Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1860-04-14
EANcssrEr, wis, SATURDAY, ApRIL Il. ssel.
DOLD FEATURES or A POSITIVE IssUE-
DOES THE CONSTITUTION SANCTION
sLAVERY-WHO SHALL. DE FREE.

speech before Congress, boldly affirmed the
mission of the Democratic party to protect
slavery everywhere az bounden duty Of
Congress under the Constitution, and but
fer this duty and intentention there would
be no Democratic party. In his speech he
has Just praise for ayowing the whole IN
tent. though he admitted that the party
had been frustrated in the Kansas affair."
His theme was the Constitution and the
admission that it fixes slavery wherever the
American flag waves Over American soil.
He held il as foolishness topretend that the
Constitution recognizes slavery in one part
Of the Union and not in another. lie de-
MED that ii could establish in one place
what is excluded in another, or that State
laws could abolish or regulate slavery, be-
cause the Constitution is the law of all
laws.
If the Constitution sanctions slavery at
all. if must sanction the same throughout
the Union; as Mr.. CURRY says, it isgeneral
and not sectional in its power. He isright,
surprising the Constitution sanctions slavery
at all-which we deny. It is curious
fact that no Republican attempted to an
swer Mr.. Curry, because that party agrees
with him so far as this: the Republican
party admits that slavery is Constitutional
in such States as pass laws establishing it,
but no where else. The admission is fatal,
for it virtually comedies all that Mr. CURRY
claims as the true belief of the Democratic
party and the intents to fulfil the mission
Of fixing slavery in all the States. This is
perhaps the weakest point in the Republl-
can platform, though perhaps exeusable in
its infancy.
Admitting slavery to DO Constitutional
the subjects cannot be limited to the black
race, but must include all races of men, only
SO that power or other means once makes
them slaves. To pretend that negroes are
the only subjects Of slavery under the Con-
stitution is just as fallacious as to hold that
only white men are entitled to liberty
The Constitution either makes all liable to
liberty or it makes none liable to be made
slaves, none liable to enjoy liberty. If the
Constitution sanctions slavery at all, then
Ill are liable to be slaves or masters. TO
make Constitutional slaves it needs but
power; a dozen men may oyerpower, seize
and enslaye six free-born, white Americans
in Wisconsin, and then lawfully hold
them under the Constitution, because no
State law can limit the Constitution or au-
thorizo the freeing Of slaves, nor even him
de- the rights Of the master. The Consti-
tuition does not provide for instituting any
inquiry as to how such American born
men were made slaves; therefore the fact of
enslavenert can only be enquired about
and when once established there is no way
TO change their condition.
These facts are self evident from another
point Of yiew-supposing that slavery is
Constitutional: The word color is not in
the Constitution, nor is any word, phrase
or article therein contained abiding to the
class of men who may be slaves or enslaved.
Admitting that negroes are Constitutional
subjects, yetmulattos, quarter breeds, eighth !
bloods and sixteenth bloods are found in
bonds. How is this, except that if the
Constitution warrants slavery at all, itwar-
rants the enslavenent of persons without
respect to color? Then arewlite men the
Constitutional subjects, and are liable at
any time when power makes it convenient
To Be made Constitutional slaves. Upon
this Predicate is based the fugitive slave
law; let any man 90 before Circuit Court
in Kentucky and make oath thatsone par
ticular native born citizen Of Wisconsin is
the property of said Kentucky man. No
body viii pretend to dispute that such
Kentuekian can come to Wisconsin, and,
aided bv a S. Marshal, takes said Wiscon-
sin man before U. s. Commissioner who
who is bound BY the Constitution and Flu
gitiye Slave Law to remand said Wisconsin
man into slavery. True, Habeos Corpus
writs may be sworn out in view Of ;nquir-
ring why such Wisconsin man is held as a.
slave, but Miller's Court and all the FEEDER
al courts, aud y. s. Commissioners pay no
attention whatever to such writs TO give
persons claimed as slaves trials by jury
In fact, one provision Of the Fugitive Slave
Law denies such writ in toto; another ar
ticle provides that such oath Of Kentuclxian
is final and iuevocable, and not 70 be met
by tho evidence OF one man or thousand
that such Wisconsin man is clear white and
free born, being of full Saxon blood and
bred in Wisconsin. Color, birth place,
I n - III