Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-01-17
For the Ohio Statesman.
The CrisIs--No. 3.

Having shown the necessity OF an amendment
Of the Constitution, and that such amendment
can only be obtained by Convention Of all the
States; let US next inquire upon what principle
such amendments must be framed to secure their
adoption, and restore peace to the country. The
fundamental principle of Republcanism is that
slavery is not only political evil, bu. a great
moral sin against God. Religion, philanthropy,
and sectional pride being thus brought into ALI
ance with politics, success becomes inevitable
On the other hand the great bond Of Union
among Southern men is the feeling that their
slaves are legally and morally property, and
that they are defending their property, their
equal rights and their lives, against an
aggrarian, dominant and revolutionary party
Now il matters not whether one or the other, or
both are mistaken, the result is the same. The
maa who slays his friend for an eremy, cannot
recall him to life when he discovers his mistake.
With Religion, philanthropy and feeling Of
power on one side, aad feeling of weakness in
defence of rights and property against oppres-
sion on the other, there is no hope of submis-
siop by either, TO the full demands Of the other
| Americans never surrender where their pockets,
their sense Of justice or their conscences are con.
cerped, No amendments therefore can ever be
adopted which require the North to admit the
morality Of slavery. or the South to surrender
its right to equal privileges in the territories.
What then ia the remedy Whilst greatly
fear there is none that will be adopted, yet /
think there is single proposition which each
section may unite without sacrifice by either.
It Ia this: That the people of each State, and
they alone, are responsible for the existence OF
slavery therein; that whether curse or bless
| ing, the people Of the free States have the same
right, and none other, to interfere for its aboli
tion or protection, as in the domestic affairs oi
| foreign countries that the Constitution neither
establishes nor prohibits slavery anywhere; that
the extension OF slavery into the territories ID
a question for which the people of the terrific
ries are alone responsible.
|. This secures 10 the South Joint participation
in the territories, and at the same time admits
the right of intervention by emigration. 1t
gives full license for conscientious Republicans
to cond emn, in their hearts, the institution o
slavery as severely as they choose, and releases
them from all responsibility for its existence IL
any State or territory, except their own. This
is evidently the view In which the Constitution
was framed and adopted by our fathers. Are
we not willing TO preserve it in the same spiri
in which IL was adopted II there be any wht
are not, then do they censure our fathers fo
cteAUnB buCn Oulou, uuu W tnomt VI Cuurso
any argument or appeal Tor the preservation o.
that Union, is labor lost.
But It is claimed by some that slavery Is
national elm, and that as citizens Of the United
States, we are each responsible for It, This Il
the great radical error Of Republicanism, an(
one that lies at the bottom of all our presen
troubles. Il will not be denied that this is the
corner stone Of all anti-slavery agitation, and
vet that It IL an error may be easily proved
i Nine of every ten Republicans assure US thai
freedom is national, and slavery is local. lilo
cal, how then are the people oftbe nation respon
sible for it1 Again, the same proportion Of Re
publieans will tell US they recognize the rigb
of the people Of the States to slavery If they
wish it, and that they even grant its claim Il
protection In the States, by the strong arm oil
the Federal Government. This position can on
" be justified by the same principle. II the
people of the free States have no right to inter
fere with slavery in the States, what right have
they to organize great political party and elecl
officers for the government Of the people OF
those States upon the avowed principle Of op
position to tlavery everywhere2 And II IL be
conceded that the people Of State may estab-
I;sh or abolish slavery at their option, what
great sacrifice 10 there in permitting the same
people TO do the same thing, as territory.
As Republicans disclaim any interference
With slavery in the States, would ask in all
candor, whether the exercise of the antl-repub-
lican and doubtful power Of usurpiDg from the
citizens Of Territories, privileges conceded to
them as citizens Of States, Is worth more than
the preservation Of the Union7
Let the Northern incendiary who seeks TO
make the government weapon for the destruc
ton of the institutions Of part of it's citizens,
and the Southern secessionist who seeks TO des.
troy the government because he cannot make II
an engine for the extension Of an institution,
which, except in certain latitudes, becomes a
positive injury, pause aud answer this question
before II Is too late.
HAMILTON