The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1863-09-17

| unpaid labor, party, small In numbers
but great in the intellectual powers of its
leaders and devoted to the defence and
| propagandism of American slavery, by
the free and alternate use Of hattery and
threats, wrung obedience to its require
ments from the unwilling hands of Amer
ican statesman. aa 5.ssa9
What followed is thrice-told tale
The admission Of new slave States the
annexation of Texas the war With Mex
leo; the consequent accession of great
territories in the Southwest the compro,
mise legislation of 1850, including the
Fugitive Slave Law; the repeal of the
Missouri Compromise the lawless inva-
sion of Kansas by the rufians of the
Southern border, with its attendant
slaughter of peaceful Northern settlers
and the eliminating efforts of the Admin
istration OF Mr.. Buchanan to force by the
bayonet pro-slavery Constitution, whose
provisions were disgracefu, to civilized
human nature, upon the heroic people of
that devoted Territory. What were all
these but the successive steps in the long
and painful descent, whereby the conser-
vative, law-abiding people of the North
vainly endeavored to appease and even to
satisfy the constant aggressions Of their
slaveholding brethren?
The political history of America for
forty years is written in this brief state
ment of con cessions to slavery We had
done much to please its friends We had
surrendered, almost without the forms of
protest, the chief executive Offices of the
nation to their keeping. They were filled
either by themselves, or by those North
ern gentlemen whom they graciously
selected for the merit of prompt and
unquestioning obedience to their COM
mands. The judicial branch of the Gov.
ernment, entrusted with the construction
of the Federal charter, and the consequent
abrogatiop, when necessary, Of all laws,
State and national, was composed of
judges of their choice The represents
tiyes of the nation at the Courts oe Europe
had been trained with their training
The conservative branch of the National
Legislature was uuquestionably under
their control.
We had parted with many plain rights
to satisfy them. We endured the utter
denial Of free speech, and even of uumo-
Tested travel in the Southern States. We
waived the protection of the Federal law,
which should have covered US as with a
shield, everywhere beneath the Federal
flag, and consented to receive instead the
jurisdiction of ruffianly mobs, bred and
fostered in slavery. We saw without
the North made a vast hun
ting ground for tugirives from bondage
We accepted with meekness the constant
taunts of our social and political inferior
ity. We permitted our representatives to
be threatened with personal violence in
the streets of the capital. We stifed our
Just and sacred wrath when Northern
Senator, graced with all generous culture,
and bearing the commission of q free
Commonwealth, was beaten by slavehold- !
ers to the verge OF death on the floor of |
the Senate, for words spoken for liberty |
in debate. Enduring all in patience, for
the sake of peace and union, we sat in |
quiet obedience to the law, unwilling but t
submissive pupils, receiving lessons of |
honor from Mr. Brooks, and of |
manners from Dir. Wigfall, of |
loyalty from Mr.. Davis, and of honesty
from Mr.. Floyd.
At last, in the year Of grace 1860, the |
Constitution afforded to the citizens of the |
land the privilege Of again expressing by
their votes their choice of national rulers. /
They exercised that right, quietly, peace
ably, and lii perfect obedience to the
form and the spirit of all our laws.
The lawful discharge OF this high duty,
imposed upon all good men by their
was declared by few bad, bold
men to be just cause Of civil war. This
proposition involved, of course, the start
ing doctrine that Northern men must
7ote in the interest of slavery, or its
friends would appeal from the ballot to
he bullet, destroy the Constitution, dis
solve the Union, and deluee all the land
With lis most precious blood.
II must be remembered that the Senate,
without whose consent no law can be
enacted, was pro-slavery. The Supreme.
Court, against whose judgment no law, it
.nacted, could avail, was pro-slavery
There was, therefore, no danger possible
o the institution and it was simply be-
ause once in forty years the people had
awfully chosen a President who was
elieved to be opposed to further conces-
ions to slavery, that an embittered and
Malignant faction, who had been long
Iursing their treason, declared their
to cause to flow all the terrible :
wills following in the train Of this cruel
var, which has wasted our substance and
laced our chiefost treasures beneath the