The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-01-17

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piled and waxed strong; great and rich, beloved
at home, and respected and feared abroad The
citizens of the United States, in any part OF the
civilized world had but to declare their country,
and nations respected their rights. 10 day,
citizens of independent States and ofthe United
States, within the national jurisdiction, upon
American soil are mobbed and hung upon the
next tree, for the mere expression OF OPINION on
questions, both of radical principle and OF pub
| lie policv. and sometimes for even refusing to
express an opinion--silenee being construed
into crime
The idea of Mr.. Jefferson that Governments
derived their lust power from the consent OF the
governed, not from part, but from the whole
governed, runs through, and is the spirit of our
common Constitution. The people were toI
live under it, and to be protected by 1t, made
it for themselves, and consented to abide by it,
paving it their obedience as they claimed its
protection. Government IS the eTercaSe OF the
oo,cer of making and executing taos. Hence
those who exercise the power OF making and
executing the laws are not, or at least should
not be self chosen. The people choose, or
should choose whom they will to exercise this
power, for their own purpose and benefit, limit
ed in that exercise only by the rule ofthat Con-
stitution which the people themselves have
made II was made for the purpose of pro
tecting and not for the purpose OF taking away
inalienable rights; for the purpose OF protecting
and preserving civil and religious liberty, and
not for the purpose of extending human slavery.
So said the fathers ofour system, who, while
they tolerated slavery as existing institution.
deemed that ultimately it would become extin
guished and the nation become in fact what it
is in theory, the home of universal Liberty
Interest. passion and ambition have startled The
civilization of the age with strange ideas of
government and the equality OF mankind. The
theory that this Government is a machine to be
used to extend Slavery wherever its power and
| iuris diction reaches and wherever our national
| flag floats, and that when SO extended the whole
power of the nation should be used to sustain
| it there, through the direct declarations or inns
piled consent of the head of the government,
and chiefs of its departments, has taken so
strong hold upon the people OF large sections
of the country that wild excitement RACES
upon The subject.
| Within the last year. as is a legal habit once in
four years the people, in the usual constitutional
| way without force or violence with no armed
bands with no hostile or wicked Intent, with no
| serried ranks glittering bayonets, elected
President of the United STATES. The CHOICE otthe
peopleas shown in the election made 10y the elect
ors, is peaceable, quiet citizen undeniably egi.
BILE to the office. His opinions upon questions OF
public policy are precisely such as have been en-
tertained by those who have held the high office
and discharged its duties before him. Believing
mon liberty sought be established and maintain;
ed under our common Constitution he is opposed
to its extension into the Free Territories OF the
United States While he consents to the TACT otthe
| existence of slavery in many OF the States. and
avows that there is no right in the Free States, or
ia the General Government, to any interference,
directly or indirectly, with slavery i'll the Slave
States he is opposed to its extension unauthorized
| by law. The multitude of people by whose snftra-
ges he has been elected, entertainsthe same views
There is nothing unconstitutional III entertaining
such views, or in avowing such opinions. There
is no pretense by any considerable number OF
people anywhere, that there can be any legal In
reference with slavery in the Slave States except
by the people ofthe States themselves. The right
Or power of interfering by force is almost univer
sally denied.
Yet on account of the result of such an election,
interfering with the rights ONO people, or class
OF people, either in out Of the Slave States, ia
king away the rights of no State, nor of the pe0pe
OF any State, and account of principles precisely
such as were entertained by Washington, Jeifer-
son, and all the early Presidents and Statesmen,
both in the slave holding and slave holding
States, violence is invoked, and armed men, ma
king actual war pom the nation, threaten dsso-
luton of this Union and the destruction Othis gov
ernment. The Constitution of the United States
makes no man slave. 1t makes slaves OF no class
| OF men. The great leading ideas OF the govern
mont, that undeTes ALL overshadows all, perme-
ates all, is civil and religious liberty. The idea
| that slavery under such Constitution goes tray
0llll5 INTO the nee VI lOiS-
rating it, is both absurd and wicked. Men are not
universally recognized as property, or the com.
mon subjects OF property. The fact that class OF
men are held IS slaves under the laws ofany given
State, does not make them slaves out of the Jurs,
dictiOn OF that State, unless it be legally and
legitimatey assumed that the laws of slave Stale
follow the slave out of that State and in actual
force beyond its limits. Because the people
| of the free States entertain views opposed
to slavery extension, and because they have elect
ed President Of the same faith, war is threatened,
and cevastatiOn and blood
-riety of excuses are made for this threaten
ing attitude toward the government and Union.
The extreme Southern States complain of the
Personal Liberty Bills, and demand their ilnmdi-
ate and unconditional repeal.
| In the slave States farthest south, from which a
slave has scarcely ever escaped, there is the most
apparent excitementO on the subject Further com
plants made because of the difficulty of en-
| forcing the Fugitive Slave Law in the North
Odious as that law is, it has been enforced in al
most every State here the attempt has been made.
] Whether right or wrong, this is the fact. That
people should object to an odious and, as, they
believe unconstitutional law which calls on them
To AID IN reducing men TO slavery, is not remarka-
| bic. A change in its oppressive features would,
just 10 the extent ofthe change, do away with hos
tlity to it.
Personal liberty laws are found or should be
found upon the statutes of every State. They ought
| to be there ali States have them, both North and
South, varying in their character and provisions,
yet still pesOnal liberty laws. The highest duty of
the Legislature of any civilized State, is to provide
by any constitutional means for the protection of the rights
OF person OF the Citizen So law for the protection aud
preservation Of the liberty OF the people, cannot be too
stringent if it is within the Constitution The State
er surrendered the protect the of its ct
zens. Every living human being has right legal
test to the question of whether he is free slave.
While it cannot be consented that laws looking to the
protection ofbery should be repealed yet all such laws
should conform to the Constitution of the United States
II on close examination and scrutiny, you satisfied
that any the provisions of our personal liberty laws
conflict with he rduf
as well as your Pleasure to change them that they
shall conform to that Constitution. But fear favor
no hope OF reward, demand, threat, should
duce or drive free people to break down the walls
their protection. we love the Constitution and the I'm
ion OF the States We will make sacrifices OF feeling
appease and concate brethren but We will make no
more sdcr!HceS Of principle. While this government
stands, and consent to live under it, Liberty may pay
10 slavery the price the fathers agreed should be paid
but with CONSENT it shall pay more. We will abide
byand never refusedto abide compromises
common Constitution But subject to that Constitution
the civil and religious liberty which the flesh Of the
martyrs melted and their bones in the flames
Tor which the Pilgrims became Pilgrims WHICH our
fathers fought snail travel down other generations
ney come careerng on in the midst of ages with
right impaired or attribute lost.
The remedy chosen for the imaginary evils suffered by
the South is Secession and atoal disruption the States
And here in brave words the right Of secession claim
pie OF one State make it. 1t the joint work ali the
people, speaking through all the States and only the
power that made it destroy it. A disruption of
part is a disruption OF the whole.
The right of State to secede from the Union can new
CT pc ADMITTED The national Government no treat
with State while it is in the Union, and particularly
while it stands in attitude hostile to the Union So
long as any State assumes position foreign independ.
ent and hostile to the government there can be no con-
claton The government of the United States cannot
treat with one of its States foreign power The
constitutional laws of the United States extend over eve
y State alike. They be enforced over every State
| alike. ' 1870
State cannot come into the Union as it pleases and
60 out when 1t peases Once in it must stay until the
Union is destroyed There no coercion of state Bnt
where faction of people arrays ITSELF against one
act, but against all laws, and against government
there is butsone answer to be made'Ihe Government
MUST be sustained; tine laws SHALL be enforced"
secession is revolution; revolution is war; war against
the government Of the United Stats is treason
1t is time, to know whether we have any govern
meh and II so, whether has any strength Is our writ
ten consultation more than sheet OF parchment? The
nation must be lost preserved by own strength Its
strength Is in the patriotism of the people, time nov
that politicians become patrots-that meE show their
Hove OF country by every sacrifice but that of principle
and o uWayerng devotion to its interests and integrity
The hopes Of Civilization and Christa nr nro 49,,