Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-01-17
The North tho Aggrcssor.

The following article from the Provi-
dence Post is specific and true enough to
set men thinking that there are two
SIDES to the question of national troubles,
and that Northern politicians have had
their full share in producing the circum-
stances which h ave eliminated in threat
ening disunion.
at may bo true that the South has
sometimes overstepped the boundaries of
Justice in her local legislation; but it is
true, also, that she has never made war
upon Northern States or Northern insti-
tutions. She has never adopted for her
motto ono more free Stotes." She has
never interfered in any way with the man
agement of our local affairs. She has al
ways said to us, "Do as you please; be
what you please; have such laws as you
please, only let us alone" The South
submitted for upwards of thirty years to
law excluding slavery from the terrific
ry west of the Missouri. The law was
then found TO be unconstitutional. Yet
the South never complained. In the Con-
stitution the North agreed to return fugi-
tive saves--and in '93 a law was passed
by Congress and signed by Washington,
making it the duty of State officers to re-
turn them. The North no sooner ascer-
tanned it could escape the work Of execut-
ing the law, than it prohibited its officers
from having anything to do withit. The
South then demanded that the law should
he so amended as to be enforced by the
Federal Government This was done,
and instantly the North began to throw
distractions in the way OF its execution.
For ten or fifteen years the North petition
ed Congress for the adjustment Of slave.
ry in the District of Columbia, and only
turned from its work when the Wilmot
Pro,iso promised to be more successful
, as an irrtant. For the last fifteen years
, Northern men and women, by thousands
petitioned Congress for dissolution o.
the Union, because slavery was tolerated
! therein. In 1874 Massachusetts threat.
f oned to go out of the Union if Texas was
admitted as q slave State From 1S40 tc
1850 almost every Northern Legislature
annually passed insulting or irritating
, anti-slavery resolutions with an order fol
copies of them to be sent to the Cover
nor of every slave eholding State. When
/ ever, since 1880. aSoutherner has visitet
. the North with his servants, efforts have
: been made to induce the servants to leav,
him, and many times they have beer
t rescued by mobs. When Southern mer
e have visited the North in search of thei
! fugitivcs, they were harassed, mobbed
and sometimes shot. In churches a con
. stant war has been kept mp until nearl,
every church has been divided on Masol
& Dixon's line. Southern Christian
. have been treated as hypocrites and inf
o dels by nearly all denominations in tn
+ free States. For sixteen years there ha
j. hardly been State Convention by tn
" anti Democratic party in any free State
IS which has not passed resolutions agains
: slavery and in unkind and insulting Ian
: guage. The North has ever found faul
i with the clause in the Constitution whic
o gives the South representation in Con
n gress and in the electoral college, base
upon her slave population. And all thi
n while what has the South done? Wine
h has it established or countenanced under
1t ground railroads by which to rob us c
y our property? When has it legislate
IF against the enforcement of the FEEDERS
c laws? When has it's Legislatures passe
d laws to be sent North to provoke wrath
y When has its pulpits and religious as
}. sociations denounced us? The fact il
Il that in this warfare, the North has bee
4, the aggressor, and has stood alone. a
" " the South has done, she has done in sci
;. Defence"