Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-04-09
The Dred Scott Case i'm the Ohio
LegiSlafure.


and various petitions relative to the re-
cent decision of the Supreme Court of
the United States, in the Dred Scott
case:
Your Committee submit that so far as
they are able to comprehend the force and
effect of said decision,- it, among other
things, nationalizes Slavery, annihilates
the heretofore conceded right of the Free
States TO inhibit that institution; asserts
that there is no power in Congress or the
people of the United States, or of the Ter
ritories, to exclude Slavery; sanctions the
monstrous proposition that man can hold
property in man: shuts the court of justice
to hundreds of thousands of native born
citizens; assumes that the black man has
no civil rights; and dooms every foot of
soil to the curse of Slavery, and that ire
vocably.
Your Committee assert that this case Las
no parallel in wickedness in the history of
The world. Veues was ccItent to Law
waste few Insignificant provinces; this
decision deals with a nation, yea, an entire
race.
1t iinbrutes and inhumanizes the race,
ara with sublime touch of Vandalism, it
ruthlessly strips human beings of rights
God-given, and hands them over to be de-
voured by human beasts prey.
Such now is declared by the highest ju-
dicial tribunal in the land, to be the mis-
sion of the Constitution of the United
States.
If so, better far that it had never been writ
ten. This decision, however, is contrary
to all prceonceiyed notions of that instru-
ment.
The union of States under the federal
compact, has heretofore been regarded as a
combination of so many Independent SOY
ereignties for fixed purposes and definite
objects. States, upon entering the confed-
GRAFTON, were not supposed to have surren-
dered any of their local rights as independ-
ent governments.
These they cautiously reserved. They
delegated to the general government Ger
tain powers believed to be in harmony with
their reservations. The object to be at
tanned was not strong, overshadowing
central government, which should efface
State lines and obliterate Stateinstitutions,
but one which should efectually secure TO
all these State, security from foreign ag-
gressions, immunity from domestic divis-
ions, and protect, foster, cherish and perpet-
uate civil and religious liberty, and the
rights of all mankind. These, as old as the
Constitution, are all in detail, dissipated by
said decision.
1t becomes lis then, as citizens of Ohio,
calmly, yet firmly, to take our position and
abide the consequences.
If We ride out The storm, well; if we 60
down, better thus than tame submission to
such consummate wickednese. Three times
once by the ordinance of 81, once by
.the Constitution of A. D., 1902, and once
BY our present Constitution-has the terri
tory of our State been forever consecrated
to freedom. Now, however, We learn that
those instruments were cheat, delusion,
and mere rope of sand.
We learn that our own Ohio, instead of
being in fact free, is in effect Slave
State. The mighty sin against God, and
the giant wrong against man contemplated
by that decision, mast not and shall not be
consu0mated IN Ohio.
1t attempts to force upon us an institu-
ton, hated, loathed, and execrated by the
whole civilized world, and by no portion of
the earth with deeper and more abiding
detestation and adherence than by the peo-
pie of our State.
The men and women of Ohio, regard
Slavery with loathing which no word yet
coined will express. This accursed insti-
tuition may be planted on oursoil, and inter
woven with our institutions, but not until
every valley, every plain and every hill
side, is Redeemed with the blood and whi-
tened with the bones of our sons, brothers,
husbands and fathers.
Sternly to the South and their Northern
abettors, we say in all kindness, that it
will take more than one decision Illuminated
by Jesllitical Catholic Judge, to conquer
free Protestant people. We may be de-
prived of the ability and power to prevent
the clanking of the bondmen's chains
around our altars, our homes and our fires,
but, thank God, no human power can pre-
vent our dying in the attempt. We may
be unable to protect thousands of our own
citizens in the enjoyment of their civil
rights, but long, fierce, and desperate will
be the struggle before we yield the point.
We have now seen every department of
the general government subsidized to the
support, spread, maintenance, and eternal
ization of slavery. In this mad crusade
against our dearest, most sacred, and most
cherished rights, We interposed our most
earnest remonstrance, and uttered our most
solemn warning. All unheeded and un-
cared for has been that remonstrance and
that warning.
This decision, if undertaken to be en-
forced, places US immeasurably beyond that
point where forbearance is longer virtue
Yea, it is questionable whether it is not
even now crime against both man and
God. Endeayor to enforce that decision in
our State, and from the blue waters of
Lake Erie on the north, to the beautiful
Ohio ON the south; from the hills of Penn
sykania on the east, to the plains of Indi-
ana, on the west, but one voice will be
heard echoing and re-echoing the war cry
of the Revolution-"Give us Liberty, or
give us Death"
AS an indication of the purpose of the
General Assembly and the People of Ohio,
your committee recommend the adoption
OF the following resolutions, and the pas
sage of the accompanying act:
RESOLUTIONS.
Pneolund L., Ia Ionn,.II 1nnnlaaLIIr a E