Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1856-04-10


will say 10 you in the language OfAr. Calhoun
in his letter Of July is4S. to the Hon. wlliam
smith on the Rhode Island controversy
forms Of the Governments Of the several states
composing the Union, as they stood at he time
Of Their admission, are the proper standard. by
which to determine whether any after change
in any Of them, makes is form Of Government
other than Republican.
Here 'Peakst wary politician and the soph.
ist. Is SlaUery RepuJlicaa institution This
question did not come up at the formation Of
the Constitution, nor could it without sluItfying
the trainers but Slavery was allowed no place
in that instrument il was not even named; aud
therefore Mr.. Calhoun's citation proves nothing.
Provision was made, however, for lis extin-
guisment by limiting the duration Of the Slave
trade, and by giving Congress power to regu-
late commerce smong the several States. Il
could not come Hp without defeating the Union.
because It existed already under the local law.
Slavery was before the Constitution, and, il A U
nion Of the States was to be formed at all. il
must be formed out ofthe separate corporations
as they stood. But there was tirm lelermi-
nation, undoubtedly, Of getting rid of the insli.
ton, as anti'Republcan in its tendencies, at the
earliest period. The South desired to limit the
continuance of the Slave trade to the year 1900,
but the Northern commercial interest extended
the period 10 1903.
The South furnished the earliest "aboIition-
ists," None who have read the early annals,
doubts this. II any do doubt, let them read
the following extract Of letter from Mr.. JEFF
ferson, to the convention that assembled at
W,lliamsburgh, Virginia, April I, 1774:
''The abolition of fdomestic Slavery is the great
est object Of desire IN these colonies where auas
unhappily introduced in their infant state. But
previous to the EEFRANCHlsEMRNT ofthe slaves,
it is necessary to exclude all farther importa-
tions from Africa. Yet our repeated attempts
to effect this BY prohibition, and by imposing
duties which might amount toprohibtion, haye
been Heretofore defeated by his majssty's neg
alive, thus preferring the immediate advantages
of few African corsarS to tie lasting interest
ofhe american States. and The rights Of ku-
man nature deeply aOoanded By this infamous
practice"
Republican forms of Government were guar
anteed to the several States 'to promote the
general welfare and secure the blessings of
Lberty"-not Slavery, Slavery was not guar
anteed, it was tolerated only, and hardly that,
for it was not named and the Slave was plac-
ed on the same footing Of any other person ow-
ing service under the local law. The langu-
age of the expurgated portions Of the Declara-
ton Ell Independence here comes to our relief,
showing in what light the Fathers regarded
Slavery. After accusing the King of Great
Britain for melting s:'treasonable Instructions"
among our people, the original draft proceeds
"He has waged cruel war against human ma
tire ITSELF violating its most sacred rights of
LIFE and LIBERTY in the persons Of distant
people who never offended him. captivating and
carrying them into Slavery, in another hemis-
phere. This piraticaI warfare. the approbum
Of 1NFlDEL powers'-&c., &c.
Is this descriptive of a Republican institu-
tion Mr.. Jefferson tells us that this
p r.on "was struck out in compliance to South
Carolina and Georgia, who had never attempted
to restrain the importation Of Slaves, and who.
on the contrary, still sUiShed to continue IT,
And it is still Georgia and South Carolina that
give life and vigor to the perverted doctrine
which would make the guarantees of the Con-
stitution cover for what was stigmatized by
the founders OF the Republic as piracy, and a
"war on human nature itself"
The Argument we would draw from all this
may be summed up in few words 1t is this:
That Slavery is not guaranteed by the Consti-
tution that it is not Republican institution;
chat its abolishinent or extinction was provided
for by the constitution itself. And that there
fore, the denial of admission into the Union Of
any new State with Slavery Incorporated in its
organic law is not only right under the Fed
era Constitution, but duty according to the
teachings of the Revolutionary Fathers 0. s.
Journal.