The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1856-01-24

for the soil which they occupy aud culti-
vate, more than thirty millions of dol
lars. OF the revenue derived from du-
ties we contribute necessarily in proper
tion to our mmbers. AS the population
of our State is about one tenth Of the en-
tire population of the Union, we pay a,
bout one tenth ot that revenue. Its en-
tire amount for the last year exceeded six
ty millions of dollars. The proportion
OF Ohio exceedel, of course, six mill
ions -
While we have thus paid for the very
soil we live on, an amount which no 9TH
er people has ever paid under like circum.
stances, and while we still contribute thus
amply and freely to the annual revenue
it is not an agreeable reflection that Of al
the States lii which the General Guvern-
ment has asserted a proprietary right te
the soil. Ohio has received the least ii
grants of lands for education. improve
meut, and other like purposes; and thai
while millions are expended for the pro
lection and benefit ot Commerce on ths
Ocean Coasts OF the Republic. the prop
erty and lives of our own people are eX
posed to continual peril and enormous
lloss upon our Rivers and our Likes TO
the want of comparatively insignificant
appropriations for the improvement o
their channels and harbors. The inins
tice Of unequal grants of lands is perhaps
beyond rem edy; but it will be our owl
fault if our Rivers and Harbors continu'
to be thus neg lected. ~ s'Hq
While in these and many other impor
tant details of administration the inter
e,ts Of our own State are deeply affected
by the action of the National Govein
ment, we are even more vitality concerned
in the s4eat principle by which that ac
ton and the progressive development o
our country are regulated and can't oil
Ell! 't @"
As man is more than his circumStaif
ees, a. freedom Is better than wealth, ii
rights are mole important than lnstltn
tIous, it becomes lis to look we'll to th
fundamental IDEAS which determine tn
character of Government and the cours
OF its practical operation. 'a
The basis of American institutions i
the democratic principle of equality a
mong men. Tney resi- upon the soil,
foundation Of popular consent. The prl
mary objects of their establishment ar
the defence and protection OF PERSONA
rights If they fail TO secure these en'is
it Is the duty ol the people who establish
eI to amend or change them. To organ
ize ant adnlini>te. government upon thes
principles is the true work of republic
an people. ~
w hlIe the democratic ilea thus consti
tute> the basis of American Institutions
various exceptions, under the pressure o
real or supposed exi gencies, have been AL
mitted to it, universal application. N
mong these, Slavery, the creature OF de>
poti,,n and the deadly opposite of demo
cracy, claims baIelul pre- eminence.
When our country asserted her IN ie
penience, slavery exi>te, i'll all the States
Its evil influences, social and political
were, however, we'll understood. and it.
ifreconcliable antagoni>m to the rights o
human nature and the principles of JUS
government, was universally acknowl
edged.
The founders of the Republic, in fram
ing our institutions, We're careful TO give
no national sanction to this portenton.
anomaly but they attempted no interfe
renee with its existence liz the States
Outside of State limits, they allowed i
no shelter. Within State limits, they
left it 70 the exclusive disposition OF State,
Immediately concerneI. No fact is bet
ter established by the records ,f the past
than the prevalence, during the early peri
oI OF o,r history, ot al almost universal
TX pectation that slavery, excluded, 10y
positive prohibition, from all national ter
itnry, would gradualIy bnt certainty.
and at no distant day, under the opera
lion of the principles of the Declaration
of Independence, anl through the action
o: the State authorities. disappear Who'll
ly from every State of the Union. The
foremost champions OF freedom were cit
izens of slave States, and occupied the
highest stations in the State and National
Cove nnrntS.
Iii l7S4 Immediately fter the partial
ad us ment of. the conflict btween the
claims of the Union and The pretenslonr
of the States in respect to the territory
between the Alleghanies and the Mi>>i>
,ippi, tiIroug, the ce>si on. by Virginia,
If the TERRITORY north west or ONO J,f
ters,'n proposed TO provide forever against
the extension ol slaveiy,by positive pro
ilibi.ion OF Its existence after lSOU, III amy
territory ceded or to be cedeI, OF in any
State to be cieateI ont of such territory.
This proposed prohibition received the
votes Of six. cen out OF twenty-three del
egates, ami oi >ix out of nine States i'll
tIe Congress Of The Confederation. Ii
Jailed to become IA law by reason of that
provision of the articles at COME eratiou
which made the concurrence OF ut least
sevel States necessary to an affirmative
decision OF any question The great ma
jority in its favor indicatc>. hnwe> er, the
prevalent sentiment OF the time.
Three years later, the Ordinance of
| 81 impressed upon the soil OF the ter
ritory north west nf Ohio all inlelllble
prohibition OF Slavery. That Ordinance
was adopted by the unanimous votes of
all the States in Congress. 1t covered
every inch of territory subject to the ex-
elusive regulation OF the General Gove,n
nent.
In the same year the National Consti-
tuition was framed. Mr. Nj ii,on 'leclar
ed it "wrong to almit i'll lie Constitution
the idea that tfere could be property in
men, No such word a, Slave OF Sla
very fonnd place in any of It's provisions.
All recognition Of the lignttalne>s OF