Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-12-21
MUsCATINE IOWA. DECEMBER 81,
For the Journal
Has Iowa any Slavery, or Can She
Have under Present Laws!

| For the Journal.
Has iowa any slavery, or Can Slit
Have under Present Laws!
| FRIEND MAHIN:-I have not got through
with this subject-the subject of slavery ii
our country-which has, for many years past
been all the subject Of discussion aod legisla
ton by the Democrats, until they have broker
down the Missouri Compromise; broken tht
heads Of many valuable citizens in Kansas
broken the sacred faith-the compromise
between the North and the South-so that il
is doubtful if it is ever restored again; broker
two of their National Conventions up; broker
their party in two; broken the South off
broken the Treasury of the Nation; broken
the Constitution, and propose to amend it
and lastly, and greatest Of all, they have
broken the silence of the Republicans.
The Reuiew does me the honor to acknowl
edge that l have spoken once, while they
have domurred many years, and told US to
keep our mouths sealed upon this subject. l
am not accustomed to write upon political
subjects, but the Democratic party have
pressed it upon US, and have got up such a
noise, hubbub and disturbance about it, that
there does not appear to be anything else to
do. So slavery talk is the word, and intend
to occupy my time with my Democratic
friends, and, when am through, will try
and stop, and not before. | like this freedom.
What objection does the Reoiew have to it !?
They talk of assassinating Lincoln before
he shall take his seat, and have actually sub
scribed large sums to any one who will do it !
Who is this that am "hissing on" Mr.
Revieao Who is it that you are kissing on !?
Whose company do you prefer to keep? If
the Democrats continue to "hiss on" the
fire-eaters of the South, as they have for few
years past, the time is at hand when we shall
have to choose the company we.prsfer to keep.
If it would not disturb the editor of our
Democratic paper too much, and depress the
price of wheat more than two cents bushel,
[ would like the privilege to hurrah for Old
Abe, the Union and the Constitution, once
more, just now, before they are all annihlated
by om?-by the South and the friends
Of the South! again call upon Democrats,
and all reign-born true Americans, to choose
whose company they prefer-that of the
unreasonable South or that of the free North,
with our "school. houses and churches" which
qualify US for free government? How long,
Mr. Reviev do you think we ought to main
tain the freedom of speech and the freedom
of the press among US? would really like
it continued little longer. All, the majority
is on the other side here. at is your bull
that has gored our OK" this time.
While writing the other article, few
days ago, the question which heads this
article arose in my mind, and new view of
the subject occurred to me. believe there
is nothing in either the Constitution of the
United States or that of Iowa that estab-
fishes slavery hera; and it is also true that
the United States Territorial Judges-viz:
judges Mason, Williams and Wilson -
decided that slavery could not exist here
and, certainly, the people of Iowa have not
admitted ii by any act of theirs, since.
The question | wish to como at is the
fugitive Stare clause of the United States
Constitution, which is found in the third
clause of the ID section, Art. ":
mo person held to service or labor in
/
into another, shall, in consequence of any
law or regulation therein, be discharged
from such service or labor; but shall be
delivered, upon claim of the party to whom
such service or labor may be due"
Our fathers made this compact for US, and
We wish to abide by the true letter, spirit,
and intent of this law. But does this per-
nit slave, under any circumstances, in
Iowa? If, as is generally supposed, fugi
Tive slave, escaping into Iowa, is still II
szare, where, ask, is our law governing the
relation between slaue and master? We
have no law Of that kind. We have no
slaves in Iowa - ssthe moment they touch
our soil their shackles fall" He IS the
Jugitice-catcher's prisoner, and not his slave.
do not see that this doctripe-this COM
mon seasc view Of this plain case - of the
absence of all law establishing or governing
slavery in our Free States, will in the least
interfere with the fugitive section of the
United States Constitution, above quoted.
1t will change the fugitive from sIace to
prisoner; and this will most materially
alter the condition of the two positions. He
is a man. This is the true doctrine; and it
is the only way to protect our free negroes
from being abducted Cases have already
been frequent in our State. Under such
circumstances, are we afraid to maintain a
"personal Liberty Law?" If it is wrong
let US abandon it at once; if right, maintain
it, in defiance of all the treason and traitors
of the Sonth. Compromise, barter and bar
gain as We have theseffty years, and where
now are our compromises They scorn and
swear at our dough-faces-a the South has
at Stephen A. Douglas, of late. Stand fast,
then, to our rights, through good and evil
report. SUEL FOSTER.
A FALsEHooD ExPosED.-The Republicans
of Independence, Iowa, have been charged
by the Locofoco press with issuing and cir
culating Wide Awake ball ticket, with the
nanle of negro among the managers. The
Independence Guardian knocks the vitality
out OF this SANDER by giving proof that the