Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1860-03-21

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against the hearts and consciences of thu
great masses of the North. and nothing
short of the Almighty Power changing theii
hearts can make them eager to execute
| this law. In the South, where the feeling
is different, when slaves are brought ther'
from the Coast of Africa, in violation o
the law against piracy, these very magis
trates cannot infict the punishment due
He would have just as much ground to ac
cuse the South of perjury because the vic.
tins of the yacht Wanderer are not re
leased, and her officers punished, as they
have to accuse US because we do not exc
cute swiftly enough law more odious and
repugnant to us. The next charge of the
Senator is that of passing Personal Liber-
ty bills There is no foundation under tho
heavens for this charge against Ohio. Ohio
never passed a law in violation of the Con
stitution of the United States, and she nev.
er has been derelict to her duty in this pa T.
ticular. Does the Senator suppose that
any sovereign State of this Union is going
to relinquish all her rights over her citi-
zens because these is certain provision in
the Constitution by which certain class
may be taken out of her limits? That
would be to abandon to any ruthless and
unprincipled man whatever he might choose
to claim. Cannot a State prevent the kid
mapping of her citizens because you have q
right to claim q slave? The Constitution
says that any person owing service to any
other State shall be given up. but it does
not state the means by which this shall be
ascertained. appeal to the Senator from
Georgia if he believes that the trainers Of the
Constitution would have consented 70 a
provision that deprived the States utterly
of the power to protect their own citizens?
,Eo, sir. But it is frequently said that
the Constitution would not have been
framed if this had not been provided for.
But so far from this being the case, itwas
mere after thought
Tho Constitution was formed in all its
important particulars before any man
thought of this provision, and it was placed
there with no idea that State should sur
render any power to protect her own citi-
zens. If that Convention was jealous Of
any one thing more than another, it was
of the rights of the States, and they battied
inch by inch, against every principle that
looked to the surrender of any State pow-
er. They never intended to give any pow
er to any person to claim anybody they
chose. 1t was only to claim the fugitive
labor; and when that has been ascertained,
no State has resisted the law. But the
Senator says that Ohio. among the rest,
has committed kind of perjury, by pass
ing Personal Liberty bills. Mr. Wade
referred to the law of Ohio, to prevent
slaveholding and read the last section, as
follows
Nothing in the preceding section of this
act shall apply to any act done by any
person under the authority of the Consti-
tuition of the United States, or any law Of
the United States made in pursuance there
Of.
And, continued Mr.. W., now, l ask the
Senator if he was upon The bench, and if a
fugitive was BROUGHT before him under this
law, if he would have any difficulty in sur
rendering him? Let me say to you wkC
hold the doctrine of State Rights, you en-
danger the liberty of your own States wher
you contend against the powerof the States
to pass laws protecting their own citizens
No asperity of language no frowning coun-
tenance or denunciation shall ever induce
Ohio to forget what is duo to her sovereign
ty and to the protection of her own citizens
never, never, Sir And she takes no proudel
stand on this subject than l hope in God
every other State in the Union takes. Then
the Senator was wrong and uncandid to say
our constituents we're perjured, when they
have taken every precaution to protect th'
citizens of States holding a species Of prop.
erty We utterly repudiate. Ohio is ncvel
forgetful of her rights. She holds no Sen
ators here to denounce the sovereignties o.
other States.
But when her rights are assailed, her EN-
bassadors would be unfaithful to their trus
if they did not hurl back any such imputatiOl
The third count of this Indictment was tina
We intended to prohibit and limit Slavery il
the vast territories of the Unitd States.
Sir, to that charge confess it is true. w,
do intend il, Sir. If | understand the OBJ
jecfs and purposes of the Republican party
1t was brought into power on this very sub
ject. When the General Government had
broken all the pledges to Freedom in on
Territories, the Republican party rose Il
oppose this unconstitutional aggression
Had there been no violation of the Missouri
Compromise, very porbably there would hav
been no Republican party here. We intend t
defend the Territories of this country again
the pollution of Slavery. There we stand
and there is our platform, and there we sha
stand forever. But the Sneator claims tn
right to carry slaves into the TerritOrie
because the decision of the Court gives hin
that right Now no man has more respee
for the decisions of the Court, when With
their proper judicial limits, than | have
and no one knows better how essential it i
that these should nc lived up to. But jus
as much as revere an honest Court, keep
ing within its jurisdiction and restrainin.
itself from any political connection, so, Sir
in exact proprotion do l abhor and scou
one from the corrupt Judge who, for an
purposes, will reach over the case befor
him and endeayOr-to advance a polit ca
canse by any decisions he may pretend t
make.
! The moment the Court transcends it
authority for the purpose of affecting an.
political cause, its decision is impertinent
and, with the Courts of Georgia, say,
/ hold it in bitter contempt, and if there eve
was decision on Gods earth that woul,
warrant any private man or Senator say
ing i hold it in contempt it is that Dire
/ Scott decision. What was the case? a.
old negro proseeutes fer his liberty in tn
/ Federal Courts Old bred Scott sued 70
his freedom, and the plea was put in tha
being the descendant of Africa he coul
not sue in that Court. The Court decide
that man may be 50 monstrous low tina
he cannot sue for his life. and L believ
this is the first nation on Gods earth tina