The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-03-15

I
this trouble i? That, sir, is ore of the ele-
ments that enters into this great political
struggle but it is not the cause OF it. II
is in vain for politicians to come forward
here now, and say that by any action we
can take upon this question the difficulty
can be allayed, and sn end put this sec.
tional strife. No, sir, by no means that
we can devise can we put an eud 20 the
struggle. II we take such line Of policy
as will satisfy the Slave States, The Free
States will be restive under it and il we
adopt such line Of policy as will satisfy
the Free States, the Slave States will not
rest con,en,ed under il. What shall we
do, then Our friends say compromise,
compromise, compromise. That is the
panacea for all the evils under which we
rest Compr promise what? Compromise
justice Compromise the freedom which
our fathers purchased with their blood
Shall we dedicate our Territories 10 The
sustenance of bond men and the owners o.
bond.men p? Shall we repOl freedom from
the soil purchased by our fathers will
their blood and treasure, and yield it up
10 the desolation OF eternal servitude p
Why, sir, we cannot do il and not blush
that we are their postetity. The necessi
ties Of the free States demand that we
have scope 10 extend our principles ard
our institutions, and they are as dear TO us
as the institutions OF the South can pos.
sibly be TO them. And those who claim
a hold upon our liberality demand tha,
we shall yield 10 them all their demands,
upon the ground that we are strong, and
can afford the sacrifice without injury ic
ourselves. Those men labor under a
great mistake. We are not strong; polit
icaiiy we are weak beside The slav,
States and why? Because the nearer
n despotism any Government comes, th,
stronger it is for immediate, rapid decided
action and the more democratic, the les
cfficien. II is TO adap. itself to an exigency
which may be sprung upon it in momen
Of unanticipated danger There is nc
question about that. There is one hear
and soul and one spirit actuating the
slave power. Prompted by one purpose
one interest. one necessity, il can unit.
and act, as they have done in this seces
sion movement. while we are looking
round and wondering from what cloud the
thunder comes.
While We have been looking round
they have done the act and they hav,
done it in a way which, they tell US, is a
FINALITY-a title with which all our shan
compromises and adjustments are dig
nided. All the slave States have taker
their ground, and are determined 10 main
tain it. There is but one voice and one
purpose throughout the slaveholdins
StaIes--the Gotten no more than the grain
growing States, il may SO designate
them no more the Gulf States than the
border States. They are all unit
made SO by common interests and com
mon danger. So,also,a common jealousy
and a common fear, and a common hate
excited BY The rapid growth of the free
hostility TO those States. They have nc
confidence in the sincerity of the pro-
fessions we make yet venture 10 say
that, in no single instance, has any com
promise entered into between the sections
OF the Union. been violated by the free
States. No solitary instance can they
produce where the free States have acted
in bad faith in respect 10 these compro
misses. We did not in respect TO the
Missouri compromise. We submitted 10 il
1t was a bitter pill for the men who rulec
the free States in that day, 10 submit t.
the Missouri compromise. Our father
held all the territory to be free but
under that compromise, they were virtual,
excluded from all the Territories below
latitude 36 deg. 80 min; while they be
lieved that, under the Conslilu ion, all the
Territories were free.
Well. sir, no sooner had our population
extended into the far West, SO far as e
induce our resolue and determined free.
men 10 look 10 Kansas for the settlement
and establishment Of their homes, thar
that compromise was broken on the par
Of the slave power it was Instantly and
amorselessly broken. and the complaint:
and The remonstrances Of the free States
disregnrded and even jecred at.
But, sir. l regret 10 say that I could
never blame the South for that. / have
never uttered one word Of discomfort or
account Of it. because those who did il
were but northern tools who lent them.
SLEEVES TO the uses Of their southern mas
ters for that special breach of national
faith and honor. That fatal measure wa:
carried through by the ambition, The un.
bridIed ambition, of northern men. They
repealed that compromise, and it doe:
not become the north TO grumble al
southern aggressions consummated by
northern men. They, The allies Of the
slave power, took the inheritance which
had been set aside by our fathers for the
purposes Of free labor, and We have moth.
ing to say, for it was northern men, whose
ambition sought the aid Of the slave States
to elevate them to the highest places il
the nation, who did it. But these tools
have had. and are having, their pay foi
il and rejoice when relribulion knocks
at the threshold of bsseness.
To meet this combined assault upon
freedoms heritage. we established some
emigrant aid societies. Those were con-
demned by the Shareholders and their
northern Democratic allies as vile and
outrageous inslrumentalty. But in what:
Why, sir, in filling the Territory Of Kan
sas with emigrants from the free States
Then these emigrants were eft upon The
. h. 4 49,: lnf. a. Ia