, 1861-10-11
Gbit!4agn ! Griibutte
FRIDAY. oUToRER ii, 1851.
TEE DEMANDS OF LoxAnrv.

FRIDAY. oUToBER Ii, 1851.
,'THE DEMANDS OF LoxAIrY.
Under government like ours there
must necessarily be great differences Of
opinion in relation to all matters Of pub.
lie interest We take sides and build up
parties almost instinctiyely,an defend our
peculiar views and party tenets with zsal
sometimes bordering On absurdity. Slavery
has eeen the prolific mother Of more con
tenunn and partisan turmoil than any
other subject eger presented to the Ameri-
can people And yet strange. as it may
appear al the issues growing out Of
It have been only collateral Upon the
main questionable ethics Of slaveholding
there has been, and is to-day-in all free
States at least-a most remarkable unani-
nifty Of sentiment. It is very seldom that
We hear slavery defended as q desirable
institution, as q moral, humane, natural
relation. On the contrary,it is universally
condemned, and there has ever been, even
among those who have most zealouslv
eombated the action Of anti-slayerv men.
sincerely felt and ardently expressed
desire to get rid of it. Such men have
never pretended to stand up for slavery
out Of any love fer theinstitution. On the
contrary, they have always claimed to act
either, IN .Vicw Of what they deemed
constitutional requirement, Or in suppe It
OF the lesser Of two acknowledged evils,
They have rrided themselves upon their
loyalty, and have, strangely enough, made
It matter Of self graduation that they
have been true to their ideas of the obliea-
tons OF the Federal compact, even at the
expense Of their humanity. They have
stood by and supported an acknowledged
csal from sense Of duty. And this has
been the prevailing sentiment at the
North ansng those who have been called
pro-slaTe1y men. They have apologized
for slasery-not defended it. They hare
endured, not cherished it.
We are not recurring to this subject now
for the purpose Of combating their views. |
or finding fault with their former action.
We state the fact only, as prc-
imina1y to our proposition, which is
this; That every patriotic, humane, law
abiding citizen will embrace the first op-
portunity that may occur, without viola
lion OF constitutional and legal provisions,
for Kidding bis country Of any and every
evil That may af1!ct it. A philanthropist !
is cVer On the alert for opportunities to i'm
prove the condition Of the race. 4 patriot
is constantly watching the proper moment
for Introducing reforms to elevate and bless
his country. We ask the candid attention
OF every loyal man to our proposition. Is
Slavery an eVil2 Is it an unmitieated
curse Is it tie cause Of no and misery,
The fountain Of injustice and oppression |
None will take issue with Us on these |
questions. But, in reply, our constitution
ticnai obligations to the South ARE urged
These obligations, however binding in time
past, have ceased to exist. The South has
herself released Us from them. She has
voluntarily refused any longer to demand
them Oft Nay, more; she has taken up
aims and is making war upon u, to COM
pei us to become alien to those obliga-
tons. She has madly exonerated US from
every duty, and wantonly discarded
the protection Of the Constitution. She
has thus given us the opportunity to re-
move this great evil, 'zot1y doing cio.ence to
TIC Constitution, but in harmony 1oitA all 1t,
requirements and as a suTe means Of rcstor-
ing peace and prosperity to tile country,
Shall We, blind and stupid with prejudice,
besotted with partisanship and mad with
an ignohle and coward1y fear Of impossible
consequences, neglect to seize this golden
opportunity? What matters it that we
nave belonged 10 this or that party? Our
party platforms were not built with refer
ence to the circumstances that now sur
round US. Let US reflect upon the magni-
tude and immensity Of this great wrong /
that, fer the first time in our history, ia |
now within our power. We fsrbear to
speak Of the well known horrors and mis-
cries that are always necessarily attendant
upon it, 1t is this moment threatening
cur national existence. It IL over
tuning cur Government, parnIyzing our
commerce, absorbing our wealth, fatten-
ing on the blood Of our gallant SOL
d1ers, and spreading ruin and deY.
astaion over all the land. It is the great
handspring Of this rebellion It brought
it forth, and has fed and nourished it til it
has assumed gigantic proportions, It |
stands now barrier to the success OF our t
arnlcs--a fatal blight upon al our efforts
"a ghastly vampire that sucks out bv its |
hldeous influences the vigor and energy Of
our public servants! We appeal to every
loyal man TO arrest the evil. Some have
apologized for it in time of peace, from
motives Of loyalty. From these same mo-
tiyes bleeding country calls upon them
now to crush it. IF to preserve peace to
promote friendly relations, to ensure the
stability Of the Government you have hon
est1y felt called upon to uphold. as one Of
the compromises Of the Constitution. an
institution that you would otherwise have
condemned, will not these same patriotic
sentiments now compel you to Weld IN |
everything for the preservation of the Gov
ernment? If slavery stands in the wav.
shall it not go down? II the alternative
is the Union OF Slavery, which shall we
choose? How much treasure must be e.
pended, how great slaughter, how over
~helnlng ruin, before ne can see clearly |
the Issues involved IN this contest?
But there is still stronger side to this
question: Il is not even necessary that
men should believe that slavery is an evil, !
IN order to enlist them against it. For the |
arguments sake, We will call it a blessinr
"a humane, bcnefcent, Christian institu /
tlon. What then? This excellent institu- /
non has grown strong It is becoming I
mere powerful than our Government, and
threatens to engulf and swallow it IN.
Good as It may be, or as we nav fancy If
to be, it has inaugurated I civil war. and
II unrestrained is certain to terminate our
1saaonai existence. Then as loyal men we
must sacrifice it. "H thy right eve offend
taee, pluck it out and cast it from thee.n
IN any view that we may take, we arrive
81 the same conclusion, and that is, that
loyalty and patriotism demand an unani-
nous public opinion in favor of such MILL
ta1y action as will insure the most snaadv