The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1860-08-30


cies (and there have always been, and
are now, more white slaves than black
has been tho source of constant and
bitter excitement. Other controversies
grow cold and wear themselves out
The question Of Freedom or Slavery is
one of those volcanic issues that buns
from age to age. The fact u.s. that Slave
ry is not an Institution which has, or
ever had, the uncontrolled and volunta.
ry appreciation of mankind. All will
agree with you that the cultivation Of
wheat, corn, sugar and cotton is a bless
ing. All agree that the breeding and
rearing of focks and herds Of domestic
animals is a blessing. There are ten
thousand things around us which we
enjoy, and whose existence we can trace
to the goodness and beue6cence Of the
Father,
''whoso bounty shines in autumn unconaned
! And spreads q common feast for all that liyg.'
But iJ is not so clear that Slavery is
one Of these. Whether one man shall
own another has always been debated
Tho master has generally insisted on
his right as long as it was in his power
and his interest so to do. The master
has asserted his right by the same argu.
ments in every age. The philosophy
of Slavery is the same to-day that it
was in ancient Greece. Hear what Ar
istOtle says: ITO the Greeks belongs
dominion over the barbariaus. The
/ Greeks have the understanding requisite
to rule; the barbarians the body only to
obey" In all time, too, the doctrine
Of nOn-intervention has seemed to fol-
low the peculiar institution. Wherever
Slavery has existed, some masters have
seen ft to consider it a private matter
between them and their saves-a mere
personal right, as to which no third
party should say anything Others have
looked upon it as a question touching
the common veal, and therefore as open
to free discussion, and subject to the
popular Judgment. There never was a
time when Pro-Slavery men did not as
sumo this institution to be right, and
treat the discussion of it as an insult to
them This is the reason why the slave
issue does not quiet down | speak Of
this as a fact that see and dcplore. If
there was nothing else in the subject
but its irritabiity; if there was nothing
but the doubts and objections which a
portion Of mankind have always urged,
and always will urge against the insti-
tuition, l should oppose its extension.
You will observe that in what have
said [ have spoken Of the policy of
building new States upon the African
foundation, 1 have not been marking
out any policy touching the institution
where it has been already established
| The Republican party disclaims any
authority on the part Of Congress to
interfere with slavery in the States
The Republican party comedies the
right Of every State to regulate its own
domestic affairs in its own way. They
believe Slavery to be an evil; they re
gret its introduction into the old States,
and they oppose its introduction into
any present and future Territories, be-
cause they consider it an evil, and an
injury to those territories. Such was
always the opinion Of Henry Clay, say
ing 1.-The AbOlitiOnists were not more
opposed to Slavery going into new
States than he (Mr Clay) was" and
"nO power on earth could make him
vote for Slavery in any place where il
does not already exist" Such, too, was
Webster's opinion, aud such was Ben.
tons Some Of the reasons bearing
fOrcibly on my own mind as to the
merits of the peculiar institution itself
have been presented. But we must
deal with it also as connected with the
powers Of the General Government
The Democrats, apparently not will
ing to trust the issue Of Slavery eXten-
sion with the people, have from time to
time entrenched themselves behind
supposed constitutional principles as ia
voring their views. Now, l have al
ready said that men will sometimes
make a merit of necessity, and assume
to defend what they would not approve
as matter Of free choice, have also
charged that the Democratic party have
used the whole Slavery subject as po-
litical capital wherewith to excite and
concentrate the slaveholdiug communi.
/, ties for political effect 1 shall rely up.
on the history of the Slavery agitation
inside this party to make good the
charge. If in point of fact there is nc
, principle and no truth in their pre-.
, tended constitutional teachings, they
will be found full Of shifts and quirks,
marches and counter. marches, bold as
r sertions, aud bold and rapid retraction'
; aud contradictions Let us then see
what these Democrats have taught az
matter of constitutional pro.slavery Law
within the last few years. Avoiding
5 the issue whether extension be right OF
wrong, they have taught:
l. That Congress has power to re-
strict Slavery in the Territories, by vO-
ting for tho Texas and Oregon bills
and by their repeated attempts to ex
tend the Missouri Compromise line t.
the Pacific Ocean,
IL. They have since denied thil
power to Congress, and denounced al
, who continued to hold to it after they
j laid it down.
| III. They have denied to a State
when forming a Constitution, the righ
] to decide for herself whether she viii
5 have Slavery or not, California;
] ~ They have since taught tha
, Cl,r,,.,y ,, % D., avcIu1oT From, o. Ter