; whatever may be the
bill pending,-tor lighthouse, for revenue,
for a claim,-Slavery is the subject always
discussed. All parties have gone into it
The southern members breakfast, dine and
sup upon discussion. 1t is meat and drink;
it is coffee wine and schnapps-the universal
food, the UNIVERSAL beverage. Nothing will
90 down without Slavery to spice it. Nobo-
dy is half so anxious lest Slavery should not
be discussed rs your real Southern gentle
man, who tells the North at the boiling point
of every speech, on every subject, that the
Union is about to lee dissolved under the UNI
righteous discussion of slavery!
When Texas broke loose we had rare
peace times. While the South was slipping
Texas into its pocket, the North was begged
to be quiet; not to be alarmed; md espe-
cially not to fear the acquisition of slave ter
ritorv. But once in, the North was bid to
mind Its own business and not meddle with
Southern affairs. With Texas came war
Mexico was dragooncd into treaty, plucked
and diSmcmbered. Then came the question
of her territory now called ours
At length California and New Mexico
must be taken in hand, The South want
peace and-slaye territory, The North want
peace-ani 4 brisk sale Of goods. ACita-
ton OF coarse went to the wall The Com
promise measures We're gotten up, to quiet
the country to be sure. The most odious
law in the whole American statute book was
hauled out of its den, where for very shame
it had skunk until it was almost forgotten, an
extra tooth or two was given it and the old
ones were sharpcped its limbs were rubbed
with little political Iiniment till they were
Timber cnough-and then the grizzly mon
ster was put into that menagerie of peaceful
beasts, called Compromise Measures. Bar
mum was not found wanting. Indeed there
was like TO have been a little agitation, so
many political Barnums, east west, north and
SoutH' CItIHti Tue rlgnt OF managing this
peaceful Compromise. The North roared
aloud when she saw such Peace. She new
er before SAW such Lambs and Doves But
pungent odors were applied, and she was
prevented from fainting. All the merchants
doing Southern business rushed to Castle
Garden to hush Agitation, Those who
would not 60 with them were threatened and
badgercd Agitation had no chance at ALL
Allthe venerable sous of thunder or the
Conservative side, were out fierce for quiet
Abolitionists were failed to the very husk:
AgitatorS were drowned to silence by the up
roar raised against them. Agitation There
never was anything so effectually used up.
1t was used up at Andover, then in Boston.
then IN twenty places, in New York and
Brook yn. 1t was put down in all our prom
inent cities 1t is incredible how many
times it was slain and buried Peace was
obtained in Philadelphia by Commissioner
Ingram sending a free man to slavery; in
New York we had rare peace times in the
arrest, trial and rendition of Long. OF Preston
Of ----. Boston had Shadrach peace