Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-01-22
WHOLE NO. 1854.

existence of domestic slavery in certain of
the States, at all restrictive, as is some
times supposed, Of these powers Of the gen.
eral government. Slavery, like other re-
latiOns of superior and subordinate, exist
ing by force of the police law of the State
in which tolerated, depends entirely upon
the State law. The minor child and pa
rent, the apprentice, servant and master,
are all, alike subjects 10 the general gov
ernment. And however true it is, that the
relations so existing between persons, BY
force Of the State laws, are to be reeog-
nized and respected, II times of peace, by
the general government, as existing rela-
tons by force of the State law, over such
subjects, they are each and all regarded by
the general government only as persons,
and citizens or subjects. And hence, al
though the punishment Of treason being
left discretionary, with the single restric-
ton mentioned, while it might be compe-
tent for Congress to prescribe as punish
ment, that the person should never here
after sustain the relation Of superior to any
subject of the United States, and that his
property should be eOnfseated, yet mas
much as the general government regards
both servant and master, alike, only as per-
sons ahd not property. And such was ev-
identity the opinion of Mr.. Madison, who
informs US that the trainers of the consti-
tuition refused to suffer a word in the in.
strument which might ''soem to give coun-
tteennanee to the Idea that there could be
9roperty 81 man.
And so, too, if it should at any time
during the continuance of the insurrection
become apparent to the general government
that slavery is the cause Of the insured
ton, and Of its continuance, and tended to
prevent that sentiment of attachment and
loyalty to the government necessary to the
continued existence of the Union, for the
purpose for which formed, it will then be-
come not only the constitutional right, but
the duty of the general government to at
once remove such causes. And in such
case, although the government would still
have the constitutional right to persist, in
disregard of such duty, in the endeaYor to
suppress the insurrection by mere force Of
arms, it could not avoid the moral respon-
sibility, which history as well as public o.
piniOn, would in such case surely impose
upon The delinquency. The great sacrifice
of the treasures and lives of loyal and
true men, if not the overthrow of the gov
ernment, might, not improbably, be ascrib-
ed by future historians, to the ill-timed
prudence of the men who, having the pow
er, neglected to use it on so proper an Occa-
sion.
1t is not, however, the object of this
Communication to express any opinion as
to the measures or powers advisable to be
used in this exigency. My purpose has
been, merely, to show that our free popu-
lar government-While conforming, in its
structure, to the rights and relations of
persons which constitute the natural laws
Of society, and so, more eminently adapted
to secure the ends of goyernment-really
possesses the powers and strength for self
protection in an equal if not superior de-
gree to that of absolute governments, or
those less in accordance with the principles
Of just government.