Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1856-01-04
r.on q. cincinn,ti Commercial.


Ltercsts of men or Of parties, q step from the
doctrines upon the subject Of fslavery holden
by Mr.. Jefferson to those advocated BY Mr..
Calhoun, would seem to be almost as WIDE
as the universe. Yet their step, enormous
as it is, the Democratic party of the North,
in the space Of time occupied BY one Presi-
dental contest, has accomplished. For the
first time in the history of this nation, we
have a political party whose spoken voice,
through its organs in tho free States, is in
favor Of enlarging the area of the Southern
institution Hitherto, whatever may have
been the tendency of party measures, re-
spcct for the real or supposed opinions ofmen
living in the enioyments of the blessings of
personal liberty, has prevented the plat
form-making interest from an open avowal
of pro-slavery designs or proclivities. This
RECORD far Appearances however, for some
reason or other is passing away. Whether
the spirit of freedom has so far been sup
pressed that it is no longer deemed neccssa-
~, or whether the exigencies of party have
become too strong to permit the use of the
decent cloak of professed humanity, that
has heretofore been employed to shroud the
real design, we will not decide. It is sufi-
cient to say that the disguise IS removed
We have all the machinery Of a pro-slavery
party in the North. The leaders are in their
places; the organization is complete; the
journals are enlisted with fiery zeal in the
cause; and it only remains to be proven how
far the people can be controlled in move
ment to give the lie to those great principles
Of human liberty, to which We owe our in
dividual freedom and national independence.
Mr.. jefferson was an Abolitionist. We
mean by this, that he was one whose opin-
ion upon the subject of Slavery would at
this day, entitle him to coat of tar and
feathers in his native State, and to the sou
briquet of Disunionist or Black Republican,
in every Northern newspaper whose editor
is in office under the present Administration.
The author of the resolutions of 1884 would
find little favor in the eyes of those who pro-
fess such unbounded respect for his memory,
and if he should be so unfortunate as 70
gain permission to revisit the glimpses Of
the moon, he would doubtless be about as
unwelcome a guest to large class Of "Jef-
fersonian Democrats" now extant, as the
world of spirits could afford.
Mr.. jefferson We repeat, was an Aboli-
tionist. That we may not be accused of ex-
aggeration when we apply this term, now
of reproach, to one whose memory IT Is SO
popular to revere, we copy the following
resolution of which he was the author, In
troduced and advocated by him in the Con
gress ofthe United States:
ResolUed, That after the year 1900 Of
the Christian era, there shall be neither sla
very nor involuntary servitude in any of the
said North Westerly States, otherwise thar
in tho punishment Of crimes whereof the
party shall have been duly convicted to have
been personally guilty"
This resolution, it will be observed, pro
vides, first for the abolition Of such slavery
as shall exist in the Northwestern States
on the arrival of the year 1900: and second
~ for its prohibition forever Afterwards
Mr.. jefferson was therefore not only oppos
ed to the admission of slavery into thosC
/ territories of which States ware to be con
structed, but believer in the poWer Of Con
gress to abolish slavery where it had alrea
ldy gained such admission.
Mr.. Calhoun was Slavery -Extensionist
not for industrial, beyond the limits of hi:
Own State, but for political reasons. In or
der TO protect the interests of South Caro-
lima, he desired and demanded that the
spread of the Institution should be permitted
in more than half the States and more thai
half the territories of the Union. His ides
was that the continuance of the national
compact depended upon the existence of 1
preponderance of political strength in tho
Slave States. To preserve the ''balance O
power" in the South, was the end and OBJ
i iect of all his exertions. He did not sue
ceed. 1t was not in the nature of thing
that he should. In proportion as his design
were understood, they and he lost strength
with the people. Mr.. Calhoun held that i
was the duty of Congress to provide for tho
erection of slave States, irrespective of III,
viezps of their inhabitants. The South
wanted them, and therefore at all hazard:
they must be provided. Speaking of what
he calls the constitutional rights of thu
Southern States" he says:
0If we have none, tell us so. five are t.
be sentenced to remain forever fourteen
States, whilst the others are to spread ou
and fill the continent, tell US so, and thel
we will do the best we can. We love anC
revere the Union. 1t is the interest of tn
. whole world that this Union should be pre-
served. But the balance of po1oer an thes
|, United States, IS IN the Slave-hoJd'ng States
r They are the CONSERVATIVE POWER. Capi
tai and labor united"
t This, in plain English, means, "Give u
2 the BALANCE of Power, or we will dissolv
u the Union" and this is, at this day, the doc
5 trine of the South. 1t i also the point t,
: which the Jefferson democracy of the Mort
f NOT the people but the platform makers
have arrived. They are placing them 'elye
b in subjection to Southern Union-dissolvin
: conservatism. They tell us, in blind phras
es, as yet, is true, of the rights of the SOutl
: to have more slave States. The conserUC
tire interest-that is to say, that intere'
Q which is eternally threatening to kick up
row and dissolve the Union-needs to ;
G strengthened. We think it is quite stron
S enough, as it is, and that there is but littl
e encouragement in the history Of the past
+ make il any stronger.