The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-05-07

nc organic law. inns Culullauon Ot Tue
lave theory. as stated in the kentucky cor.
,tituton, did not satisfy its friends, sn6
,cucc the demand for what was iutcndc'.
a he complete paracca for all its ills -
he Drcd Scott decision. have thus brc-
~ stated the facts relating to the vitality
of slavery, and described the thing which
is claimed to be guaranteed by the Consti-
tuition.
Now, when am daily met with the de-
mand, most vigorously and earnestly, and
with apparent sincerity made that | shall
live up to and respect the guarantees OF
the Constitution in regard 60 slavery,
think have n right to demand, where are
those guarantees written in the instrument
tselt2 do not want outside understand
ngs or conversations to I've substituted for
the text but where is it nominated in the
bond that the sovereignty created by the
Constitution shall enforce that decree of
hell by which, with the brovity and point
OF a thunderbolt, the child born in the i'm
age Of God is severed from the womb and
consigned to the stall of the bruteg Give
me the text of the organic law Of this great
nation, which sanctions or enforces the rob
berry of cradles to supply sinews for toll
creative of luxury fGr an oligsrchy. Where
are we hidden to enforce % theory and TO
protect an interest which declares itself to
be above all constitutional sanction?
claim that the Constitution gives no
guarantee whatever for the existence of
slavery, but that it livos solely 10y its own
local law, and that local law is in palpablc
violation of tho Constitution.
But go further, and bay that if the life
of the institution had been guaranteed by
the Constitution, if it had drawn its life
blood from that source, if it becomes .
public enemy it's right to live is forfeited.
say this, because the condition of life for
every being is, that it shall not use its pow
crs to strike down the life of it's creator
If il does, then It's own life is forfeited.
And | venture 10 ASSERT, as an hstorlCal
fact. that 10 proper judicial tribunal has
ever considered and decided the question,
whether, under and by virtue of the Con-
sttution a child born of 4 slave mother
can il consequence be held to service for
life but, on the contrary, the courts have
treated the relation of master ard slave as
an existing status, without having inquired
into its rghtfnInisl.
| 1t is therefore at least an open question,
| whether there can he such q relation under
| the Constitution, or rather, whether the
| Constitution does not sweep away every
local law that ID i'll direct conflict with its
own provisions. And ii was to avoid this
| very question that slavcholding Senators
resisted trial by Jury of fugitive slaves.
! Mr.. Mason. of Virginia, on tie 18th OF Aug
ust, 1850, in the Senate said:
"Thcn again it Is proposed, as part ct the proof TO
| be adduced AT the hearing after the fugitive has
been recaptured that evidence shalt b6 brought by
the 0ia;mapt to show that slavery is established IN
! the State from which the fugitive absconded. Now
this very thing, in recent III the city OF New
| York, was required by one Of the Judges OF the
ISIp h;ih sage attracted the attention OF the au-
thorities Of M9ry iahd apaiHsl ahlc meg props.el
| because of the indignties hcaped on their cusens
and the losses sustained III that city. In that case
| the Judge Of the State court required procf that
slavery was established in Maryland, and went so
far as to say that the only mode OF proving It was
by reference to the statute book. Such proof is re-
! galcG i, tie Senator's amendment; and if he
| aieans By thu that pI0at shail le brought that
slavery ii established by existing laws, It is impos
, sbc to comply with the requisition, for no such
proof can be addu ed, apprehcnd, in any of the
slave States. am not aware that there Is single
s,at: IN which the institution is ablished by pos
| iliye iaw.''
We are thus brought to the consideration
of the minor proposition that slavery is a
public enemy. 1t is evident that the main
controversy must turn upon the truth OF
this proposition. for if its enmity were quite
apparynt, il it stood in the same attitude Of
hostility as lhe eSplherp eonfodHracy now
stands the unanimous voice of the people
which now demands the unconditional
downfall of that combination, would de-
mand in like manner the extinction Of slav-
cry. 1t is my object t9 show that it is thus
hostile, and that this rebellion is simply
slavery in arms against the Constitution.
Let j,s fer {, raoft.eii; look ~ us past foot
prints upon this continent, and inquire into
its true origin, aims, and results More
than two hundred years ago vessel land
cd upon the shores of this wilderness con
tineHi freigLtGq I.ilh en- iaaa, True, there
was material property and Iacn on hoarc
that vessel but they have all perisheC
with the rubbish of the past. Bnt the
idea came for conquest and dominion, anc
it sti!l iyeq That idea had long held sway
over RurOpe, and determined The late Of III
people. The idea WAS simply that the few
had q right to control the many, and to ap
propriate for their own benefit the fruits o
the laborers toll Then it was called feud
alism, its victims Williams its home was il
th1 lgQunl4in GrgSa iEs tNaineas, war 1T
wealth spoiis its pleasant plaoos, the des
olatons of industry; it's law, the will of ;
chieftain; its prey, the people its history
the dark ages Of Europe.
tbs Organization vi lugular Government
under mouarchies dislodged feudalism from
its mountain Businesses and strongholds
and compromised with its leaders by offer
OF position at court but the idea itsel
was never GislGdgod Irt..a the heart of tn
gentry of Europe. Driven from its tirs
possessions, it sought other devils NOR
inaglgnant than itself, and started its for
tnnea IL the newly swept and garnishe'
continent of AiAeiluai / nvod not trace III
development Of the feudal or despotic ide
into the full grown system OF slavery as
now evists. In its new form it is sevel
: times worse than before. 1t was despot
} ism then, it is despotsm now, In Europ'
} il suueumLed end gradually vanished bt
fore the pale starlight OF the monarohieF
J But while heaven and earth rejoiccd owe
it's downfall there, it cunningly steals ha
continent here, and bids defiance to Go
and man, under The constitution ui ,lie Ln
ted States. But the day of its judgmen
has come. The cry of the poor has reacf
ed the ear of their Almighty friend, an
l that system, which has hitherto eluded re
, ripqli1n, mgst stand the scrutiny of maI
kind and be judged by it's deeds,
Let us examine some of the direct antal
oDisms between the system and the object
for which the Constitution was formed. A
an illustration how entirely it defeats til
first object named - that is, justice y"
| need not spend time i'll arguing that sla'
cry u contrary to natural Justice, Thu
point is 80 universally conceded that II ina
: be assumed as an axiom. The authors
the Constitution decided that "iustice
= should be one of the objects 10 he cared fc
and promoted by that instrument. AS it
r not limited in terms to any particular cla'
! of persons, it is fair to presume that il WI