The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1854-08-03
Fer iae Gazette
The Great Question at Issue.
Me-. EnlTnR:

tern cnes before the election. and but little
tine is left for the further discussion Of the
momentons question before the people, =
ludeedi, might be not improperly said that
the time fer argument has pas,; and the
presumption being that every man has al.
ready made UP his mind on the subject, il
u ch; saem better fer US to mutually eS-
! hort each other q BE- certain Of attene..as
the polls. than TO continue the repetition Of
facts and arguments whiah, By this time,
must be familiar 10 Us all.
But it is better to err by doing too much
thar b. doing too little To engage the at
tention of all, all mus, be engaged. In the
words OF another - know my o"n unfit
ness to intern, to instruct and to arouse our
! coun,rymen, some from their lethargy and
some from their golden dreams. may
toll the alarm bell,-hut persons OF greater
strength and skill must be called upon 70
raise il, and 10 ring it out In the ears Of the
country" The present is Crisis which
demands Of every man who pretends to
concern for the public welfare, that he
write, speak or act, according to the best OF
his talents, for believe If the present mo-
ment be neglected, and the schemes OF the
slare.based oIigarchy are permitted 70 suc-
| coed. we shall, az far as a true republic Is
concerned, be ruined nation. The name
OF q republic may continue, but it, virtue
will have departed. The Roman govern
ment retained its republican forms under
tn. despo,ism OF the Caesars, and one OF
the emperors made his horse consul. Pa-
land was called republic and went through
the form or farce Of electing It's chief mag
s,ra,e, when every Gre knew tina. the cleo
ton depended on the intrigaes Of the Euro
pean cabinets, and according as the Car or
the Emperor proved The strongest, the Pol,
ah king was the creature ana puppet Of
Russian or Austrian influence. So if this
oligarchy be successful ia il professions,
NC nav continue to elect Presidents and
Congresses, but we viii no, have the repuh-
hc for which Hanry vas Triumphant in de-
bate aud Washington victorious in the field.
I! history be philosophy teaching By exam
pies, surely We DO not act the part Of wise
men il ne refuse or neglect TO Proat By the
examples.
Forms Of government arc only the means
,9x ard an end; il the end be not attained
the forms ore worthless. Iat Of Ill forms
Of government thai Providence ever permit
ted to exist, an olig4rchy is the NEST bane-
| ful III it, effects upon the general happiness.
An oigarchy, where the aboring classes are
poor and degraded, but personally free, i
bad enough; but Al oil garchy which is not
only based uPoa the degradation Of labor
| tu, where tie working cias5es, the me-
chan;es and the rural l4boress, are chaiteis
!is. Of all curses, the direst which an angry
God ever suffered 10 % inflicted upol bis
sinful creatures. This is the kind ofolga5.
chy which exists III the southern States d
this Union know that it has net ye:
euite arrived a, is completest develope.
dency There are poor White fetPF,
there who are not chattel slaves, but they ara
under its influence, and even now they have
no, the rights which free man prizes 81
, The dsares.,-.he rights Of conscience anc
the privilege, IF speech. AAa this IS ID.
kind Of o! garchy which il : sousht to as.
tablish in tie vast northern portion Of tbs
Mississippi valley,-.he pledged, the pad
for heritage Of unborn millions, who wiif be
iefrauded Of their rights il tile present gen
GRAFTON prove recrcant to its duty. Not
content with the southern moiety, which
vas considered the garden spot Of the val
lev, slavery. in i:s new war Of aggression,
has boldly taken thenitatiye, and scorHing
! all compromises, tramP.ing upon all treat,
lies, has told the f2iat-hearted friends Of
freedom. that il will submit to no terms not
dictated by itself, hear Of no decision that
does not give il the whole
On Burker-H.I, III my black banners fly.
And all be tnine beneath the northern sk!'
Such is the prospective which slavery
has drawn for itself,--no not men, but Of
fce.set kers in the free States who advise
and seek to 6elude their fellow citizens into
4 compliance with its demands, Jefferson
thought slavery a monstrous evil, ard said
thati In the event of war between the tive
races. he knew Of no attribute of the Deity
that could take the part Of the whites Cal
houn taught that slavery was the corner
stone Of republican institutions sham
Democrats Of the present day, adopt and
teach the do>trne of Mr.. Calhoun. Oh
shame! where is thy blush bot why talk Of
blu.hs when We know that b!act cann9.
change rs color!
l. Is lameAtable, though perhaps not a
curious fact, thatthe grosscsterrors can be
imposed upon mankind, when they are offer
od as the dogmas Of party. which would be
secuted at ii proposed in private converse
ton and supported sn'y BY the authority q
an Individual. THIS, today, If the simple
question were put t o the voters Of this
State whothe. taey preferred Or not that
slavery should Be established in Kansas anil
Nebraska, the strongest probability Is that
/ M least fvp-s5xths If them would answer In