True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-01-30

lar beyond lne tetler, Py tpe free clalcs,
was broken up and DESTROYED BY The
Slave States, to avoid the fultplmeni Of
It's only stipulation 10 favor ol Freedom.
The preiences under which lhis wrong
was pefpelratsd, give additional keenness
to the sen Sc nfinjury.
II was boldly asserted that the prohibi,.
ton was unconstitutional. The powef
to prohibit territorial slavery, had beet
exerc ised BY the first Congress under the
Constitution in the act providing Tor con,
iiuuing in full effect the ordinance ofl7s7,
The Constitution in express terms, had
conferred on Congress The power to make
all needfu rules and regulations concern
ing the territory Of the United States.-
This provision has been uniformly regar-
ded as authorizing all necessary territorial
legislation. Almost every Congress had
exercised the power, and almost every
President had approved It's exercise. The
very persons who denied the rpower TO
prohibit slavery, asserted the power 10
establish territorial governments and 10
define their departments aud powers, aud
therefore, in denying the rowerof pro.
hibition, were reduced to the necessity Of
denying that the greater includes The
less.
Under these circumstances, after the
prohibition had remained unquesiioned
for more than 0ne-lhird of century the
denial of the constitulionalty rather plo-
voked indignation than excited doubt
Iiwas; also. insisted that the doctrine
of popular sovereignty required the repeal
of the prohibition. This was a mere
abuse of terms. The true idea of popu.
lar sovereignty demands as primary es-
sental condition, the recognition Of ina
Ienable personil.rights. There can be
no genuine popular sovereignty where a
portion of the population is enslaved. =
The prohibition Of slavery is therefore a
necessary prerequisite 10 a real s'ver-
eighty of the people. In the sense of TIE
, apoIogists for repeal, popular sovereignty
, signifies nothing but the rlghtuf por
) ton of the community 10 enslave The resi-
! 1t begins by the denial Of The nalura
I rights of man. 1t must end in The tola
subversion Of the fundamental principle
of American institutions. For a free AM
E independent people. it would substitute
! community Of masters, dependents ant
: slaves,
d Such is the repulsive theory. In prac
/, tical operations it has not proved more al
$ lraclive. As embodied in the Nebraska
!, Kansas bill, it has been fruitful of moth
y ing hut evil. II has not Conferred sill
1t gle substantial benefit upon the settlers ,
: either. territory. In no respect are the
distinguished from the settlers of Mime
f. sofa, where slavery is prohibited, exceI
e by exposure 10 iis evils. The sole spt
~ cial effect Of The Nebraska Kansas ac, Il,
. on the territories organized under i, is
d open them 10 the Introduction of slaves
IN In one of them ii has led to desperate a
Ct q ,enpls 10 effect that object 10 invasion
usurpalion, violence. Notwithstanding
n. to civil war. Crimes like these are n
" the legitimate fruits of that ductrine
to popular seIGgovernment. to The malnl
ID nance of which our fathers pledged The
:" lives, their fortunes and their honor.
in In all these things our own State has
e. deep and peculiar interest Our own b
30 tory furnishes the most complete vindit
nc lion of the policy of slavery prohibi'ic
%. We occupy, in part. The soil protect
in from The blight of slavery by tie or
ed nances of 1857. For more than half
se century, the people Of Ohio-have be
ce accustomed TO regard the Ordinance wi
n; mingled emotions of gratitude and pride
'm Conspicuous among its provisions and
en- companionship with its sacred guarani
ch of religious freedom, of iberalify towaI
III immigrants, of inviolablily of priv
NY contracts, ofthe security of private PR
us erty, and universal education, stands
da great interdict against slavery, ackno
nd edging an impartiaity protecting the rig
lth of man as man. The words 10 which
re- always recur when seeking in the o.
nance the peculiar sprngspf our wond
uri ful prosperity and progress, are IN
the which embody this prohibition. Ne
.or- did the noble pioneers who laid The 10
Use da,ons. in which we new Joy fully ba
We complain Of that inierdicl as an ahri
= men.of any rights. personal or polite
tie On The contrary, they have ever spo
ex. Of it as the pillar Of fire By night and cl
,uri by day, which guided and protected Il
it in the wilderness. More Than any d
lar. STATE, Ohio, az the first born Of The O
by nance, and indebted 10 The Ordinance
/ in her proud position as the third State
'een the Conftderacy, and first amongthe