Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1861-06-28

the installation of Pre- sident Lincoln, not
case has arisen in which the fugitive has not
been returned, aud that, too, without any OPP
position from the people. Indeed, the ddei-
ty with which it was understood to be the pols
10, of the present Administration to enforce
the provisions of this Law has caused perfect
panic among the runaway slaves Ia the Eree
States, and they have been escaping 10 multi
tudes TO Canada, unpursued and unreclained
by their masters. Is there found in this rea-
son for a dissolution of the Union.
That the Slave States are not recognized as
EQUALS ia the Confedcracy, has for several
years been the cry of demagogues and cousri-
rators. But what is the truth? Not only ac-
cordiue to the theory, bat the actual practice
of the Government, the Slave States have ever
been, and still are, 10 oil respects, the peers
of she Free. of the fourteen Presidents who
have been elected, seven were citizens Of Slave
Sta,es and Of the seveu remsining, three rep
resented Southern principles, and received the
votes of the Southern people; so that, in our
whole history, but four Presidents have been
chosen who can be- claimed as the special cham>
piops OF the policy and principles of the Free
States, and even these so only IN modified
sense. Does this look as if the South had
ever been deprived of her equal share of the
honors and powers of the Government? The
Supreme Court has decided that the citzens
of the Slave States eau, of will, take their
slaves Into all the Territories of the United
States; aud ihis decision, which has never been
reslsted or iuierferred With in single case, is
the law Of the laud, aud the whole power Of
The Government is pleged to enforce it. That
is will be Loyalty enforced by the preseut ADJ
miuistration, entertain no doubt. A Repub-
| lican Congress, at tho late session, organ Zed
three new Territories, and iE the organic law Of
neither Has there introduced, or attempted to
/ be introduced, the slightest restriction upon
| Ihs rights of the Southern emigrant to tring
! bis slaves With hun AT this moment. therer
fere-and state it Bithou; qualification ,here
(! is not Territory belonging to the UGised
| States into which the Southern people may not
| introduce their slaves at pleasure, and enjoy
! there complete protection. Kestusky should
! CONSIDER raIs great apd uadenisble fact, before
which all the irothy rant Of demagogues snd
| Disuuiouists must disappear as bank of fog
| before the WiEd. But were it otherwise and
did defect exist il our organic law, or IN the
practical Administration of the Government,
IN reference to the ghts of Southern slave.
holders in the Territories, still the qnaatlon
would be mere abstraction, slnea she laws OF
climate forbid the establishments of Slavery in
such lAtitUdes; and 10 destroy such inatltu-
tions as ours for such cause, instead of pa
tieutly trying to remove it,,would be little short
Z OF ua,;;,c,Hs insanity. 1t would be to burn ihe
house down over our beads merely because
there 10 leak in the Ioof; to scurtre the ship
10 mid.oeean merely because there is W..
ference of opinion among tho crew as to the
! ,of sbo fO uvht kho uaasnl
be steered; il would be, in fact, to apply the
knife to the throat instead Of ishe ssncer Of the
patient.
i But what remaiusf Though, sRy the Dis
unionists, the Fugitive Slave Law is honestly
enforced, and though, under shelter of the
Supreme Court, we can take our Slaves inta
the Territories, yet the Northern people will
persist in discussing the institution of Slavery,
aud therefore We will. break up The Government.
1t is true that Slavery has been very intem-
perately discussed at the North, and it Is
equally true that until we have an Asiatic des-
poiisu, crushing out all freedom of speech
aud of the press, this discussion will probably
, continue. In this age and country, institu-
tious, human and divine, are discussed, and
go they ought to be: and al that cannot bear
{ discussion must 90 to the wall, where they
: ought 10 90. II ia not pretended, however,
f that the discussion of Slavery, which hss been
: continued in our country for more than forty
r years, has in any manner d sturbea or weak
6 eued the foundation Of tho Institution. On
q the contrary, We learn from the press of the
: seeded States that their slsves were never
r more tranquil or obedient. There are Eealots
e happily few 10 number-been North and
!, South, whose language upon this subject ID
!, alike extravagant and alike deserving our con,
o dennatou. Those who assert that Slavery
9 should be exterpated by the sword, and those
f who maiutain the great mission of the
d white man upon the earth to enslave the black
: are not far apart iu the folly aud .strosity o.
their entertainments
Before proceeding further Kentucky should
$ measure we'll the depth OF the gulf she is apl
Q pfcaching, and look we'll to the feet of he
i guides. BEFORE forsakiug Union in Rhict
Q her people have enjoyed such uninterrurr:,vv,,
aud such boundless prosperity, ,-she should ask
I herself, not once but many times, pAq do 90
and Dhere am goinli In view of what ha
. been said, 10 would be difficult to answer tht
FIRST branch Of the inquiry, but to answer tht
: second parI is patent to all, ss are the conss
q queuces which would follow the movement
J, In giving her great matera land moral resour
' ces TO the support Of the Southern Confoderauy
. > Kentucky might prolopg the desolaiing strng
= gle that Yebellious Sta.es are making TO over
throw Government which they bsse onl,
knowo 10 IT'S blessings; but the triumph Of tn,
: Government would nevertheless be certain il
r the end. She would abandon Government
= strong and able 20 protect her, for one tha
}, 10 weak, and that contains, in tho very ele
" ments Of iss life, the seeds OF distraction aDc
early dissolution. She would adopt, rs ib,
9 Law OF Der exis,enee, ths rgbs Oh Secession
!" right which hes 20 foundatsoa mi urispradene.