Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-08-14

there were seven Northern, and six Southern
States; the North thus having majority at the
very first date of the confedsracy. OF the seven
Northern States, six we're SLAVE States, and
one free State. Considering that this free
State made no objection to the institution Of
slavery in her sister States, may justly as
sumo particularly when we remember that De-
laware is merely IN Meorya slave State that the
Northern States had practical majority, and
hence, having this institution before, and at the
time, and subsequent to their membership in
the Union, that they responsible for its ex-
stence in the Union. The South, if she had
so willed, had not the po,oer to keep slavery
out of the Union, because "A majority of the
| whole number, and that majority made up of
Northern land now free) States, recognized
and enjoyed i'll
| Thus ii will not be controverted, that the
| right of property in slaves was right anterior
| to-, coeval with, and subsequent to the adop-
| ton of the Federal Constitution--that it was
| not only an inherent and undisputed right, but
was one of those rights that entered into the
! compact as clearly as any other right at all
| that it was right guarded guaranteed and
protected by the Constitution, and which can
not be abated, but by the notification Of that
instrument itself.
With this plain, but vertable statement of
the rights of the States in slave property at the
period of the compact between the States and
/ ~ la(a oc Al IL IL
sttution, which pertain to them in the Terri
tories or common domain of all the States, we
come to consider the humiating condition of
things in this connection at the present time
II will be seen from what we have to say
further, that it is longer an idle threat if the
Abohtionists succeed in electing their ticket,
that the equality of the Southern States is to
be utterly destroyed, and all her rights, privi-
leges, and immunities under the Constitution
are to be shamelessly ignored and repudiated.
What is the state of the case? Conven-
ton of the Ant-Savery party of the country
is called and assemblies in a Northern city.
1t is termed national Convention. That this
is misnomer may be inferred by the fact
that there were but about half dozen men
found who were base enough to claim that they
represented, in its deliberations-a Southern
constituency. Fifteen of the States thus were
unrepresented ticket was nominated BY this
NATIONAL Convention, presenting for the suf-
frages of the American people two individuals,
both residing in free States and holding opn
ions not only foreign to, but in positive antag-
onsm with the constitutional rights and inter.
ests of one,half of the States of ..the Union.
Two individuals, who cannot obtain a single
score of voters throughout the achole extent Of
this section of the Confederacyl The prnc
are at war with the Constitution and ia auia-
cious defiance of all moral and political rights.
No sooner is this initiative treason and treach-
cry accomplished, than, emboldened by their
own achievement, they fling out their piratcal
banners with fifteen of The States stricken
from the consolidated galaxy of the American
Union! Elected by section of the Union,
without the aid of the other section on the ono
hand, or the power successfully to resist this
evil on the other, they come flushed with their
reasonable victory to take the reins of Gov
ernment. Discarding, in advance, the Consti-
tuition as the chart by which their admnistra-
tion should be guided-spurning as interiors
fifteen ofthe sovereign members of the Union
trampling under the despotc heel of hellish
power all of their rights and privieges--shear-
ing them of their proud dignity as equals,
levelling them to the condition of hewers Of
wood and drawers Of water-constituting them
a seridom to do the behests of their high will
and pleasure; and, as if these were not enough,
having the Federal Offices within their own
limits filled by the fendish emissaries from
their own foul and corrupt dominions, that the
seed of domestic insurrection may be sown, or
the torch of the midnight incendary success.
fully applied to their once happy and peaceful
homes. This is the character of the men, and
these the principles Of the party, who have
come forth, like the great Philistine of Goth
to defy the living armies Of God and Liberty,
Of Right and Reason, of Justice and the Con.
stitutlon! Is it an exaggerated picture7 A
Missouri line Of office Is 10 be runl This is
their scheme; for, not content with bowing
you down, men Of the South, in humiliation
and disgrace, their cormorant maws as insatia.
bic as that Of their great chief, demand even
the Offices within your household. But, sup.
pose there tcere bounds to their lust Of power
and pelf, how could the Government be car.
ried on under the rule Of this black crew, who
set at naught every principle Of common hon
esty and truth? Suppose, with a mockery of
favor to you, they we're willing to ell the Fed.
eral Offices with men from your midst, where
are the cravens to be found to hold them under
such an administration {? Where are the col
lectors and surveyors of your ports, the post
masters Of your Cities and the judges and the
marshals Of your Federal districts2 Even the
pure ermine Of justice must dragge in the