The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1861-01-16

preservation, Inherent IN the systemS which
psrvades the RoTsrBmsnts, State and Ma
tiODaI and acting BY its officers directly on
the citizeni
Shall the artery that gives life to the
great valley oSthe West be at the mercy Of
hostile copmnpities Aad subject to be sew.
cred from the gulf stream, through which
the interior States reach and embrace their
seaboard sistersi II there were nothing
else In the intsrpositon OF foreign power
upon the grand trunk OF the mighty food
whose brancheekear the fruit-the riches Of
the continent-A 10 enough to array the
country against 4, that IL would break the
symmetry nature has given IL for the full
development OF the vast republic now reach
ing from ocean to ocean.
The right ofdsscession is the right II tear
q limb from the body, and in the supposed
case Of the secession Of States on the lower
Mississippi, II the right Of domain over all
it's sources would not attach to the seeding
States, il would at least seriously conflict
with the free enjoyment of opposing rights,
and eventually lead 10 dissentions, il not
war, between the States directly interest ed
in the navigation OF that great highway Of
the worlds commerce.
The Constitution makes body polite Of
oil embraced within in its jurisdiction.-
To dismember 1t, is so far to distroy Ii. 1t
constitutes the Union, and separation Is war
against il. Secession and Union are ncom.
patible ideas. The attempt to assert the
right attaching to both as consistent with
the samo Constitution is mere absurdily, the
one 10 but the negative Of the other, and they
cannot be secowtiIed.
But the disContents thathave grown up be.
tween the States may and ought to be rec.
onciled.
The fugitive slave law provides for the
execution OF a duty imposed by the Consti-
tuition. Unfortunately it contains clauses
insulting to the just pride and to the con-
science Of the section OF country on which
il is brought to bear. 1t is difficult TO exc
cuts law revolving to the public opinion
where it is to operate. Yet this law has
been executed by the federal officers, not
witAstanding, and under an honest admins
tration it may have full effect. 1.-THE claus
es, offeneive aud derogatory to those who
are required to execute it be repealed, there
is no doubt the per :onal liberty laws, which
obstruct its proper execution, if any such
there be, passed from whataver motive,
would be repealed or essentially modified.
Thi, ought to be done. The obnoxious
features Of the fugitive Slave Statute were
inserted at the instigation OF the representa-
tives from States not interested in its exc
cution, and plotting to defeat it that the
| C1oNon 60 v1hooo honoHk IL NJ aand Ohf
be excited to join in schemes Of breaking
the Union, which is now manifestly the OBJ
ject of those that. make the clamor about
the obstruction OF the Fugitive Slave Act
to justify secession. The States really
wronged, il any, by the Legislation of the
free States, are loyal TO the Union, and dc
not urge their wrongs to overthrow it,
But those who have plotted the fatal mea
sure ere ate dissffection in the loyal State'
by throwing themselves into the breach. Il
defend their rights, and calling on them TO
support.
The comfy shown by the patriotic Legis
latures, and other official representatives o
the States o Kentucky and Tenness. t. tn
State Of Ohio, by their visit to this Capita
last winter, and the frank, conciliOtory an
magnanimous temper they displayed, woul
justify the Legislature of Ohio, in invokin
, the free States to repeal all laws, II an,
such there be, contravening the rights whicl
their fellow citizens of the South Justly CLAIM
under the Constitution, and rely on futur,
Congress, It II be not done by the presen
Congress, for the obrogation of Whatever i
: obnoxious in the Fugitive Slave Act, and fo
such amendments of it as will fully protec
the libertiesof the citizens of the free States
A like coneililt0ry course would be ex
pected OF the Southern States, by the repea
Of sueh of their laws as contrnveae the con
stitutiona. rights OF the citizens of the fre
States. With less, the citizens of the fre
States will NOT be satisfied. They clain
and will insist upo2 all their constitutions
rights, in every State AID Territory OF tn
Confederacy. These they cheerfully &C
cord TO the citzeus of the Souhs:n States
Determined TO do no wrong, they will no
conteDtedly submit to sny wrong. Unawet
by threats, they demand the employment o
oil the constitutional powers of the Fedora
Government, to mtintain and preserve the
Union. Rejecting the whole theory of State
Secession as in pa pable violation of the
Constitution, they cannot consent to thu
exercise of any power under its sanction
The Integrity of the Union, its oneness ant
indvisibiliy, must be preserved. In the
Union they will be as scrupulously careful
to protect the rights Of the slave as of tht
free States. Nay, more. Conscious o.
their power, and regarding the Union-t
peaceabe and fraternal Union AS the no
blest legacy they can bequeath to their pos
terity. they will cheerIuIly yield everything
10 their brethren Of the South. that may no
disturb the harmony of the Con sttution, ant
that may be consistent with right, Justice
humanity, and the demands of a Christiar
civiliz ,tion. But with treason against the
Federal Government they have no terms o
compromise to make, none to accept
Against that, they demand The enforcement
of the laws.
purposely avoid attaching any impor.
tance to the only other threatened conflict
I that relating to the establishing of slavery
in the remaining territory OF the United
States, as all must see that that is settled by
decree more potent than legislative enact.
ments or judicial decisions. The opinion
declared by the Supreme Court. as claimed
by the South, opens those territories to
slavery, and Territorial Legislatures invite
1t, hut the laws of nature which operate on
slave production, combined with its laws
which regulate emigration, interdict the ex
istence OF slave institutions in the elevated