The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-02-05
For he Gate CITY.


That the American people are at present
in the midst Of terrible political crisis is
moi To he denied, a new party has sprung
up who claim that Slavery is national insti-
tuition, and who openly threaten the disunion
Of the States unless their pretences are &C
knowledged BY the laws of the several States
and the Government Of the United States.
Unfortunately q weak President countcnan-
ces this claim and lends the whole force Of
his administration to enforce it.
This claim was first set up by that arch null
LITER and dsuniouist, John c. Calhoun, dur
ing President Van Burcn's administration,
/ but never received much countenance out Of
South Carolinaunti the advent Of the Pierce,
Douglas, Atehison, and JEFF. Davis admins
] tration. Under this administration the claim
has assumed a national character, the De
mocracv Of the Union arc pledged 10 main
tain it. aud the freemen and lovers Of free
/ dom in the United States are called on in
Iimperious tones TO acquiesco in it under
threat Of disunon and political prescription
The founders Of the American Govern
ment established the Constitution to promote
the blessings of liberty, and not the curse of
Slavery. And from Washington's days down
until the motion of Calhoun referred to, it
had been the settled doctrine Of the Amer-
can people and Government that freedom was
national and blessing, and Slavery was
curse and sectional, and could not exist in
any State except hy express authority of
law
Impressed with this idea, Jefferson in his
first draft Of the Declaration Of Indepen-
dence, not only declared that all men were
created equal but specified rs one Of the
crimes perpetrated by the king Of England,
! that he had refused his assent to the passage
Of laws by the colonies for the abolition Of
the slave trade. Aud subsequently, in 1887,
on the passage Of the ordinance for the gov
ernmen- Of the Northwest Territory, he drew
with his own hand and secured It's adoption
in that ordinance the famous proyiso which
&C waa berry ia, ana prohibited slavery
f3. rt. 81 .ha r. now
knoHna as the State Of Ohio, Indiana, lii
/ nois, Michigan and Wisconsin
1 Impressed with the same sentiment, the
immediate trainers Of the Constitution, Of
which Washington was chief, placed in that
instrument provision for the demolition Of
the slave trade, and gave Congress exclusive
! political authority over the Territories Of the
United States. They did not claim the right
To NEEDLE with Slavery whore il existed as
local institusetnby virtue Of State laws, but
whereyerp went beyond State authority
! they aimed as far as possible to extirpate it
/ from the land.
i And impressed with the same doctrines Of
/ liberty, that great apostle Of freedom Of la
ter days, Henry Clay, drew, and by force Of
his perseverance and influence succeeded ii
establishing, the Compromise Act Of lo20.
The American people with wonderful unanm-
lily acquieseed IN this compromise until a
very recent period, and il was reserved for
those pigmy politicians, Douglas, Pierce,
Atchisou, and JEFF Davis, following in the
wake Of Calhoun, ana endeayoring to ape
his political eeeentrcties and yagaries, to
unsettle the old landmarks Of American lib
ertv.
/ But will tue American people succumb to
their threats aud the lash Of the slave dr.
ver win thefree white laborers, mechanics,
farmers, merchants, and men Of every other
class and profession III these United States.
who earn their livelihood BIZ Their personal
industry, yield IN a matter 50 vital to the lib
erty and happiness Of mankind Shall the
principles Of the revolution, in less than
century after their consummntion, be willing
j Is deprecated, ignored and trodden down, bv
the descendants Of the men Of the reyolu-
ton God forbid!
Then let tn rollying cry Of the friends Of
American freedom every where be, freedom
for Kansas and Nebraska, at al hazards, or
follow what may, and political death TO ev-
+ cry political miscreant who shall hereafter
dare assent that Slavery is national, or that
i II can exist any where except by express leg
/ islation.
Suppose the immortal Washington, JeHer-
son, or Franklin, who for some wears before
his death was president of an anti-slayery
society, were YET living, could any one doubt
the position they would take on the crisis be-
fore us A. IN l776 they would again IN
fur the fng Of freedom
But one Of the compeers Of these mighty
men, the glorious Lafayette, only eight years
before Calhoun threw his pro-suyery fire
brand into the Senate Of the United States.
writes to Henry Clay his last appeal for free
dom. In March. 1929. Lafayette writes to
Clay as follows
hage thought VOC @ employ some Of
ror' 81 Il ure u,e a- th most