Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-10-15

en- and enlighten the Judgment Every MAJ
no matter what his vocation, has his ieispr
hours; let him employ them largely to tn
I cultivation and instruction of his own min
and to the pursuit Of useful knowledge polit
lcaliy and otherwise, and he will Lot fail +
be able more satisfactorily to himself, indie
pendently and adYantageously, to perform
his private and public duties The means o
Instruction are various and many fold the,
are principally found in useful books and val
liable periodicals, but present themselves al
so Though the medium OF societies, publ,
assemblages, lectures, and in fact through the
entire intercourse of man with man. elicitinc
exchange of thoughts and views, and SERVING
as reciprocal instruction. All these means Of
! acquiring knowledge should be cultivated by
| the intelligent and progressive farmer and
mechanic in order that he may not fall be.
hind the age, but may himself become con
spicuous as turning the wheel of advance
ment and civilization. Your own society.
which | have the honor now to address. is
one Of those means Of propagating useful
knowledge among its members and all Others
who may attend its gatherings. Your large
and fine collection of the products of YOUR
own labor and industry, forming such flatter-
| ing and creditable testimonials of the HIGH
state OF cultivation in agriculture, and per
| lection IN other industrial pursuits which the
| inhabitants of this county have attained.
calls forth not OH y the admiration of the Wis
ltors, but leads to many inquiries and mutual
information and instruction, which is certain
to result to the advantage of all who seek for
| information and improvement.
But while you are thus here exhibiting the
| products of your peaceful vocations and dis
| cussing the merits of agriculture and science.
and while | have thus briefly discoursed upon
some subjects that presented themselves to
my mind as kindred to this festive occasion.
| speaking OF the beauties of republican insti-
tuuonS and their influence upon the progress
and happiness of mankind securing indenen-
dence and liberty to all, we must not, and
cannot forget that for Years past those insti-
tutlons have been on trial upon many bloody
fields Of battle, and that their perpetuity is
endangered by one Of the most formidable
rebeliions recorded on the pages of human
history Il rebellion SO vast, extensive and
powerful that there is hardly one amongst
us-hardly human being in the domains of
this great Republic, who has not been or will
not be affected by it in some measure. Who
Is there here that has not father or brother
or husband, or son, or some relative or friend
IN the ranks Of the great national army, whose
tate and fortune are watched with anxious
suspense, and for whose safe return daily
prayers ascend to Heaven? Many, alas al
ready mourn the loss of those that were most
dear to them, and on whose existence, per-
haps, depended their hope Of happiness of
this earth Some amongst US even have
themselves looked death in the face upon tn.
battlefield, and broken in health or crippled
in limb have been compelled to withdraw
from the great strife for national integrity
and existence, returning, however, with their
heart land feelings intact, nay, glowing with
double ardor for the cause for which thew
veptured their lives. The cause, spread, fate
and probable consequences Of this rebellion
and war cannot be foreign to our brief con-
temptation at this occasion
History will not find it difficult to assign
the true cause of this rebellion; for whether
men OF the present day, according to their
political views and bias, would find it in the
difference of character and diversity of in
terests between the northern and the south
ern people, or would place it wholly or main
ly upon the shoulders of northern abolition
lists Or southern fre-eaters, or both, or upon
the growing anti-slayery sentiment of the
North and the growing pro-slavery sentiment
OF the South, in the eve of the impartial
to point to the existence Of negro slavery
upon this continent as the true cause of this
rebellion. The civilized world has long since
looked upon human slavery as a great social
evil, and that was formerly the pervading
sentiment OF the people OF the United States
South as well as North. 1t was the doctrine
OF the fathers and founders of this republic,
shareholders themselves to large extent,
that slavery was social and political evil
which should gradually be made to disappear.
and by many of them it was then looked uD
on with apprehension as the rock upon which
the republic might split. The doctrine of the
divinity OF the {" peculiar institution was
not then thought of, but the unenviable dis
tlnctlon OF generating and propagating such
monstrous teachings was left to more mod
ern statesmen and politicians. Protected
and fostered by the laws of sovereign states
and shielded from outside interference by
constitutional attachments and national com
promises, slavery prospered, and, amassing
wealth and riches in the hands of the few,
gave to the southern states, especially to
those known as the "Cotton States" where
1t was most profitable, more and more an oil
garchical character, and obtained in the
affairs of the nation decided influence; it
grew to be a strong political power. For
many years the halls of Congress re-
sounded with angry political discussion
that slavery gave birth to; yet, although
the people OF the free states became alarm
ed at the constant aggressive demands of
the slave power, they were, in overwhelming
majority in favor of abiding by the compro-
misses OF the Constitution, and those other
legislative national compromises that had
been adopted in order to avert the dangers
that were threatening the national peace
from this burning slavery question. As late
as 1852, the two great national political par
ties then contending for the presidency, the
Democratic and the Wing parties, stood both
equally pledged to uphold these compromises
Banishment of the discussion of slavery from
the national council was one of the doctrines
of the party that then elevated Mr. Pierce to
the presidential chair; and yet it was during
his administration that that discussion was
renewed by the most prominent man of that
party IN the halls of Congress. The PROPOSE
ton to repeal the Missouri Compromise and
the hansas-Nebraska Bill opened anew the
grave IN which the slavery question had been
so recently inferred by common consent.
This measure was proposed in the interests
OF slavery, which it was intended to benefit
and extend. 1t was carried, but was not
sufficient to appease the demands of pro-
slavery propagandists. Every year brought
forth new exactions from them; they pro
claimed the new-fangled device of the divine
and natural right of slavery, in order to up
hold with bold etfrontery their new demands
they forgot that in the Constitution and its
guarantees lays their greatest protection; and
infatuated by ambition, they coolly and base
~ plotted the destruction of the Constitution
and Government OF the United States, in or
der to erect upon its ruins an oligarchy with
slavery as its cornerstone Had they been