The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-02-05

a. military edictS or rs measures OF political
policy, are usurpation Of power wholly un.
authorized by the Constitutio a gross per-
version Of the end and object of the Gov.
eminent, and can lead to no consequences
whatever, except such as will bs disastrous
to the country, either BY way Of rendering
the rebel cause successful, or through the
barbarous and disgraceful process of excl
ting hegro insurrsction and convsrting the
war from = civil to servile war, in violation of
tho laws and well known usages Of the civ
ilizsd world, SO disturbing and disarrsnging
the organized industrial and com mnere;al re :.
lations Of tbs several sections, as to spread
devastation and ruin over the country, cre-
atinS counter revolutions in the loyal States
and ending either in division into several
petty and jarring Republics, or in the con-
version of the Government Of the Union in
to consolidated military establishment,
based upoa Northern dsspetism and a
Southern serfdom.
Resoloed That the dogma, thas slavery is
the cause of the war, 10 nonsensically false,
and the project of destroying that institution
by force of the Government, as means of
saving the Union, is an utter delusion ; that
the cause Of abolitionism, in its every aspect,
is utterly antagonistic to that Of saving and
preserving the Union AMI the Constitution
in this crisis Of our country, and cannot in
any way be made auxiliary to it; aud the
policy Of involving the destruction of slavery
in the issues Of the war has already so weak.
ened the canse of thc Union by uniting and
stimulating the Southern people by dividing
and destroying the war spirit of the North,
by introducing disssntons and discord into
the National councils. and by closgin, and
impeding tn. army with additional and un.
necessary burdens, that the suppression Of
the rebellion has become physical impos.
oibility.
Resolped, That the immediate and forci-
bls emancipation of the slaves Of the South
thereby destroying at one blow the whole in
IL
within the reach of physical possibility to
accomplish, would be catastrophe involv-
ing consequences too momentous and far.
reaching for mind to grasp, and from which
oil rejecting men, not stepped and besotted,
mind and soul, in that poisonous abolition
mania which the false philosophy and falser
religion of New England Purtanisn has for
years been disseminating, will shrink back
with horror, and that the attempt to inflct
such q catastrophe upon the country is
fraught with the most diabolical wickedness,
and ought and will receive t.e most unoual-
lied condemnation Of the people.
Rssolusd, That the agricultural wealth and
prosperity Of the Northwestern States are
principally dependent upon fres tlade and
unrestricted intercourse with the planting
States of the South, and free outlet through
the channel Of the Mississippi river; that
the separation Of these planting States into
foreign nation, or the destruction of their
system Of industry hY the emancipation Of
the slaves, thereby destroying their demand
for Northwestern products, would cut off or
materially derange these vital sources Of
wealth and prosperity, and strike per,na-
nent and fatal blow to the further develop
ment and progress Of these States; and re.
garding, as wo do, ths whole system by
which abolitionism has filled the world with
denunciations as to the moral, religious and
humanitarian character and aspect Of tie
institution of slavery, as utterly false and
without warrant in facts, in reason or rsve-
lation, We hold it 10 be the duty Of the poo.
pie of these Northwestern States. ny every
consideration Of humanity and justice, IS
we'll A. political interest and expedieacy, to
oppose such emancipation of slavery by ev-
cry constitutional means in their power, and
to prevent the separation Of the planting
States Of the Lower Mississippi valley from
the States of the Upper valley, by every pos
sible means, and ehen al other means are
exhausted, By separate negotiations bstysen
these tuo secti,ns.
ResolUed, That the highest motive Is well
as the highest duty which can ac,uats an
American citizen, is to maintain the suprem,
acy Of the Constitution with all Its compro-
misses and safeguards, togsther with the
equality, sovereignty, laws and institutions
Of tho several States, comprising together
the Government and Union as our fathers
constituted them, and true to these motives
we gave our united support to the prosscu.
ton Of the war, SO long as it was conducted
for that purpose and to that end. aud we
pledge our entire devotion and our utmost
efforts in the same cause but If, through
the fell spirit Of aboltionism which now has
control Of The councils of the nation, origin
ated and propogated as It's, to euabls the
interests Of New Eagland,
by destroying the commercial and political
power of tho planting and agricultural
States. to become the dominant power, and
control the legislation of tho country with
its tariff. and ,nsnopoles. shall render suci,
object impossible, and a separation Of the
States inevitable, then it will be the duty of
these Northw estern STATES, hy every con-
connected with their future peace,
progress and happiness, to sspsrats them-
selves from the Eastern States, and by ne
gotiation or otherwise, il possible, maintain
their connection with tho other States Of the
Mississippi valley.