North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1863-06-17


kind, would open with lnsurrection, massa
ere IN servile war, in which, if the slaves tri
umph, their masters must be the Victims
Throughout those states such is generally
believed to be the deliberate designs of the
abolitionists. That their measures tend tc
such horrible results cannot, think, be de-
MED but that the authors of them clearly
foresee these results, and recklessly push on
to them, willing to participate in such
crimes and to meet the fearful responsibility
they would incur, am not prepared to be-
lieVe. So far as reason prevails among these
deluded men, they will undoubtedly deny
that this mode of efecting their object is
embraced within their plan of operations.
Ii is more charitable to presume that they
mean to stop short of this catastrophe that
they are willing to spread dire alarm among
the white population of those states, with a
view to make them feel that life, prosperity,
and all human comforts are insecure where
domestic slavery prevails, and by these means
so to agravate its evils that they will be led
by the nero pressure ofthcm to emancpate
their slaves. Such mode of attempting to
| effect this object is characterized by folly
and wickedness. To suppose that such
means will conduce to such an end betrays a
| lamentable ignorance of the universal laws
of human action. If the slave owners ever
concur in any plan for the abolition of slave
ry, it must arise from a better motive than
fear. They will secure themselves from
danger by acting on the objects from which
it is apprehended-not by emancipation, but
by multiplying safeguards, by increasing re-
strants, by preventing intercourse as far as
practicable among the slave population, by
Withholding from them all moral aad relig-
ious instruction, and by every conceivable
means ofmaking them harmless machines.
To satisfy ourselves that such would be the
consequences ofexciting alarms, we have on
y to look at what they have already done
and are preparing to do. Manumission is
discouraged, and measures are about to be
adopted to exPel all free persons of color
from the slaveholding states. Instead of in
crcasng despotism to cooperate in any plan
of emancipation, there is now exhibited
more fixed determination than heretofore to
maintain the institution Of slavery.
The great engine which the abolitionists
profess to WELD, and by their operations of
whicA they hope to bring their object within
their reach, is free discussion. By the po-
tency of abolition arguments the slavehold-
ers are to be instructed in their duty; to be
taught lessons Of humanity, of moral oLliga-
ton, and civil liberty and to be induced to
strip the bonds from their slaves, and to re-
ceive them into social and political fellow
ship. After all that has been done to &C.
complish this end, it may not be improbable
to look at the results. If we belive the con-
curing testimony of citizens of slaveholding
states, not one convert has been made among
them! On the contrary their passions are
aroused deep sense of Indignation at un-
provoked wrongs, and o mischievous inter-
meddIing with their domestic concerns, ex-
cites and agitates the entire mass of the
white population. The abolitionists and all
their works, are loudly and universally de-
nounced as sedtious, incendiary, and wick
ed and the bonds of amity and concord
which unite US to the people Of the South
are threatened with severance because we
tolerate within our borders these dsturbers
of their peace and violaters of their laws
Such, we are assured, is the progress which
the arguments of the abolitionists have made
in bringing the shareholders to a concurrence
| in their views.
When We consider the matter and manner
of these appeals and the character of the peo
pie to whom they are made, we ought not to
surprised that they have been Indignantly
rejected. In all that regards the civlitles Of
life, in high intellectual cultivation and en-
dowments. in moral conduct and character
in comprehension Of the principles of civil
and political liberty, to give these principles
practical appreciation, in love of country
and devotion to its interests. the people of the
|
pies as any other section of the Union.-
When any attempt from any quarter, or un
der any pretenses, is made to disparage them
if we forebore to vindicate their character
we might seem to be unmi ndful of what il
due to them for the distinguished part they
have. acted in all the trials and conflict
through which our country has passed, from
the earliest stage of the Revolution down t.
the present time. In all the views hav
been able to take care of the labors of tn
abolitionists have not discovered that the,
have produced single benefit, but every ste
in their movements thus far has been attend
ed with evil consequences. Twill not un
dertake to describe the calamites which il
all probability, would result from their futur
progress, not only to the people of the sewers
states, but to the people of the whole huma
race se far as the cause of civil liberty is cor