Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1860-05-16
WHOLE NO. 1915.

,Il-at least have not heard it denied q
hat State can abolish slavery Whenever =,
1 NAV desire to do 50; but if the COnstitu-.- -
ion of the United States recognizes slaves
IS property, how could State legally abol- aa-
sh slavery? The Constitution would be iel'
superior to the State law; and as there
seems to be no end to the assumptions OF
slavery, this may be the next plank to be.
spiked on to Democratic platform. -
According to the gentleman from Ala Us
bama, slavery is superior to the Cons titu-
ton or law, and not dependent upon either.
His position is: slavery existssin the State
where the owner dwells; exists out Of the
State exists in the Territories exists every --
where, until it comes within the limits Of ~
sovereignty which prohibits it. ;" Slavery.
then, according to this new dogma, like our
atmosphere, occupied all the unOccuPied
space on the globe, and fully possesses the zil
attribute Of ubiquity.
The gentleman gives US no authority but
his assertion, which 1 suppose. is the result
of his re-examinatiOn of the question. L
quote against it the recOrds.Of the decisions
of every court of respectability in Chris
tendon since courts of law have been rep
resented as holding the scales Of Justice
1 quote against it the opinions Of every ele-e Z
mentary law writer and every ethical WI
ter of note from the dawn Of civilizations to
the present time. And there am willing
to leave this modern postulate of human
bondage, except 50 far as it forms the pre-
dicate of the territorial policy Of the DEM
Ocratic party. ~
The Republican party propose. to the 2
extent of its constitutional power, to limit
! and restrict slavery. and thereby return te-
the policy of the fathers, which made free
dom the rule and slavery the exeeptiOn--I
The dictates of humanity and the poicyOf 3
enlightened craftsmanship alike urge the :
: party forward We have seen that the con-
trolling element of the unexampled pros
perity of our country has been free labor.
and we have prOspered in spite of slavery
and not in consequence of it If the Predi-
Gates of slavery and the Democratic party
be true; if the Constitution, ProPrio v'gors
/. extends slavery into the Territories. as
claimed in the Dred Scott case; if slavery
exists in Kansas and other Territories by
. the same rule that it does in the slave
y States, as asserted by President Buchanan,
then slavery is the rule and freedom the
exception in this Government, and there IS
: nothing to prevent its domination and con-
troll everywhere in the Republic.
These positions, and the policy which 1t
) logically leads to. would reverse the motive
"a mower of our civilization and progress and
q run our institutions rapidly back into the
dark ages
A. The leading politicians of the Democratic
=, sSarty have 50 far reversed the principles
o anu policy 6ts that party, By Incorporating
! into its platform the increasing demands
to Of slavery, that they have run it as far
IF back as Charleston; and there, if our tele-
grams are to be relied upon, they have run
it off the track. and breakup is the result
. This event. which may be regarded as 2
:. !, calamity by sOme--by the inscrutiable dis
pensations of Him who can make the wrath
!, Of man to praise him, may result IN saving
i much of the valuable material Of which
: the Democratic party is composed, from
further destruction. 1t viii at least teach
!. men the folly of attempting to jump on to
. the platform of train having backward
: motion. 1t is difficult for US here. among
y the confused rumOrs which reach Us, to de-
termine what the Charleston convention
" has done, or will do. The Democrats North
; viii, 1 have no doubt, as heretofore, yield
- substantially to the demands Of the slave
power; and the party will incorporate in
to its platform the protection of slavery
= in the Territories The contest is now
> mainly between those who maintain the
position that slavery exists in the Territor-
7 les by virtue of its property eharacter, IN
der the Constitution, and those who deny
the predicate, and the conclusion. There
: is, or has been, middle ground Of policy.
(for cannot discover any principle in it)
= ofwhich Senator DOUGLAS. is the expounder,
! if not the originator, which l caunOt at
:, this moment better characterize than to call
: it the Priest and Levite policy; passing BY
on the other side Of slaves in the Territories,
and allowing them to perish as persons or
~ property, as the case may be. among the
thieves of Jericho, who may first happen
, to squat upon the public domain, mot car
ing whether slavery is voted up or voted
- down" This position and its artful art-
nc thor and advocate will soon be, if they are
not already, politically ground to powder
between the controlling forces of the upper
60 milestone of freedom and the neither mill
stone of slavery. 1fs
Or. Mr.. Chairman. slavery has sought refuge.
ed as last hiding place, under the protection
IN of the Supreme Court; and if the present
nv policy of the Democratic party is to prevail,
ire tat tribunal is hereafter to control and de-
be trmine what laws shall be enacted by the
Tcs law-making power for the gOyernmentefthe
nd Territories. The slavehOldiBg power ex-
of rects to convert the national domain into
ng slave Territories by the decree Of s'cOurt.
m instituted tOdetermine the rights Of individ-
he uals properly before them. Neither Con-
@ - ts l.-c-f
,-7e@rrs 80