Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-01-13
WHOLE NO. 1854

ing as Governor. the sonvocation of this
body. For compliance with this just de-
Inand, the Secretary was removed from
Office. For expressing himself in opposi-
tien to the admission OF the Slate into the
Union, under the Constitution of the
Convention. and without previous sub
mission 10 the people. the Governor Of
the Territory fell under such displeashrs
OF the Administration, that he was con-
strained to resign his position. If the
power and patronage Of the Federal Gov
ernment can secure the admission of
Kansas into the Union under this. slave
state Constitution, that power and pat
ronage will, without doubt, be actively
employed to that end.
In all this the people Of Ohio have
deep and vital interest. Il is beyond
question that vast majority 1 { the elect
ors are opposed to this interposiiiou of
The Federal Government in behalf of sls-
very. trust that the General Assembly
will give emphatic expression to the seuli-
ments Of the people.
1t cannot fail to arrest attention that
all these encroachEents Of the Federal
Government upon State sovereignty. and
upon the freedom Of the Territories. arise
from the determined purpose Of those who
control its action to extend the domain,
and enlarge the power o. Slavery. I'm
der this influence the ancient and origin
al policy OF Slavery prohibition was over
thrown and reversed by the Kansas-Ne-
brasks act. Under this influence, the
whole power OF the National Government
mas been exertsd to force Slavery upon
the reluctant people of Kansas. Under
this influence, also, persistent attempts
are made to subjugate the people Of tie
free States to federal domination, through
the administration of the FugitivarSlaye
act Under this influence, finally. the
Federal judiciary has promulgated the
revolving doclrine that the Constitution
of the Union establishes and guarantees
slavery in all national territory. and con-
sequently that there is no foot of our
widely. extended domain. outside OF Staes
whose constitutions prohibit slavery.
where the free faborer can find home
exempt from the intrusion of that very
peculiar institution.
This rapid progress of despotism can
not fail 10 arouse and FIX the attention Of
rejecting people. 1t forces upon tie
country momentous issues between tive
opposite systems of goyernment-two oP-
posite theories Of the constitution. These
issues are radical and vital. Shall the
government of this country be admins
tered by the people, for the people, CT by
a privileged class, for privileged class?
Is the constitution, in fact, What it is now
claimed to be, the bond Of guaranty Of
sl4very; or what the fathers Of the Re-
public believed it to be. the shield aud
safeguard of Libertyl Does it establish
slavery everywhere. outside Of Free
States. or Liberty everywhere. outside of
Slave States? Shall the power which it
confers be used for the txtention and per-
betualion, everywhere, of human bond
age, or of human freedom?
1t is not doubtful where. upon these
issues. the majority of the people Of Ohio
will be found. Their traditions indenii-
fy them with Freedom and Free Iustitu.
tons. The handspring of their prosper
Gus. progress is in the prohibition OF sla-
very by the Ordinance Of 1887. Il is
this prohibition, transferred into her Con-
stituiion, which has attracted within her
borders the free laborsrs of so many lands.
who have so largely contributed TO that
wonderful development Of energies and
resources which inspires. at once. fer
rent gratitude and honest eIulta:ion.-
The people Of Ohio will never, by their
action. change the founders their insti-
tutions with ignorance Of the true princi-
pies of popular Government, nor contri-
butte by their suffrages to the extension
or continuance Of an evil and wrong from
which they have been so happily deliver
ed bJ the wise forecast Of the Fathers OF
the Republic. s. P. CHASE
Columbus. January 4, 1858.