Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-07-03

must be as Ii unit-that 10 one can claim
the protection which it gives and at the
same time decline the duties which it i'm
poses. The man of the North can not
obey such part Of the instrument as suits
him, and disregard the clause Of the COM
pact that offends him. This doctrine would
not answer any better South, East, Or
West.
If it were admitted that the Constitution
contained great palpable defects, still the
duty and interest to support it, 50 long as
it continued, would be no less clear. If,
from any idea Of expediency, of miscalled
moral duty, of misunderstood necessity,
the American people could be seduced in
to an open disregard Of the Cons,i ution;
no matter IN what clause, how greae, or
how triaing; the sane;ity Of the instrument
is gone, and with it all the protection that
it affords. The pretext would not long be
wanting for a fresh inroad upon the com
pact. The same arguments that may be
urged to-day to induce us to disregard the
clause s,iPuIating for the surrender of fu-
gitives from labor, might be opposed to-
morrow to the clause which calls for the
delivery of fugi,ives from justice; and the
next day the clause which guarantees the
obligation Of contracts would fall before
the same weapons. We have nothing to
do but to stand by the whole instrument
simply as it is. Il can not be amended
it can not be remoulded. Itcannot bc dis
regarded in par, any more han altogether.
IL Is solemn covenant--a covenant that
binds us as it bound our fathers-that will
bind our children as il binds us. In the
language Of the law, it is . covenant run
ming with ihc land. L runs not only with
the land, but with The people Of the United
States: and not until the American is deaf
70 Tie voice OF honor and Of du.y--no. IN
I'll his right hand has forgot its cunning
and lis shlewd brain Its wit--no; till ;hen
will he be unwilling to discharge ,hc obi
cations Of the contract 70 which lie owes
his dignity, his saf-:y. and lis prosper
ity.
The subject of Slavery las become lie
foot-ball Of party-;hc text Of demagosues,
and Of intriguing politicians, equally the
growth Of every part of the Union. It is
hardly safe to utter the word, to spell the
seven letters of which it is composed,
without finding yourself at the very instant
identified with some one or other school or
ultra opinion; and ye: there are certain
ideas on the subject which are probably
held by nine-tenths Of the American pco-
pie, of whatever class, condition, or locali-
ty; by the man who culjyatcs with severe
toll the granite hills of New Hampshire,
as by him who superintcnds the raising of
cotton under the torrid sun of Alabama
In fact, if they were not so generally and
extensively held, it would be impossible.
on any rational ground, TO explain the al.
tachmcnt Of our citizens for the Constitu-
ton; for the IDEAS to which We refer are
substantially, however indirectly, incorpo-
rated in that instrument.
The Constitution, is union, or league,
between Free States and Slave States--that
is to say, it is an agreement formed by
compact between States where negro labor
is highly profitable and productive, and
where, consequently, it is mainly used;
and States where this species Of labor,
from difference Of climate and production,
can not be brought into active competition
with that Of any white workmcn, and where
it is not priced or sought afrer. In the
Slave States the negro is held in bondage;
in the Free States heis kept in tutelage. Ia
some Of the Free States he is allowed TO
vote without condition-in others not; but
throughout the non-slavcholding Sla.es.
social feeling, distinction Of race and col
or, place an impossible barrier in his way
There is a great diilercce Of opinion be
tween the Free and Slave States as to the
general merits of Slavery; as a form of la
Dor; rs to lis effects upon the whites and
on the blacks; as to lis extension; indus
trially and morally, they are divided on the
ihc subject; and unfortunately, the mis-
chief.maker, Party, has put her fingers in
to the pie, and. as she always does, iufam-
ed and aggravated the discussion. But on
one point we suppose there is no serious
difference between tie American people
from Maine to Texas, from Carolina to Or
egon; and that is, that the children of the
African race are inferior 10 our own il
those clements which 90 to insure success
in the great contests Of life; and that, prac-
tically, in some form or other, so long as
the stern, eager, energetic man Of Anglo
Saxon blood remains on this continent, SO
long the children Of a swarthier hue will be
kept in subordinate position. Far be it