The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1862-04-02
the FUTURE OF SLAVERY.


What is to be the effect Of the war war upon
Slavery is question more easily asked than
...a, ~ uicu presents isson cOnun-
ually before the mind Of almost every one. And
natuAraly enough. The Slavery question has
been 30 much before the people OF late years
that not only those who have made . specially
OF it, but every one at the North has had some
thing to say upon it, aud has come 70 recognize
it as the greatest question OF all which were dc
volved upon the American people to settle.
And now when from the same quarter Of the
land whence in past years have arisen political
controversies based upon this question, there
has come up this tempest Of rebellion, having
the same source, it would be most extraordinary
il We did not ask ourselves what WAS to be the
effect Of the war upon the cause. No one can
tell this a. vet, because it is not yet settled
what steps are to be taken against Slavery in
the prosecution Of the var. II it il long enough
and embittered enough by defeats on both sides,
to lead our generals TO declare the slaves free -
military measure, then, Of course, the war will
be the utter destruction of the system, bringing
il to sudden Q violent end. And there are
those Who are impatient TO have that course pur-
sued, because they earnestly desire the over
throw Of the system, and believe that such .
sudden and violent destruction 10 the only way
to reach the evil. And there are thsse, too,
Who argue, that We shall never establish firmly
cemented Union again, unless Slavery il first
utterly overthrow.
But let 10 suppose that no euch measure 10
adopted; that the rebellion 10 subdued before
it has developed enough latent heat to bring
out the force necessary for its adoption, aud
that without the passage of any act of Congress
declaring all slaves of rebels free, without the
NJ apv unstinn hv ana nf our
Generals giving freedom to all within his
Department, the armed traitors are quelled, and
their leaders scattered in fight or in prison, and
the authority Of the Constitution and the laws
Of the United States again recognized as before
throughout rsbelAom. IL it not perfectly clear
| that even in that case, the ruin Of Slavery,
though not so speedy, is no less certain! What
| weuld be the condition Of the system if tie re
belisn were to be overthrow to-day! Over
| vide tracts Of country. which but few months
ago we're titled by slaves alene, nov no masters
authority 10 recognized, no Overseer's Lash 10
authorized by the Law. The South has lost
more slaves in this one year Of rebellion than in
| any ten years that pTcvcdrd IL. Dut the ivss in
those that have run away is as nothing in its
effects upon the system compared with the ef-
fccts Of the recognition by the Government a.
free men of those Who remain behind in the
i
when their rebel masters fed, Of the schools act
up for these freedmen by Government authority,
aud the teachers and missionaries provided for
them At Government expense. These things
cannot be limited in their effect to the districts
Immediately around then. They will be fell
throughout the utmost bounds of Slavery. They
will lessen the value, as . slave. of everyone
upon whom the yoke Of servitude rests. They
will lessen the guilt which nov for each one o
them yawns between chsttel and man.
But. besides the effects OF the rebellion upon
the slaves, iis effects upon the shareholders vii
be also marked. The mere effect OF their pc
cuniary state can hardly be appreciated. A
year of such poverty, followed BY the inevitable
prostratios Of all business, which must follow
with people who have lived upon credit vhict
is suddenly and utterly destroyed, while there il
an entire lack Of money throughout their land
will test the strength Of this boasted system o.
society most severely. And With ail the tendsn
cies of the system TO encourage ignorance, there
cannot fail to be an opening Of the eyes OF the
Southern people upon several poinss. They vii
See that they are not "the people" and tha
knowledge and all the other excsllencies vil
not Idle with them" Their relative position il
the country will be . great deal better under
stood by them. Their arrogance viii have re
eeived . most damaging bios; their theories
about the comparative strength Of free and slave
society will have shown themselves fallacious
and information upon many such points eanno
fail TO have been driven into their minds-driveI
in by hard knocks, 20 doubt, but Ill the noe'
sure to remain On that account
And vet further, the isfaence Of Slavery in tn,
North has been destroyed BY the rebelon-snt
il is in the North, with its corrupt political lead
ers and implicitly following maases, thas Shaver!
has feund its strongest bulvNks- Al that ha
passed away. The prestige of Slavery-its po
ijtic.l power, with which "bare wand it, Ik'
tho foul enchanter, Comus, could " untbresd ou
; Joints and erumble al our siaews, ssateees
from it's hand, while its magic cap, from vhicf
il poured the daught Of prsferment 70 bsviide
the senses Of even some OF the greatest aneni
us. il shattered forever. The object fof vhicl
the Republican Party vas formed has bssI
: obtained. The Slave Power is driven foreve
from the administration Of the Government o
. these United Statea Who can deubs il vbe,
he sees an incunbent of the Presidential chai
Who dares to speak of Slavery otherwise tha!
" With based breath and whispering huubsenea,
and Who boldly declares that it is the duty
} the Governmens to "initists smancipenoo!
Who can doubt il when he sees such decaaca
ton accepted universally st the North, - th'
work of q patr;esic and sensible man-the fe.
vho t.ke Tie csusrsry grssnd being bardl.
. e,oesA 20 make diseocd IN the general bars
, Of apprsbAeisns
| the war Z carried On. We owe il % gso4 WIN