Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1860-03-14


any right whatever to dictate what shall
be done. The bloody page that records I
the infant history of Kansas, aud the Grim.
inal adventure snd death of John
Bro gn, may be read with profit by the peo-
pie both North and South and from it they
may deduce the lesson, that the security
and tranquility OF the nation, can only be
preserved by the people of each section
scrupulously regarding and protecting the
rights Of the people of every other section.
THE AGITATION OF THE SLAVERY QUESTION.
The agitation of the Slavery question,
can be traced directly to the repeal Of the
Missouri Compromise. AS clearly as ever
effect can be traced to cause, or punish
ment to the sin that oecasioned 10, so can
the troubles which now affiict our beloved
country be referred to that mournful ard
disastrous measure.
II found the country at peace and has
left it stained with blood and torn by civil
dissentions. It re.opened the slavery ques
ton in a form most offensive and under
circumstances most aggravating to the an
ti.slavery sentiment Of the North. IL was
the deliberate breach OF a tme.honored
Compromise. which had had its origin in
the most critical period Of our political his.
tory, and had given peace to the nation
History will pronounce judgment upon il
a. wapton and wicked act. without a cir.
cumstanec to palliate OF excuse its perpe.
trstion; aud as having its origin In the poll.
teal necessities aud reckless ambition Of
partizans. The object TO be gained was
the united favor Of the South, and the
means Of obtaining IL an extravagant and
reckless devotion 10 her supposed inter
ests. Both parties are likely to be cheated:
the South will most probably fail TO derive
any benefit from the measure, but on the
contrary is likely to be seriously damaged
and the ambitious and desperate politician
who devised II Is likely to be foiled aud
defeated In the grand purpose Of his life
Allow me 10 read brief extract from a
recent letter addressed by Ex.President
FILLMORE, 10 n Union meeting In New
York. which he had been invited 10 nd
dress. The sentiments contained in IL are
80 beautifully expressed aud manifestly
just as to command the hearty appreciation
Of all intelligent minds
After n severe struggle, which threaten.
ed the integrity Of the Union, Congress Il
, nally passed laws settling these questions,
and the government and the people for a
time seemed to acquicsce In that compro
mise, a. final settlement Of this exciteinl
: question and IL IL exceedingly TO DO re-
GREETED, that mistaken ambition or the hope
Of promoting party triumph should bav,
tempted any one TO raise this question
again. Butt Ia an evil hour, this Pandora',
Dor Of SLAVERY toas again opened by iohaf
conceive 10 be an unjusfifabie attempt 10 fore
: souri, Compromise and the food OF evil,
. now swelling aud threatening to overthrow
the Constitution. and sweep away the foun
dation Of the Government itself, and del
uge this land in fraternal blood, nay all D.
traced 10 This unfortunate act. What might
J have been the motive, few acts have eveI
been 10 barren Of good. aud so fruitful oil
evil. The contest has exasperated IN,
public mind, North and South, and sngsn-
dered feelings of distrust, and may say,
; hate, that fear will take years to wear
, away.
"The lamentable tragedy at Harper's
Ferry is clearly traceable 10 this unfortun.
ate controversy about Slavery in Kansas,
J and while the chief actor in this crirnina
invasion has exhibited some traits of char
acter that challenge our admiration, yet his
fanatical zeal seems 10 have blinded his
moral perceptions, and hurried him into M
unlawful attack upon tho lives Of peaceful
aud unoffending community in sister
State, with the evident intention of raising
n servilc instruction, which no one car
contemplate without horror, and few, l be
licvo very few, can be found so indifferent
TO the consequences Of his acts, or so blinded
by fanatical zeal, rs not 10 believe that h,
Justly suffered the penalty Of the law which
he had violated. Icannot but hope that the
fate Of John Baown and his associates will
deter all others from an unlawful attempt
TO interfere in the domestic affairs OF sister
State. But this tragedy has now closed
and Virginia has vindicated the supremacy
OF her laws, and shown that sho is quite
compotentto manage her own affairs, and
protect her own rights. And thanks 10 M
} overruling Providence, the question about
Slavery In Kansas has also bacn settled In
favor Of freedom. The North has trium.
phed. aud having trIumphed. let her mag.
namimity aud generosity cher Southern
brethren, show that the contest on her part
was one Of principle, aud not OF persona
hatred or the low ambition Of sectional tri-
umph."
WHAT ~ run CAUSE or the rREsrxr uos-
rILiry or rnK SOUTH TOWARDS rnE soaru2
The fact 10 not TO bc disguise or eva.
ded, that there In deep feeling Of hostility
peryading the people Of the South towards
tho grent body Of the people Of tho North,
aud tho question may DO asked. has the
South Just cause Of complaint towards the
Northi She has but u 10 such complaint
ne adjoining States and communities can
always prefer against each other. There
always have been aud always will be indi.
viduais who will disregard the laws Of
their own and invade tho rights aud immu.
Miles Of other States. II such Invasion DO
cause Of war or Justify retaliation, then
different communities could never DO al
peace, and no confederaoy Of Stutes could
be peaceful or permanent. l doubt OF that
mon from the North have sometimes lndu.
cod slaves 10 run away from their masters.
though not perhaps once where II Ia char
god hundred times such conduct |, In vi.
citation OF tho law aud good nsIghborhood,
and IL not 10 DO pallIated or excused. Hut
" We wsre 20 open book account with
tho South. ~ mutual outrages springing
out Of the slavery question, We shall find
perhaps. " u did not come out about oven.
. hsis""s STANDING against her. The aues.
ton may bo asked then, what In the cause "
the hostility pervading the Southern mind
towards the people Of the North 7 There
arc many causes. but the chieI Que In 10 be
found In the policy efths Democratic Parry;
To chain tho South firmly 10 the car OF
that party u has for years proclaimed that
every other party at the North was fatally
bent on the inyasioB aud destruction ofthe |
constitutional rights Of the South. aud that
the success ~ any other party would proye