Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1858-12-11
WHOLE NO. 6S7.

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lively permits il for century, This tho slave
holders knon and are aiming at. This the FEEDER.
al Administration knows and Is conniving ut.
This was the main object sought by the Nebraska
bill, and assentod to by it's supporters. This was
the question at issue in the law suit of Virginia
, re'sus New York, the principle Of which was dc.
cded by Judge Kane
This, be it remembered, is an Of the Federal
UUvetnment. recognizing slavery in the free State
Of Pennsylvania, in defiance of Pennsylvania
law. 1t is decision of the Federal Courts, and
s in harmony with the policy Of the Govern.
ment. a.a --...-.. ....-f
The matter Of fac! Jurisdiction of the Federal
Government over slavery in the States, may 10
considered established, so far as usage can es.
tablish il. The right is claimed and exercised by
the Federal Government, and is submitted TO by
the States Every State submits to it in submih
ting to the fugitive slave BILL
Very well Here we are The Federal Gov.
ernment protects slavery and enforces the slave
code, even in the free States.
The same Federal Government on q charge Of
administration, and acting upon tho same right Of
jurisdiction, can abolish slavery in the slave
State. We take it there is no eyading the logic Of
Olaln, unOenlaDlei nlStOrlcBI lacts.
Should the Federal Government abolish slavery
in the United States. it would, in so doing, take
no ground, set up no new doctrine, and as,
sumo no powers in respee. to the jurisdiution
of the Federal Government u new and opposite
direction.
So that the objection raised against national
abolition Of slavery-that it would introduce
GENERALIZATION" and infringe Estate rights"--s
without shadow of foundation. There would te
no more Capitalization" or invasion Of Estate
rights" in abo!ishing slavery, than there is, and
has been, in supporting slavery. Nay, the con:
trary to this is true The states have d right to
maintain slavery The Federal Government has
no right to sustain slavery, but is bound by the
constitution to secure liberty.
The reigning doctrine ia, however, the oppos
site of this. 1t assumes that the States have sov.
ereign, independent power to establish and sups
port slavery but have no such power to protect
freedom-that the Federal Government has no
power to abolish slavery in the States but has
ample power to maintain it in the States.
The "Free Soil" or Free Republican" doctrine
is an q bsurd attempt to compromise the matter,
by denying to the Federal Government the power
either of suppressing or Of supporting slavery.
which is literally impossible. Not only is II true
that the Federal Government claims and exercises
jurisdiction over American slavery. But tits true
that it does this by an unavoidable necessity,
which it can, by no means, overcome without re.
solving itself into existence. A national Gov,
ernmen taking no cognizance, ono way or the
other, OF such fact as the enslavement OF three
and half millions of its subjects-neither per.
mtting it nor reraining from the permission Of t,
is an absurdity too gross to be believed. For the
Federal Government to tolerate slavery Is to pro.
tect it, And the protection Of slavery by the Fed.
oral Government is, in fact the exercise of uris.
iction over it.
The question before the nation, then is NOT
whether the Federal Government shall claim and
exercise jurisdiction over slavery That it always
has done and always must of necessity-under any
constitution or construction of the constitution
that be conceived. The only question tina,
here is or that can be, is simply whether this
necessary, inevitable unavoidable jurisdiction Of
he American Government over American slavery.
hall be exercised for its protection or for its over
hrow. 1t is not Lecompton Anti.Lecompton,
simply, but it is-shal Slavery be national or
freedom be national -,ohich shall the Government
establish and defend, and which exti,pats and
estroy. National Abolition is the issue-is il
loti t'e11 o. .2rii- .a al1