Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-04-01

| 'btaNHtis w o'oiu pNpNioi SUI tutii
during the Presidential canvass. when
the odium attached to it would have
been welded against tie democratic can
didate.
l design the examination of historical
facts connected with two points in youl
decision. Those points constitute your
first and fundamental propositions.
1st. That the colored people descend
ed from African slaves though free,
were rot embraced nor intended to be
included in the Declaration of American
Independence.
81. That they were not embraced in
the Constitution of the United States.
In doing this. 1 shall avoid repeating
the arguments of those eminent Juris,s.
who reached their present position tbro'
means other than the favor OF the party
now 10 power. have noticed your de
cision Irom different stand point; aud
as your first two propositions appear to
involve the duties OF statesmen. quite as
fully as they DO those of the jurist, /
would fain express the views which
statesmen entertain.
Before entering upon the discussion, |
wouid Congratulate the country upon
this development OF the real issue which
has so long agiiated The nation. Con-
scious that this question of lending sup
port by The federal government TO sla
very, involved the fundamental doctrines
of our fathers, have long sought 10 di-
rect public attention TO that fact. Incl.
dental questions and collateral issues
have been raised, discussed, and parii-
san feelings excited. while the great
truths which underlie those subjects
have been passed over in silence AT
Philadelphia in June last. Convention
of high moral and political character.
proclaimed 10 the country as political
platform. the principles announced in the
Declaration of Independence.
That party advanced with strides
more rapid than any other ever formed
in our nation. In the short space of FIVE
months they carried eleven States. COM
prising nearly two thirds of The free pop
ulation of the Union: Bat the party op-
posed to those doctrines dared take no
distiDct issue upon them and | may be
permitted to say, had your recent decis-
ion been published in August last. the
present Executive would never have
reached The Presidency.
That election has passed and now
those judgesof the Supreme Court, who
owe their elevation to the Dsmociatic
party, and speaking for it, have come
up boldly 10 the work, aud meet the is
sue rendered them by the patriots of
l776. and repeated hy those of 1856
In pronounring your opinion you say,
"The Declaration of Independence then
proceeds-we hold these truths to be
self f-evideDt-Ihst al men are created
equal: that they ale endowed by their
Creator with certain insIiensble rights
among which are life. Liberty, and the
pursui; of happiness; that to secure these
rights governments are Instituted among
men deriving their just powers from the
consent of the governed" DC. You
then add -" The words quoted would
seem to embrace the whole human fam
lily, ard il used in similar instrument
at This day would be so understood =
Blu; it is too clear for dispute, that the
4 JTiean race ,cas not intended to be IN
clRdsF.''
For eighty years the American peo-
pie have believed that the illus,rious pa
triots and statesmen. who on that occa-
sion laid down self evident truths, spoke
what they believed. and believed suAot
they spoke. And never from the day
those trut were uttered, TO The deli,
Of your opinion, has any statesman or
juris', historian or linguist. charged
them with using language which they
did not understand, or with expressing
sentiments which Trey did not hold -
Southern men have charged them with
entertaining "extrerne opinions said
that the Declaration itself was a ''rhe
torieal flourish" "a fan faronade of
nonsense" Others have denied lis doc
trines; but none l believe, ever charged
the signers with expressing doctrines
which they did not intend 10 declare.
But here rests the issue 1t involves
the essential eleYents of cur govern
meni If the doctrines of our fathers be
sustained in the letter and spirit in which
they were pat forth, our government will
be free. If your charge, that "they ut |
,ered language which they did not un-
dersiand." be sustained, it will be
slaye-bolding, slave extending oligar-
chy. If ii be question. it is one of vast
importance. The interests Of the present
generation, the honor ef our nation, the
memory of our fathers. the destiny of
unborn millions, are concentrated upon
il; and trsmble when reflect upon the
responsibility of our public men. From
your decision l appeal to that tribunal
which holds cognisance over the action