The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1860-02-15


and try to put down agitation. But it it
useless to cry peace, peace, where there
is 20 peace. Compromises do not bind |
1t. Party resolutions do not keep it
dowr. The question is uf,is forcel upon
the country. 1t will not down Nat, your
bidding" Itdomands, and will have, an
exbleitanswer:: Is freedom sectional and
slavery national Docs the Constitution
of its own force, carry slavery into al the /
Territories we now have or NAV hereaf.,
ter ever, acquire? Wherever our flag
floats, over sea or land, is Slavery protect
Ell under its folds? -
have mover doubted, for one moment,
what answer will be given to this allah
sorbing question when passed upon by
the American people. But after all the /
great question still remains, and witho,i. |
answering which all attempts at emanei-~,
patton by States OF, individuals, if not I'M f..
possibr,are almost impracticabIe. What |
provision sha, be made for, those who |
are now or hereafter may be emancipated. |
NAM of the free States refuse to receive
tleplitit their jurisdictions. Many Of
the Slave States are passing laws to re-
enslave them. AYetalk of the HORRORS Of
the African slave trade, but there is going
on to day, before the eyes of the Amcri-
can people, in this Christian land, svs-
tom Of violence and oppression whose
c III b.o)ded iuhumanity. can har lily find
u parallel, and which seeks TO reduea to
Slavery almost haIfa million of freemen.
4 wall Of anguish from these people is
going up to rend the very heavens =
What in Coils name, shall We do with
them aud for them? We have no right,
it's true, TO interfere with the indepen-
'lent action of States, who have sovereign
power over this question within their re-
sPective jurisdictions, But is there no
responsibility resting upon the Govern-
ment of the United States. andespecially
upon the people Of the North We have
never Represented to the people Of the
South an answer to that qnest on, With
out dwelling at length upon this subject,
MAINTAIN that it is duty. which VIC owe
10 the people of the South, which we owe
to this unfortunate class OF our fellow be-
ings, which we owe 10 ourSo'va IS, and
which we owe to that Divine Being who
commands us'to sieve Recommendations as
we love ours Ives" by some action of the
United States, which controls our for
eign relations, to provide an asylum Id
o home for this class of unfortunate men,
now doomed to Punishment and confs-
cation or to reinstatement. This was
the plan Of Jefferson, sanctioned hy Wash
ington, Madison, Monroe, CLAY, q ID Jack
son. 1t is the only practical and peace
full solution of the slavery question, for it
opens way not only for emancipation,
bat for what is no less important, and
without which emancipation in u State
where slavery exists to considerable cx-
tent IS wholly impracticable-G peaceful
separation ofhe race.
Let the people of the North in good
faith meet the people Of the South upon
this ground-four- fiths of whom have no
interest in slaves-and say to them, in all
rankness, Gentlemen, while we shall
oppose the extension of slavere into the
Territories, aud save them for the occu-
patton OF free white men; while we shall
oppose the reopening of the African slave
trade, we arc ready to join you at any
moment. and n ur any eypelGse which
may be necessary, and procure by treaty
or purchase, in Central or South Ameri-
ca, the rights of settlement and citizen.
ship for the co!ored men Of all the states
of this Union now free or hereafter to be-
come free by the voluntary action of States
or OF individuals. This would in no re-
| spect be a sectional measure; it would be
national in all its re poets. 1t would not,
in any manner, Infringe upon he RICH S
of the sevcra' States nor of the iudividu-
al citizens of the States. As the case now
stands it Is hardly practicable for an indi-
vldual or State 10 emancipate their sla-
yes. And, because this measure would
make s Mt and individuals free to rid
themselves of slavery, if they should wish
to-do So, itwould by no means-not in
| the slightest degree infringe upon their
/ rights or constrain their Independent ac-
| tom il woull only make them free to
| act for themselves and in their own way.
| They would remain free to hold or to
emancipate Their slaves. If slavery be,
as the men of the South say, blessing,
they could hold on upon it, and be bIest.
But if it be, as the men Of the North man
tain, an evil, they would no longer be
compelled to bear itas a necessity, for it
would then be in their power to remove it
When the people of the North shall meet
the people ofthe South and strike hands
together uron this question, as in my
! judgment nine-tenths in o. sections will
be prepared to 80 wien they fully under
stand it, every danger to the Union grow
ing out of this negro question will have
passed away. i III.
The Burlington Sentina! tells the fol-
Z lnpipo i,,tn ~ Eont + ,,,t ~ -, e