The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-04-08
For he Gs.e,ss


Akssas EDlroRs.--ts mus, &c evide a. u
every close sbserveref the varying phases
Of public opinion. that = large proportion
Of the citizens Of the free states have ever
been sverse to the DISCUSSION Of the CUES
ton Of slavery, Looking upon Il as local
Institution, concerning those,--and those
oniy--wAo were citissns Of states where Il
il existed, the, deprecated slavery. citation
as a dangerous intesmeddiiag caicuisted ~
produce discord and Ill feeling. Convinced
| that an Institution which is opposed 10 every
principle Of right and justice, could not
long endure the hight OF the nineteenth cen
Jury, they were cehtent with hoping thssin
a lew years the evil would quietly be re-
moved.
The passage Of the "Fugi,iye Slave Act"
oi 1850. very sadly disturbed sueh pleasant
theories, and very many were aroused TO
the fac, that the slave power were shining
4, the naturalization OF the popular instI.
taaon,a and they msds . vigorous effort to
impress thar fact on the minds Of the Tree
msn Of the North.
Bat tbs Union" was in DANCE, aud frem
the pulpit, the press. and the rostrun came
! sxhostaticns to CONCESSIONS, and ccmpron.
ise Again apathy and indifference reign.
cd aud thus the North was lulled to sleep.
| while The extensionists were slowly but
surely preparing for new .ssruggies and
| tresh Victories.
live would md the real cause tor the
repeal of the Missouri restriction, the a.
tssks on the rights Of set,!ers in Kansas,
and the prostitution Of the Supreme Court
to the slave olisarchy, We must look back o.
Pierce, of Douglas or of Buehansn--ts the
apathy and indifference otthe North. The,
have shut their eyes to the facts of slavery.
Year By year has the system been extend.
ing itself, gradually sncroachins on the
dearest rights Of the people and undermin-
ing the foundations of our government,
un,i j, 10 now the paramount interest OF the
nation, holding the Legislative. executive
and Judicial departments slke in its iron
grasp. till the question 10 cot what 1t has'
but what il has not!
The masses OF the North are active men;
they are busy on their farms, In their Off
css, al their factories and workshops; they
are building rairosds, extending teegraphs,
constructing dams, aqueducts, bridges, Sc,
&C.. and in every ~sy developing the re-
sources Of the country. So long as they
can do this sndisturbed they are not habit
uated TO interference with other states or
other interests,
But the time has come when change
must take place. to some exte.t Il IL al
ready efFer,ed, bu, the change must be
more and more general. Slavery is now
declared 10 be national, i, shss becomes
subject of overwhelming Importance. We
must prepare to know more about il as a
system The whole question Of American
Slavery need TO be thoroughly examined
by every citizen. We want to know It's
effects on the moral, intellectual and phys.
ieai natures Of our rase; how IL effects the
commercial. agricultural and mechanical
interests OF our country; ~hat its influence
ID developing its resources, expanding its
energies and increasing j. wealth and
pros ferity. In short, We van. 70 under
stand more fully the effects Of the systsm on
all with whom it comes IN contact. And #
il can be shown, tina, il not only degraces
the blacks but the whites. tina; Il oanishes
education, reduces the labo'ing classes 10
the level of Inc slaves, aud l. pamperiug
raae Of arstoc,s,s such as would Disgrace
even Russia, then We shall have god reas.
ons to oppose its extension.
Il in addition 10 this, il car pc shown
tIsl it always aims al political power, and
is now subssr,ing gu: institutions, hen We
will have good reasons - demand that the
Federal Government shall wssh its hands
OF all connection Herewith,
This is IL. question Of the times, before
which all others must appear, Insignificant.
Tariffs. banks, &c, &c, are questions Of
s.ss,sr.s, this, is question Of priae,ps;
ana 80 such must and will De discussed
Here then 10 positive daty presented to
every good citizen; let bin examine care
fully the subject, regardless of party names,
and then let bin act as in The sight Of the
"sssrcner OF hearts.p AGRicoLA.