Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1861-01-17

stitution was adopted, twelve of the thi-r
teen original States recognized slavery =
But The institutions was tI;cn in its infancy
In tins country. and heI becn forccsl upoh
the colonies BY the mother country. Most
OF the leading men. both North and -soutfl.
then looked upon its existence a. ephener-
al. and contemplated day. at n, great
fdistance, when itwouhi wholly di.appear
from our system. Far secinglas the found.
ers of this government were. they did not
estimate rightly the future of this instisa-
ton. Subsequent developments have fixed
the line Of demarkation between free and
slave institutions. This line has been es-
tablished by self-in.ercst, anil not lby any
principle of religion orr pliilahthrophy. l
The Northern States relieved themsel YES
from the burthcrn when they disposed of
their slave property to their Southern
neighbors and abolished the institution.
and the Southern States found in the grow
ing demand for The peculiar productions OF
their climate and soil. a profitable field for
the employment of this kind of labor. and
they have cherished and maintained it I'M.
til 1T has become the basis of their social
system as well as the handspring of their
wealth, and its productions now form tho
staple of the worlds commerce. ssal I..soa
From the time this line was formed a
gradual but perceptihlc change in the tone
of sentiment. both North AMI South, be-
gan to manifest itself. In the beginning
of the agitation of the slavery question in
the free States, the advocates of anti slave.
ry sentiments found but few sympathizers.
and the abolition lecturers met with but
an indifferent reception at the hands of the
people. The honest Instincts of the
masses rceoilcd from tbs danger with
which these sentiments were pregnant. and
the fear Of the popular mind has been fear
fully verified in the events that arc now
Transporting around us. In the change of
popular sentiment on this subject. the
politician anil the demagogue have had
much to do; but their efforts woull have
been powcrless but for the all they have
resolved from a much more powerful as
well as dangerous class. | refer to that
class of political teachers who belong to
the ministry. and who claim to speak by
authority. In all ages of the world, the
ministers and priests of the prevailing re-
iigIon have exercised a most potent innu-
encc over the minds AMI conduct OF men.
and IN no country more than in orr own.
notwithstanding our boaStel in,lcpes,len, e
Their power for COOL or evil is greater
than any or all others. They stand as the
protested representatives Of heaven. in at.
tempting TO reclaim world from sin
Clothed with this sacred robe. as ambas
sadors from that high court. they claim to
pass the judgment of heaven upon the acts
and conduct of their fellow men: and.
when this nigh mission is faithfully AMI
conscientiously performed by one capable
Of understanding the true relation between
man and his maker. when the Christian
religion is applied t, the world as it is.
and not as il ought to be, no noblcr spec
tacle can be presented than that feature of
our social system that is so strikingly ex-
emplilied in the church circle of which its
minister and pastor is the center, and no
class of men are entitled TO higher regard
than those ministers who faithfully, and in
spirit of charity. discharge the high ,lu-
ties OF such a station. But unfortunately
for us as nation, too many who have thus
armed themselves with this double power
for good or evil. have tnrnel their attention
to political reforms. AMI invoke. in their
misguided zeal. oil the fanatical elements
by which they are surrounded. Profoundly
ignorant of the political bearings Of qnes-
tons of social anil political economy. they
claim to Judge all such questions from a
moral point of view. and to condemn or
approve According to their STANDARD of
moral right. without any rexar.l to thu. eff
feet Of such decision UP III the well being
Of society at large. anil wirhon: considering
the probable result of their pretendel moral
reform upon the political condition of the
country and their labors have thrown every
wave OF sectional commotion higher than
the last. until the whole country is con
vulsed by it.
The slavery agitation in the free States
has naturally pro luccd ultraiSm at the
South. and, as a consequence the country
has become divided intc sectional parties. |
separated by geographical lines. Ayain-,
these ultraismS. moth AMI south, it is the
duty of the con -crvative element of the |
whole country to interposc; AMI this must |
be done at oncr or disunioa is inevitable. |
If it be not already accomplished The I
points Of difference between the slavehoLl-
ing and non slavcholling States are few.
AMI even those are mare imaginary than
cal. We are as mnch interested in the
development. growth ami prosperity. OF
the Southern States Is they are them selves,
because southern productions have become
ncccssarics. Of life. On the other hand.
they arc deeply interested in our prosperity.
and suffer from any canse that retar.ls it,
The Constitution demands that their fugi-
tive slaves be returned to them Equity
and common honesty require that they
shall have equal rights in all the terrific
ries belonging to the general government
The future condition of the territories, so
far as the extension Of slavery is concerned.
will ultimately be determine by the nat
ural laws that have hitherto controlled that
species of property; that is. climate. soil.
and productions. so that any Question that
can now be male upon il mnst be more an
abstraction than living. vital principle.
Why then Is it so difficult to adjust all
differences between US. and what has caused
this fearful political commption, this panic
that has prostratel all the commercial re-
latioas OF the entire Union? Tsis state of
shtuv. (,ll.,..-r.1