Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1861-09-26
For the 81. Charles City INTELLIGENCE
THE SLAVERY QUESTION.

"a .a For the St Charles City InteIgenccr.
THE SLAVERY QUESTION. as.
Ed. INTELILGENcER 1t has been a
question, whether the. President, or
even Congress had jurisdiction, con-
stitutionally, to abolish slavery, even
in the rebelious States, among the
loyal portions of their citizens. 1t
being a point conceded on all hands,
or nearly so. that no power is derived
from the Constitution to Congress to
legislatc, at all, on slavery in the
States, it has been thence inferred that,
it can have no power, either, to annul
the right to their slave property, of
the loyal citizens even Of the rebel
States.
This proceeds upon the principle
that as the rebellion of citizens as citi-
zcns, alone, makes forfeiture, as sub
jccts to confscation, of slaves and
other property, it follows, as o matter
of course, that the slaves and other
property Of citizens who remain loyal
to the Government cannot be effected
by the principle, or the law Of confis-
cation. This seems a plausible argu-
ment, it is true, and, if rebellion were
the only ground Of forfeiture or con-
fscation all loyal citizens in the re-
bcllious States would return their
slave property despite Of any power
in the General Government to abro-
gate their right. =s' -' asf.s t
But as, according to the fable Of
the dogs, in which innocent Tray got
most numerically beaten, only for
being caught in the company of the
quarrclsome dog Tiger, SO, as those
Shareholders in the disloyal States,
though they have not personally, di-
rectly, or individually, contributed to
the rebellion, they still maintain the
element of discord 7; it has proved the
fuel which kindled the rebellion. 1t
is that element Of slavery, and moth
ing short and, as that same element,
having thus proved dangerous
agent in Government and which re-
mains so still, it seems to form ne
cessity in the powers Of Government
for abrogating it, to rid the Govern
ment Of danger which still threatens
its stability and existence. On this
ground, and this only, can we con-
ccive it TO be the duty of Congress, or
the Executive, to declare all right to
perpetuate human chattelhood at q
full end in those Territories, once
States, in which it has resulted in this
great rebellion against the whole
Government.
1t may seem hard, and, indeed, un-
just, that the Governmental authori-
ties should declare nul and void a
system which is made the chief source
Of wealth, and the foundation Of all
the financial interests in State. 1t
does SO. indeed, at superficial view
Of the question. But then does 1t not
seem still harder, and more unjust
that an institution, yielding benefit
(admitting it a benefit for sake Of the
argumcnt) to 100000 persons only,
out of 81 ,O00, 900, should be tolerated
at the enlargement Of all the 81 900,
600? And especially, SO, when, in
its natural and legitimate tendency it
has been demonstrated so strikingly,
to be that of total destruction Of the
Government? With this view, which
all can see to be nothing else than
the. true and irresistible deduction
from the existing facts and current
events of the day, all cannot sec but
that it is the incumbent duty of the
Executive, ad interim, OF, of Congress
in session, to crush out entirely the
dangerous element of slavery i'm all
those Territories degencratcd from
seeding States (! fsaq sasss h
Nor can we see how the Govern
ment can aevade such course and re-
main silent, justifably, and tolerate
the existence of so formidable an enc
my to Free Governments as slavery
has proved itself to be. y aslsaiF pee
Sentiments like the foregoing, I am
fully aware, will prove when thrown
out broadcast upon the public mind
and especially when falling among
semi-sccessionist, not unlike rcd-hot
iron thrown into cold wafer. But lc,
them fzzle! Justice, Righteousness
and Truth, arc the great paramount
claims and leading features of this as
we'll as all true successful Govern
mental organizations. Slavery ii
inimical in its very genius to al
human Freedom, and as poisonous ans
demoralizing to society as the dead
7 ly Upas. These truths cannot but b