Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1857-04-07
POIEROY, TUESDAY, APRIL q 1857

blood of the Republic. Better. my DEM
ocratic brethren, leave the boat, with It's
black piratical flag at its masthead before
it is swamped and wrecked-come btck to
the household of your first love. nd all
will be safe.
In conclusion, will say that feel con-
strained from firm conviction of duty to
the citizens of my State, to vote for the
resolution of my friend from FranlIib Mr..
Kelley) instructing the standing cornmit-
tee on Federal Relations to inquire 'Wheth-
er any, and if SO, what Legislation is re-
quired to prevent the introduetion of
slavery into this State, and that sad COM
mittee report by bill or otherwiseH as
did the other day vote for a bill Tkphibit-
ing the use of ours jails,s &Ecv g tive
siaves. And permit me here 70 say 70 my
friend from Hamilton (Mr. Matthews) as
he has so frankly, in answer to my ques-
ton to-day, responded, first, that he does
snot concur in the decision of Judge Ia
ney in the Dred Scott case (as it is by
telegraph reported) in any particular"
secondly, that he .sbelieves that Congress
has the power to prohibit slavery in the
Territories" and thirdly, "that if Con-
rress does not see fl to exercise the pow
er, the people of the territory have the
power to regulate their own domestic in
stitutions, and among these slavery" that
congratulate the Senator on his rapid re-
turn to first principles. 1t will be reccl-
lected that some weeks ago 1 observed to
the Hon. Senator, that least of all would
it surprise me to see him "like the prodi-
gal son returning to the household of his
first love-" He is now at the halfway
house, and will doubtless soon rid himself
of suuatter sovereignty and other kindred
fallacies, for which he yet seems to have a
lingering attachment-and be ready to en-
ter, after proper pennance and probation,
into full communion with his former breth-
rem in the Republican church. And to all
would say, ''escape while there is even
a way prepared for you," for if you for a
moment suppose that the Dred Scott de-
cision will quiet the public mind, or that
the people of Ohio will tacitly permit the
STAKEHOLDER the right of transit with his
slaves even for day or an hour, you have
in my judgment mistaken the fixed deter
mination of our people. The only effect
of that decision will be to cement by
stronger and more indissoluble ties every
lover of liberty, of the Union, and our
country's welfare. Looking to this end,
for themselves and their posterity to the
latest generation, they will place in power
only those who will re-establish and forev-
er keep up the original landmarks of free
dom against the encroachments of Slavery
and oppression, and who will bear alof
| the flag of the Union and the Constitution,
for the perpetuity of human liberty upor
every inch of soil now dedicated to free
dom, until that day shall come, as come
it will, when the syren voice of the dema
gogue sEthat the Consti tuition carries slave
ry with it into the free territories of the
Republic without the sanction of any pos
tive law,'' will be hushed forever in the
irresistible torrent of public sentiment
We are unwilling that this serpentine evi
shall insidiously wind itself around ou
body polite, until we are unable to resist
but, while in the vigor of manhood ant
: free from temptation, we plant ourselves
upon this our only rock of safety, and fee
assured that in the smiles of benefcent
Creator, amid the rise and tall of empires
our glorious Republic, will, as the mode
, nation, stand forth forever the rival of thu
world.