Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1860-08-14
CARL sCHURZ AT ST. LOUIS.
A GREAT SPEECH.

Carl Schurz made speech at St.
Louis Wednesday night, that will add
even to the brilliancy Of his reputation
as an orator. He spoke at very great
length, and is fully reported in the DEM
ocrat. We have room for only a few
striking passages. He opened the sub
ject as follows:
Mr. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN
To deny the existence of an evil they do
not mean to remedy, to ascribe to paltry
causes the origin of great problems they
do not mean to solve, to charge those
who define the nature of an existing diff
ficulty, with having originated it-these
are the expedients which the opponents
of reformatory movements have resorted
to since mankind has history. An ap-
peal to ignorance or timidity is their
last hope, when all resources of logic
and argument are exhausted. The old
comedy is repeated again and again.
The assertions that the great contest
between free and slave labor has no
foundation in fact, that the origin of the
slavery controversy is to be found in
the fanaticism of few Northern Aboli-
tionists, and that those who speak Of an
"irrepressible conflict are to be made
responsible for its existence-these form
the argumentative staple of those who
possess either not sagacity enough to
discern, or not courage enough to state
facts as they are.
Speaking of
| THE IRREPREssiBLE CONFLICT,
he said:
Your social system is founded upon
forced labor, ours upon free labor
Slave labor cannot exist together with
freedom of inquiry and SO you demand
the restriction of that freedom; free labor
cannot exist without it, and so we main
tain its inviolability. Slave labor de-
mands the setting aside of the safeguards
of individual liberty, for the purposes
of upholding subordination and protect
ing slave property; free labor demands
their preservation as essential and in
dispensable to its existence and progress
sive development. Slavery demands ex-
tension by an aggressive foreign policy;
free labor demands an honorable peace
and friendly intercourse with the world
abroad for its commerce, and peaeeable
and undisturbed development of our
resorees at home for its agriculture and
industry. Slavery demands extension
over national territories for the purpose
of gaining political power. Free labor
demands the national domain for work
ing men, for the purpose of spreading
the blessings of liberty and civilization.
Slavery, therefore, opposes all measures
tending to secure the soil to the actual
llaborer; freeslabor. therefore. recognizes
the right of the settler to the soil, and
demands measures protecting him against
the pressure of speculation. Slavery de
mands the absolute ascendancy of the
planting interest in our economical
policy; free labor demands legislation
tending to develop all the resources of
the land, and to harmonize the agricul-
tural, commercial, and industrial in
terests. Slavery demands the control of
the general government for its special
protection and the promotion of its pc
culiar interests; free labor demands that
the general government be administered
for the purpose of securing to all the
blessings of liberty, and for the promo
tion of the general welfare. (Tremend-
oas applause.) Slavery demands the
recognition of its divine right; free la
Dor recognizes no divine right but
that of the liberty of all men. cloud
eheers.) -
With one word, slare1y demands for its
protection and perpetuation, system, o.
policy aohich as utterly incompatible soith
the principles upon sohich the organization
of free labor society rests. There is the
antagonism. That is the essence of the
''irrepressible conflict" 1T is con
fict of principles underlying interests
always the same, whether appearing as
moral, economical or political question
Mr.. Douglas boasted that he could re-
press it with police measures; he might
as we'll try to fetter the winds with a
rope. The South mean to repress ii
with decisions of the Supreme Court
they might as well, like Xerxes, try to
subdue the waves Of the ocean by throw.
ing chains into the water. (Applause. !,
As to the ~
CONSTRUCTION OF THE CONSTITUTION.
The predominance of interests deter
mines the construction of the Constitu.
ton So it was and so it ever will be
Only those who remained true to the
original programme of the fathers, re.
mained true to the original construction
Decide the contest of principles under,
lying interests, and the conflict of con,
stitutienal constructions will settle itself
This way seems a dangerous politica
theory. It is not an article of my Greco
not matter of principle-buta matter
of experience, not doctrine, but fact
Thus the all-prevailing antagonisn
stands before US, gigantic in its dimen
sions, growing every day in the awfu
proportions of its problems, involving
the character Of cur institutions; involv,
ing our relations with the world abroad
Involving our peace, our rights and1iber,
ties at home; involving our growth and
prosperity; involving our moral and po
litical existence as nation.
} AS to
IGNORING THE 1RRErREssIBhE CONFLICT.
There we encounter the so-called
Union party, with Bell and = everett, who
tell US the best way to osettle the conflict
is to ignore it. Laughter.
Ignore, it! Ignore it, when attempts
, are made to plunge the country into waa
and disgrace, for the purpose of slavery
extensionl Ignore it, when slavery and
free labor wage their fierce war about
the possession of the national domaia!-
Ignore it, when the liberties of speech
and press are attacked! Ignore it, when
the actual settler claims the virgin soil
and the slaveholding capitalists claim il
also! Ignore it, when the planting inter
ests seek to establish and maintain its
lexclusiua snnrannacu In our ecnnnnai ica