The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-06-08
VOLUME XI. NO. %.

hopes, for such an event, will be alike dis
Tn the language of Mr.. Jefferson, uttered
many years ago. "1t is still in our power
to diroct the process Of emancipation, and
deportation, poaceably, and in such slow
degrees, as that the evil wear OF insonsibly;
and their places ae, pdri pdssu, filled up by
free wbito lsborcrs. If, on tho contrary, 1t
is left to force itself on, human nature must
shudder at the prospect held up"
MIR Jefferson did not mean to say, nor do
I. that the powor Of emancipation is IN tho
Federal Government. Ho spokt Of Virgin.
10 and. as to the power of emancipation, 1
speak Of tho slavebolding States only.
! Tho Federal Government, however, as we
insist, has tho power Of restraining the ex'
tension of the institution--the power TO in.
snre that a slave insurrection shall never
occur on any American soil which is now
free from slavery. . .. ..
John Browns effort wns peculiar. II was
not slave insurrection. IL was an attempt
by whiie men TO got up revolt am6nR
slaves, In which the slaves refused to par
ticipate. In fnct, IL was so absurd that the
slaves, with all, thcir ignorance, saw. plninly
enough that it could not succeed. The
affair, in it's philosophy, corresponds with
tho many attempts, related in history, OF
tho assassination of kings and emperors
An enthusiast brooGs over tho oppression OF
, a people till ho faucics himself commissioned
: bv Heaven to liberate them. He ventures
the attempt, which onds in little less than
y its own execution. Orsinis attempt on Louis
Napoleon. and John Browns attempt n,
Harpor's Forry woro. in their philosophy
precisely the same. The eagornoss to cast
i NJ 4 4 &. III, "A
!; ON New England in tho other, docs not dis.
r prove the sameness of tho two things.
Aud now how much would il avail you. II
, you could by tho uso of John Brown, Help.
, ers book, and tho like, break up tho Ro-
: publican organization ? Human action can
be modified to some extent. but human ma
turo cannot he modified Thoro is n judg'
{ mont and feeling against slavery In TIM
nation. which casts ut least million and |
i huff OF votes. You caunot destroy tha
" Judgment and fcolng--that sentiment-b.
b. breaking up tho political organization tina
a rallies around il. You can scarcely scatte
!, and dsperse an army which has boon formo'
into order in the face uf your heaviest fire
y but if you could, how much would you gali
u by forcing the sentiment which created Il
n out ut tho peaceful channel Of the bsllo
i box into some othor channel? What woul'
!. that other channel probably be Woul'
e the number Of John Browns be esseDed o
a enlarged by the operation ~
. But you will break up tho Union ratbe
:, than submit 10 u denial of your Constitution
- al rights. . .r.l "r..
IL Tint has q somewhat reckless sound
II but it would be pallated, if not fully JUST
y fed, were wo proposing. by the mere forc
1t of numbers, to deprive you OF some rgh
- ,l, i,,l, rit in hn
- But We aro protesting no snch thing.
:, Whom you make these declarations, yo
- have specific aud we'll understood uIlusio'
~ to an assumed Constitutional right of yours
~ to take slaves into the federal territoriel
7. and to hold them there as property. Blu
lie no such right is specifically written in tn
10 Constitution. That instrument is literal
~ sIlen; about any such right. We, on tn
: contrary, deny that such right has an
existence in tho Constitution, oven by I'M
. plication. I'D.
u Your purpose. plainly stated. is. that yo,
u will destroy the Government, unles you b
j. allowed 10 copstrue and enforce tho Consti
u tuition as you please, on all points of disput
ID between YOU and us. You will rule or rui
~ in all events.
Is This. plainly stated, is your language +
u US. Perhaps you will say tho Suprem
70 Court has decided the disputed Constitu
- tional question in your favor Not quit
u so. But waving tho lawyers distinction
y between dictum aud decision. the Court
% have decided tho question for you in a sor
81 OF way. The Courts have substantial
r said, it is your Constitutional right TO TAX
T" slaves into tho federal territories, and L
:. hold them as property.
III Whom | say tho decision was rnado In
o., o, sort of a way, mean it was ma'ie in d
~ vided Court by bare majority of the judges
10 and they not quito agreeing with ono ap
10 other 10 the reasons for making it that u
10 SO made as that its avowed supporters di'
IN agree with one another about lis meaning
RS aud that it was mainly based upon o mi,
'h taken statement OF fact--the statement !
the opinion that "tho right Of property in
10 siave is distinctly and expressly affirmed
D tho Constitution" r. afa 7.H
d, An inspection of the Constitution vii
O. show that right of property in slave
Is, not distinctly and expressly affirmed in it,
30 Bear in mind the Judges do not pledge thei
ir political opinion that suol right is implied
y affirmed in the Constitutions; but they pledg
At their vencity that il is distinctly and el
10 pressly affirmed there--"dstinctiy, tha
te is not mingled with anything eso--'e,
~ pressly" that is. in words moaning just thn
n without tho aid of any inferences, and gu
W copiiblo of no other meaning. .... /. .
Ut II they bad only pledged their judici
IT. opinion that such rights ia affirmed in ii
On instrument by implication, II would DO ope
IL to others TO show that neithor tho woI
'e- "slavo" nor "slavory" ia to DO found in u
es Constitution, nor tho word property ovo
or in any connection with language ai'uding
"a the things slave. or slavery, and wherev'
" in that instrument tho slave is alluded to !
" is called 'person" and wherever bis ina
OF ters legal right in relation to him is alluds
u to. il is spoken of rs service or labor due
GO as debt payable in service or labor. Ais
20 it would DO open to show. by contemp'
no ranoous history, that this mode of Mludin
70 to slaves and slavery, instead of speaking
er thom, was employed on purpose TO cxcuo
from tho Constitution tho idea that the
on could DO property in man. -
an To show all this is easy and certain:
no When this obvious mistake Of the Judg
go, shall DO brought to their notice, is it NJ
ny reasonable to expect that thoy will withdra
ou tho mistaken abatement. and reconsider u
ICY conclusion based upon it? .. r..
'as And then tits TO be remembered thar OF
.he fathers. who framed tho Government und'
cs, which wo live"-the men who made the Co
ok stltuticn--decided this samo Conslitut tion