The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-06-15

SIR, we are anxious 10 preserve the Ter.
riiories Of the United States for those
white men who are willing TO ill the soil
10 labor on II; and 10 rest, for the support
OF their families, on the labor which they
bestow with their own hands on the soil
purchased by their fathes's blood and de-
Tended by their own.
Now, l admit that this Helper Book,
in o few instances, comments on the sys.
TEN of slavery in needlessly harsh Ian.
guage. It a sort Of bluster which seems
indigenous 10 the soil on which Helper was
born and bred. do not approve Of it.
would moi have recommended the book
to go forth with those harsh expressions
in it still. that does not materially alter
the utility OF the work, because intelligent
men throughout the Free States distin.
guish between those parts OF il that are
unreasonsbly violent and denunciatory
and those parts that are free from bemish.
There is nothing said in the book worse
than what has been said by the great men
OF Virginia, ard Of North Carolina and OF
the thirteen original States 10 general
Indeed, large part Of the book Is com.
posed OF extracts from the writings of
these great men. But we are now in.
formed that the Democracy have dis
covered a new principle in ethics, namely,
that the idea Sc, forth in the age Of Homer,
as 10 making q man q slave, does no,
work at all nowadays. There is no
man, be he black or white or red, who
does not loathe the condition OF slavery d;
none who would prefer it to freedom,
although we have been told here that the
negroes are content and happy and wou Id
not take their liberty il offered to them.--
Now how is that ? II the negroes would
not accept their liberty il offered to them.
l do not see what danger there can be in
the agitation Of the Abolitionists. These
things cannot all stand together. Either
the slaves would take their freedom, or
else southern men feigu their dread ol
slavery agitation.
1t is asserted in this book that The slave.
owners shall not dissolve the Union
Well, ths, is mere piece Of character.
istic buster. Again, it is said that slave
holders would mob Thomas Jefferson.
Well l world no, like TO negative this
affirmation. IL Thomas Jefferson was
alive, and were to hold forth in Virginia
the sentiments which he published then.
I do not know-State pride might save
him.
Well, sir. the uproar about the Helper
Book in Congress did have the effect Of
gathering together quite number Of the
fearful and unbelieving Northern mer-
chants. They gathered themselves to.
gether rather extensively in our large
cities. and passed many soothing resolu.
tons but this "soft solder" only IN.
creased the violence of these Congressional
paroxysms, as sensible people might have
known. 1t would have been refreshing
for some OF those merchants TO have been
here and heard The denunciations OF their
Union meetings from the Democratic side
Of the Hall. II would have beat 4 little
common sense into their brains, if pos
sible. They were denounced as hypo.
critics, or at least. As not going the length
that was demanded Of them by the sx.
treme malign;ty OF the Helper Book.
Did the meetings at New York and else.
where 60 to the extent Of quieting the
fears Of our brethren Of the South? No
at all. The only thing. believe, that
worked on that class OF Northern men was,
the threat that the South would not trade
with them, unless they put down abo.
lition. That was pocket argument
which addressed itself with some degree
OF force, but presented TO them q rather
impracticable alternative.
Well, sir. after all the wind raised
about the Helper Book, they have cnly
selected for condemnation fourteen pass
ages on fourteen pages out Of two hun
dred and fourteen. There is but fourteen
two hundred and fourteenths Of il bad
and The balance they do not pretend to
end fault with. Now, / believe there is
about as large a proportion Of good in il
as there 10 in any ordinary book Of modern
times. II it does not contain more than
fourteen two hundred and fourteenths o.
evil, call it q tolerably orthodox book
did not then believe, and do not now
that the people OF the South were afraid
Of the effect OF the book but Southern
politicians, and the Northern Democracy
in league with them, seized it as "God.
send" for political effect. and nothing else
I be!ive that Southern institutions ar.
altogether too strong TO be capsized by sc
slight breeze as the Helper Book hal
raised still l Go no! know, and can only
say that II they are not. it will only b
gratifying to the enemies Of Southern in
stitutions.
II Southern politicians had only let thi'
book alone, and not brought 1t befor'
CoDgress.it would not have made ripple
on the repose OF this country. The pub
location oi it here as monster, operate,
like the mammoth sheets, such as ar'
used for advertising circuses and men
ageries. The people opened their ear
and listened. II Helpers book was I
monster they wanted to know its exsc
proportions and see 1t perform. Tbi
made Helpers fortune. / do not regre
that, for he says that the shareholders, b,
their superior wealth and social position
have oppressed the great masses Of thei
laboring population. How that is. l d.
not know. Il is none of my busi
ness. ! have never interfered, and |
is not my intention ever to interfere
with these matters 10 the slave States.-
It Is their business and not ours, to reg
piats their social relations. however Te
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