The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-03-13
For the Courier.
OrTtuwA SEMINARY. March 9, 1861.

OF March LIST, an Essay was read by Air. IL.
Baker, in which he attempts to prove that
slavery is a divine, christian and civilzing
institution. And whereas, my being mem,
Der Of the same school, and being so circum.
stanced that was not permitted to be pres
ent on that occasion, hereby wish to have
published in your columns.some Of my SEN
timents in relation to few of the points re.
terred t, in SAID essay, that the people Of this
county may know that one member, at least,
of the school is opposed to the introduction
Of slavery into the Territories; AMI also OPP
posed to any compromise that will be sac
rifce OF the principles Of majority Of the
people OF this Union. And in doing so,
expect to do some credit to Rev. Mr. NcElroy
by letting the people know that there is snch
an ono in his school.
He (Bake) quotes in his essay from the
Bible rs follows: Let as many servants as
are under the yoke count their own masters
worthy Of ali honor, that the name of God
and his doctrine be not blasphemed And
they TINT have believing mlsters, let them
net desri.c them, because they arc brethren.
These things teach and exhort."
Now does he suppose that the word SER
vantin this quotation, means a slave? No,
surely not. lie must know that the words
differ in their Signiication very much, as the
subsection of a servant is voluntary, AMI that
of slave, Involuntary, or by conpulsion.-
Every slave is ga servant, but every servant
is not Save. 4 servant is person bred
or employed by another, for the purpose OF
performing mental dutie; for him or her, for
a specified term Of time at a certain rate of
compensation, and is at liberty to quit said
service when he pleases: but while IN the
employ is subject to the will and command
Of the cmplo, er. While Stare is person
who is held to service by another, contrary
to and ag ,inst his will, without any compen-
saton for his service, and no term of time
specified, save for life, and is under the alb.
solute power and control Of his master One
who is under obligation to labor for the ben
eft Of another, without being party to the
contract.
Hence you see that the word scrraat, as
used in scripture, does not mean slave of
modern times. But again, as he is some
what of an Algrebraist, he knows that by
transposing, we do not alter the value; and
by transposing portion of his quotation, we
make it mean something very different from
what he intended. will do it thus:
"They Ohe servant>) that have believing
masters, let them not despise them, be cause
they are brethren" What's that? the slave
and his master, brothers? Yes, and "these
things teach and erhOrt that the name of God
and his doctrine be not hlaSphemcd - Is
that it? Does he aim to convey the idea that
the slave and STAKEHOLDER of South Cavlina
are brothers? If not, what means his scrip
tnre quotation IF that is his idea, he had
better keep north Of Mason & Dixons line
fer if he should 90 South, and according to
scripture, teach and "exhort' that the
slave holder Is his slaves brother, he will be
with coat Of tar and feath-
ers, and, unless he should luckily escape,
ct to try the virtue Of southern hemp.
But again, he says: I've demand of the
people Of the north to give the south her
rights. These she claims and
these are all she requires Why, the north
has always respected Their rights and shown
fidelity to their institution, and they noao
have the best assurance in the world that
the present Administration will not interfere
with slavery in any o: the States where it
already exists.
But he says, "rhe founders Of the Con-
stitntion viewed the Territories as common
property, belonging as much to the South
as to the North" We grant it. And they
also incorporated into the Constitution that
each State, whether north or south, should
be represented in Congress, according to the
population, and give to each member an
equal voice on all questions that might arise
there. Hence, you see the south has an
equal voice with the north, just in proper
ton as their population is to that of the
north. And ''thc Congress being the true
voice Of the eoao'e people, "shall have power
to make all needlul rules and regulations for
the Territories. Thus you see the South
has the same control over the territories, in
proportion to the population, as does the
North. Then why not let that power rest in
the hands of Congress, where the Constitu.
ton places it If the Territories belong to
the people Of the United States and not t.
the people of the Territories, and tn, repre-.
sentatives in Congress assembled are the
true voice of the people, they Of course have
the power to govern their own property, and
make all ncedful rules and regulations
therefor
Again he says, "Ifa compromise Is no.
soon made, revolution will ensue." say
let it come. I wol ID rather have no Unior
than to have one bought Ivy the sacrifice Of The
principles Of a majority, to the minority. I
the South, as has hitherto been their custom
is bound to rule or ruin our Government
and determined not to yi"lI to g. cors.itu
tional majority, we hal as well whip then
into the harness now as at any time. But i
JEFF. Davis word is good for anything, a.
President of the Southern Confederacy, {
compromise will effect nothing if adopted