Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-01-13


held as slave, who shall come or be brought
or be in the State, with or without the con
sent of his or her master OF mistress, or who
shall come, or be brought, or be involunta-
rily, Or in any other way, in the State shall
be free; and denounces against any person
who shall hold the fugitive as slave, she
penalty of Imprisonment for not less than
one nor more than fifteen years, and fine
not exceeding two thousand dollars. (See
Session Acts 1858, page AZ y In other of
the non-slaveholding States, Gf am not
mistaken, similar legislation has been en-
ployed to defeat the execution of the law,
within their limits. They maintain the
doctrine of ain ''irrepressible conflict" be-
tween free and slave labor, which, under
their teachings has produced its first fruits
in the shedding of Virginia blood, upon our
own soil. The friends of this kind of legis-
lation, and the supporters of these mischiev-
Gus doctrines, WELD the Executive, Legisla-
tive and Judicial authority of the non slave
holding States, with scarce an exception. -
In the Senate OF the United States the Re-
publican party numbers upwards of twenty,
and in the House of Representatives more
than one hundred, all elected by the voters
Of non -slaveholding States, and all endors-
ing and approving these obnoxious doctrines
and measures. A few years ago this party
was very small in each branch of Congress,
and we were assured that they represented
a comparatively small number of fanatics,
with whom the great body of the Northern
people bad no sympathy, and who entertain
ed no principles and doctrines in common
with them on these questions.
1t is readily and cheerfu]ly conceded, that
large portion of the citizens of the nom
slavoholding States are loyal to the Consti-
tuition and the Union but it is not to be
disguised, that larger number are inditfer-
ent to both, and would prefer dissolution
of the Union to the extension Of slave terri
tory, Or the increase Of slave States. They
desire to con6ne slavery to the States in
which it now exists, and the sympathy man
Tested for John Brown and his associates in
crime, gives reason to fear that they are not
prepared to aid in putting down attempts to
interfere with the institution, even in the
Statas where it is recognized and protected
by law.
This lamentablc state of things. between
the two sections of the country, has its ORR
gin in the construction placed by the North
ern people upon the Constitution Of the
United States. They construe it to the
prejudice Of the honor, rights and institu-
tons Of their Southern brethren. They in
sist that the Constitution authorizes the a.
doption of measures for the exclusion of sla-
very from the Territories-the common
property of all the States-and they spare
no effort to affirm their construction by the
Legislation Of Congress. In the early histo-
ry OF the government, territory was acquired
and territorial governments were organized
without enquiring whether they were free or
slave-free and slave States were admitted
into the Union pari passu. The Constitu-
ton was construed fairly and justly accord
ing to it's terms and spirt-we lived in har-
mony-and our prosperity as a nation was
steady and unparalleled When the North
ern construction began to prevail strife a
rose, bitter feelings were engendercd, crimi-
nation and rccrimination followed; and we
now find that the ties of brotherhood have
been sundcred, mutual distrust has succeed
ed, and the kindly feelings of affection have
been smothered by bitter sectional hatred,
that now bids fair to outlive the existence of
the Union. The only foundation upon which
the government can rest in security, is tho
affections e the people. If this foundation
has cot beef entirely undermined it is so
nearly gone that it becomes the conservative
patriots of the nation to unite and determine
upon a line Of policy that shall govern their
future action. greatly fear, however, that
the disease has taken such hold upon the
Northern mind that it is almost impossible
now to eradicate it.
In this deplorable condition of things, with
all the evils incident to dissolution of the
Union prominently before us, the enquiry
presents itsell-what can be done to avert
the danger? The Supreme Court cannot
settle this question of construction, because
it is not recognized by the parties as an ar
bitter. This has been but too plainly mani
tested in the utter reputation of the bred
Scott decision, by the Republican party.
The only mode, therefore, of remedying
the evil that occurs to me, under the Con-
ceieuoAoA, ID PiOSIuCu III We uttu dItlClc
thereof. Summon Convention of all the
the States, that full and free conference
may be had between the Representatives of
the people, elected for this purpose, and thus
ascertain whether the questions is controver-
sy cannot be settled upon some basis mutu-
ally satisfactory to both sections. If such a
convention shall assemble, and after free
and full consultation and comparison of opin-
ions, they shall find that the differences be-
tween the slave holding and non-slave hold
ing States are irreconcilable, let them con-
slider the question Of peaceful separation,
and the adjustment of all questions relating
to the disposition Of the common property
between the two sections. If they can be
reconciled let them adjust the terms and give
them such sanctions as will render them eff
| fective.
suggest, therefore, that you adopt reso.
lutions in favor Of the call of such Con.
ventiou; and appeal to the Legislatures O.
the several States to unite in the application
proposed to be made to Congress, in pursu-
ance of the provisions of the article afore
said. If the non slayeholding States shall
fall Or refuse to unite in the application, sucl
failure or refusal will furnish conclusive eyi
dence of a determination on their part te
keep up the agitation, and to continue theil
aggressions upon us. If the Convention shall
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