Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-10-28

ho So"o ucSicS Vi Souooi tuos noS NJ Ss'
iriend to % clearly end dunequivocally svewi
ais sentiments in the two articles that he
hss prepared for his party organ, would
have characterized his expose of the posi-
ton of the founders of this Government
upon the Slavery question. We do insist
that he shall not so falsify history as 10
assert here in this intelligent community
that up to the year 1854 Freedom was re-
garded otherwise than the rule, and Slavery
the exception-that Freedom was National
and Slavery Sectional. We do insist, fur
ther, that he shall not attempt to impose
upon the intelligence Of the readers of that
jour mai by asserting that MADISON and his
compeers could look with any degree of
allowance upon tine institution of Slsvery
that they did not believe it the right and
duty of Congress- to inhibit its extension
into Free Territories. There is not
schoolboy in our public schools that can
not correct the gentleman in his fatal
blunder We do reiterate it, broadly and
empbatically, that JAMES MADISON, JOHN
jar, THOMAS JEFFERSON, JOIN QuIscy
ADAMS, DANIEL WEBSTER, HEsKY CLAY,
and others of the purest patriots and states
men that have ever been upon the stsge oil
political action in this country, held 10 and
advocated the same principles that the
Republican pa rty of to-day does, and dare
you to successfully controvert it. We do
assert that every State Convention which
assembled in the State of Ohio, up to tie
year 1854, Democratic as well as Whig,
looked upon the Slavery question in the
same hgh, as does tine Republican party Of
to-day. 'S . go
About the year ls4s Gen. CAss wrote
the notorious Nicholson letter. in which
he set forth the besuties of Sguatter Sow.
ereignty. This was embodied in the Ne
brssks- Kansas Bill in the year 1854, under
the alluring name of Popular Sovereignty,
by Senator DOUGLAS, at that time Chair
man of the Committee on Territories in
the United States Senate. 1t was the
most bald cheat and humbug that was ever
imposed upon the country. Yet it is the
same species of Popular Sovereignty that
our "American" friend adv oc a,es, if we
understand him Alright. He talks beauii
fully in favor of the people ruling, yet
after all, he would have then rule in favor
Of Slavery, we dare say. He seeks to place
Slavery upon an equal footing with Free
dom-to place the thrifty, intelligent ane
enterprising Free Lstorers of the Nortf
upon a common level with the most abjec
slave in the South. He would throw then
together into our great Free Territories Il
contend for the mastery. LABoRIKG FREE
men OF THE NORTH are you willing t,
enter the arena with the black, seryil
slaves of the South1 This humbug cry o.
j .sPoPular Sovereignty but oeuningi.
! devised scheme to force more Slave State
through Congress by ballot-box stufing
perjury and fraud, in order that the Sout
may have the continued ascendancy in tn
I Legislative halls of the Nation, elect tn
President, and control the destinies of tn
Nation for the benefit of privileged clas
of Shareholders, to the detriment and a
the expense OF the great Free Laborin
Interests of the country. This is the des
cription Of Popular Sovereignty that ou
friend seeks TO justify by the revereG nam
of MADISON. Were it possible, the yer
bones of that unsullied patriot would ris
from his grave to repel the base ISLANDER. =
It is foul calumny upon the revered nam
of MADISON to say that he ever did utte
= one word in justification of Slavery; or ths
: he ever did suggest any means by whic
it might be perpetuated or extended. o
the contrary, he INDUCED in the hope thH
it might be finally eradicated. He has lei
, his opinions upon record. Here is sen
timent uttered by Mr.. MADISON in III
Constitutional Convention, which does no
smack much of Slavery -Extension-P Popular
| Sovereignty humbugs:
81 object to the word slave appearing il
) a Constitution which, trust, is to be th
! Charter of Freedom to unborn m illions; no
, would | Willingly perpetuate the memor
, of the fact that slavery ever existed in ou
. country. 1t is great evil; and under tn
: Providence of God, look forward to som
: scheme of emancipation which shall fire.
/, us from il. Do not, there fore, let US up
f pear as if we regarded it perpetual, b
: using in our Free Constitution On odiou
e term opposed to every sentiment of Lib
S erty."
The patriots and statesmen who set i
motion this Government, who gave vitalt
o to the Constitution and 10 our Free Inst.
, tutions, did not understand the foil power
j of Congress under the Constitution. The
who had stood at the helm Of state in "thos
times that tried mems SOULS" and who ha
SO successfully battled British tyranny, di
t not understand thoroughly the rights of til
Slave Oligarehy. These questions wer