The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-04-03
PUBLIC SEN rIMENT ON THE SLAVE
RY QUESTION.

principles have but little weight IN The balance nt
their Judgment. The prepondcratine intlu noes arc
the theories, incidcuts snd Statements itancd in
the current literature Of the day, hence it IL that
gross prejudice, OF times governs the opinion aud
acts OF mon, towards their fellows both in The pub
lie and private walks Of life and communities, aud
nations. in their collective capacity arc led % the
adopt in of opinions ut variance with the organic
laws of their nature and the constitution by which
they profess 10 he governed, and by departing from
thc just and rghs path, they are induced to cominit
acts alike ropugnnnt to liberty, and truth. In ne
instance has this been more oicihly illustrated than
IN the history of these United States, since their
Declaration Of Independence. Losing sight oi the
glorious "Old Landmarks" which declare tho
equality of mankind, and their dde to innlicnable
rights, large portiono of ournaucubavc allowcltb the
right fpropory in the negro race, and by the teach
hugs ofthe press by the eunwaunut bic assumptions Of
tyrans, an by Judicial d,crycs, the colorcd popu.
laton are reduced to the condition oG chattcs thus
cmbodying in the same form OF constitutional law,
the highest form Of liberty and the grossesl amount
or oppression. With much proprety slavery hos
been designated the - sum of all yillanies,' each
new revelation it makes affords new features Of its
hideous, and degrading character. The influence
which 1t exercises on the nmstcr tcuds TO despot-
ism, to inhumanity, and 10 hloodshed. II crushes
out the humanity of the slave reduces him TO a con
diton Of brutal degradation aud inspires him with
irrcconciable hatred mud revenge.
Utterly obnoxious is the system to the nduc,jons
Of truths the instructive love of liberty IN the hu-
man heart - and tht commonly received opinions
Of civilized nations. And ~ huge cxcorcsccucc
slowly, but surely, DESTROYS tho object with which
it is identified, so slavery Ivy its insdious anddead
ly influence, nbscrhs the vitality, and destroys the
unity Of that people and nation which seeks to up.
hold it. Even now its withcring and desoIatirg in.
Auence every where prevails, throughout our once
peaceful ani happy land, Aud should slavery IN
its present form be suffered TO exist these are hut
precursors Of more terrible evils. From the di
verse form Of our government to thut or European
Nations, aud from the aggressive tendencies Of our
people, tue grand and inevitable conflict botN cen tn,
aristocradc aud republican powers will Nooner ol
later take place.
In such a case, with population double TO tha
now existing in the South, with latent malice ano
vndc.ivc hate in the hearts Of the Whites auc
with dstrust and contempt possessing the blacks
our enemies will have furnished them in the Soutl
base of operation, aud myriads of willing hand
10 efGctuate the overthrow Of our form and sys
TEN Of government. II is only 5v timely rcpara
tion to the negroes and judicous lcgi~atons, to dc
tcrmnc their status that such consequences may h,
avered. 1t is gratifying to perceive that our pco
pie are now alive TO its Importance. With but few
exceptions the influence exercised by the press IL il
favor of freedom, and the approximation Of oui
pple is towards liberty fathers understood ii
righteousness exaltcth nation, hut sin is n 10
proach " any people, is the uterancc of that in
comprehensive power which holds the destiny o
nations i; his will.
TINS mouv, inspired the immortal Washington
rs so eloquent ~..l'i - Mr. Bancroft in his ora
t,on at New York vu Ne End of February. Hisrc
marks deserve the consId,ratc auenti, u, aud re
mcmbraucc of every lover OF our country and it.
institutions
:" When in the presence OF your Fathers, Wash
ingtun standing under the canopy Of the sky tool
the vote to support the Constitution, he returned int
tho Senatt Chamber to interpret to the First Con
Ercss the principles of our crcUt charter aud Tn
1T policy lur the nation TO pursue. Then it was h
laid down rs their rule the pure and inmut'htc prm
ciplos Of prir6t morality, 0td hc ,icp! rules OF Os
and right lciich HsuVcn itsclt had ordained.
During eleven years ot PerrcrSe government
these rulos were dioltgardcd, and il came to pas
that men who should dra,ly dro'r The sentiments .
Chancellor Livingston were dslranchscd for tn
public service, that the spotless Chief Justice WHOM
Washinpto tou placed at the head OF our Suprem
Court could 10y no possibility have been ruminate
for that office or confirmed. Nay, the corrupt in
huencc invaded the very home of Justice The Il
nal decree of the supreme Court in its decision on
particular ease, must be respected and uhcyrd III
present Chief Justice has ON one memorable AZ
peal accompanied his decision with an impasSinne
defamation wherein with profound mmomlit
which no one vet fully laid bare, he has IN hi
party zeal endearorcd t. prove that the Fathers
our Country held the negro to have "rn right
which the white man was bound 70 respect" he ha
not only dnuiHd the rights of man aud the iihrrti,
Ot mankind, hut has not left toOthcld tor the il
erty ut the white man to rest upon. That i'll stnr
red disqulstiou at Fancy, whom | trust did not il
t1nd Ia hang "ut Che dag of dsuulon Is the tomtd
hfud Of hlS r.d,tloN No nation can adept ia
Judgment as its rulc and live. II we want Il
opinions received in the DAYS when our Cunstu
non was tHmtd. we will otake them second har
from our Ch1l Justice we viii LEI thc'men Of th
day speak tur themselves. How Wiiluur Amorcu
magistrate shrink, wi n armigHcda as he will be b,
fore the tribunal Of humanity. More terrible wi
be the verdict against him when he is put in con
rariS"n with Nashingion'S political teacher Il
great MontcSquicu. the argument from the dne
ence of race which Canry thrusts forward wi
passionate confidence as proof Of complete di
qualification, is brought lOrwardby Montesquiou
scathiug satire all the brood of despots wi
were supposed To uphold slavery as tolcrablc
itself.
The people of the United States must derive frc
the example of Washington lesson OF persevu
ance. We have been forced into strife iro
which there has been safe escape but by q
manifestation Of auimmonse superiority of strrngt
All civilized nations are waiting to see il we sh,
have the courage 10 make It manifest that iIeeds
Is the anmating prlucpe of our Constitution, AZ
the life of the nation. such are the soul iuspirl
words of that noble Democrat George Bancroft {
historian He does ua, hesitate to assert that {
negro question i, tho fountain head of this rcb
lion. That the Arguments in support of il are Il
same as those used by the brood of despntS eve
where. Aud that al! civilized nations are watt
to see il We shah have the courage to make 1t ma
itest that freedom is the Aumtting principle of o
Constitution, and the life of the Nation.
That brave ana noble man, Governor SprRrua
Rhode Island, atlirms the utteraucoS OF tSeor
Bancroft, ami q tae eNpec,ant nations, he annuu
ces that the great republic is true 10 it's ustiur
He declares that tn preservation Of the Uuiun a
he destruction q slavery 0rs 'separJt aye, iis'
cal nol0."
The following extract from Gov Spragues
dress to the Democratic Convention Of Rhcde Isla
is copied from the Ereaiaj Post of March 18th +:
1t is n superficial view, therefore, of the pres
national crisis which supposes that this conf
can end and leave things as il tound them. \
We must cross tnls h}ud that swells and looms,
abandon the national hopes Of a glorious ntu
The Issue already made between opprss sion 4
liberty mus be fought out 10 the ead now or
fought hereafter and perhaps under aggrava
circumstances. Sdrriy re-estabiiskod ard tAs =,
consequences ssseat atty igoutd /ollo,o agan.
There is really no possible hopeful end to
conflict but the end Of slavery. There is no 5,
easy escape from cur national troubles as 81
seem 70 imAgnc--no prospect Of the war being 81
but by being useless, or else by being radical
determined and, may add, in regard TO false pi