Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-01-14

Ifmade upon one side upon habeas corpus they
must also be made upon the other. If Federal
courts are to portect Federal officials from pros
ecation by State courts for alleged violation Of
State law, Stste courts, in their turn, must pro-
tect State officers frem prosecution in Federal
courts under similar circumstances Hence Dan
gerous conflicts mus: arise, and imminent peril
bothto liberty and union.
II such conflicts mu t come. to the extent Of
The power vested in me, / shall maintain the ho-
nor If the State and support the authority Of her
courts. I prefer TO hope that they may be aveTted
by the abandonment, on the part Of the Federal
authorities of the indefensible positions which
they have assumed.
The same disposition 20 extend the range Of
Federal power in disraragetneut Of STATE sover-
e;gatr and popular rights, has been caGz rIau'u =
" manifest in the action Of the Federal govern
meut in regard 70 the Territory Of Kansas.
From the Gav when that territory was deprived
Of the safeguard of the Missouri prohibition by
the passage Of the Kansas Nebraska act. the
whole action Of the Federal government seems
to have been directed TO the establishment OF
sIeverv within its limits. Instead Of committing
in GOOD faith. to the people Of the Territory, the
formation and regulation Of their own institu-
tons all the iufue zee of the national admins
ira ions has been exer;ed for the subjuEat;on IF
the people to the propagandsts Of Slavery. The
whole practical effect Of the Kansas Nebraska
act ha~ been the substitution Of Presidential ,nteT-
ver:ionf6rs a c y~,ir.'eal ofCo g es n / Mt r
vertioa against slayeey.
Without resi-tlnce or rehuke from the National
Administration the actual resiIen's Of Kansas
were driven from the polls at the tirsttcrri;OTial
election and a pretended legislature was In
ro=ed on an unwilling paople by the frand and
force ofinvaders from adjoining State. The pco-
PIE. harassed and outraged beyond endurance
by the tvraan- OF the u]suTTiuC legislature and
&C. ,,-f-pu,apts urho wore rnuu faOq Drnl and aided
by federal Office holders, sought relief in a Safe
organization. Through a convention assembled
at Ton-ka. they framed 2 State constitution, and
.f.er its ratification by Tnpnlar vote sought adj
mission under it into the Union: Their prayer
fo- such admission, though granted BIZ the House
of REPRESENTATIVES, rejecting the will ofthe pco-
PIE was denied by the Senate, rejecting in this,
the will of the Slave Interest.
Every federal officer in the territory who man
Tested any sympathy wsth II e neopic, was from
lime to time, removed, and DO lies oftroops We e
sent to compel submission to u%s1rPing power
Afew months ince under on act which pra-
tieally disfranchised a vast majority Of the ciG-
zens, a IRE ended election was hell for menbc 8
of a convention to frame another C mt tatiOn.
This convention was constituted, as was intend
ed, exclusively ofthe p~artizans of slavery. 1t
framed Of course, n siave-state constitution
and proyilel for lis ansmissio TO Congress
without previous submission TO the Teayle fr
ratification. 1t proposed indeed to submit TO
acknowledgements question OF slavery or no
slavery, but 50 framed the terms of submission
that no matter how the people might vote. slavery
would in any event exist in The new STATE, f aG-
mitted in the Union that Constitution.
Happily, Subsequent 10 the election ofthe Con-
sfisutianal Convention. the period for the ,ecoEd
election Of a Territorial Legislature arrived, and
at the election then held, the actual residents Of
he Territory succeeded in eleciing a majority Of
its members in both branches. The people, mock
eI and insulted by the proceedings just nIrrated,
now invoked from the Secretary Of lie Ter tory
acting as Governor, the couvOcatiOn of this body.
For compliance with this just demand, the fec
rotary was renewed from Office. For expressing
himself in opposition to the admission OF TIE
State into the Union, under TIE Constitution Of
the Convention, and without previous submits on
to the people, the Governor Of the Territor fell
under such displeasure of the administration,
that he was constrained to resign his posi- ion. If
the power and patronage Of the Federal Govern
ment can secure the admission OF Kansas into
the Union under this slave-state constitution, that
power and patronage viii without doubt, be ae-
lively employed to that end.
Ia ali this the people Of Ohio have a deep and
vital interest. 1t is beyond question that a vast
majority OF her electors are opposed to this inter
position o. the Federal Government in behalf Of
Slavery. | trust that the General Assembly will
give emphatic expression to the sentiments fthe
people.
Iteannot fail to arrest attention that all these
encroachments OF the Federal Government upon
State Sovereignty and upon the freedom of tie
| Territories, al Use from a determined purpose on
the part of those who control lis action 10 extend
the domain, and enlarge the power OF slavery
Under this influence, the ancient and original
policy OF slavery prohibition was overthrow and
reversed By the Kansas Nebraska act Under
this influence, the whole power Of the National
| Government has been exerted TO force slavery up
on the reluctant people OF Kansas. Under this
infaence, also, persistent attempts are made Ia
subj the people of the Free States to federal
domination, Enough the administration of the
Fugitive Slave act. Under this influence finally,
he Federal Judiciary has promulgated the rc-
voting doctrine that the constitution 9! the union
establishes and guarantees slavery in ali national
territory, and consequently that there Is no iooi
Of our widely extended domain, outside of States
whose constitutions prohibit slavery, where the
| free laborer can lind a home exempt nom the in
trusion OF that very peculiar institution.
This rapid progress OF despotIsn cannot fan
to arouse and fix the attention OF a reilecting
people. 1t forces upon the country momentOus
issues between TWO opposite systems OF govern
ment-two opposite theories OF the constitution.
These issues are radical and vital. Shall the
government of this country be administered 10y
the people, for the people, or by Il privileged
class, for i privileged class? Is tie constitution
in fact, what it is now claimed 10 be, the bon d
and guaranty Of slavery; CT what the fathers OF
the Republic believed it TO be, the shield and
safeguard Of Liberty? Does it establish Slavery
every where, outside of Free States, or Liberty
teverywhere, outside of Slave States? Shall the
power which it confers be used for the extension
and perpetuation everywhere, Of human bondage
or OF human freedom?
1t is not doubtful where, upon these issues, the
majority OF the people of OHIO will he found
Their traditions identity them with Freedom and
free institutions. The handspring of their pros
porous progress is in the prohibition of slavery
by the Ordinance of 1871. tits this prohibition,
transferred into her Constitution, which has at
tractcd within her borders the free laborers OF
so mahy lands, who have so largely contributed
to that wonderful development OF energies and
resources which inspires, at once, lervent graft
tude and honest exultaiion. The people OF Ohio
will never, by their action, charge the founders
OF their Institutions with ignorance Of The pTinci-
pies OF popular Government, nor contribute by
their SURFACES to the extension or continuance OF
an evil and wrong from which they have been SO
happily delivered blythe wise forecast of the Fa-
theirs of the Republic.
S. p. CHASE.
Columbus, January i, 1858.
7 W err prPTSnN N q pATTEpSnN