Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-01-16

States of Kentucky and Tennessee to the State
of Ohio by their visit TAI this Capitol last win
ter, and the frank, cOnciliEtory and magnan-
imous temper they displayed, would justify
the Legislature Of Ohio in invoking the Free
States to repeal all laws, if any such Their, be,
cOntrsvening the rights which their fellow
citizens of the South justly claim un~er the
constitution and rely on 4 future Congress, il
it be not done by the present Congress, fo-
the ~Rbrogation of whatever is obnoxious in
the Fugitive Slave Act, and hr such amend
ments Of it as will fully protect the liberties
of the citizens of the free States.
A like cOnciliatory course would be expec-
ted Of the Southern States. by the repeating
Of such of their laws rs contravene the CON
~stitutional rights of the citizens of the Free
States. With less, the citizens of the Free
States will not be satisfied. They claim and
will insist upOn ali their constitutional rights
in every State and Territory Of the COnfede-
racy. These they cheerfully accord to the
citizens Of the Southern States Determined
to do no wrong, they will not cOntentedly
submit to any wrong. Unawed by threats
hey demand the employment o. all the con
stitutional powers of the Federal Government
to maintain and preserve the Union. Rejsc
ting the whole ii 'Ory of State Secession as IN
palpable violation of the Constitution, they
cannot consent TO the exercise of any power
under its sanction The integrity Of tbs I'm
ION, its onenes and indivisibiilty must be pre-
served. In the Union they will be rs scru-
pulOusly careful to protect the rights of the
Slave as of the Free States. Nay. more
Conscious of their power, and regarding the
Urion-a peacable ami fraternai Union AS
the nublest legacy they can b~eIueath 10 their
posterity, they will cheerfunly yield every
thing To their brethren of tns oOu-h, that
may not disturb he harmony Of the ConsijI-
ton, and that mSy be consistent with T gu 4,
Justice, humanity and the demands Of i carl
tlan civilization. Bat with treason against
the Federal Government :hey have no terms
OF compromise TO make, none ~ accept
Against thAt, they demand tie enforcement
OF tn. law.
l purpos.ly avoid attaching any import
ance TO the only other threStsnins conflict,
that relatIn. To the establishing of slavery in
the remaining territory Of the United States
~ all m4st zee tat that is settled by u de-
cree more potens than |, legislative en- ,ct,n 'nts
or judicial decisions. The opinion declared
bv the Supreme Court, a claimed L the
South, opens these territories TO slavery, and
Territorial Legislatures invite 1t. but the
laws of nature which operate on slave pro-
duction. combined with its laws which rcSu-
late emigration, Intcrlict the existence Oi
slave Institutions ia the elevated regions now
to he settled. The Kansas experiment, mado
under the most favorable circumstanc S for
the South that can exist, is conclusive upon
this subject. If this were not enough, the
overwhelming public opinion pronounced IN
the late presidential election must produce
the conviction, that the slavery question, as
connected with the remaining territory oftho
United States, is forever settled, and that the
slopes Of the Rocky Mountains, east ard west
are reserved exclusively for free institutions.
AS q menber OF the CUntcderacy,
! Ohio has u vital interest in its prcser-
walton. With her vast capacities for
development-her great extent of ter
ritory-her soil OF ineXhaustible fer
tilety-her salubrious climate-her
almost bonndless subierranean wealth
her large manufacturing resources,
and her numerous facilities for 4 pros
porous commerce, added TO the moral
qualities of her people, and the purity
of her civil institutions. she feels that
under the protection and the fostering
care of the Union, her material and
moral destiny would secure to her for
ever an equal rank among the most
prosperous and powerful OF States
Nor is this all. Her citizens, coming
from all the States in the C~onfederacy
to share her blessings and partake OF
her fortunes, and bound to each OF
them by the closest commercial rela-
tions, she is attached to the Union by
the double ties of consanguinity, and
interest. Loyal as she always has
been to the Constitution, she will
maintain her loyalty come what may.
Speaking the language Of the great
defender of the Constitution, her peo-
pie say to the II isguided people of the
South, who are meditating the over
throw of the Government:
BE assured, be assured, that among our
political sentiments the love of the Union is
still uppermost. We stand fast by the T. n
stitntion and by those who defend it. We
rely on no temporary expedlcnts; on no
political combination; but we rely on the
true American feeling, the general patriot
ism of the people, and the imperative deci
sion of the public voice. Disorder and con-
fusion indeed may arise; scenes Of cOmmO-
ton and contest are threatened, and perhaps
NAV come. With our whole hearts we pray
for the continuance of domestic speacG and
quiet of the country. We desire most ar
IDENTIFY, the restoration OF affection and har-
mOny to all its parts. We de.ire that every
citizen of the whole country may look 10
this government with no other sentiments
but those ofgrateful respect and attachment.
But we cannot yield, even to kind feelings,
the cause of the Constitution, the true glory
of the country, and the great trust which
we hold in our hands FIR succeeding nges.-
If the Constitution cannot be maintained
without meeting those scenes of com notion
and contest, however unwelcome, they must
come. We cannot, we must not, we dare
not omit to do that which, in our judgement,
the safety of the Union requires.
Net regardless of consequences, we
mus, yet meet consequences, seeing
the hazards which surround The dis
charge of duty it must yet be dis
charged. For ourselves we Shum no
responsibility in attempting to main
tain the cause. We are tied to il by
indissoluble bands Of affection and du-
ty, and we shall cheeriuIIy .partakc Of.
its fortunes and fate. We are ready
to perform u W appropriate part
whenever the occasion may call on us,
and to take our chance among them
upon whom blows may fall first and
fall thickest. We shall exert every
faculty we possess, in aiding to pre-
vent the Constitution from being null
lifted, destroyed or impaired, and even
should we see it fall, we will still with
a voice as earnest as ever issued from
human lips, and with fidelity and zeal
which nothing can extinguish, call on
the people every where, to come to its
rescue"
Relying on the patriotism of the