Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-08-12

hitherto been diuunionists, now join in support
log the Union. - d N tf T'f3d'
Il Ianswer: u....... ..--r...,.a
i We refused to take Office and swear to suppor
the Constitution because we could not promise b
do what we thought sin-return slaves to thei
masters, for Instance, az required by the Con.
stitutlon' Further than that, our effort to breal
the Union was only means to an end. Ou
object was the abolition of slavery. No maj
can foresce the future, or certainly tell eve IN,
Immediate, much less the fual results of an,
measure. We must act on probabilities, apt
use those rightful means within our reach
which seem most likely to end an evil perfectly
In the shortest time, and with the least harm
On this principle, in the old times of peace, VIC
labored to break the Union as the beat and
quickest way to end alavery. Let me remind
you that We never underVslued Union-neyer
had any objection 10 Union--but only to a Union
on pro slavery conditions, one that Supported
and strengthened slavery. The disunion we
sought was one which should be begun BY the
North on principle, from conscientious objection
to upholdiDg slavery. Such division of the
Union would have given US q nation In the
North, united on high principle, able to defend
liteelf rigid against granting any pro. slavery
advantage TO Ito Southern neigbbor; and the
vicinity and example Of such North would
have oo-operated with the essential weakness
Of all slayeholdng1 Governments In finally
abollshlng slavery at the South. Such disunion
must have been bfought about by public opin.
ion. throughout the North adverse to slavery,
and would have guaranteed one for the futuYe.
The agitation for such disunion, based on The
idea that slavery Ia o sin, to, be immediatly
lrepudiated at every cost, was the most direct
and efficient way of, educating the public to a
stern anti'slavery principle. You see, there.
fore, that the abolition of slavery was
our object, disunion our weapon, and our
lmethod of reaching it was to convert the
nation, and, create strong auii-slavery public
opinion. We sought such disunon for the
slave's sake, well knowing oil the time how
much OF what bis toll had fairly earned disunlon
would sacrifice, but convinced that, as things
then etood, 1t was the quickest and shortest way
TO- free him. We knew also that our plan
wonid leave the slave to struggle up to freedom
against thousand obstacles alone and unaided,
yexed and hampered by reluctant master; but
that disadvantage was inevitable, and seemed
no sufficient reason why we should forego the
only method which promised him speedy and
certain relief. We held that, for such reasons
1.-The rights Of the slave and the sin (for anti
slavery men) of upholding the Constitution
the North had the right of revolution--the
right to break the Union; and that such divis.
ion would sooner end slavery than, continuing
under q Constitution that forbade the North,
during peace, to interfere with the slave system
Of the Southern States. War came. The South
began war on the nation. To accept disunion
then, one not begun by an anti-slavery North,
but forced on O. reluctant and hait-conyefted
North, thonghit would have killed slavery In
the end, would have lost tho slave his share In
the nation he helped to found, and would have
left the slave obstructed In bis path to freedom
by great obstacles, uDpltied, unaided, vexed and
hampered by an embittered master. Such dis
Union, too, would probably have helped to pro.
long slavery, seeing that such o North would
have been willing to grant Its pro. slavery neigh.
Dor many advantages, the recapture OF slaves,
etc.--and that the South, In this secession.
planned to found q military despotism, would
have been doubly able to protect and prolopQ
the hold OF the master on his slave. The con.
fict of two such nstionalities would have en-
tailed perpetual war. On the contrary, the
first gun the South fred gave tho nation the
constitutional right to abolish slavery wherev-
or lie flag floats, showed that such q measure
would inevitably be necessary, and that the
Union must probably cease, or rest on the equal
liberty Of ell races. w." ag'
Ip these circumstances, the Aboltionists, who
we're not peace men, and had never asserted the
sinfulnesB OF war, perceived that the war itself
would produce an overwhelming national opin.
lon adverse to slavery sooner than any other
agency. The manifestation war must make
Of the nature and desigus of the slave power
would inevitably make every Unionist On Abo-
liticniat. The need Of the negro in the conflict
would destroy prejudices against color more
speedily than any other means could, and his
presence In the army would be the first step to
civil equality. We saw that the preservation
OF the Union would efficiently protect the negro
10 bis transition to perfect freedom, and that
the nation he helped to create owed him this
aid, which 10 Of vast Importance. .a'f
As things stood, therefore, aimee the war:
j. The Union means liberty, and to save
itself must tTee the blacks. TO uphold Il In
this struggle for existence, is the reldieut way
10 convert the nation into Abolitionists, One
yesrtot such war worth, for this purpose,
twenty years of peaceful agitation.
/ =, The Union protects the slave In his tf ansi-
tionato liberty, and makes that passage speedy
and easy fot7sh3t - x siw m ts'S9+s ,o7 y
3.sIs saEesBim saa ourselves all The benefits
of o. nationality which his toll and ours has
earned 10 three generations, area lta gt 'li =
4 ltinsures peacsthtoughout North America.
A the psesent time, therefore, the praserva.
tion'o the Union givesus all these benefits we
have aimed at, and some we never expected
70 eecure by our old plan. Perhaps all these
bensfts might have been gained better and
cheaper in other ways. But God dispeses; the
ohblce ID not left with us--We must enter
the door hs opens. . We had hoped that itsould
be, and labored that u should be, one of peace;
but TO Himsit has seemed otherwise, and We
submit We can easily see that war may per-
haps be the snlyl path 10 emancipation for
century TO Gomez Peace, on which we had
counted, has one danger. The constant sight of
succesaiul inlquity 10 % likely 10 dull the con-
science as TO waken It, We could not be Ger
tain that, In the struggle between right and in
terest, the triumph might not be for o long
while on the wrong side. No one could be sure
that our Union, spite of the anti.slsvery enter
prise, would not have sunk for many years Into
strong, rich, corrupt pro-alavery nation, greedy
Of territory, osllous to right, and tvampling a1
victim race under ito money. seeking feet. The
shatp sword Of war kills OF cures at once, and
as God has linked successfwIth Justice, We must
either be whipped Into people hating slavery
.as their conqueror, or we must be successful
with justice for our ally-the negro cur &C.
khowledged equal and brother. ~ al
Wesee, nevertheless, the use OF our disun-
ion agitation. If We did NOT fnlly convert the
community by our CRY, /" Liberty and Justice
are better than Union, !" we 90 far leavened
their minds and wakened their condolences that