The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1858-11-11

nation Increase of population, which is fill
ing the States out to their very borders, together
with new and extended network of railroad,
and other avenues, and an internal commerce
which daily becomes more intimate, is rapidly
bringing the States into higher and more per
feet social unity or consolidation. Thus these
| antagonisuc systems are continually coming
into closer contact and collision results.
Shall tell you what this collision means p
They who think that it is accidental unneCes
sary, the work of interested or fanatical agita-
tors, aud therefore ephemeral, mistake the case
altogether. 1t is all irrepressible conflict be-
tween opposing and enduring forces. and it
means that the United States must and will,
sooner or later, become either entirely a Slave
holding nation, or entirely Free Labor nation.
Either the cot ion and rice fields of South Caro-
lima and the Sugar plantations of Louisiana will
ultimately be titled by Free Labor, and Charles
ton and New Orleans become marts for legiti-
mate merchandise alone, or else the rye and
wheat fields OF Massachusetts, and New York
must again be surrendered by their farmers to
slave culture and to the production of slaves,
and Boston and New York become once more
markets for trade in the bodies and souls of
men. 1t is the failure TO apprehend this great
truth that induces so many unsuccessful at.
tempts at final compromise between the Slave
aud Free States, and It is the existence of this
great fact that renders all such pretended COM
promises, when made, vain and ephemeral.---
Startling as this saying may appear to you, fel-
low citizens, it is by no means an original or
even modern one Our forefathers knew il to
be true, and unanimously acted upon it, when
they framed the Constitution of the United
States. They regarded the existence Of the serv-
lie system in SO many Of the States with sorrow
and shame, which they openly confessed, and
they looked upon the collision between them,
oh
we are now accustomed to deplore, with favor
and hope. They knew that either the one or the
other system must exclusively prevail.
Unlike too many of those who in modern
time invoke their authority, they had a choice
between the two. They preferred the system of
free labor, and they determined to organize the
Government, and SO to direct its activity that
that system should surely and certainly prevail
For this purpose, and no other they based the
whole structure of Government broadly on the
princip pie that all men are created equal, and
therefore free-little dreaming that within the
short period ofone hundred years their descend
ants would bear to be told by any orator, how
ever popular, that the utterance of that principle
was merely a rhetorical rhapsody or by any
Judge, however veneraed, that it was attended
by mental reservations which renderit hypocrt-
cul and false. By the ordinance of 1857 they
dedicated all of the national domain, not yet
polluted by Slavery, to free labor Immediately,
thenceforth and forever, while by the new Con-
stitution and laws they invited foreign free la
Dor from all lands under the sun, and interdicted
the importation of African slave labor at all
times, in all places and under all circumstances
whatsoever 1t is true that they necessarily
and wisely modified this policy of freedom, by
leaving it TO the several States, affected rs they
were, by different circumstances to abolish
Slavery in their own way and at their own
pleasure, instead of coniding that duty to Con-
gresa, and that they secured TO the Slave States,
while yet retaining the system of Slavery, a
three-fitths representation OF slaves in the Fed
eral government, until they should find them
selves able to relinqush it with saftty. But the
very nature of these notifications iOrtiHas my
position that the fathers knew that the two sys-
TENS could not endure within the Union, aud
expected that within a short period slavery
would disappear forever. Moreover, in order
that these notifications might not alogethel
defeat their grand design Of u Republic main
tanning universal equality, they provided that
two thirds of the States might amend the Con
stituton.
1t remains to say on this point only one WORD
to guard against misapprchcnSOn. Ii these
States are to again become universally slave
holding do not pretend to say with what vic
latons of the Constitution that end shall BE- nc
complished. On the other houd, while | d,
confidently believe and hope that my country
will yet become land Of universal freedom,
do not expect that it will be made so otherwise
than through the action OF the several States Co
operating with the Federal Government, and all
acting in strict conformity with their respective
Constitutions.
The strife and contentious concerning Slavery
which gentle disposed persons do hahtualIy
deprecate, is nothing more than the ripening OF
IL,
only thus regarded with favor, but which they
may be said TO have instituted.
1t is not to be denied, however, that thus far
the course Of that contest has not been accord
ing to their humane anliCi pations and wishes
In the field OF Federal politics Slavery, deriving
unlocked for advantages from commercial
changes aud energies unforeseen from the iaclll'
ilies or combination b5iweeh members OF the
saveholding class and between that class and
other property classes, early rallied, and has at
length made stand, not merely to retain It's
original defensive position. but to extend lis
sway throughout the whole Union. 1t is Ger
tain that the slaveholding class OF American
citizens indulge this high ambition, and that
they derive encouragement for ii from the rapid
and effective political successes which they
have already obtained. The plan of operation
| is this: By continued appliances OF patronage
! and threats OF diSuniun, they Will keep major
ity favorable to these designs in the Senate
where each State has an equal representatives,
| Through that majority they will deleat as they
best eau, the admission Of Free States and secure
! the admission OF Slave States. Under tie pro
lection of the judiciary they will, on tile pin
! cipe of the Dred Scott case, carry Slavery iutt
all the Territories OF the United States now ex
stng and hereafter 10 be organized BY the ac
tion of the President and the Senate, using tn
eaty-making power, they will annex foreigr
! slavehoding States In favorable conjunctur
! they will induce Congress 10 repeal the act O
! 1903, which prohibits the foreign slave-lradt
and so they will import from Africa, at the COS
of only s2O head slaves enough to fill up III
interior of the continent Thus relatively in
creasing the number of Slave States, they wi
allow no amendment to The Constitution preju
dicial to their interest, and so, having prrma
nen ly established their power they expect III
Federal Judiciary to nullIly all State laws whlc
| h,II wit int N iaraiun