The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-09-24


To JAMES GORDON BIYNETr ESQ
avail myself Of your liberal offer, extended 20
me, 20 receive and publish arguments and views re
gazdiDg he important questions which divide and
distract the country at the present time. Your vii
IDgness that all sides shall be heard in the HER AID
is honorable TO your frankness and fair dealing.
In the present discussion, the odds, TO my mind
against calm reason appear very great. We find,
NJ yon Justly state that probably $780, 900 daily copies
OF newspapers are issued in New York, devoted to
strictly partzan, and many OF them 10 grossly Sec
rona views on political subjects, VIII CD may be con-
sideIed of the most vital importance TO the future
happiness and well being Of the American people
In al ages the voice Of reason is weak when ap-
pea.ing 70 an overwhelming tide OF fanatcism
In The present crisis, when we find six daily
pspers with such an immense circulation,
engaged ON one side, and the most of them making
infiammatory appeals TO the excitable passions Of
human natnre, and in behalf Of the most ultra doc
uines, which directly tend 70 destroy the harmony
and nnion OF the country, the inequality of the
test assumes a magnitude and seriousness that
appeals 70 the common sense Of every patriotic
mind.
/ am native born citizen Of the United States
with my lot cast among the toiling crowd masses
Of this great city, content 70 labor for my daily
bread, and feel that their advancement and happi
ness would tend TO augment the share enjoyed by
myself J am no POLITICIAN never held an off &C.
and never expect TO hold one. The chief and high
est interest and mig ht say almost the only stake
feel in the government, is that Of its unioa
because ON IFS perpetuity almost everything
else short Of life depends. Ny interest
in he Union however, is no more TO me than it
ought to be 70 every other citizen whether native
adopted. am aware that this is not period for
guments, however well supported by reason or "a
uiotssm, 10 be heard. Against them az The North,
as wei as IN Europe, are arrayed re abstract
oogmas Of he chIlch, administered, in many cases,
cy higo.ted clergymen, and also the selfish and
crafty cunning Of ambitious, and in many cases,
scfuUuloas politicians reckless Of al considerations
seyond their orn advancement. Against sach
od5s what is the use Of the pen Of hubble indisdl
al Ike myself, with few leisure moments snatcbed
from daily .a5or, OF OF hundred or a thousand
such? Yet privileges enjoin duties, and those PEI
Sons devoted 70 4 love Of the Union are called upou
~ The highest appeals Of daty TO contribute what
they can 20 its preservation. The North or pee
hsr< ] should say large portion OF : people, IS
net prepared to hear candid statement o. the
differences of opinion between the North and tie
South fairly stated The people Of the later sect N
complan that they are daily misrep resented AMI
condemned az the North, unheard; that every ef)-t
is made 10 excite, mislead and prsjudice the minds
q the people asains them; that their social coad
hon, their patriotism, their progress and, indeel
every thing appertaining them, Is falsely colored
or miss;ased. Truth IS suppressed. and faults Il ,
sor.ed and m senifed. Hence, mutual hatred, con-
ienticn bad passions aud excited enlargement have
taken the place Of The national harmony il was the
obec. Of ire wise founders OF our governments - &C.
cure based upon The mutual interests Of the country
The patriot may well ask, Why is all t2s? Wht
excuse il there for it
Il s row eigh'y-one years since we declared our
ildependen e, and sixty.nne years since the adop-
lion Of or present constitution; and bat repeat
the declaration Of all intelligent men, all
ever the world, that in all the history Of
the human race. no people have eve. made the
sane progress and epjoye: more universal or
greater amour: OF social freedom and happiness
than those Of The United States. This prosperi-
~ the lev slaves IN the cocntry-compared to the
whites-ha7e not only nor retarded or marred
in any way. bot haze, on The other nand, largely
contributed 20 produce and 10 sustain.
TIE GOVERNMENT oSE or COMPROMISES
Attic very outset OF forming a constitution mn
tusl concs ssions and compromises became necessa-
~. without which no government could have been
formed. And that great instrument stands out 70,
day as q NOBLE embodiment OF patriotic compro-
misses.
Slavery existed at the period OF It's adoption as
exists now. Il 4 no worse now than il was then nor
has il been AZ any time since the cessation Of tie
slave trade In lsOs. By referring ID Elliot's de-
bates and other authorities on the adoption Of the
constitution, 10 will be that the South proposed
70 abolish the African slave trade al once, which
was opposed by The New England States. which
wished extend the period OF ts termination 70 1922
because Rhode Island ard Massachusetts, had con
siderable number Of vessels probably engaged in
the slave trade In bringing Africans from Africa
10 The Southern States. y compromise was finally
effected, and the year lsos fixed upon Tor ts termi'
nation.
EEeBoEs AT THE SOUTH As PROPERTY.
Il has been urged that slaves are property
only under the municipal laws in the States where
they exist and that the Southern people in emgrat-
ing TO territories Of the United States (Which equal
~ belong TO all the States OF the Uni0n), have
RICH, to irry their slave properly with them be-
yona the State iurisdi ton 70 which they belong
No assumption or argument can be mere uns0uDd.
Before the present constitution was formed, by
an Q dnance Of 1851. the very year In which the
constitution was ADOPTED and while the Conven
ton was in session, Virginia induced 70 give
States territory from which the larger free
States Of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois
and Wisconsin, east 81 the Mississippi river, have
been carved out For this immense concession
OF land. from q great slave State 10 The North
era states, who feared the balance of power at
that time on the part Of the slave States, the
free states n equivalent, cast additional guaraa.
tees around the property IN slaves. When /.
found Virginia rad acted win 30 much generosity,
The Convention then in session adopted into the
constitution, without hesiiatioa the clause bas'ng
representation Congress partly on slave property,
and arother clause binding and pledging the faith
of the free states 70 return fugitive slaves 20 their
owners. These pledges were what Virginia, for
her.ef and SISTER states claimed for the great
sion Of her Northern territory, rescued from the
hostile lnlians and French by the bravery Of her
sons under Generals George Rogers, Clarke. Lewis
and 0thers.-tSee a History Of the Ordinance OF
1TsT, - an Old CITIZEN of illinois.)
Thai slaves have AZ al times, under the constitu.
ton, been held and recognized by the goyer nent
property, admits Of no dispute. Tue United
States Supreme Court, from Chief Justice Marshal
~