The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-08-26

what claim founded in justice and right ha
been withheld :. Can either of you to-da.
name one governmental act of wrong, delib
: erately and purposely done by the Govern
. ment of Washington, of which the Sout
has right to complain 1 challenge tn
4 answer = x m e. y Now
for you to attempt to overthrow such a Gov
ernment as this, under which we have live,
for more than three-quarters of century,
: in which we have gained our wealth, gu
standing as nation, our domestic safety while
the elements of peril are around US, with
peace and tranquility, accompanied with un.
bounded prosperity y and rights unassailed-i.
the hight of madness, to which can neithe
lend my sanction nor my vote''
4 Now, my friends, this is the testimony of a
man living there among them, and acknowl-
edged to be one of their ablest leaders. He
j tells you that the rebellion was without cause,
and what better testimony can any man ask !?
i. THE CRY OF ABOLITION UNwARRANTED. l.5
Oh, but some of your newspapers tell YOU
chat this is an Abolition war. Well. INV
friends, affirm to you that when this war
commenced, the institution of slavery was
stronger, was on a more substantial founda-
ton, than ever BEFORE and would have re-
manned SO, had it not been for the rebelioa.
In the South there were Is States where slav-
cry was recognized by their Constitutions and
secured by State laws. Was there any BODY
who proposed to interfere with slavery IN the
Southern States =? If there was, the number
was very few. In the beginning of the short
session of Congress desired to settle this
question, and for the purpose of ascertaipino
If there was any member of Congress who
desired to interfere with slavery in the slav.
States Ioffered the following resolution
= " Resotued, That neither Congress, nor the
people, nor governments of the pon-slave-
holding States have the right to legislate up.
on or interfere with slavery in any of the
slaveholding States of the Union.,,
Here was the broad declaration that nei-
ther Congress, nor the Northern people. nor
the Governments of the non-slaveboldino
States, had the right or purpose to interfere
with slavery; and the resolution was passed
oy unanimous vote in the House. There
was the solemn declaration, on the part of ev-
cry Representative, that it was not the desira
or purpose of the North to interfere with slav.
cry where it existed. 4
But it was said that the resolution d;dn,t
amount to any thing, because it might be re-
pcaled or modified by subsequent House Of
Representatives. How did we meet that oh
lection A proposition was introduced bv
Mr. Corwin. one of the most distinunisbad
Representatives on the floor, to engraft into
the Constitution of the United States an
that would specifically declare
that no Northern State, or Cor gress. shonId
ever interfere with slavery in the Southern
States This was proposed for the purpose
Oh placing it beyond the reach of Congress, or
the people of the North, to molest the slave.
owners in the possession of their slaves. And j
that proposition passed both Houses of Con-
gress by atwo-tbirds vote, and would now
have been engrafted in the Constitution of
the United States but for the fact that the Sc
'esslep of the Southern States prevented the
accomplishment of the object.
. But 1t was said, again, you people are prop
eating SO fast, and multiplying SO rapidly
rom immigration, that you will soon have
more than three-fourths of the votes of all
me States, and then you will interfere with
aur rights and privileges. In reply to this.
Mr.. Corwin demonstrated that it could NOT |
happen much short of thousand wears and |
'nas was about as long as. we should attempt
% iegislatees es for the future Laughter and
applause ~ But we wanted to remove all
ground OF excuse, and therefore proposed to
make this clause in the Constitution. forbid
ling Congress from interfering with slaverv
for all time to come. By this
proposition we thought we would certainly
emoye all ground for fault finding. When
We did this, we thought that We had done all
hat 1T was possible for us to do. .a-., /.
But still trey were not satisfied, and what
Else Use did we do :? They said that they did not
nJoy equal rights with US in the territories
! SO happened that the laws of population
we're settling the territorial questions in wav
hey did not like. They had tried various
Methods for introducing slavery into them. but
lad failed Even Kansas had come back. and
sked admission as free State. When this
erritorlal question was raised again, the Re-
'uollcans came forward and unanimously. nro-
'osed te organize all the territories of the Uni
ed States without saying one word about slav-
ry IN them, on the doctrine of Douglas him
eif. 1t was remarkable fact in our politi-
al history, that before the war commenced.
avs Were framed by Douglas, Green, of Mis-
ourl, asecessionist, and Mr.. Grow, of Penn.
ylvania, Republican, which settled the ques-
ION OF slavery in all the Territories and these
avs were passed by almost the unanimous
,ote of Congress, so that this question about
iavery in the Territories was settled by law
nd beyond danger of repeal. 9z
2 THE FUGITIVE SLAVE Law. @
What next was there Well, they said
hat You Abolitionists up here-and they nev-
r drew very fine sight in determining who
we're Abolitionists-would interfere with the
fugitive Slave Law. In reply to this, it was
demonstrated that the loss of the South byl
ne running away of negro slaves didn't
mount to one-fortieth of one per cent, per
ear. And it was further shown that in no /
ase had the re-capture of fugitive slave
cen successfully resisted that when run +
way slave was found he was always recover
d by his master And as to its remaining a /,
aw, there it stood on the statute books, where
had remained year after year, without any ].