The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-11-16
DickInson ON the InsurrcctIon.

The Hon. Daniel 8. Dickinson, in his
great speech on Tuesday evening, at the Old
Tammsny Democratic Ratification Meeting,
thus humorously and elOquently spoke of
the recent outbreak at Harper's Ferry -
al have very little to say concerning the
miserable men who have entered into this
"irrepressible conflict" in earnest. upon
whom the law has laid its hand. Twill leave
them there. But have much to soy con.
cerning those who set this ball in motion.
This Brown, whom they now turn their
backs upon, was recently hero. His name
was borne upon every breeze, and mingled
with the loudest shrieks that came from
Kansas. He was not only John Brown, but
OSsawattamie Brown, Captain Brown, Ma
jor Brown, and General Brown. (Appiause
and laughter) But now that he is in the
hands Of the law, he is called "crazy old
Brown" and left to his fate. What we as
sert is that the conduct of Brown and his as
sociates is the natural and legitimate, if not
necessary harvest, from just such sowing as
year after year the Republican POrty has
made.
The slavery question has been ogitated
without any cause under Heaven. So far
from slavery advancing upon the free States,
the free States have been advancing upon
the slave States, and not "a single inch Of the
Territories of the United States, either OF
the old or that recently acquired from Mex.
leo was ever adapted to slavery: for there is
not rod of it upon which negroes could
raise hemp enough to hang themselves. 1t
is 80 i'll adapted TO slavery that if the slaves
did not run away from their masters, the
masters would have TO run away from their
slaves. Uaughter.)
NeVerthe the public mind was excl.
ted, and Republican pulpts, presses and
fresdes were redolent OF Kansas and slave
territory. Every reasoning man knows that
in the beginning we were all slave States,
that we were such when we entered into
this federal compact to perpetuate the bless
iDgs Of liberto. They knew that one by
one we became free States, until we had, at
the time this "irrepressible conflict" WINS in.
auguraed, q majority of sixty votes in the
House of Representatives and six in the
Senate Of the United States, and every day
the free States were growing stronger aud
the slave States numerically weaker. Some
OF the slave States, too, stand ready, when
ever this Republican pressure shall be re-.
moved, to abolish slavery in their own way
aud in their own time, as we in New York
have done, and has been done in New Eng
land, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
The Democratic party is party of "let
alone" in everything except sustaining the
Constitution. 1t believes our sister States
are our equals in right, not only upon pa
per, but in spirit (cheers)-not only equal
in theory, but in practice that they possess
all the rights we possess and enjoy. The
highest duty of both slave und tree States
we hold to be 10 have kind regard for each
other, in all their varied relations under the
federal compact, which that compact sug.
gested in its original adoption. But the Re.
pub lican party proposes to wage, and does
wage, an "irrepressible conflict" against the
slave States. Look at the Republican press
during the past ten or fifteen years-see its
pages reeking with exciting language and
hostile denuncialions OF slavery. Hear their
incendiary orators during that time. And
even this very day the same tone OF denun
cIaton is going on.
Is it to be wondered at that when SO many
ate preaching some should be found to prac.
tice !-that Brown and his associates, with
the aid and encourag cement they had receiv-
ed, should attempt this inSurrecion in one
of the States this con'ederocy! They are
not to get of by saying it is "Oid Brown"
"mad B'own," or "crtzy Brown" Who,
ask, in the name of truth and justice, furnish
ed the material, the sinews tor this terrible
war! Old Brown, "Cruzy Brown" and his
associates did not. No cr,zy man ever laid
that internal plot. 1t was done with mur-
derous deIiberation. Every step, through
oil its devious. dark, winding way, it was
Cone with murdcrous deIlberation.
Who furnished the pixies to be placed in
the hands OF in!utiated blacks at midnight,
to murder their masters and miotresses B.
Who furnished the urms and munitions and
sped them on their way to inaugurate this
irreprcssibe conflict? These questions
will have to be answered to the satisfaction
Of the American people. AttiIa the Hun,
who was denominated the Scour!e of God,
by reason OF his black and brutal ferocity,
declared that no green grass should grow
where his horses feet had troden. Hyder
Ali upon The Carnatic left nothing behind
his trail but ashes and blood. But Atlila
the Hun and Hyder Ali upon the Carnatic
will be regarded in the great day honeser
men in The sight Of God and man than those
that inaugurated that irrepressible conflict
in Virginia.