The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-03-21
NEW SERIES VOL. VINO. 5l.--WHoLE NO. 81.

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candidate the South places upon it. But what
do these threats of disunion mean2 Is it the
language of menace2 trust not; It will not
move man from his purpose, but if know
anything of the spirit of eur Northern people,
1t will arouse an indignation that will sweep
away the last vestlge of disuhion Demoeracyl
IL is an insult which the North ought and I
trust will resent. 1t amounts to Just this -
You Republicans-you men of the North, if
in constitutional way, you dare to elect q
man to the Presidency who reflects your opin.
ions on this subject of slavery, We of the South,
we Democrats. of the South, will tear this
Constitution in pieces we will dissolve the
Union. What sir does the South deny the
right of e constitutional majority to rule in a
constitutional way? Is an election binding
upon us provided your candidate is elected;
and are you free to disregard and repudiate it,
should onr candidate succeed? Is this the
unequal contest to which you invite us? As
honorable men, will you go into the contest
with this predeterminatioD? While you can
rule it is well; bat if the majority decide
against you, then you will tear the Oonstitu.
ton 10 pieces.
Thank God, we of the free States hold our
rights by no such uncertain tenure as your will,
but by virtue of the Constitution and our
which slavery has ruled this land we have
submitted to its iron sway; for years we have
seen this Government all on the side of slave.
ryl No man could hold Office under it from
the free States, unless he first went under the
yoke. The slightest suspicion of universal lib.
erty excluded the possessor from all partici-
patton in~this Goyernmsnt, and for zorth-
ern man to say a word against the Uni,n was
rank treason. But at the South, how diferentI
To advocate slavery was no crime, and to de-
nounce the Union positive virtue. We have
seen men pass warm from the rostrum where
they had denounced the Union into the high
est offices of the land (; they fill the Halls of
Congress; take their places in the Cabinet, or
go on foreign missions. We have seen all
this aud peacably submitted and now when
we take the baton of power, think you we
shall allow you to wrest it from our grasp.
and that, too, over a violated Constitution?
No, gentlemen; we disregard your warnings,
and we scorn your dictationl When the peo-
pie have brought in their verdict, that verdict
will be executed. If it be against you, you
will submit also. l
Sir, gentlemen talk about dissolving this
Union, as if it were a pastine-a holiday
sport. Do they realize all the horrors of such
a disrupiion? This Government cannot pass
q
strife and garments rolled in blood. It was
a grand sight when the aged Fabricius stood
up before the Car thagenian Senate. and hold.
ingin bis hand his gathered robe, he proffered
them war or peace. But it is lanentabIe
sight, when gentlemen stand here in the Con-
gress of these United States, and say to the
majority. If you dare to exercise your rights,
we will destroy the Union we will tear the
Constitution to pieces Let me ask you, gen.
t!emen,t to look before you leap into this abyss.
Now is the time for deliberation; and not after
the fatal step is taken.
For what do you propose to dissolve this
Union What is the end to be attained2 The
spread and perpetuation of slavery? The dis
tinguished gentleman from Georgia. Mr..
in his speech, said:
We have now four million slaves. In
some twenty FIVE years hence we will have
eight million We demand expansion. Ne
WiN hdUe expansion, in spite of the Repub-
lican party, and all the Abolitionists of the
Old and New Werld.
The gentleman from Mississippi, Mr.. SIN
LEToN in the speech to which before re-
ferred, said:
al ask again, what will be the future Of the
southern alaveholder2 If slavery be confined
to its present limits, the institution will ,Bec-
essarily be overthrow. 1t is enly question
of time. We have now four million slaves in
the fifteen southern States. That population
doubling itself, according to the census re-
turns, every twenty five years. by natural in
say nothing of African importa-
tions-we will in fifty years from now have
sixteen million"
Think of it, sixteen millions slaves in the
and whose declaration of independence pro
claims the equal rights of man. More than
i've times the number of inhabitants in this
country at the time of the Revolution. At
the increase, in one hundred years there
would be sixty-four million slaves in this land
Of the free and the home of the brave. But,
says the gentlaman, / tell you here this day
1.-The institution of slavery must be sus-~
tanned. The South has made up its mind to
Keep the black race in bondage. If we are
lot permitted to do.this inside of the Union,
tell you that it will be done outside of it
Yes. sir, and we will expand this institution;
We do not intend tobe co6ned within our pres.
snt limits.
1t is, then, for this institution ofslavery that
7ou are going to dissolve this Union But
when you have broken down the Constitution,
md set up the standard of revolt, the newly
elected President whose duty it will be to see
hat the laws are executed, will send the Army,
o enforce obedience; and 10 that fierce strug.
,le, how would your peculiar institution stand
he shock? 1t now exists only by the per-
mission of the civilized world. a hand raised
gainst it, q word, a look, and it trembles to
Is base. If it will not stand before Helpers
,ook, how will it endure the presence of an
invading army? The standard of revolt will
,e the signal of emancipation; and the man
Who raises that standard must covet the crown
# martyrdom which he undoubtedly would
year. Tell me not that slavery is an element
# strength. If it be, why destroy the liberty
4 speech and the freedom of the press2 Why
xpel from your midst the friends and advo.
ates of freedom? Why surround it with
Chinese wall of ignorance, and fortify it with
'loody and terrific penal enactments? And,
nally, il slavery be that natural and felicitous
tate have heard represented on this floor.
'hy is the Christian world shocked by the cold
Hooded barbarism of southern legislators,who
ropose to Danish from their homes thousands
f free men and women, or reduce them to
laverye No; slavery is as weak as wicked
low could it be otherwiseS do men gather
rapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? There
a fearful and sometimes an Intimate ,connec-
ion between national sins and national retri-
ution II is one Of the DEGREES of the Al
lighty, written in the past history of the
orld, that nations shall not trample with i'm.
unity upon the weak aud defenseless. Tell
light Jefferson 'tremble for bis country when
e considered that God was just, and that His
lstice would not sleep forever .'asa' sefaa
We are told ieiantIy that if slavery cannot
ave expansion ipside of the Union, it will
ave it outside of the Union; in other words,
Mess we consent to the rule of slavery, the
hall ha eAak