Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1855-07-26
What has Slavery to do with us?
July 10th, 1855


1t defames our national reputation. What
American, in whose breast, dwells the spirit
of Liberty-whose pulse throbs at tn, gather
ing cry of freedom, who does not blush for
his country, in view of this foul blot upon the
escutcheon of her honor. How shall we in
tercede with the despots Of the old world, In
behalf of her millions of oppressed, bleeding
suffering poor.
"Go let us ask OF Constantine
To loose his grasp on Poland's throat
And beg the lord Of oiMahmouds limo
To spare the struggling Suliote
Will not the scorching answer come
From :urbaned Turk and scorntul Russ,
Go loose your fetered slaves at homo
Then turn and ask the like of US.
Thus it is tn at our own infamy prevents us
from protesting against European des spotlsm
Thus, while Ireland groa ns beneath the heel
of her oppressor; while bleeding suffering
Poland is par:tioned off, AMI divided out
amongst the petty despots that surrounded
her; while Austria and Russia combine to
crush, gallant Hungary, and blot out her
name from among the nations OF the earth;
while the bayonets of Napoleon-the sub.
verter Of the constitution Of his own coun-
try-glitter in the sun of the Eternal city,
10 suppress Italian Republicsnism, and up
hold the temporal aud spiritual despotism of
Goods Vicegerent" Pho Nino, no remon-
STRANGE, no dcruucation, is heard from Free
Republican, America. Thus our influence
for good-our opportunities to proclaim the
principles of Eternal justice-among the ma
| q; ,,f ha 10 lncf haf N. 70
of the old world, who reads our national de-
claration that "all men are created free and
equal, and are endowed by their creator with
certain inalienable rights, among which are
Liberty and the pursuit of happiness" does
not point with scorn to our 100000 and the
number of our slaves; ana pronounce this
great effort at self government, a signal
failure.
have shown in answering the question:
"What has slavery to do with us!" that il:
degrAdes our occupation; 1t defies our moral
sentiments; 1; destroys our rever ence for
law; 1t drains ofrour substance FOR its support;
and it defames orr National reputation: And
having thus shown what slavery has to do
with us, shall as briefly show SOME Of the
things we have to do with il; and here let
me observe that with slavery in the states that
have adopted It, we have nothing to do, be-
yond exerting our influence to convince the
people of its inherent wrongiulness, Of its
unproftableness. andI OF its violation of the
principles of justice and our free institutions.
This we have the constitutional and moral
right to do, but beyond this, to undertake its
abolition by legal or forcible means. Re-
publicans party, and its members as indi-
viduals, disavow all power, disavow all in
clnation, and protest sgainst it's attempt, as
a usurpation Of power not inherent in us, or
authorized by the constitution of the United
States.
This disclaimer would be altogether unne-
cessary, were politicians and political Editors
honest, but as the Washington Union and
Sentinel, have SO often asserted that the
Disuneonests or Garrisonians, and the Anti.
slavery voters, out OF which the Republican
party Is formed, and the falsehood has been
30 of:en repeated, there may be some wei!
meaning persons who still believe it.
But while we have no legal control over
slavery in the states; ,pe ought 10 arrest It's
extension. Slavery like the daughters Of the
horse leeeh is continually crying, give, give, ;"
1t is continually seeking new fields Of .virgi ,
soil to @Nch it may extend its blighting,
witheripg curse. The s,il of Virginia and
others oe the slave states, has become so inn
poverishod-b,aythe thriitless cultivation Of the
Overseer, andhjs victims, that slave labor
has become Improbable, aud the slave own
ers have found it necessary to turn their at
tention to slave breeding, as their only
source sof revenue. Consequently they de-
mand the extension of slavery. As this will
not only give an increased market for THEN
slaves and furnish an outlet for their children
and friends who may be desii Gus of settling
in lie and adopting that mode Of living for