Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1854-06-08
The Union and Its danger.

maIAS "hicu euoVug lne ttehngs OF the mos
moderate Of the Wings Of PsnnsylVania,in re
gard 10 the continued aggressions of the slav,
States, BY the aid Of Northern Dough- Faces
upon the rights of the Free States. Il should
be recOllsc'ed that the Wing party Of Pennsyl
vania numbers some two hundred thousand vo
ters, and is very nearly equal in numbers tC
the Democ'Gtcparty which has so long given
the State to favor the designs Of the Slave Oil
garchy. This Wing party contains the mass o
the enterprising, the intelligent and the wealthy
& active Partof society Here is an Anti-SlaverJ
Society the South may we'll dread, for il It Il
once aroused to decided action, the power it will
sway will be tremendous. The North Ameri'
can says:
"The history Of Legislation upon the subject
of slavery in the United States, il traced from
the formation of the existing Federal govern
-ment to the present time, is history of uniform
and generous concession made against their
principles and interests BY the people of the
North to the people Of the South. The motive
which has invariably nctuated the yielding par.
,ty was an earnest disposition to maintsin the
confederation of the States, and to knit them
firmly together by the bonds Of mutual conf
cenee and affection. The last example of this
feeling was the compromise Of 1850, known as
the Fugitive Slave Law" which though ex.
ceedingly offensive in some of iIs details, was
submitted to at the time of its enactment, and
had generally been observed with most noble
and loyal fidelity from that period uutil the late
unhappy riot at Boston. One would have sup
posed that this compliant and cOncilia.ory spirit
would have been returned with like consider
ate and self.denying temper, that where so much
had been given, and given so magnsnimously,
the recipients would have been induced to limit
their demands to the Imperative necessities Of
their condition, and to prefer them, even in the
last extremity, with decent show Of regard for
the moral convictions, and social circumstances
of the communities who were required to make
further sacrifices on the Altar of national peace
harmony and happiness.
But such expectations, however natural and
just, have been most shamefully disappointed,
time andsgain. Where moderation and fOrbear-
ance we're looked for, the North has met only
with increasing arrogance and encroachment
Where It trusted'to 6nd reciprocal manifestations
of sympathy and concessions, it has been treat
ed with unmitigsted selfshness and prescription.
The protection it haG asked for its industry for
half a century past,has been pertiuaciously de-
MED by the South, which preferred to see New
England manufactures perish rather than en-
counter any restrictions in the foreign market
for its cotton; and this illiberal policy was per-
sisted in too. notwithstanding the ample secuu.
ties which the North had repeatedly united in
throwing around the very labor on which that
staple is dependent. Finally, as fto abjure all
claims upon their gratitude or recipro cityto de-
cline all recognition of mutual rights duties and
dependence, and declare purpose TO wage in
future an open war of section against section
for exclusive rule in the general government,
the people of The South or those who profess to
represent them in Congress. have violently and
corrupty passed a bill intended to admit slavery
into vast extent Of territory, from which it
was excluded by an express and solemn COM
promise between all the States. That compact
should have been held forever sacred and invi-
olable by the South, until il could have been
repealed with the consen; Of the majority of the
contracting parties on both sides. 1t is the
only one Of all the conventions of the kind ever
made in relation to its subject matter in which
this section of the Union has received any val.
liable consideration for the many concessions it
has made, and yet they who should have main
tanned il with re ssolute integrity for the sake of
the exemplary honesty and frmness with which
faith has been kept with them in various like
cases, have forcibly abrogated and annulled il
in the face of the declared wishes, and even the
earnest expOstulatiOn of the people of the free
States.
We need not say that conductof this chaiac.
ter 10 fitted to impair the obligation of all com.
promises similar tothat which has just been de-
stroyed with so marked disregard for the SEN
timentS and will Of one-half the people of the
country. Thsy, at least, whose principles and
confidence have been so grossly outraged by
the act, cannot surely be, with any grace requi.
red TO observe strictly engagements made with
those who have exhibited the readiness when
ever they have the power, to break all they are
not interested to preserve. But this is not the
worst effect of the treachery which has been
lately practised. 1t strikes at the very vitals of
the national union. 1t has evidently aroused
already in this quarter aspirit of resistance to
that species of sectional usurpation and vio-
Ience which cannot be persisted in without pro-
ducing conflict Of opinion; interest and pow
er which, Il commenced, will inevitably termi-