The Burlington weekly hawk-eye., 1862-05-10

iticians, in view of the proposed agitation of
the Emancipation question in Missouri, may be
imagined from the following from the ST. Louis
Republican,:
The formation Of Emancipation Societies in
Mssouri--with the leading Society resting in
st. Louis-leaves to the people of the State no
other alternative than to prepare for the issue
thus presented to them. In common with all
men Who are tired and sick Of this disgusting
war about the everlasting niger, we had hoped
that the demsgOgues now taking the lead inthis
movement would at least have waited until the
Union had been restored-until the North and
the South and the Border States had shake,
hands oper ruined country, and agreed upon
some friendly and just means to bring us back
to comparative degree of prosperty-before
again proposing to disturb the peace of the State
| by the agitation of this question. 1t may be
safely assumed that nineteen out Of twenty of
those who are eager to bring on this contest
who are banding themselves together in secret
societ es, and pledging themselves to support
the Constitution of Missouri, although by the
| prosecution Of their object they commit moral
perjury-have no interest whatever in slave
property. They own no slaves They will nei-
ther profit nor suffer by the emancipation OF
them. no matter whether that be done under
the Constitution or in defiance Of the Constitu.
ton. Neither are they working men, who might
be supposed to have some interest ~ getting rid
| Of species Of labor which, by some, is err0ne.
| ously supposed to come in competition with the
labor of the white man. They have no preten-
sion Of this kind. They are nothing but sham
philanthropists in any sensible view Of the mat.
! ter They are mischief makers and revolution.
lists. They are political demsgogues who have
run out Of all other capital, and look to this
question as the only one which is likely to keep
| fhoir ato R,f Hhasr a;
tion in some counties of the State, they have
determined to present this question as the issue
in the election next August If it must be 90,
the supporters of the Constitution of this State
| those who think that the provision incOrpO-
rated into that instrument by Benton, declaring
shat the Legislature shall have no power 70
pass laws for the emancipation Of slaves without
| the consent Of their owners, or without paying
them, before such emancipation, in full, equiva-
| lent for such slaves 30 emancipAted," has yet
| some binding force aud oblgation-every man
Who has aHy respect for the Constitution or the
rights OF individuals, Is called upon to make like
arrangements for an embittered contest. They
| have Q vast interest at stake-the interest whicS
every good man feels in compelling the obser.
vance Of every clause Of the Constitution, for it
| ia only by that that We have any guarantee for
liberty or property, and the interest which At
taches to the ownership OF all the slaves in the
State On these grounds, they will, il they are
wise, at once get up organizations in every
county. No nan but lunatic will say that the
State is likely to be in condition, for some
years to come, to pay for the slaves now 10 the
State, and be who proposes to dispossess the
| owners Of them by any other means than are
provided by the Constitution is knave, deser-
wing Of the condemnation Of every honest citi-
zen. At the election in August next, It will,
then, be the duty of the frienus Of the Constitn