Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-02-07

~ In, ssaIs ssssaiss 5fsl6 l6s.bds,
fesdy 70 ecompromise nothing bf concilisse
nothing could they be seen with all their
hopes and fears.-could their constituents
see them then, they would scorn the hazard
Of intrusting in such hands their glorious
and priceless treasures Of liberty and peace.
They were told that they forsooth, held the
destinies of the country in their hands. As
well might three hundred hsckmcn of New
York city, in convention assembled, cay that
they held the destincs Of the country in their
hands They were sworn to support the
Constitution, and yet they were upheld With
an unusual confidence or torn with jealousies
The fathers of the republic knew that men
were wicked and oorrupt, and that was the
reason they were sworn TO Observe and up
hold the principles Of the Constitution, .
Even the. Father Of his Country was conn
PEELED to swear to support the Constitution
which he had helpsd In rsise, and the ma
son that had induced the authors ofthe Con
stitution to make short the term Of Office,
was that people who elected men to rule over
them might have an opportunity Of remov-
ing them and electing better men in their
places. And it was said now that if they
did not decide the country must go to ruin,
and public liberty would be overthrown.-
He protested against such an idea. He de-
mandcd delay for the men, women and
children of the country. In their name he
deinaned an adjournment ofthis quarrel from
jealous and maddened politicians If they
did not adjourn the quarrel to the people,
on that foorit could never be settled, and
they would be responsible for Whatever evils
might follow. What right had they to as
suIne that they alone could settle the question
Of peace? Not that alone, but the question
involving the existence of the government.
They had not the right TO assume it; and
he had here announced in his place that if
the two houses of Congress should fail to
come to proper settlement Of the question,
before he should see them oyerturn the tenn
pie Of liberty, and crush out the last hopes
of the people, and burying them beneath the
ruins, he would move an adjournment of the
quarrel from them to the people ofthc coun-
try. But he would address them on the as
sumption that they were an honest jury, and
that they would look on the question with
the eye Of reason, and deal with it by the
right of authority. Revolution was threat
ening to subvcrt the institutions Of the coun-
try-a revolution most unauthorized, the
most unjustifable and objectionable the
world ever looked upon-a revolution oft
most fearful consequences to tho whole coun.
try. And yet they calmly looked on at the
impending ruin tho prccipitators thrsatanad.
He would meet the issue raised by these
precipitators, fairly and frankly, and show
the madness and folly Of attempting to sub.
vert this government, under which the pco
pie of both sections had derived so many
blessings. 1t was a remarkable fact thai
this revolution was not carried on with refer
ence to anything in the past, but was sOlel.
carried on with reference to some dangers t.
be apprehended in the future. He would
make one exception-the personal libert.
bills in some of the Northern states-and il
dealing with them he would challenge an.
man who was in favor Of disunion to con
trovert what he said There was personal
liberty bill. That was one cause of com
plant. There was opposition to the execu
ton Of the fugitive slave law. That wa
another. They charged that it was intende
to exclude African slavery. from the territor
les Tint wns another. Tint the RESPECTIVE
sections wore not homogeneous, and hates
(, one another, and that some of the Northerl
!, States were for negro equality. These charge
constituted all the allegations in the bill {
no:etment which they had fled. As to tn
first, 1. . confessed that personal liberty bill
Y did exist, without extenuation and withou
excess. But it was due to truth to say thi
these obnoxious bills would soon be swept o
(, llthe statute books Of the free States. Th,
was the only charge that could be sustained
= 7he balance of the allegatioas. they made Of
. ,rere all ,rih reference to things that acr'
happened. and soksehs~eser could hare hdl
. peaed had tie seeding States re,aaised IN u
Z : Union, aud had their representatives not sta
y al at hone. And now as to the personal III
erty bills, tho only charge on which they ha
= to rely. He was assured that the person
~ liberty bills had been struck from the statu
= y books Of all the border free States--ffo
~ ~ Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvau
y and New Jersey. To be sure, they were st
- retained in Vermont, where, he was assure
NJ q fugitive slave had not been seen fdt fol
10 years, and which was as inaccessible te
~ slave as was the kingdom Of South Carroll
~ ~ to him at that moment. Nor, he Ared tci
a. Ae| in days ride of three free States, and
" had nerer k~ossm cf % slaveto hare bee, sto
!" from, hs district and retained. He had kno
~ Of one escaping and passing through the .
on w trict represented by his friend from X
~ lucky, who msdehisway into Illinois, VIII
" be was arrested by the people snd rsturr
=: ~ to his owner But had the Southoever
=: ~ pealed to the North to repeal their perso