The Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1861-1862, 1861-12-14
. r. Av Z ~ N "A {, o Fl I O.
sa7g Satur ay, December ID, 1851
Ehe Administration and Slavery in
the States. ."a. .fr@.-.

lEhe Administration and Slavery in
the States. .""H' .f.T7-.
1t Is becoming vc-y apparent that The wise
and discreet policy adopted by the Admins
traticn toward slavery, in the prosecution of
the war, is destined to encounter most OBJ
stinate opposition from the Abclitcnists.--
They evince a settled purpose to blot out, or
"wipe out" Gas they term it, the institution
by any means at command, fair or foul, rcgu-
lar or irregular, constitutional or uncopstitu-
tional; and however it may be with Mr.. Lin
coin and his Cabinet, or those who voted for
him, it is patent TO All men that these pcsti-
lent fanatics are advocating the prosecution Of
.hc war with the cole view of emancipltine
the Saves and turning thom loose in their in
dolent and degraded ignorance, upon the
people Of the North. Whatever may be the
position Of others on this subjec', ours is taken
and will be held to the bitter cad, regardless
ofconsequenoes Ne siaH oppose IN ou'' Aa'a-
BE sphere, an1 to ii. srt;Ht Gf our hlmj'e NH 'iy
any and al aatcmp.s ca the Part Of Congress
or the President to abolish slavery in ar y
Site or S,aes Of he Uaion. No authori:y
expressed or implied, for any such step, is to
be found in the Constitution, and VIC shall
dsnounce, without sttn', any such mons.rous
t,surpation Of power. Even Mr. Lincoln him
self, in discussion with Mr.. Douglas, "ad-
mitted and maintained that tho Federal Gov
ernn,cnt could not interfere with slavery in
the States p that the North had nothing TO
do with slavery in the South; and, that if he
were in the South, and hid right to vote on
it. immediate emancipation WOULD NOT Do"
Th,se were the opinions of Mr.. Lincoln a few
relrs sincc aad his declared sentiments recent
ly have been ofthe samc distinct and explicit
character; anlth howould suddenly change
his convictions or the cours, Of lis Admins
trat:on on tn, subjec+, We shall be very reluc-
tsnt to believe. Th, views Of Congress last
winter accord precisely With those Of Mr..
Lincoln, and are embodied very clearly in the
following resolution offered in the House of
Representatives OF ta, II h Of F.b:al~v last
hy Senator Sherman Of this S.atc: Il
"Res37Uel That neither Congress, nor the
people or goyernm ,Ats Of the non-slavehold- f
IL C+otn, lc.., a IL r;r L. |
islate upon or ilterf5ra with slavery in a1y
slaSekolding S ate of the Union" j. @ a
Upon this the YES anil nays wero taken il
and the result vas its unanimous adoption a
there being l61 yeas, an'i 10 nays. IT, 4
Subsequently 10 his, and at the Ezra Se-- II
sion, the House adopted resolution declaring o
the object of the war to be- not tie o5p1ttion Of
sAvery Jy any mans, but the mantenarc, of |
the authority of the Government, and the res o
toration Of the integrity Of the Union With II
these sacred aud important ends in view, we
have favored and encouraged, in every way ib
we could, the vigorous prosecution Of the war; p
but if the policy hitherto pursued by the Ad- $
1ninistration is abandoned, and the abolition d
of slavery becomes the paramount purpose of p
the war, We shall array ourselves against such il
po icy, with utter indifference as to conse- b
queac:s. Respect for the spirit and the letter c
of the Federal Constitution, no less than re- f
gard TO- the interest of the free States would {
Eosd us 20 pro.cs+, earnestly ana obstinatelv, t
against any such lerveroion of the war from
its legitimate and proper objects high
sense of public duty would ithpel the prc.s
throughout the couDtry to q sin,a. decided
opposition to policy on the part Of the Adj
ministration so emincntly foolish and suicidal.
The plea "'necossi' ~ set up ty the advo-
Gates of the measure, is both lame and fa's,.
and would excuse nay usurpation Of rowe~,
however ruirous to the country or dangerous
to liberty. There is no necessity in the
matter, and never will be. II, with our i'm
mense resources in the way Of men, money
snd credit we cannet crash out this rebellion,
the manumission of the slaves, even if we
had the constitutional right to free them,
would Ssekken rather than strengthen our
cause and render the struggle more desperate
and terrible. Arrayng, as it unquestioIrab1y
would, the entire people of the loyal slave (
holding States against the Government. and {
creating incurable dissensions at the North, |
the last hope of a Union under the old Con- {
sdtutioil would perish, and with it the hopes /
Of those who look to the success Of the ex- /
pertinent here making in free government as a
an encouragement to the oppressed and down. 4
trodden Of other lards, n h
We cannot close this article without ex-
pressing our devout wish that the Administra- /
ton may stand BY the policy it has heretofore {
Pursued, and not increase the evils and COM ,
Flications of the war; 5s ~ sfrt {
sslf7 J. 1
The oil-Works 'of fba sLroo,,oS.;t :