Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-06-16
w o. CE Err
The COnaict Between slavery and Free

L u0ma@At8 Lees1ua
! As seen by the accounts already published,
more particulars of which we shall soon receive,
another serious conflict has arisen in Ohio, be-
tween the United States government and the PEG.
pie of that State in the business of catching al
| legged runaway negroes, resulting fatally to HUI
man life. The question may be perhnenty asked,
! in view of recent occurrences, to what base end
has the power and authority Of the federal Union
been perverted, when the highest aim of its adj
ministration of the laws appears to be, to act
as the guardian of the twelve hundred thousand
dollars worth of property in human flesh at the
South
when such outrages as these are being infict.
ed upon the people of the North, it is astonish-
ing that they are not ready and earnest to coop
crate in one body for the protection of their in
habitants from such mercless proceedings. Of
what account is the question Of Americanism,"
however important, whether right or wrong, when
weighed in the balance with the transcendent is
sues of personalfreedom These things should
be thought Of in all the movements of the free
dom-professing people of the North, in rallying
anew in their several States for supremacy at the
polls over the well drilled legons of the slave De-
mocracy. To suffer our attention to be distracted
for momentfrom the main question, to admit into
our State assemblages the consideration of other
issues, or to think of recognizing any other mat.
ter as ofany Importance whatever, compared with
this, is suicidal in the extreme.
In our own State, a Convention has been called
for the oath, to lay down platform of principles,
like those enUnciated at Philadelphia, in June
last, upon which the Massachusetts, Republicans
are to rally, and upon which the nominees we put
up will be required to stand, and avow allegiance
to, or connection with, no other organization or
platform. Shall that body go out of its way, in
its contemplation of the transcendant question
which overshadows all others, to dicker with or
take notice Of the proceedings of other bodies, at
best but fragmentary and temporary in their ma
ture, and based partially but primarily upon
principle which is directly antagonistic to the
broad doctrine Of the universal rights of MANI
If we would preserve the soil of our own State
from being again the theatre of slave hunt, let
US put up such men for Office k,soon to be
radically opposed to such things, and in favor of
maintaining and carrying out the laws of the
State in any emergency, in case of another out.
break of the kind. Let this be the great end in
view. and cast to the winds all consideration of
the petty Issues of " Ameticanism" Let that
question take care Of itself We need not go out
of our way to say anything against it or for it.
II those who are in favor OF that humbug as we
honestly deem it. do not love the anti.slavery
cause more, whatever they may think of the poll
cy of prescribing foreigners, then their anti
slavery zeal is of very questionable kind, and
not worthy to be trusted in this crisis
If, in view of all the outrages the people of the
free States have experienced at the hands of the
South, they are not now willing to lay aside all
issues but the main one, and go into the canvass
on that alone, then there is no hope ever
OF the redemption of the North from the thral-
dom of the slave power. But we do not believe
any edom-professlng people can be SO foolish as
longer to persist in such suicidal policy. At
least, let the Convention on the 24th be such an
one as shall give us more auspicious hope of the
future of the politics of our State, by laying down
a straight Republican anti-slavery platform, and
putting up radical, ant-slavery, straight Re
publican nominee for Governor, to stand upon it,
and go to work and elect him. In so doing, the
old Bay State will become worthy to stand side
by side with Ohio and Wisconsin, to say nothing
of our own sister New England States where
Republicanism shines in the ascendancy, and
"Americanism'' does not thrust in its distinctive
issue to distract and divide.