Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1861-11-21


Liberty to the slaves Of the rebel states
would violate our constitutional obligation
to the border slave states still nominally
loyal? The slaves. as slaves, are nothing
but property--and the constitution ouly
insists on compensation when the govern
mcnt takes private property for the public
use. Had the government paid market
price for all the slaves in Maryland. Ken
lucky and Missouri, and sst them free, be-
fore it fought the battle Of Bull Run. the
war would probably have been at an end
before this. and tho public debt could not
have been much greater
No man, not lost in misanthropy, can
believe that the great majority Of the peo-
pie Of the free states are not in love with
free Institutions and the honest application
of the doctrine of the Declaration of Inde-
pendsnee to all men. everywhere. But
they never felt any special affection for
black people and were never willing to
meddlc with the affairs of other states.-
Therefore. so long as we were at peace
with the slave-holding states. they would
do and suffer anything to maintain peace
Now. the case is altered. They would sus-
tain the government in any action towards
the slave-cursed states that would make
them free. 1t is too true that there are
scattered all over the North many men
who, for various reasons. do not prize
freedom anywhere below their own level,
but sympathise heartily with shareholders
in their contempt for the rights of black
people and their hatred of white ones who
sympathise at all with black people. The
Shareholders overated the number and in
fiuencs of these people very much. but not
their motive. Should the war continue on
its plan of Of taking the greatest pains not
to injure slavery, IS ifsit were essential to
the salvation of the government. this class
viii become more and more arrogant, and
will give more and more comfort and aid
to the enemy. And it is not at all unlike
" to happen that the war may thus be
transferred to the soil of the free states-
Then the revolution of &c will have to be
fought over again. with even more fearful
odds against inalienable rights
AS tho slave holders are actually at war
with sheWhoIe human race. in favor Of in
justice to the weak. shall We not take up
the gage and fight for downright justice?
The war mrst end one way or another
Justice must gain OF lose by it. If slavery
is to survive, justice must lose. 1t it is
not. better have it killed by the shortest
cnt. Hol unsophistieated young America,
to the rescue! Oceans Of twad,lle have
been ladlcd over this nation about the
danger of letting black people loose!--
Would to God there were some danger in
it! They are entirely too safe for their
own interests and ours. 1t is time 10 boot
ont of this continent the nonsense that it
Is more dangerous to hire than to drive. TO
cash than to lash any body. There is not
one fact in this worlds history, SO far as
the writer knows. and he once offered a
handsome reward for one, to show that
any harm ever came from liberatins slaves.
They can be kept from stealing as easily
when free. when slaves. II they will
not work for wages they starve to death.
which, in the circumstances, is of course
blessing. This war. as has been truly
said more than ten tn usand times already.
is not q war for the emancipation of black
people and never can be. It is a question
of the life and liberty of nation. chiefly
white. But we all deserve to be black and
chattle slaves to boot. If we do not have
the sense to use the emancipation of the
black people as the means Of saving the
uation. it Icing a self.evident infallible
means of ending the rebellion in the short
est possible time. .Ff/Hs
Does anybody ask. After the slaves are
set free and the rebellion crushed. what
then? Will shareholders consent to work
free SYSTEM? Doubtless not. il left to
themselves. The difficulty of emancipa
lion is always the untitness of the master.
But the expenses Of the war must be paid.
and the lands Of the rebels must do it,
Our armies will settle them. They are
well drilled in the arts of peace. If not Of
war. They know how to work them
selves. and how to make others work Just
ly and happily. Capital will flow where
they yoke to the plough end kindle the
forge FIRE. They must and will plant. wa
ter and cherish the right sort OF civiliza-
ton on the sail their courage has delivered
from the curse. Human nature is every
Iwhereihe same, The cause of hatrs be-
ing removed the hatred will cease. and the
very men who struck at the beloved flag
in behalf of pitiful Tyranny. will bless
and venerate the conquerors who struck
under it in the name of eternal Justice.