True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-07-22
0nThe Pacific .AdvOcate of May It'll

has an able editorial on "Temperance-
Moral Suasion-Prohibti0n;" in which
the influence of that paper is fully and
distinctly committed for the principle of
prohibition. He has no faith in moral
suasion on this subject, and therefore
looks TO legal suasion as furnishing the
only hope of the drunkald.
The same paper of 18th of May
quotes an article from Harper's Heeky,
in which a correspondent, speaking of
the Legislature of the Territory, says:
A bill was passed submitting the ques-
tinn Of State Government 10 the people in
June. The people will undoubtedly vote
for it, and You may expect Oregon, i'll
less than year, asking for admission in
to the American Union. The question
Of slavery will then be submitted to the
people, and the result is very doubtful.
Unqueslionably the pro.slavery party are
gaining ground and numbers. The large
douaion of land to early settlers (640
acres with the sparse population, will
greatly influence many to vote for it who
otherwise would not.
The editor opens upon this in tones of
earnest protest, and utterly dissents from
the statement that "the pro-slavery party
are gaining ground and numbers" He
says that these statements have also been
published in the N'eU York Tribune and
National Era, aid that such reports are
untrue and injurious to the cause of free
dom. But We will quote few sentences
from this article:
We do moi see what is 10 be gained by
such statements. They are generally
made by journals of given type-by
journals which affect a horror of slavery
yet those journals could not take "A
more certain method TO bring about The
very thing they profess TO depricate,-
We have even less 10 say in favor of
those who write such letters from this
coast and Territory, than the papers in
the East which publish them. 1t argues
for them a deficiency of sense-a great
amount of mental dulness-or a wilfuI,
moral obliqnily, entirely reprchenSible.-
We use this strong language, without
knowing, or caring to know, who may
have written such letters. We could
not say less if near relative or a dear
friend, had done what we here reprehend
We hope Oregonions at least. while
there is not single paper in that territo-
ry TO advocate a slave State here, and
while there are no leading men Of any
party in favor Of it, will refrain from
wiring letters TO the East, setting Ore
gon down as certain, or probable, to go
for Slave Constitution. 1t is not true.
1t will do harm. Nothing but fraud or
violence can bring about the adoption Of
Slave constitution for Oregon, unless it
should be such indiscretions and perver-
sions as those to which we have made
reference. We do not believe fraud is
designed in any quarter; nor have we any
fear that resort will be had to violence.
1t would be well if papefs, really op-
posed to The extension of slavery, and
not merely fond of the excitement they
are able to keep up, because ii pays and
circulates their paperS-t would be WELL
we say, if they would make note of
the above; and remember that the croak.
ing that is sport to them, may be death to
the cause they are osteusibly identified
with. Nothing can more weaken the
hands of those who are on the ground
and have the fighting to do-the real sac.
rifces to make-the real dangers 10 face,
than to be endlessly shouting defeat in
their ears; and nothing will more certain
ly carry bad cause on to success than
such aid and comfort Let us have done
with this.