The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1863-10-15
Who is Responsible for the War

Was it the Abolitionists, who with
out authority in the Constitution for
this act purchased the territory of
Louisiana, which secured to slavery
the States of Louisiana, Arkansas and
Missouri at an expense to the nation Of
of Sl5,000,000?
Was it the Abolitionists who bought
Florida for the purpose Of extending
slavery, at the cost of S7,500,000 and
afterwards plunged the country into a
war with the Indians, which cost us
$50, 600, 900 and thousands of lives, be-
cause the Seminoles would not deliver
up fugitive slaves.
Was it the Abolitionists who tricked
Texas into the Union, assumed her re-
bellion war debt of S10,0O0,000; and
by agreeing to subdivide her vast area
into five slave States, violated that
clause of the Constitution, which pro-
vidcs that "no new States shall be
formed or erected within the jurisdic-
ton ofany other State 4 4 without
the consent of the Legislatures Of the
States concerned, as well as Of the Con-
grcss?'
Was it the Abolitionists who meanly
picked a quarrel with the weak neigh
boring Republic ofMeXico, which cost
us tens Of thousands Of lives, and hun
dreds of millions of dollars, that the
pretext might be used for stealing Cal
ifornia for slavery, because it lay south
of 36 deg 80 minutes ?
Was it the AboIitionists of South
Carolina, who passed that infamous
law imprisoning the citizens Of North
ern Maritime States who came into
her scaports following Their calling in
legitimate commerce and was it the
AbOlitionists of Charleston who threat
ened TO mob Samuel Hoar, when he
went to the vile den as the legal rep
resentative of a sovereign State to test,
in the Supreme Court, the validity of
this statute which clearly violates the
section of the Constitution which pro-
vides that "thc citizens of each State
shall be entitled to all the privileges
and immunities of citizens Of the sew
eral States p
Was it the Abolitionists who in 1850
demanded and obtained the passage Of
the eXecrable fugitive slave law, as n
counterpose to the admission of Cali
fornia as free State, by which vile
enactment the right of trial by jury
was abrogated in the trial for the high
est right which the law can either con
fer or destroy, which orects a petty
court in the person of a commissioner,
and deliberately offers bribe for the
rendition of the person claimed as a
slave to his alleged owner, by doubt
ing the fee in case the person claimed
be remanded to slavery
Was it the Abolitionists who swept
away the Missouri restriction which
opened up to slavery every inch ofun-
organized territory under the iurisdic-
ton of the United States, without one
petition from the people on the subject,
thus placing on the statute book the
most eminently wicked law which has
ever disgraced this government?
Was it the Abolitionists that at
tempted to force slavery on the unwill-
ing people of Kansas at the points of
Federal bayonets. by the torch of the
incendiary, and all with the assassin
border rufian's bowie kniteP
Was it the Abolitionists who as ac-
cessories of treason, sent our army into
the disafected State of Texas in 1860
61 to insure its capture, scattered our
navy over the world to prevent its use
in maintaining the authority of the
government against the then organized
rebellion; beggared the treasury, and
destroyed our credit to cripple the en-
ergles of the Republic, refused to move
a finger in defense ofthe national honor
and authority, while ships, dockyards,
forts, arsenals, navy yards, arms, am