Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1856-01-15

R.EEsrE AND W. Q. HOOD, EDITORS.
NIRONTON, OHIO,
TO tho signsrs Of tho Protest.
TUESDAY, JANUARY,Sl5, 1885,,

tho deIc9etes HON tnls county 70 seuW
in tho State Convention, nearly all we're
l lsboring mon. To such we desire 10 ad.
dress few words. and We beg them TO
heed we'll what We say. y9s4
And, at the outset, We say, you should
have been the very last persons 10 sign
such protest. What were tho grounds
Of your objections 10 the gentlemen
chosen IS your delegates. Simply that
they had participated 10 the passage Of
certain resolutions expressing decided
dissp2robation Of the acts Of the present
administration in relation to the repeal
Of law prohibiting slavery In much the
greater portion Of the territories Of the
United States, and thus opening them TO
It's incursions, or at least rendering its
extension into them possible. Now we
affirm that those acts were fragrant at.
tacks upon your best interests. and that
in demonstrating against them, those
gentlemen acted as your truest friends.
You ore often told that the question Of
slavery in the territories is no concern Of
yours-thst that matter ought to be left
10 the people Of the territories themselves.
But we tell yoa that it is concern Of
yours; and one Of the most vital import,
too. Indeed il is the concern Of all the
people OF this land. whose duty and
whose interest il is, 10 see to il, that the
vast empires growing up under their pro-
lection on our Western plains, shall be
preserved now and forever from the
bligh.ing influence Of slavery. But you,
laboring men, have an interest in this
matter very different from that Of the
specuIator or capitalist. To the rich
nd those who live by their wits, If they
are so dead to the nobler feelings Of hu.
mi ni,y and patriotism as 10 be regardless
Of the true glory Of their country, and the
prosperity and happiness Of their coun.
trymen, 1T may be matter Of compar.
alive Indifference, for the uncultivated
lands Of the west have little connection
with their prosperity. But those lands
are peculiarly your property. They are
a part Of the green and fruitful earth'
which the good God has given TO man
kind for their hsbita ton and sustenance.
They are sacred trust held by the Gov
eminent of this country for your benefit
and it is It's bounden duty to preserve
them so that, when overtaken by mislor
tune, or pushed to the wall by those les'
scrupulous or more vigorous than your
selves in the older country, you may
withdraw from the unequal contest, ant
with you wives and little ones find 6
refuge and home. But such home
YOU would not seek in land where sla
very was established, for your free spir
its would not permit you to dwell wher'
labor was degraded by being performed
by slaves. To establish slavery in th'
territories, then, is to exclude you from
them, 10 rob you, in other words, Of you
surest means Of providing, in the day O
ca lamlty, for yourselves and those de
pendent upon you. Are we not righ'
then, in saying that this is matter q
the deepest concern to you.
But this is not all, nor the half. Ma
ny Of you have come from the old world
, and all Of you know something OF tn
difference between the laborer here an
there-you know that you obtain muc
fairor compensation for you labor heI
than you could do there. Now, did yo
D ever ask yourselves what are the cause
Of this difference? We will tell you
I; there are two causes and Two only-tt
!; ballot box and these very public la ne
. - Of the West. The reason why labor
so cheap in Europe is, that propert.
!, and especially the lands. are there er
i crossed by comparatively small nun
ber Of persons, who are, therefore, en-
r. bled to compel the laborss to take, e
d his services, just what they please to si'
n him-or rather just enough TO keep nil
in existence /; and the laws there are
!" framed as to favor aud perpetuate III
state Of things. Now, you can, by yo'
votes, prevent the legislation Of tn
country from favoring similar absorl
q ton Of the lands and property BY fe
!. individuals, and thus, in q great niea
2 ufe. avoid the consequent vassalage
labor to capital. But by far your 81
est resource in this struggle between you
|. selves and those who employ you.
~ struggle which always has existed al
c, forever will exist until mankind sha
re- cease to be sslfsh--is the wide expan
10 Of our unoccupied lands embraced wit
- the new States and Territories, So 10
as they remain open 10 you, you can s