Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-01-10

Of all embraced within its Jurisdiction --
10 dismember it, is so far 10 destroy IL.
IL constitutes no Union, and separation
is war against il. Secession and Union
are incompatible ideas. The attempt to
assert the right attaching to both as CON
sistent with the same Constitution is mere
absurdity, the one is but the negative Of
the other, and they cannot be reconcied
But the discontents that have grown
up between the States may and ought to
be ieconciled
The fugitive slave law provides for the
execution Of duty imposed by the Con-
stitution. Unfortunately it contains
clauses insulting to the just pride and to
the conscience Of the section of country
on which it is brought to bear 1t is
difficult to execute law revolving to the
public opinion where it is to operate
Yet this law has been executed by the
federal officers, notwithstanding and un-
der an honest administration it may have
full effect. IL the clauses, offensive and
derogatory to those who are required to
execute it be repealed, there is no doubt
the personal liberty laws, which obstruct
its proper execution, if any such there be,
passed from whatever motive, would be
repealed or essentially modified. This
ought to be done. The obnoxious fea-
lures Of the Fugitive Slave Statute were
inserted at the instigaton of the rcpresen-
tatives from States not interested in its
execution, and plotting to defeat it that
the States for whose benefit it was passed
might be excited to Join in schemes Of
breaking the Union, which is now mani
testify the object of those that make the
clamor about the obstruction of the Fugi-
tive Slave Act, to Justify secession. The
States really wronged, if any, by the
Legislation of the free States, are loyal to
the Union, and do not urge their wrongs
to overthrow it. But those who have
plotted the fatal measure create disaficc-
tion in the loyal States by throwing them
selves into the breach, to defend their
rights, and calling on them for support.
The comfy shown by the patriotic Leg
islatures, and other official representa-
tves of the States Of Kentucky and Ten
nessee, to the State of Ohio, by their Wis
it to this Capital last winter, and she
frank, conciiatory and magnanimous
temper they displayed, would Justify the
Legislature of Ohio, in invoking the free
States to repeal all laws, it any such
there be, contravening the rights which
their fellow citizens of the South Justly
claim under the constitution and rely on
a future Congress, if it be not done by tie
present Congress, for the ahrogaion Of
whatever is obnoxious in the Fugitive
Slave Act, and for such amendments Of
it as will fully protect the liberties OF the
citizens of the free States.
a like concliatory course would be ex.
pected of the Southern States, by the re-
p aling of such of their laws as contra
vene the constitutional rights of the citi-
zens of the free States. With less, the
citizens of the free States will not be sat
isfed. They claim and will insist upon
all their constitutional rights. in every
State and Territory of the Confederacy
These they cheerfully accord to the citi-
zens of the Southern States. Determined
to do no wrong, they will not contented-
ly submit to any wrong. Unawed by
threats, they demand the employment of
all the constitutional powers of the Fed
eral Government, to maintain and pre-
serve the Union. Rejecting the whole
theory of State Secession as in palpable
viol alton of the Constitution, they cannot
consent to the exercise of any power un
der its sanction. The integrity of the
Union, its oneness and indivisibility,
must be preserved. In the Union they
will be as scrupulously careful to protect
the rights ofthc slave as of the free States.
Nay, more. Conscious of their power,
and regarding the Union-a peaceable
and fraternal Union--as the nobest leg
acy they can bequeath to their posterity,
they will cheeriully yield everything to
their brethren of the South, that may not
disturb the harmony of the Constitution,
and that may be consistent with right,
justice, humanity, and the demands OF
Christian civilization. But with treason
against the Federal Government they
have no terms of compromise to make
none to accept. Against that they de.
mand the enforcement of the laws.
purposely avoid attaching any i'm
portance to the only other threatening
conflict, that relating to the establishing
of slavery in the remaining territory Of
the United States, as all must see that is
settled by decree moro potent than leg
islative enactments or judicial decisions.
The opinion declared by the Supreme
Court as claimed by the South, opens
these territories to slavery, and Terrific
rial Legislatures invite it, but the laws of
nature which operate on slave production,
combined with its laws which regulate
emigration, interdict the existence of slave
institutions in the elevated regions now to
be settled The Kansas experiment,
made under the most favorable circum
stances for the South that can exist is
conclusive on this subject, If this were
not enough the overwhelming public
opinion pronounced in the late prcsiden-
tial election must produce the conviction,
that the slavery question, as connected
with the remaining territory of the United
States, is forever settled, and that the
slopes of the Rocky Mountains, east and
west, are reserved exclusively for free in
stitutons.
AS a member of the Conrederacy, Ohio
has vital interest in its preservation.-
With her vast capacities for development
her great extent Of territory-hcr soil
of incxhaustible tertility-her salubrious
climate-her almost boundless subterra-
mean weath-her large manufacturing