Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-09-08
cratic arm; but think the people are in
terested in it and therefore / speak Of it.
THE SLAVERY ISSUE.

cratic arm; but l think the people are In
terested in il and therefore | speak Of il.
THE SLAVERY ISSUE.
la regard 10 the question of Slavery
for as said at the outset. although there
are other questions Of interest, which il
becomes an intelligent people to think of
most seriously, there is still this great
question of Slavery coming into our state
and national affairs, which deserves seriou.
consideration.
The Republican Legislature, knowing
that the shareholders claim the right to
pass through the free States with their
slaves, and to hold them as slaves, during
whatever time may be required for their
convenience in passing through-the Re-
publican Legislature, in view of this fact,
passed an act 10 prohibit slave-holding in
Ohio.
You all know that there is a case now
pending before the Supreme Court called
the Lennon case; In that case slaves
were brought to New York for the purpose
of being sent west or north, through ses-
eral free States. The owner claimed his
right TO do that, and now the asestioa be-
fore the Supreme Court is, since the sever
al Courts refused to recognize that right,
and set these slaves free, whether that
right exists or not / have no doubt as to
how the question will be decided, that is,
if Demhcratic administration continues.
1t will be decided, in favor of the claim,
Just as after the election of Mr.. Buchanan,
the Dred Scott case was decided, in favor
of the claim to carry Slavery into the Ter
ritories. 1t will be decided as is claimed
by the Slave power, just as soon as they
achieve another victory, which / do not be-
lieye they will.
What will that decision be-? 1t will be
just so they claim, that they can take .heR
slaves into New York, land tben there
and cat take them from New York over
the railroads of New Jersy, through Penn
sylvania and through Ohio, Indiana and
Illinois to the Slave States of the far West,
or as it suits their convenience, to any
State of the South, and that they can
hold them during all the time, that it is
convenient for them to be passing through.
In other words, it is decision in favor not
of the African slave trade, but of the
American slave trade, 10 be carried on in
the free States.
Are you prepared for thatl But that
is what is to be done, if that case is deci-
ded in the way in which it is proposed,
and you have had samples enough of the
disposition of the Federal officials as they
now exist, to carry into effect any law, mo-
matter how inhumafii or cruel.
The Republican Legislature passed an
act to prohibit that What did the DEM
ocratic Legislature doa They repealed
that act, many of the members avowing
that in their opinion the shareholders had
this right of transit. They repealed it.
and gave the solemn sanction of your leg
islatiou to the possession Of that right, and
this will be invoked as the consent of the
Democratic party of Ohio before the Su-
preme Court, and of q majority Of the peo-
pie of the State Of Ohio, who it viii Be
presumed elected that Legislature, pledged
to this nefsrious doctrine.
Here is another law you repealed. You
build jails and eoart-honses, and appoint
officers, for whata To catch runway
slavesi think not, but rather TO enforce
Justice between man and man. You APP
point your officers for the purpose Of en-
forcing the decisions of your Courts against
those who infract your laws, and who
thereby expose themselves to the penalties
of crime. That is why you appoint them.
There is nothing in tue law or Constitution
of Ohio that deyolves any such duty upon
the officers. So the Republican Legnla-
ture passed an act denying the use of
these jails to the slave-catcher, because, ac-
cording to the Constitution of the United
States, the duty of arresting fugitive
slaves belongs to the United States, and
not to the States. What did your Demo-
cratic Legislature do? Instead of leaving
this matter to the Courts of the United
States, and to the officials of the United
States, they repealed these laws, opened
your jails, and sanctioned the employment
of your officers in this business. don't
think that you approve Of that.
merely refer to these things to tell you
how this question of Slavery comes rghs
home among US upon the soil Of Ohio,
and that this contest about the extension
Of Slavery into Territories, but as to its
extension on to our own soil.
THE SHAREHOLDERS HOPE.
To refer again 10 this subject of Slavery
in connection with the General Govern
ment. The great object Of the Slave in
lerest has been for many years to obtain
The control of the Federal Government
That they have persistently sought for ma
ny years. For some time it did not at
iract the particular attention Of the people.
Of late years it has attracted that astes-
ion more and more, and it will continue to
attract it more and more, until tho people
nave settled the question for themselves,
whether the General Government shall be
lsed as the engine Of the Slave-Power, or
or the benefit Of the people.
How have they sought to do this! BY
securing the nomination and election OF
uch men for President rs will use the pat
opare of the Government in their behalf,
md TINS control Legislation. They have
ought it also by the organization Of the
Supreme Bench. They have now Eve
lave e-holding Judges, while there are only
osr non-slave-holding Judges, and oftbese
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