Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-02-06
ABOLITTONISM.


To the Editor of the Belmont Chronicle.
SIN: With what holy horror this word is
pronounced by some. 1t is edifying to
witness the unction with which they as
sert that the dreadful condition of our coun-
try is owing to Secessionisn and Abolition
ism. The rich emphasis they put on Aboli- |
tionism and the care with which Secession
ism is thrown in to prove that they are
sound. You must remember that every
man belonging to the class of patriots Of
which we are speaking is a living illustra-
ton Of the remark which one of their
number, a prominent office-holder of the
county recently, applied to JOHNNY Heaton,
"He is not part of Union, but a Union
man all out" The peculiar and vivid feel
ing with which Abolitionism is contempla-
ted by this class of men results partly from
their idea of its ,oiae preralence,-the great
er part of the community in their opinion
being injected with it. Heaton not only
regards the whole Republican party as Abo-
ltionists, but he claimed that the great
split in Democracy itself was made by the
inroads of Abolitionism. And Hcaton's
admirers universally regard all as Abolition.
lists who are in favor of the Abolition toar,
or, at all events, not in favor of ending it al
once by any sort of compromise we can gel
from the traitors, well knowing that an &C
knowledgmcnt Of their independence is the
only compromise to which the traitors have
ever been willing to accede.
But, to return to the text, "Abolitionisn
and Secessionism caused the war. Ou
"Uaion men all oat'' will not exactly sa.
that there are any Lincoln men among tn
400, 600 armed Democrats who assist Jeif
, Davis in defying the Constitution and law
! of his country, trampling in the dust tn
: American Flag, and aiming death-bloN
I not only at the existence of this once happ
= country but at the liberties Of the huma
race through coming ages. But If the
: have not the courage to say this, they WI
: still affirm that the doings Of the Abolition
n lists provoked the South to rebel. by thl
: they evidently mean either that the caus
t furnished the rebels was reasonable, or tha
it was unreasonable. If they believe thf
: it was reasonable, and, therefore, sufhclen
e they must if honest men, believe fartht
r that revolution for reasonable and sufficleI
!, cause is right; and that jeff Davis and h
!. supporters are pursuing an honorable an
d patriotic course. IT. on the other han'
It they believe that the South rebelled witho'
= reasonable and sufficient cause; their asse
8 ton that Republicanism, or even Abolition
It ISM (very differentthings) caused the war
D plainly falsehood. A man shows b
n sympathy with rebels by charging their gu,
e on those who warmly oppose their prlrcipi,
W and conduct. He shows his veracity ;.
ID calling himself Union man, when strlvi'
Il to prove that the disunionists had just al
'e reasonable cause for their conduct.
John Wesley pronounced Amerlc
Slavery the vilest sin that ever saw the s.
I'd -"the sum of all villainies. I" Most of
ne followers, for the last one hundred yea
ne have endorsed the sentiment. The Prest
I'd terian General Assembly in 1878 unanmol
III " declared ''the voluntary enslaving. OF
y. human being by another gross violati
RS of the most precious and sacred rights
We human nature" See Baird's Digest.
Is Thomas Jefferson uniformly denounc
r. Slavery in the most expressive terms
be English language can afford. Gen. Was
a ington declared his readiness at all times
sw vote for the abolition of Slavery in his o
re State. (See his letter in JOHNNY Heato
ey paper, April II, 1867 A still higher
To- thority has said "thou shalt not deliver u
ey his master the servant that is escaped fr
re his master unto thee" Deuteronomy
he is. Similar sentiments have long b.
I'M held by nearly all the educated world. ]
ow only exceptions worth naming are the Sou
RS, ern traitors and their sympathising friel
ial in the North. These are the only par
ir- who believe that man cannot love libe
IN, without loving Slavery.
The Republican party, sharing the Al
Slavery feeling of the great. and good
id earth, are yet loyal to the Constitution,
an willing that the stakeholder shall have
m that is legally his. But this will not sat
les the Peace party. Loyalty, in their view,
els auires us to steel the heart against e,v
es generous and noble sentiment that God
is placed in the human breast, and endors.
lile once the views of Slavery and its relati
to the institution so popular during the
few years with traitors and fanatics OF
an South-the very views, in fact, that b
Wis led them into the present unholy rebel
We w. +
theI puITNRy Township. Feb. 3, 1862.