Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-04-15
Majority Report Of the Standing Commit
tse on Federal Relations.

To achom ~Is referred the Resolutions Of
Mr.. Kelley. Of Frqnkiig, and v0rious
memorials on hatsssLset, nth regard TO
the recent decision of tie Supreme TOurt
gfAs United States, in DE bred Seos
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. ami
hilates the heretofore conceded right Of
the free States to inhibit that institution :
asserts that there is no power in Con-
gress, or the people of the United States.
or of our territories. to exclude slavery -:
sanctions the monstrous proposition that
man may hold property in man shuts
the courts of justice to hundreds Of thou
sands of native born citizens: assumes
thai the black man has no civil Iigh's,
and dooms every foot of soil TO the curse
of slavery. and that %irrevocably.
Your committee assert that this case
has no parallel in wickedness in the his.
tory of the world. Verres was content
to lay waste a few insignificant provinces.
The decision deals with a nation ; yea,
an entire race. II imbrutes and inhu-
manizes hat race. With a sublime touch
of vandalism it ruthlessly strips millions
of human beings of rights God given.
and hands them over TO be devoured by
human beasts OF prey. Such is now de-
clared by the highest judicial tribunal in
the land, TO be the mission of the Con.
stitution of the United States. If so,
better far that it had never been written.
However. this decision is contrary 10
all our preconceived notions of that in
srrument. The union of States under the
Federal compact, has heretofore been
regarded as a combination of so many
Independent soyereignties, for fixed pur-
poses. and definite objects. States upon
entering the confederation were not sup
posed to have surrendered any of their
local rights as independent governments.
These they cautiously reserved. They
delegated 10 the general government GER
tain powers believed TO be in, harmony
with these reservations. The object
desired to be attained, was not a strong
ov~ershadowing central government,
which should efface State lines, and OBJ
~literaie State institutions, but one which
should effectually secure 10 all the States,
security from foreign aggressions, i'm
munity from domestic Expressions, and
protect, foster, cherish and perpetuate
civil and religious liberty and the rights
OF all mankind.
These views, as old as the Conslitu.
ton, are all in detail, dissipated by said
decision. II becomes US as citizens Of
Ohio, calmly, yet firmly to take our po-
s:tion. and abide the consequences. If
We ride out the storm, well /; if we 90
down, better thus, than tame submission
to such consumale wickedness. Three
times, once by the ordinance of '87, once
by the Constitution Of A. D. 1902 and
once by u present Constitution, has the
territory of our State been forever con
secrated to freedom. Now, however, we
learn that those instruments were a cheat,
a delusion, and a mere rope of sand. We
learn that our own Ohio. instead OF being
in fact, a free, is in effect, a slave State.
The mighty sin against God, and the gi-
ant wrong against man, contemplated by
that decision, mast mol, and shall moi. be
cOnsummated IN OkjO. 1t attempts to
force upon US an institution. hated, loash.
ed and exeerated, by the whole civilized
world, and by no portion of The earth
with a de per and more abiding deiesta
ton and abhorrance, than by the people
of our State.
The men and women Of Ohio regard
slavery with a loathing which no words
yet coined, will express. This acursed
institution. may be planted upon u soil
and interviewer with our institutions, but
not until every valley, every plain and
every hillside. is REDEEMED with the
blood, and whitened with the bones Of
our sons. brothers, husbands and faith
ers. Sternly to the South and her North
ern abettors, we say, iu all kindness, that
it will take more than one decision full
minated by a jesuitical catholic judge to
conquer a free protestant people. We
may be deprived of the ability and power
to prevent the clanking of the bonds
mans chains around our affairs, our
homes and our fires: but thank God, no
human power can prevent our dying in
the attempt. We may be unable to pro-
tect thousands of our own citizens, in The
of these 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
GENERALIZATION of slavery. Ia this mad
crusade against our dearest, most sacred
and most cherished rights. we have in.
terposed our most earnest remonstrancrs,
and uttered our most solemn warning
All unheeded and uncared for has been
remonStrance and that warning.
This decision, if undertaken to be enforc
ed, places Us UNNECESSARILY beyond that
point, where fUrbearance is no longer a
virtue. Yea, it is questionable whether
it is not now even a crime against both
and God. Endeavor 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 Pennsylvania on the East, to
the plains of Indiana on the West, but
one voice will be heard ecfioing, and re
echoing. the war cry of the revolution,
me Liberty, or give me 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 passage of the accompanying ACT.
o. p. BROWN,
H. CANFIELD,
Committee Of The Senate.
RALPH PLUMB,
L. GUTHRIE,
j. II. LlTrLER.
GEORGE MYGATT,
ColaUaikee of the HouSe