The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1863-04-02
a plea for the government.
% the Editor of The .4uesaanion

teen Colonies of Great >britaln--NeW
Ham shire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
Connecticut, New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylyania,. Delaware, Maryland, Viz
einia, North Carolina, South Carolina and
Georgla-in Convention assembled, all
declared their independence of Great
Britain. These Colonies, bJ their repre-
sentatives, IN convention declared and
said, "Iye hold these truths to be self-ev
iGcnt that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain inalienabie rights, that among
happiness" The representatives, in this
convention frohi South Carolina were Ed
ward Rutledge. Thomas Hayward. Jr,
Thomas Lynch, Jr., and Arthur Middle
ton. South Carolina was the FIRST State
to rise up in rebellion against the author
ity of the Tilted States, whose Govern
ment Was intended to be founded upon the
PRINCIPLES Of the above Declaration recited.
The Revolution of OF" continued and
ended in the latter part Of the year '.Sl."
The confederation Of these 13 states had
been made for special and not for perma--
nent purposes But after the war was
over, the States did not deem themselves
safe against England and other Powers
and they sought to strengthen themselves
by uniting permanently for all time to
come. Ia the discussion upon the Con
stitution, the institution of Slavery was
litigated. Some Of the States We're for
eor.iuuing Slavery, while others contendcd
that it ought to be abolished, and believed
it to be inconsistent with the declaration
"tlIat all mankind have right tc life,
liberty and the pursuit Of happiness. -
This, for long time, was barrier to
Union of the States. Delaware, Maryland,
Virginia, North and South Carolina, and
Georgia, refused to unite, unless the con-
stitution should be so framed that they
could retain Slavery, if they chose to do
so. Many of the best men of these States
contended for the abolition of Slavery, but
being the minority, they had to submit TO
the majority Every State at this time
was independent Of ali the rest; ana to
form q Union of ali the Smtes, for the
sake of expediency, the-uajority Of all the
States. had to submit to the minority in
the matter of Slavery; and the corstitu-
ton was formed as We fnd it, permitting
all the then existing States to retain Sla-
very that desired to have it.
1t was plain to be seen then, as now, by
all mon Of wisdom and good sense, that
the Constitution permitting Slavery under
Its sanction, could not be reconciled with
the Declaration OF Independence, which
declared '.That all mankind had an equal
right to lite, liberty and the pursuit OF
happiness" Every one knows that the
bondage of the negro is not liberty. We
all know that by the laws Of the Slave
States neither lie, liberty nor the pursuit
of happiness is secured to the negro The
Stakeholder. or any white person, may
na!reat the negro in the most british
manner possible, n the presence OF any
number Of negroes, and their testimony
viii not be taken as evidence against any
acts Of white person, Democracy or
Repubiieanism means that the majority,
aud not the minority, shall govern Ma
ton. Their names mean more,-tbey
r,ean that the laws should be made so a.
to do justice to every one to punish and
prevent crime, and 10 encourage virtue
and goodness. is it not crime to take
from man what belongs to him, without
his consent !? Is it not wrong to cns!ave
the negro, and to force him to labor for
you without his consent? Is not the
strength OF the negro giveushim for his
own individual beneGt,-as much so as the
strength of the white man is given him
for his benefit Ne have no proof to the
contrary. If our Fathers Of the Revolution
fought for liberty, for the principles of
justice, and made their Declaration OF
independence on the principles of justice
and formed Government as near as
they had the power, to the principles Of
the Declaration, the Constitution and
Government ought to stand, until altered
or revised by the majority of the people.
Ii this government is overthrown.
whose fault is it: There are two princi
pal parties now, in this country, opposed
70 each others policy in regard TO its
Government. The one party, the rebels
against the Government, contend that
slavery is right, and tiat they have
right to extend it into oar Territories,
Independent of Congress. The. other
party contend that slavery is wrong any
where bat especially that Congress has IA 4
right to prohibit slavery in all our Terri
tories, and they quote the clause OF the
Constitution, "Congress shall have power to
dispose of and make all needful rules and
regulations respecting the Territory or
other property belonging to the United
States And Republicans ask, "What
is more needful, than to make rules and !
regulations respecting slavery in our Ter |
ritories I" 1t is the expressed arguments |
against the injustice OF Slavery that |
induced the rebels to rise up and try. t.
overthrow the Government. a citizen OF |
the United States, anywhere, has as good |
i,t f, L.