Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1856-08-08
Iror the Ellsworth American.
For whom shall I vote 2


full tendency? Is any new construction to be
given to the Constitution, that charter of So
eial, civil, and religious liberty? Do they
each agree to 'bide those old political land
marks, which an experience of eighty years
proves to be wise and well established? 1t
matters little, if candidates for the high Of
fee of President, be old or young, married or
single, corporal or colonel; but it is of vast
importance to know. if their administration
will harmonic or violate, continue or depart
from these we'll approved principles as left on
record by Jefferson and jackson, Webster
and Clay. The only question now agitating
the political community is that of slarery,
which presents but one phase or issue and up
on that must we vote directly.
Every vote when put into the ballot-box will
tell directly for or against the extension of
slavery. On this question of extension, the
old Republican and Federal, the Wing and
Democrat parties were agreed All men Of
all parties viewed slavery curse, and desired
its abolition. To secure so desirable a result
they conceded to Congress the right to legis-
late thereupon, and all men of all parties
j through all time exercised that right unques-
toned till very recent period. This, then
is the only question taking hold Of the Presi-
Dental election. The right Of Congress 10
prercntthe eItenNon Of slarry. The friends
of Fremont hold that Congress has that
right Buchanan's deny it. Yet the friends
of each claim to be that same old Republican
party established by jefferson. The present
Republican party or those who support Ere
mont hold that the constitution not only EN-
powers Congress to prevent the spread of SO
great an evil, but calls upon them to exercise
that right. So thought Washington for in
letter written by him in 1856 he says
1.-THE non-cxtension of slavery can be effected
only by legislative authority" Jefferson
said, 1.-The greatest desire of the colonies was
the abolition of slavery" If such was their
wish would they have denied to their national
legislative the right to accomplish their
greatest desire?'
Wilson, Of Pennsylvania in convention to
ratify the constitution, said, Congress will
have power to exterminate slavery from with
| in our borders. If there was no other lovely
feature in the Constitution hut this one, II
roud d,fusc beauty orer lis nhole eounte-
nance" But the Buchanan policy would
not only strike out this '.lovely feature, but
deny to Congress the right of action in the
matter.
1t is an undeniable fact that the leading
men in the early days of our Confederation
not only opposed the extension of slavery :;
but invoked legislative authority to abolish
it. Jefferson, a citizen Of slave-hoding Vir-
ginia in enumerating the reasons why we
should declare ourselves IA free people, adduc-
es as one Of the most grieyous of crimes that
King George chad violated the most sacred
OF rights IN opening Il market where men
were bought and sold" and yet until 1850
were men thus bought and sold beneath the
very shadow ofthe National Capitol at WASH
ington
The continental Congress adopted the ar,i-
cles of Confederation in June l776 The 4th
article was 1.-The free inhabitants Of each
State are entitled &c" South Carolina
moved to amend by inserting the word ri,te
which was refused. Nays s, Yeas ., show
ing at the very onset a determination not to
officially recognize slavery. The United
States acquired their first territory some
three years before the Constitution was draft
ed, d Congress appointed a committee to
report laws for the government thereof
The committee reported in June 1884 which
report declared that slavery nor involuntary
servitude should exist in all such territory ="
The convention which drafted the Constitu-
ton was in session at the time and they not
only accepted the committees report, but
adopted it as one Of the results of this convcn-
ton. Not to lead to confusion let me say,
although the report was submitted in "a it
was not adopted till 81.
The Buchanan and Fillmore PARTIES assert
that the constitution defends and lcgalizes
the institution of slavery, but what is the
testimony Of history?
The convention TO draft the constitution
met in May 1877. Seven plans were pre-
sented to the convention; one by Edmund
Randolph Of Virginia, one by G.. c. Pinck-
ney of South Carolina yet in all the plans
presented, nor during four months session
was single word written or spoken in favor
Of incorporating protection to slavery in the
constitution, but that convention did not
close its labors until it had approved the Or
dinanoe of 'S7.
When the Constitution of the United
States was first published to the world, when
Washington took the oath of Office as Presi-
dent, our national flag foated over not a
single acre of slave territory Yet, to-
day, in this so-called land Of liberty. there
are some oOO, 900 square miles more of slave
territory, than of free Hence arises the
question was such an increase of slave evil
anticipated or Guaranteed nv tho Cors,;,u