The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1860-08-30

friend, betrayed the plot to that friend,
and bv consequence, ,averted the calamity
Occasionally poisonings from the kitchen,
and open or Stealthy assasslnatlons IN the
field, and local revolts extending to score
or so. will continue to occur, as the natu-
raj results of slavery; but no general IN
surrection Of slaves, as | think, can hap
pen in this country for long time.
Whoever much fears or much hopes for
such an event, will be alike disappointed.
Ia the language Of Mr.. Jefferson, uttered
many years ago, ait is still in our power
to direct the process of emanci patton and
deportation poaceably, and in such slow
degrees as that the evil will wear off in
sensibly, and their places be Pori PaSsu,
| filed up 10y free white laborers. cloud
applause.) If on the contrary, it is left
to force itself on, human nature must
shudder at the prospect held up" Mr..
Jefferson did not mean to say, no. do |,
that the power of emancipation Is IN the
Federal Government. lie spoke of Nir-
ginia; and, as to the power Of emancipa-
ton, speak of the slaveholding States
only. The Federal Government, howev-
er, as we insist, has the power of restrain
ing the extension OF the institution-the
power to insure that slave inSurrection
shall never occur on any American soil
which is now free from slavery. Gap
plause.) John Browns effort was pecu-
liar. 1t was not slave insurrecton. 1t
was an attempt by white men to get up
revolt among slaves, i'll which the slaves
refused to participate. In fact, it was so
absurd that the slaves, with all their Is
norance, saw plainly enough it could not
succeed That affair, in its philosophy,
corresponds with the many attempts, re-
lated in history, at the assassination Of
Kings and Emperors. An enthusiast
broods over the oppression Of people, til
he fancies himself commissioned by Eeay
en- to liberate them. lie ventures the
attempt which ends in little else than in
lis own execution. Orsini's attempt on
Louis Napoleon, and John Brown at
tempt at Harper's Ferry, were, in their
philosophy, precisely the same. The ca
7| garress to cast blame on old England in
the one case, and on New England in the
other, does net disproye the sameness Of
the two things. (Appause.)
And how much would it avail you, #
you could, by the use Of John Brown,
Helpers book, and the like, break up the
Republican organization Human ac-
ton can be modified to some extent, but
human nature cannot be changed -
The. is a judgment and feeling against
slavery in this nation, which cast at least
million and half Of votes. You can.
NOT destroy that judgment and feeling
that sentiment-by breaking up the po
iitical organization which rallies around
it, you can scarcely scatter and dlspCrse
an army which has been formed INTO Or
der in the face of your heaviest ere but
if you could, how much would YOU gam
by forcing the sentiment which created
it, out of the peaceful channel Of the bal
lot box, into some other channel? What
would that other channel probably be !!
/ Would the number Of John Browns be
ieasened or enlarged by the operation?
But you will break up the Union rather
than submit to a denial of your constitu-
1onal rights. That has somewhat reck-
less sound; but 1t would be paliated, if
not fully justified, were we proposing, by
the mere force of numoers, to deprive you
of some right plainly written down in the
! Constitution. But we are proposing no
such thing. When you make these dee
arations, you have specific and we'll
understood allusion to a. assumed consti-
tutional right Of yours, to take slaves in
to the Federal Territories. and to hold
them there as property. But 10 such
right is specifically written in this Con
stitution. That instrument is literally
silent about any such right. We on the
contrary, deny that such right has any
existence in the Constitution, even by
implication. (Applause.)
Your purpose, then plainly stated is
that you will destroy the Government,
unless YOU be allowed to conStrue and en-,
force the Constitution as you please, on
all points in dispute between YOU and us.
/ You viii ruin or rule in all events. This
plainly stated, is your language to US
Perhaps you will say that the Supreme
Court has decided the disputed constItu-
tional question in your favor. Not quite
50. But, waving the lawyers distinction
between dictum and decision, the court
have decided the question for YOU in a
sort Of way. The court has substantially
said, it is your constitutional right to
take slaves into the Federal Territories,
aud to hold them there as property -
When say the decision was made in a
sort of way, | mean it was made in di-
vided court by bare majority of the
judges, and they not quite agreeing with
I,n- th1a .nn.nra- Ear -