The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1860-09-27

ernment in which the few privileged own
the lands, and the many unprIvileged
work them, or in wlich the few privileged
own the la5orers AID the laborers work
for them. In either case the laborer
works on compulsion, and Under the con.
straiut of force and in either case he
takes that which may remain after the
wants of the owners Of land or labor or
/ both are satisfied. The laborer must rest
content with the privilege Of being pro-
tected in his personal rights aud the
powers of the government are exercised
/ by the owners Of labor and of land.
Here, then, you see have brought you
to the consideration of the great problem
of society in this Republic or Empire
1t is this: Is there any danger that in the
/ United States the citizen Will not be the
owner of the land which he cultiyates !?
If there is any part of the United States
where the labor or the land is monopo-
lized by capital. there is place in which
Il the Democratic element has not yet had
| lis Introduction, or been permitted to work
its way effeetually. So, on the other hand,
as here where You are no man can monop-
/ olze tho land which another man is oblig-
ed to cultivate. much less monopulize the
labor by which the lands on which your
4 fields are cultivated, you are entirely aud
absolutely established aud grounded on
Democratic principles. But you all know
that has not always been the history of
our whole country and, at times, was not
/ the condition of any part of it. Some
two hundred years ago, when laborers
were scarce, and the field to be cultivated
was large, private citizens Of the Atlantic
States, driven as they said by the cupid
/ ity Of the British Governments, introduced
the labor of slaves into the American col
onies, and then established the aristocracy
of land and labor. The system pervaded
nearly the whole Atlantic States. 1t it
bad net been interrupted, it would have
pervaded the continent of America and
instead Of what you see, and of what you
are part, and of what you do-instead
J # emigration from the Eastern States
! into the prairies of the West, and Instead
Of emigration from Europe all over the
! Limited States, you would have had in the
/ North. West This day the Boston aud New
York merchants Importing laborers in-
stead of frcemen into the seaports, and
dispensing them over the entire valley of
the Mississippi That would have been
the condition of civilization on this con-
tinent 1t has been fortunate for you,
I and fortunate for us, that such deaecra-
tion of the magnificent scene, provided by
nature for the improvement Of human So
ciefy, and for the increase of human hap
piness, has been arrested so soon; ard
you will see how felcItous it is when, for
one moment you oupare the coLditlon Of
Wisconsin, and Of Alaine, and of Iowa,
and Of Illinois, aud of Indiana, and of all
the Free States of the Union, with the
islands of the West Indies, colonized just
at the same time that the Atlantic States
were co!onized, and with the condition of
South America whole and entire new
continent abounding in the most luxuriant
vegetasiob aud with the greatest resources
of mineral wealth, absolutely reduced to
condition of perpetual civil war, and
ever renewed runous desoiation. Fhe
salvation of North America from all those
disasters that have befallen the Southern
portion of the continent IS the result of
beld and 6rm procedure on the part of
your ancestors and mine, less than hun-
dred years ago.
Ihe Government Of the United Sts:es
was established in an auspicious moment
The world had become aroused to the in
justice as well as to TIE inexpediency OF
the system of Slavery and the people Ct
the United States, rising up to the digni.
ty of the decision that was before them,
determined to prevent the further exten-
sion, as far aud fast as possible to secure
the abolition Of African Slavery 1t was
under the influences of high, righteous,
noble, humane excitement like that, ever
the State Of Virginia, itself Slave State
like the State OF New Yerk, determined
that, so far as her power and her will
coeld command the future, Shyery
should cease forever; first, by ab,IishiDg
the African slave-trade, which would
Bring about, ultimately, the cessation of
domestic Slavery and, in the second
place, by declaring t. at her consent TO.
the cession of Territory northwest Of the
Ohio, of Efhieh you oeenpy so beautiful "A
part, wss given with the express condi-
ton that it should never be the home of
Slavery or Involuntary servltude. Ap-
plausa
But, fellow citizens, Ree3 not remind
ycu that this, like most other Efforts Of
human society to do good and TO advance
the Welfare Of mankind, had It's painful
and unfortunate reaction Hardly twen.
ty years bad elapsed after the passage of
those noble acts for the foundation of lib
a~fV on mo North AuorieaD oonfipont