Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-07-28

ments 10 which the future oi the country
was 10 be subjected, and consequently no
was made against them suplecs
which distracted and divided them, N IheH
deliberations, have lost much OF thelr former
consaouence. and we seem TO be more anx-
;o,,s ~ ascertain what they should have said
retber than what they actually did say
w., the controversies in which we ourselves
bsva been engaged within the last decade
have been settled or lost sight Of, and we
are now about to enter INTO that connect
which Is 20 define many OF the most I'M Pof-
tont ,oyyers Of the Government, and TO hx |
tbe cbsraater of the dominant institutions OF
the country. The propriety Of re-eligiblllty |
To office. the exact relations between Federal |
and local authority, the cOnstltutlonallty OF
hanks and internal Improvements, the reg
ulation Of the currency, ana the dlstrlOutlOh |
of the proceeds Of public lands, are no ION
ger agitated and discussions upon theln are
only TO be found in our past history, ana III
the fossil remains Of extinct parties. II may
in truth be said that old things nave passed
svvav. and all things have become new.
There was a time, not very far back IN the
mast. when Slavery was universally admit
ted to be a wrong N Sc, unwise in practice,
detrimental to both individuals and eommu-
mites. and against the spirit and genius oi
our free system. Now, however, it IS declar-
ed to be divine in its origin, the highest type
of human civilization, and indispensable TO
The maintenance of a democratic republic
Formerly it was regarded as condition TO
be constantly reduced and finally to be ex-
tinpuished Now, on the contrary, the de-
nand is urged that it shall be extended ana
made controlling. Here find the cause OF
source Of the great political issue OF the pres
ant Shall Slavery become a National instl-
,ir,rr. the GOun-
try. or shall il remain as the CONSTITUTION
left it9 This is not an inquiry propounded
Nv ms Of the North, but forced upon us by
our brethren Of the South. They require an
answer at our hands, and we cannot AVOID
response if we would. Silence upon our
no+t under the circumstances, could not De
Construed otherwise than as affirmative oi
their claims. I make the distinct ayoWal
thai Slavery seeks the acquisition OF sll our
new States, for two objects first to secure
the value Of slaves; and, second 70 olrec'
! the powers of the Federal Government
ssTbe irrepressible conflict" so frequently
commented on and denounced by the South'
is constantly admitted and acted on BY then'
| They are too astute as observers and sagaclons
as politicians not to know there IS anecessa-
nafmony between the sections. It is their
full appreciation Of the struggle for the mas
/ terry which arms them for the conflict, and
| induces them 10 wrestle for the victory
There is no more evident fact than this that
/ the advocates Of Slavery seek its extension
j SO as to limit the influence Of the sentiment
/ of Freedom. We hate tyranny, and would
prevent such a eOnsumInation. They ask
/ that all who toll shall be held as property-be
regarded, in the chsste language Of an elo-
! ouent Senator, as Hmud-sills." We believe
/ that God created all men free, and imposed
/ labor upon them for their advantage. Which
/ hypothesis shall be proved truer We will
see hereafter But knowing that the princi-
pies of Justice are uniform and eternal,
presume to believe that those principles will
prevail and human rights be maintained.
am not ignorant Of the fact that those who
supposes they may rightully make merehan-
/ disc Of mothers and their children, seem to
/ think they can shape the designs Of Provi-
! dsnce, and re-write the history of humanity,
reversing everything our fathers thought,
and for the maintenance Of which they per
lied life and honor. must be pardoned for
disagreeing with them and protesting against
such conclusions.
The extension Of Negro Slavery into the
Territories of the United States has become a
settled policy of the Democratic party. This
reality cannot be disguised, and ought not be
denied. It is easily accounted for. Unity
ofinterest and unity of desire will always pro-
duce q perfect concentration Of strength
The fortunes of the South have become COM
pletely identified with their peculiar domestic
relations. By their harmony they have
been enabled to govern the Democratic party,
and thus far, to govern the country through
the agency of that party. The vital force Of
that organization being in the South, and
Slavery propagandism regarded there as a
necessity, it cannot be considered strange
that the influence of the party should be SO
directed as to fortify doctrines most congenisl
| to the supposed welfare Of those who direct
| its machinery. To many it has seemed unac-
/ countable that Executive action and Legisla
tive and Judicial proceedings should be 50
shaped, from year to year, as to strengthen
the few at the expense Ofthe great mass ofour
people. Let it no longer be regarded as a
marvel or a mystery; the responsibility Of it
| rests with those Northern men in whom we
| have reposed our confidence and clothed with
the garment Of authority. Examine the
recorded votes in your National Congress, and
there learn why it is that Northern capital
and labor are constantly borne down by the
enormous weight OF Southern exRction.-
] When your reasonable requests are denied, l
/ tell you, with earnestness and emphasis, it is
because eight millions Of men control eighteen
/ millions through our representatives elected
by a party pledged to intesests adverse to ours.
/ Slavery educates its statesmen in g high
| school under able professors. It teaches that
/ the Northern men are coWardly, and that
their ambition is linked with avarice: and
unfortunately for us II has arguments to fortify
] Ia e II, ko1f l.
credited that less than dozen men, trained
under these eircumstances, so alarmed a
Pennsylvania President as to induce him to
recast a Message, violate the plighted faith
upon which be was elected, disgrace his native
4 State, and degrade the high Office to which he
had then but recently been elevated. And yet
not only this has been done almost within our
presence, but the representatives of free con-
stituencies have been induced to lend their
aid to force serYile labor into competition
with that of the white man, and a Slave
State into the sisterhood ofindependencies. to
throw the balance Of power against their own
people. Some of these are now not only
respectable members Of the Douglas church,
but missionaries among the uDbelieving and
outside barbarians. I have some of them
very distinctly in my recollection, and it would
be quite refreshing to hear their remarks in
laudation of Popular Sovereignty, such as
they denied to Kansas, and in denunciation
ofSouthern demands, TO which they succumbed
as reluctantly as thrice sedueed damsel to
her lover. believe it was Mirabeau who
said " the presents Of despotism are always
dangerous he should have included in his
remark the threat Of the tyrant as well as his
reward.
The allegation that Southern combinations
are formed for the purpose Of counteractinQ