Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1857-01-06
Is there a Middle Ground ON tInc
Slavery Question:

As lherc u Middle GEOtstAG on inc
slavery Qucsti9nl
The above is the caption Of . long edito-
rial article in the '.New York Day Book, !"
of the Esd of December. This is the lea
ding Democratic paper in N. York. 1t
is intensely pro-slavery, and from day to
day clamors for Slavery, not only where it
is, but demands the re-enslavemeut of the
free negroes. In the article referred to, the
editor after soundly abusing England, and
the Northern States for abolishing slavery,
says that our early statesmen were tine
tured with false theories and fanatical SEN
timentality-that, as consequence, they
gave an impulse to those theories, which
has carried them into the literature and
sentiments of the people. That building
their institutions on the false and absurd
notion that all men are equal, made no pro-
vision for the expansion and spread of sla-
very. Whereas. the truth is, that slavery
is right, and that truth is now struggling
for the mastery and will prevail. That
there is, and can be no middle ground on
the question. That slavery, as righteous
institute, and blessing to men, must and
will be extended everywhere, and that it is
the mission of the Democratic party SO to
extend it We give "a extract:
"But aside from that, every American
feels, If he does not knev, that we are to
carry our system, institutions, our ciyiliza-
ton, over the whole northern continent
and we must carry these negroes with US,
in the same form and with the same social
relations that exist at the moment-thst
belong to American society, that spring
spontaneously from the very necessities o.
human existence, whenever and wherever
white men and negroes are in juxtaposition
AS regards Kansas, or any other ,Ossterr
region, it Is only principle that the Soutf
needs or demands. That principle is no
squatter sovereignty, or territorial suprem
acy, or leaving the people "to regulate
their own institutions in their own way,
or any other sham but the honest, straigh
forward, and unmistakeable principle tina
southern society, or so called slavery
must have the same right to enter, and tn
same right to occupy, and the same righ
to protection from the common govern
merlt, that the North claims for itself
iT,s.at is TIE question which, however plaus
ible it nay be seen should be left to courts
will not be left to the courts, but to tn
strong arms and gallant hearts of southern
citizens-indeed to Democrats and tru'
men on this continent, whoever they ma.
be, for it involves the whole question o
American civilization"
After stating what is the duty of tn
General Government, to remove all obstruc
tions to the spread Of slavery, whereve
found, asks: els any one ready to star
back at this, and say that the Federal Gov
ernment will never do that, will never re
move obstructions from the advance Of sla
very, that the North will not consent to it
Then we have only to say, the South wi
do it herself, or this Union is at an emo
After arguing again, the right of slavery
the editor says: Meantime the questio
comes back, shall the South have this rec
ognized right Of expansion? That is tn
question not decided by the late election
but now before the people, and to be dec
ded in the fnture-at the election Of 1856
and possibly in the destruction of tn
Union" He says, "the anti-slavery part
has the impudence, if not the boldness,
square up to the ISSUE" And then lamen
ing that there is still lingering in the Den
ocratic party. tincture of the old notions
concludes as follows:
"And in conclusion, we ask, will the il
: sue be accepted? Will the Democrats hoI
estly and stand up to it? Will they bold
say yes or no? Will they, il the norther
, people arc not yet prepared for it, take tl
necessary means to enlighten them? Wi
, , thoy thus, by boldly fronting the base an
anti-social imposture, explode 1t forever,
t cowardly and foolishly pretend to stan
. upon some defined and mysterious "mit
die ground" which has no existence,
. fact, risk the safety of the Union and II
measureless blessings that spring from it?
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