Volcano weekly ledger., 1856-08-09
Drytown Correspondence.
DRYTowN. Aug. 9th,

MEssRs. EDToRs:-In my former commu-
nication some general principles and we'll
known truths were set forth, which, it is now
my object to apply to the present state Of al-
fairs in our government But first allow me
to express my appreciation of the course you
have determined to pursue in the coming con-
test, and my hearty concurrence in the course
No paltry considerations, private pques or
personal animosties should cause one to
swerve from the path of well-known duty
when he is called upon to give his voice in the
decision of the most momentous question:
perhaps, that ever was submitted to the con
sderation Of man. Momentoas because the
results of its decision will not be felt by US
alone, but future generations will have cause
to mourn the loss Of civil aud constitutional
liberty, or bless the actors in the present po-
litiea struggle for their preservation of the
dearest rights of man, which are now jepor-
died by that wild fanaticism which springs
from some Of the worse passions of human
nature, uncontrolled by reason.
There is no use trying to evade the truth
that the slavery question is the main point at
issue with the various political parties of the
present day, to which all others are Of minor
importance Let us see how the subject
stands with these parties? The Republican
party advocate the restoration of the Mis-
souri, Compromise; the power of Congress to
make laws for the government Of the people
of the Territories, without giving such peo-
pie the right to have a voice therein; that
slavery was prohibited in the Territories by
the founders of our government--tha all
men are created free and equal-therefore
that the blacks should be placed, in all re-
speets, on perfect equality with the whites
that there is a higher law than human law
to which it is the duty of all men to submit.
whether it comes in contact with, what APP
pears to be the most wholesome, human laws,
or not, leaving every man to form his own
opinion of what that higher law is; and that
"the President his advisers, agents, support
ers, apologists and accessories" should be
brought to "severe and condign punishment
for enforcing the laws passed by Congress.
The Democratic Party say that the Missouri
Compromise was in direct violation Of the
Constitution, therefore it was, Of right, re-
pealed; that Congress has no right to legis-
late for the people of the Territories; that
Congress, in its legislative capacity, must be
confined exclusively, to the powers expressly
given it by the Constitution, as all Others
are reserved to the States respectively that
the subject of slavery should be kept out OF
Congress, as it belongs entirely to the indi-
vidual States to arrange their own domestic
affairs in accordance with the views and
wishes of majority of the people of such
States; that Congress has no right to dictate
to the law-making power of any State or
Territory what its laws or institutions shall
be, only to guarantee to it republican form
of government; that Territory OF the Uni
ted States is open and free to the immigration
of every person whether he be Shareholder
or not, until such Territory seeks admission
into the Union as State, when it will be
admitted as a free or slave State as major
ity of the people shall demand; that Congress
has no right TO interfere with the institution Of