Demoine courier., 1854-12-21
YHE BEWgTWEg E@URTER-

resented by twenty.one votes in the cleo
soral colleges and in Congress.
| trust that there is no citizen of Iowa.
who desires the general government to
interfere with slavery in the States oil
this Union. Il is local institution, and
TO the States that maintain, il, belong its
responsibilities and its perils. But whilst
the people Of the North should scrupu.
lousiy regard the rights of others, they
should manfully maintain their own
They are recreant to their own interests;
they betray the rights of their posteri,y;
they give fatal blow to the principles
! of free and equal government, when
they consent TO the creation of new slave
States and consequent further repre-
senta!ion of slave property.
The removal of that great landmark
of freedom, the Missouri Compromise
line-when it had been sacradly observed
until slavery had acquired every inch OF
soil south of it, has presented the aggres-
sive character OF that system broadly be-
fore The country. 1t has shown ,ha, all
compromises with slavery. that are de-
signed TO favor freedom, are mere ropes
OF sand. TO be broken by the first wave
oil passion or interest that may roll from
the South. Ii has forced upon the coun.
Try an issue between free labor, political
equality and manhood on the one hand;
and on The other, slave labor, political
degradation and wrong. II becomes the
people Of the free States to meet tina,
issue resolutely, calmly, and with sense
OF the m0mentous consequences tina,
will flow from its decision, To every
elector, in view Of that issue, nigh, ap.
proprla!ely be applied the injunction
anclently addressed to the Jewish King:
"Be strong, and shew myself man."
1t is both the interes, and duty of the
Tree States TO prevent the increase and
extension of the slave element of power,
by every constitutional means. To do
SO successfully, they must adhere 10 the
principles of the founders of the Repub-
lie. In the view of those principles,
slavery is local institution, depending
wholly on State laws for its existence
and continuance. Freedom being the
natural condition of all men; and no au
'horlty being delegated TO the general
government to establish or protect slave
ry. Congress can pass no law establish.
ing or protecting it in the territories. II
Congress can pass no such law, much less
can it delegate such authority to the ter
ritorial legislatures, over whose acts i,
has ever exercised supervisory andres
training power. By wide departure
from constitutional principles, slavery
has been tolerated in some of the terrific
rles. Let such federation forever cease
Let the government be brought back to
its original purity. Let the principle be
auihorlta,lvely announced and persistent
ly adhered TO, that there can be no slave.
ry outside of State sovereignties. Let
the government, in all It's relations, be
divorced from the system, and the agita
ton of this subjec, will ceass, the con.
science OF the Nor,h will be quieied, and
the nights of the people OF the South
fully sustained. IL, is only by on entire
disconnection of the general government,
from the institution OF slavery, that the
people of the free States can find safety
and honor. In no other way can they
maintain their political equality, and
stand acquitted before the bar of an en-
| lighiened public sentiment.
Il becomes the State of Iowa,-the
only free child of the Missouri Com
promise-to let the world know that she
values the blessings that compromise
has secured to her, and that she will
never consent 10 become party to the
naturalization of slavery.
desire TO cooperate with the Cen
eral Assembly in every measure lha,
may tend TO promote the PROSPERITY OF
the Stale.
trust that our mutual counsels will be
characterized by calmness and prudence;
and devouily pray. that in our respec-
live spheres. we may be guided by "that
wisdom which is from ahoveD