, 1862-04-26
Tbe :Ttibuttt.


SHALL SLAVERY HH sFA34HN* |
The discussion now pending IN Congress
is one that loyal men every where will
watch with breathless interest ltinyolyes
the question who shall be the sufferers by
This war. There Is share Of suffering and
sacrifice that the loyal States cannot escape,
and viii not shrink from, and this includes
the loss Of blood and treasure needed for
the restoration and perpetuity Of the Gov
crnment. But this is only as a sacrifice,
Is there to he q penalty inflicted upon the
authors Of these woes Is the Government
to vindicate itself In the condign punish
1aent Of traitors? Will the Confseation
&C. become o law, and its provisions in !
c1ude slaves and all the property Of rebels? |
This Is what the debates and action Of our !
Legislators are within few days to decide.
There is but ono path Of honor and Of
safety. No Government jealous Of its own
honor and the happiness Of its people can
avoid it. Slavery is the cause Of this
var. There is not among the entire list Of
the enemies Of the Federal Government
one rebel who il an Abolltionist- There is
not one in arms OF in the councils Of the
Confederacy who deems man selling
crime and Human Chattelsul blot upon
the humanity Of the age. To man they
arc the defenders Of the institution Of slave
ry in behalf Of which they have aimed 8
blow at the existence Of the Government.
And now that the question is pending Of a
penalty to be adjusted TO the crime, from
what source comes the opposition? Who
arc the men in Washington and through
out The lsnd that are vigorously working
and dec1nin,ing against the progress Of the
Government IN the punishment Of traitors?
As Of the class before named, SO there is
not among these last, one man who is not
lover Of slavery. They are the DaTlses
and M-icklif1es Of Kentucky, the VaLan-
djchams Of the North, who with 4 fidelity
WORTHY Of {: better cause, are instant and
jealous to guard the institution which dis
graced our nation throughout all its pros
pcrity, and has now brought the Govern
ment to the verge Of ruin.
With all their pEotestations that slavery
is not responsible for TIE rebellion, these
men are slrewd enough to sec that the
punishment Of traitors will fall upon slave
holders only. That the confscation ;ec'
carried out will iberate the bulk Of all the
slaves Of the South, leaving to the chattel:
Of the small moiety Of Union Shareholder:
3 doubtful and precarious position a:
property No wonder that pro-slavery mer
are opposed to such measure. It voulj
be more than the death 6nell Of slavery, I
would roll the stone to the door Of IL
tomb. The question then simply take
this form, Shall slavery be protected? la
it deserved sufficiently we'll Of the nation
that it should be exempt from the punish
ment 1t has richly earned: Is the institu
ton in itself enough Of {; glory to our na
ton to atone for the disgrace that mus
fall upon Government which having til
power and the pressure OF necessity tt
punish the enemies that threaten its eNis
tcncc, spares it through the doubtful elem
eocy-or rather from timidity and lack @
moral courage to deal with what las beel
pronounced BY the humanity Of our agt
tho sum Of al yi1lainies. Freedom
bleeding at every pore. Free labor is su
fering, and is to be burdened with gricrou
taxes. Shall slavery be spared its door
now uiat by its own act its roots are LII
bare to the axe? 1t is useless for any On
to deny that the Government has to dea
with slavery. It's enemies in array agalns
il are shareholders, and the punislmen
amounts wen nigh to the extinction Of tb
system Of human bondage at blow. Ii
the blov fall