The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-10-20

'ieiooo, uui0, oi0 q uifai process OF Qe-
yelopment, the spirit of the age will do
away with it,
h, time and the spirit of the AGE
may do wonderful things; IL CIV even laid
the Atlantic Gable, but by the by it re-
CURED Cyrus Field t. start the move
ment and keep it going, and Mr.. Everett
to superintend the machinery, and Capt.
Hudson to steer the Niagara. Ave- sir,
do those philosophers know what the
| spirit Of the age, and the natural process
of development mean? | will tell YOU
the word: it is action, action, and action
again. | wonder if those philosophers
have ever looked into the history of the
world: they would have learned there
how time, and the natural process of de-
velopment, and the spirit Of the age, did
away with the feuda system of society in
western Europe. What was the process
Of development there? Il is now com
lnonly called the French Reuolmion!-
1t was the sublimest frenzy and bloodiest
madness ola people. It was the dcs-
truction Of the Bastile. 1t was the dccap-
itation Of a King, and thousands Of bis
adherents. 1t was the Punishment Of the
" ole nobility and the refractory priest
hood. 1t was q relentless persecution of
all conservatives. 1t was sea Of blood.
1t was the conilagration of continent.
1t was twenty years ofuniversal war 1t
was more terrible than an earthquake.
Have our philosophers particular IL
| l-Ino 70 fhof l.,,,I e r
development and spirit of the age? But
as true as the sun will rise tomorrow,
they will have the full benefit of it, if
their policy unfortunately for themselves,
should prevail.
There is but one way Of avoiding forci-
bic revolution, and that is by beginning
a course of progressive reforms IN time.
| When that season of absolute necessity
may arrive, is certainly difficult to deter
mine; but reforms are rarely commenced
too soon, and it may very soon be too
late. Are the advocates of slavery sure
that this "too ate' is still very far off?
Let them beware If the people of the
United States follow their advice, [ see
that kind Of process of development ad-
vancng with the steady step of Fate
I see time drawing near when those IL
reconcilable contradictions will break out
in crisis more violent than any we have
seen yet and will envelop slavery and I'M
ion, and pre- gross, and prosperity, in the
flames of an universal confiagration; and
then let them cry, peace! and stop agi-
tationI
But now, methinks l see Mr.. Douglas
stand there, with a broad smile on his
face, and hear him say with that refine
mcnt of style, With which that great man
endeavors to maintain the dignity OF an
U. S. Senator; 'Keep cool boys, these
prediction are all CANNON. Haven't we
got my great principle"
" ell, Popular Sovereignty was not
Popular Sovereignty, according to him,
to appease the Conflict, to remove the fight
from the halls Of Congress, to Iocalize the
struggle, to quell the excitement, to set
tie forever the question Of slavery? But
how did 1T happen that the very enact
ment Of that ''Squatter Sovereignty" as
embodied in the Nebraska bill, was the
signal for new and spontaneous out
burst of hostlities How was it posi-
1 bic that the very remedy should fan the
lingering strife into fame? and indeed,
the blood of American freemen split on
the praries of Kansas, the smoldering ru-
ms Of the pioneers cabin, fired, not by the
savage hand of the Indian, but by the
i hands of people that claim to be civilized !,
the most fragrant violations of the ballot
box, the most shameless frauds and the
most atrocious usurpations of power ever
known to the history Of elective govern
ment, and struggle in Congress fiercer
than ever--these are strange fruits of q
measure which was to bring peace and
liberty and prosperity to mankind. 1t
will no longer do to say, that all these dis
turbances were owing to the obstiuacy of
4 a few abolitionists. The cause of all this
4 lies deeper. 1t is this: r.
4 The Kansas-N ebraska bill was but n
new embodiment of tie old contradiction
between political principles and social in
stitutions; it was but new form Of that
4 old antagonism which has convused this
country for the last forty years. 1t is
not the right kind of Popular Sovereign
ty; but a worthless, treacherous counter
4 felt. It is wild delusion-if you will
not 90 SO far as to call it an imposition
and a lie.
1 Popular Sovereignty, in the true sense
of the term means the sovereignty Of all
individuals, so organized as to give COM
mon expression to the collective will, re-
! strained only by the natural rights of in
4 dividual man. Its foundation can be no
other than the recognition of the equal
RIGHTS Of all men. 1t can be built upon
no other presumption but that all men
are free, and that no institution, which
contradicts this principle has an prsora
right to exist.
But what means Mr.. Douglas great
principle of Popular Sovereignty! He
SAYS, that the people of a territory shall
decide for themselves whether they will
4. have slavery or not, that is to say wheth-
er the employer may Darn his laborer or
whether he shall hire him. Did slavery
exist in those territories at the time OF
4 the enactment Of the Nebraska bill?--
No it did not. Well. now the people
shall decide for themselves. But what
shall be the rule! what shall be the law
before the people shall have given their
verdict bv positive legislation! Shall the
presumption be in favor Of freedom, ac