Plymouth weekly banner. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1856, 1856-09-04
From the Richmond (Va. Enquirer.
The True Issue.


The True Issue.
The Democrats in the South in the
present canvass cannot rely. on the old
grounds Of defense and excuse for slave.
ry; for they seek not merely to retain it
Whcrc it is, but to crtcnd it into regions
where it is unknown. Much less can
they rely on the mere Constitutional
guarantees of sIaUery; for such reliance
is pregnant with the admission that
slavery is wrong. and but for the con-
stitution should be abolished. This con-
s'i'utional argumen, for slavery. stand
ing alone, fully justifies the aboli,ionist.
They are clearly right if slavery be NOR
ally wrong. for 10 get rid Of it under the
constitution. or by amending the consti-
tuition. is coufessedly impracticable.
In truth, the constitution cannot help
slavery, if il be violation of the laws
of God and morality. In that case the
constitution should be changed. or the
free States should secede, rather tina n
continue TO guaranty what they consider
immoral and profane. The constitution
cannot help slavery for another reason.
That institution extending through IF,
teen States. and interramified with the
interests, The feelings, and the very ex.
istencc OF many millions of mon. is
much stronger than the constitution
1t would be far easier to change or vic.
late the constitution. than to abolish
slavery. Besides slavery is older than
the constitution--existed before it. and
independently Of it. Wederive no right
to our slaves from it, and weaken our
cause by seeming to rely on it.
Nor will it avail US aught to show that
the negro is most happy and best situa
ted in the condition of slavery. If we
stop there, we weaken OR cause BY the
very argument intended to advance it;
for we propose TO introduce into new
territory human beings whom we assert
&c be unfit for liberty. self government.
and equal association with other men,
We must go step further. We must show
that African slavery is a religious. nat.
ural. a nd probably. in the general. nee
essary institution of society. This is
the only line of argument that will emo.
BILE southern democrats 10 maintain the
doctrines OF state equality and slavery
extension.
For if Slavery be not a legitimate.
useful, moral. and expedient institution.
we canno. without reproof of conscience
and blush Of shame. seek to extend it. or
assert our equality with those States hav-
ing no such institution.
Northern Democrats need not 90 thus
far. They do not seek to extend slavery,
but only agree to its extension as a mat
ter of right on our part. They may pre-
fer their own social system to ours. 1t
is best tina, they should. Our friends
are conservatives at home and conserva-
tives OF the Union-conservatives Of re-
ligion, of marriage, of property, Of State
But whilst they may prefer their own So
cial system, they will have to admit in
this canvass that ours is also rightful
and legitimate, and sanctioned alike by
the opinions and usages Of mankind, and
by the authority and express injunctions
Of Scripture. They cannot consistently
maintain that slavery is immoral, mex
pedient and prolane, and yet continue to
submit to its extension. We know that
we utter bold truths. But the time has
now arrived when their utterance can be
no longer postponed. The true issue
should stand out SO boldly and clearly
that none may mistake it.