The Smoky Hill and Republican union. [volume] (Junction City, Kan.) 1861-1864, 1864-09-03
Council Grobt Column.
pTTED By AN ASSOCIATION OF CITIZENS
OF COUNCIL. GROVE.

NORRIS COUNTY CENTRAL UNION COMMIT
TKR FOR 1864.
r. w; Farnsworth, e Columbia.
3. III. Atkinson. -
THR LINCOLN MEETING AT COUNCIL GROVE
General Lane addressed the citizens Of
Council Grove on the 25th inst, at seven
o'clock, P. NJ. There vas general atten-
dance. Although the General was some
what indisposed, yet he spoke at length
upon our natiooal affairs, and gave general
Some of the principal points
elaborated in his speech we're:
That the citizens of Kansas owed debt
of gratitude to Abraham Lincoln and bis
Administration under that Administration
Kansas had secured the building Of $50
miles of Railroad within her limits, whereas
under the Administration of his predecessor,
as we'll as that of Pierce, she had been The
recipient only Of wrongs, outrages and
tyranny.
That this war was inherited by Lincoln.
Administration from Buchanan's. That
that corrupt and traitorous Administration
had pass,vely permitted Fort Sumter to b
environed with hostile batteries, when the
display of moity of that spirit that actua
ted Old Hickory would have averted tht
rebellion.
This rebellion was the natural result o
slavery; that the two, slavery and secession
were twin sisters; and the speaker avowet
his desire to have this war made perma
neut institution until both were swept from
existence.
The status of the negroes was discussed
and the General devoted short time il
explaining his bill for the removal of ant
colonizing the blacks in Southwestern
Texas.
The moral effect of the reelection o
Abraham Lincoln was adverted to. Th'
rebels are now anxiously awaiting the resul
of the Presidential election, and should tn
present Administration be retained in powe
their last hope to profit by the dissension
of the North will be swept away. Th'
General closed with an appeal to bis hearer
to stand by the Administration. to fill ul
the ranks of the army. and then they nigh
reasonable look for q speedy peace.
At the close of the speech three cheer
were given for Lincoln and johnson with
will.
In an editorial in the Press Of the 27tl
ult., is the following assertion:
"Slavery is local, conventional; Free
dom is local, conventional in its existence
and while the two are at antagonism VI
look with trembling to see which shal
conquer"
Although this has frequently been preach
ed up by the Slavery advocates Of late years
yet We must beg leave to deny the PROPOSE
ton. in this, that while we hold that SLAYER!
is local, is conventional, exists only by pre-
scription, we assert that Freedom is tn
inherent right of all human beings, and ST
clearly has this important principle beer
enunciatcd by eminent writers, that We Cal
only account for the assertion as a relic o
the teachings of the Slavery advocates
which is yet hanging on and becloudipg tn
better judgment and mind of the writer
But what does that eminent writer OF
the English law Blackstone) say on thi
subject?
These rights, then, which God and natur
have established, and are therefore calle'
natural rights, such as are life aud liberty
need not the aid of human laws to be NOR
efectually invested in every man than the.
are neither do they receive any additiona
strength when declared by the municipa
laws to be inviolable. On the contrary
no human legislature has power to abridg
or destroy them, unless the owner shal
himself commit some act that amounts to
forfeiture.
"Moral or natural liberty is the righ
which nature gives to all mankind of DIS
posing of their persons and property afte
the manner they judge most cousocant t.
their happiness, on condition of their actint
within the limits of the laws of nature, ant
they do not any way abuse it to the preju
dice of any other men,"
So deeply we're the immortal signers o
the Declaration of Independence imboe'
with this sentiment that they asserted it .
selfevident truth, for the maintenance
Of which they pledged their lives, thei