The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1857-09-03
TnE VOICE or MISSOURI.

Slavery question which has yetbeen heard
in these United States. A sermon we
call it, for deliberate utterance of great
popular conviction, by body of indepen-
dent citizens, has solelnnify beyond the
average solemnity of mere discourses from
the sacred desk, and when the ballot be-
comes, as in this case, the instrument Of
great pacific revolution of State, its
verdict rises, in the eyes of all thoughtful
men, out of the sphere of ordinary politi-
cal conflicts, into a higher region, and as
sumo moral dignity, which must grow
with the flight of years, and be recos-
nized at last in. records of national histo-
ry.
The great debate between the Free
and Slave labor in. this country, however
it may be degraded for time by partisan
passions, is secular in its Importance and
in It's consequences. 1t cannot be dis
posed of by angry speeches, by infama-
tory leaders, by violence, or by popular
clamors. Petty politicians cannot forev-
er continue to make it, the vehicle Of their
own paltry and personal desires. Head
strong sectionalists cannot forever contin-
ue to lash themselves and these about
them into senseless fury over its diff
hcultles and its cxcitements. 1t inyol.
yes the welfare OF vast and organized COM
munities--the life and the mutual rela-
tons Of mighty commonwealths are con-
concerned in its issues, In one word,
it is question, not Of politics, but of states
manship, in must be finally disposed of on
the arena ofpractical action and of mate
rial interest.
The truth which all judicious thinkers.
who sincerely love their country, have
for years been cndeayoring to impress up
on the parties most dearly and most in
tensely involved-upon the slavehoIding
that is, Of the Southern
States. All efforts in this direction have.
up to the present time, been fruit,ess.
The Southern States have grown con-
stantly less and less willing to believe that
the Northern opposition to the extension
Of Slavery, and the Northern condemna.
lion of the institution itself, could possibly
have originated in, and been maintained
by, y,any feelings but those Of sectional ieal
BUSY, or Phafisaic pride Of superior phil |
anthropy.
The skepticism of the South, which is
u every aspect of the matter SO deplora
bic, has not, as we are ready to admit,
been without certain extenuaton in the |
language and in the tone of many North |
srn men conspicuously prominent. This,
however, though a most unfortunate. was
IN inevitable condition of the controversy.
For while on the one hand the intrinsic in
Justice Of the system Of ofSlavery could not |
all to crop out all over the system into
acts of individual outrage and forms ofI
ISOLATED oppression, which in the nature
hlngs, must attract the attention and kin
He the Indignation of parties foreign to
he system.
On thesother hand, honorable and RIGHT
minded Shareholders, educated within
he circle of the system, and personally
conscious, of aesincere desire to do their
luty in lile,as that duty appeared tc them,
revolted from the assaults
made upon them and theirs, by men in
whom they recognize no apostolic superb
~ Of personal character.
So long, therefore, as opposition TO the |
extension of Slavery proceeded almost
xelusively from the Northern States, it
eally was difficult for the patriotic obser-
'er to see in what way an appeal to the |
atlonal intelligence of the Siaveholding
states could possibly be made, and not
ess difficult for him to conceive in what
way the matter could ultimately be brought
Without such an appeal to peaceful and
'crmanent settlement,
In this posture of affairs, Missouri, her.
elf slaveholding State, and the North.
IN outpost of slavery, in the defence of
which the angry slaveholding interests
ad made the most reckless demonstra-
ions, comes forward to declare herself in
avor of a statesmanlike and practical dis
ussion of the whole question.
Two years ago the name Of Missourian
1as a synonynae throughout the country
or illegal violence and striped face prop
gandism in behalf of slavery
Mobs of Missourian borderers, led on
y an ex Senator of the State. poured a.
ross her frontier to impose the institution
+ slavery by force. upon a neighboring
territory.
Two years ago the action of men claim
Nc to represent Missouri, and in repre-
enting Missouri to represent the South, al
most convinced the civilized world that
lavery in the United States had become
religion, fanaticsm, passion-that
was to be planted all over the CONT
lent by armed men, and th at its banners,
Ike those of Ismail, were to be heralded
y the sword and shielded by the flame.
Out of this state of things arose the
most tremendous agitation which this
ountry has ever known. T
The coldest and the most sage trem
lied in looking upon the storm, and the /
aim which followed it has been rather
Welcomed as lull than hailed as a pacifi-
alton.
But the first violence of the Pro- Slave
y tempest hal hardly subsidized along the
'erders of Missouri before reaction be.
IAN within that State herself, of which
he ilrst great step has just now been vic
taken. The city of St. Louis
vas the first to discern the danger which
twells In such blindness as ruled the
OF ATcHIsoN and of the Southern
h'auers OF Kansas. Her representative
\ the Legislature Of the State, Mr., .GRArz
otoWN' dellvereda speech in the Capitol
L II