Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1858-02-04

Slavery Abolished In Kansas
The Territorial legislature.
The Lawrence (K. 7. letter writers in
form US that on the 2oih inst, law was
passed BY the Territorial Legislature, there
assembled, abolishing Slavery in the Ter.
ritory. 1t is in this law provided that any
person in the Territory who now holds OF
shall hereafter attempt to hold. any person
in Slavery, except in punishment of crimes
shall upon conviction be declared guilty OF
misdemeanor. and penitentiaried for not
less than two or more than five years. Ju-
risdiction of the cases of prosecution under
this law is given the Probate Judges, and
preliminary examination may be held be-
fore any Justice of the Peace. If any Pro
bate Judge shall refuse TO consider case
under this law, the Probate Judge of an
other county is given jurisdiction. Herein
will Squatter Sovereignty. be tested with a
vengeance. The question now arises direct
ly whethsr the people Of a Territory hare
a right to abolish Slavery! This question
Mr.. Douglas has been asked repeatedly,
but he has always eraded it by stating
that was matter for the courts to decide,
remembering to forget that he was not ask
ed to decide the case but to give his opin-
ion. If the Lecompton Constitution should
not be forced down the throats of the peo-
pie of Kansas, or in other words should
not go through Congress, the Supreme
Court will have to pass upon this point
Perhaps too, whatever may be the fate of
the Lecompton instrument, cases may arise
calling for the decision of that tribunal
In which event, the Dred Scott decision,
and Democratic principls in general, will
afford basis for the denial of the right Of
the people of the Territories of the United
States to abolish Slavery in their midst
This denial will of course, be in form and
substance that which is expressed in the
Slavery clause of the Lecompton Consti-
tuition, viz: A declaration of the inaliena-
Bile rights of the citizens Of the United
States to property in black men being held
to be recognized by the Constitution of the
United States as property precisely as are
horses of any color. Be it recollected that
the Kansas Legislature which has decreed
the abolition Of Slavery in that Territory,
is not bogus or premature body, or one
in any respect of doubtful legitimacy, but
is the regular Territorial Legislature, more
than two-thirds majority Of both Houses
of which, was carried by. the Free State
men in October last The certificates OF
the members of this honorable body bear
the signatures of Robert j. Walker and
Fred. P. Stanton, and according to Demo
cratic precedent, the observance of its acts,
with an acute application of all their points,
constitutes that blessed, vaunted consum-
nation, claw and order" We will proba-
bly, speedily hear of sundiy shareholders in
Kansas being manacled for the '.high mis-
demeanor" Of holding their fellow men in
bondage, which would be fair return, GER
tainly, for the Imprisonment of the Free
State men who were at one time so trait
orous and perverse as to express their dis
appreciation of the system of African Sla-
very, in violation of the famous enactment
of the Border Ruffian Legislature for the
security of slave property. The ruffians
were awful wrotk, because the Free State
men complained of the rigor of the law for
bidding them, under penitentiary penalties,
to speak their minds touching slavery and
talked of refusing to submit; and thrill
of horror ran through the Democracy,
North and South at the rebellious language
and constructive treason of the Odd Alb
olitionists" in resisting the solemn enact
ments of the Legislature of the Territory.
1t is, therefore, to be hoped that such of
the old style 'law and order" men as find
themselves in irons and in dungeon, for
the atroeious offence of holding niger
to service on the soil of Kansas, may be
gifted with the grace to preserve their pa
tience and maintain their consistency by
bowling meekly in submission to law
Cincinnati Commercial.