Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-07-03


of all rights. Itis, therefore, merely accord
ing to reason that its partizans should up
hold the Usurpation in Kansas
To overthrow this Usurpation is now the
special, importunate duty of Congress, ad-
mitting of no hesitation or postponement.-
To this end it must Eft itself from the cabals
of candidates, the Vaccinations of party, and
the low level of vulgar strife. 1t must turn
from that Slave Oligsrchv which now con-
trolls the Republic, and refuse to be its tool.
Let its power be stretched forth towards this
distant Territory, not to bind, but 10 unbind;
not for the oppression of the weak, but for
the subversion of the tyrannical; not for the
prop and maintenance of a revolving Usur-
patton, but for the confirmation of Liberty.
These are imperial ars and worthy thee!
Let il now take its stand between the living
and dead, and cause this plague to be stayed
All this it can 90; and if the interests of
Slavery did not oppose, all this it would do
at once, in rererent regard for justice, law.
and order, driving far away all the alarms
Of war; nor would it dare to brave the shame
and punishment of this Great Refusal. But
the Slave Power dares anything; and it can
be Conquered only BY the united masses of
the People. From Congress to the People,
| appeal.
Already Public Opinion gathers unwonted
forces to scourge the aggressors. In the
press, in daily conversation, wherever two
or three are gathered together, there the IN
dignant utterance finds veht. And trade: by
unerring indications, attests the growing
energy. Public credit in Missouri droops.
The six per cents of that State, which at
par should be I02, have sunk 10 SI4-thus
at once completing the evidence of Crime,
and attesting its punishment. Business is
now turning from the Assassins and Thugs,
that infest the Missouri River on the way TO
Kansas, to seek the safer avenue. And this
though not unimportant in itself, is typical
of greater changes. The political credit oi
the men who uphold the Usurpation, droops
even more than the stocks; and the People
are turning rom all those through whom
the Assassins and Thugs have derived theil
disgraceful immunity.
It was said o. old, "Cursed be he that re.
moveth his neighbours Landmark. And all
the people shall say, Amen."-(Dsut. xvii
ID Cursed, it is said, in the city, and in
the field; cursed in basket and store; cursed
when thou comes, in, and cursed when thou
goest out. These are terrible imprecations
but if ever any Landmark were sacred, il
was that by which N immense territory wa:
guarded forever against Sl.very; and if eveI
such imprecations could justly descend upoI
any one, they must descend now upon al
who, not content with the removal Of this
sacred Landmark, have since, with crimina
c,mplicity: fostered the incursions of the
great Wrong against which it was intended
to guard. But utter no imprecations.-
These are not nv words; nor is it any par
to add or 10 subtract from them. But thank:
be to God! they find response IN the heart,
of an aroused People, making them turr
from every man, whether President, or Sen
ator, or Representative, who has been en-
gagged in this Crime--especially from those
who, Graded in free institutions, are with
out the apology of education or social preju
dice-uniil of all such those other words o
the prophet shsll be fulfilled--"I will set my
face against that man, and make him a sigr
and proverb, and will cut him off from
the midst of my people. ."-( Ezekiel xiv, g.
Turning thus from the authors Of this Crime
the People will unite once more with thu
Fathers of the Republic, IN just condem
nation of Savery--determined especial,
that it shall find no home in the Nationa
Territories while the Slave Power, il
which the Crime had its beginning, and b.
which it is now sustained. Will be swept int
the charnel-house of delunct Tyrann;es.
In this contest, Kansas bravely stand
forth-the STRIPPING leader, clad in the pan
orly Of American Institutions. In calml,
meeting and adopting frame of Govern
ment. her people have with intuitive prompt
itude performed the duties of freemen; an
when consider the difficulties by whicl
she was beset, find dignity IN her attitude
In oferin9 herself for admission into M
Union as FREE STATE, she presents a sun
gle issue for the people to decide. And sine,
the Slave Power now stakes on this issu,
all its ill-gotten supremacy, the People
while vindicating Kansas, will at the sam,
time overthrow this Tyranny. Thus doe
the contest which she now begins involve
not only Liberty for herself, but for th'
whole country. God be praised, that she dit
not bend ignobly beneath the yoke! Fa
away on the prairies, she is now battlin!
for the Liberty of all, against the President
who mIsrepresen,s all. Everywhere anon!
those who are not insensible TO Right, tn,
generous struggle meets generous res
ponse. From innumeruble ,hrobbing heart
90 forth the very words Of encouragement
which, in the sorrow fnl days of our Fathers
were sent by Virginia, speaking by the pei
of Richard Henry Lee, to Massachusetts. il
the person of her popular tribune, Samue
Adams:
"CHANTlLLY, Va, June %, l774.
IL hope the good people OF B,,ston will not los
their spirits, under their present heavy oppression
tor they will certainly be supported by the othe
Co lunies; and the for which they suffer is
glorious and SO deeply interesting To the presen
and future generations, that all America will owe
IN great measure, tnelr p0ltlcaI salvation to tn
present virtue OF Massachusetts Bay."-l America
Archives, 4th series. VOL !, p. 4i6
In all this sympathy there is strength. Blu
in the cause itself there is angelic power
Unseen of men, the great spirits of Histor.
combat by the side OF the people of Kansas
breathing a divine courage. Above al
towers the majestic form Of Washington
once more, as on the bloody field, bidding
them to remember those rights of Hunrar
Nature for which the War of independence,
was waged. Such cause, thus sustained
is invincible.
The contest, which, beginning in Kansas
has reached us, will soon be transferred
from Congress to a broader stage, where
every citizen will be not only spectator, bu
actor; and to their judgment | confidently
appeal. To the People, now on the eve o
exercising the electoral franchise, in choos
ing Chief Magistrate of the Republic,