Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-01-21

but In opposition to it, they have deliberately do.
clared that in their judgment, slavery is perni-
cious wrong, and that patriotism and humanity
unite in demanding their resistance to its exten.
sion into any free territory, now or that NAV be
owned by the nited States. They deny tho bind
ing authority of the dctum of the Supreme Court
OF the United States, asserting right of property
10 one man over another, as fundamental prin.
ciple, and making the federal constitution the in.
strument OF rendering it universal as not limited
to the reach OF the local power which created the
relation of master and slave but on the contrary
they declare that the idea, there could be proper
ty in men, was expressly excluded from the CON
stitution, which contains no such word as slave or
slavery in any of its provisions, and which in eve
ry clause construed, or that be construed, as
referring to slavery, regards it as the creature OF
State legislation and dependent wholly upon State
legislation for its existence and continuance. They
deny, that the constitution guarantees to the slave
holding States, any other than their ocol rights,
in connection with the institution Of slavery, but
such as it expressly Declares First, That the For
eign slave trade should not be abolished before
1903; Second That any law or regulation which
any State might establish in favor Of freedom
should not impair the legal remedy, supposed at
the time of the adoption of the constitution to ex
ist by common law for the recapture by legal pro-
cess, in such State, Of fugitives from labor, or
service, escaping from other States; and, Third
That three-ffths of all slaves should be counted in
settling the basia Of representation in the several
States. Beyond these, the trainers of the cons-
tutcn intended to make no peculiar concessions
to the saveholding States, and these were made
bppauap thev had IInion of tha 10
and 20 their ardent and generous minds the vol
untary removal Of slavery by the action of the
States themselves, without Federal interference,
seemed not only certain, but close at haud.' The
people of Ohio have further declared tnat in theiI
opinion, the people Of territory have power
under the constitution, or from any other legal
source to establish slavery as of their institu
tions, during their territorial ezistence that the
exercise Of such power would be a manifest
usurpaton Of the individual rights Of the citizens
of the territory, and utterly subvo-sve OF al! true
popular sovereignty, which demands as a prima
ry essential condition, the recognition of inaliena
BILE personal rights. Thoy insist also, that coup
led with the power is the duty Of Ccpgressito pro-
hi5it by express enactmeut the extension of sla-
very, into any free territory Of the United State
that the exercise of this power has been repoa-
tedly approved by every department of the State
and National Government and to the universe. ac-
ceptance of the people, and that its recognition
a fundamental principle, to be hereafter exercised,
whenever occasion may be presented, is indespen-
sable, to restore the sim pcity and purity of the
government, and to carry out the great purposes
Of the constitution, declared in its preamble
to form a more perfect union, 10 establish justice,
insure domestic tranquility, promote the general
welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to our
selves and posterity.'
Such are the judgments of the people of Ohio,
repeatedly expressed on the subject of slavery, as
a social and political question. But they do not
conceal from themselves that the practices of the
Federal Government have long been opposed TO !
their convictions On the subject. They know, that
i. has been administered for many years in sub
serviency to the purpose Of the slavery extension
lists of the slaveholding States. The war to ex-
tend the boundry of slavery to the Rio Grande-
the violation of the Missouri Compact-the war
against Kansas, to extend slavery to the Pacific,
are all sacrifices of the public opinion, and the
moral sense of the masses OF the country, by am
bitious incumoents in the federal administration,
to that combination in the South which brings the
vote Of fifteen Slave States in phaanx to divide
and conquer the Free, and so continue their tri-
umphs in presidential elections. This combna-
tion has long been absolute in its mastery over
nominations, elections, Administrations and even
legislation, touching the maintenance and expan-
sion of the institution of slavery, to which it owes
its political strength.