The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1864-03-15

2 II was the saying OF tie fathers OF the Rev,
olutiou, that @to ochievs tie independence o.
a country is bit half Of the great undsrtak
ing of Liberty" They foressw that next tc
aud not less than. Independence was the fu
ture guaranty Of freedom, justice, union, and
peace.
Not less now, than then, il the wise fore.
cast Of events imposed upon American free
men, struggling with the nstIoss foes. Vic
tory in war over rebellion aud traitors Is not
alone the summons Of Tie hour. Il is 10 add
to and cousupate victory, by crushing be-
yond recovery, and utterly extirpating, the
very cause and motive OF rebellion. ~
The existence, and even consenting, though
silent, permission Of African slavery, under
the Constitution Of our free Republic, has
been the "root Of bitterness" the "spple Of
discord," in American history. Not without
a wise prescieuce was it said by Ellsworth
W hen the American Constitution was framed
with its strange silence on the "slavery ques
tion }" slavery wili not be a spsck in our
country" A speck il then seemed, with tho
few bundled thousand slaves then existing,
and amidst the enthusiasm Of a newly fran
cbised nation. ~ at
Let the war be ended this year or next
year, or when it may; should the nation, by
even its silent consent, give the color OF its
sanction to slavery, at all or any,0hsrs, as II
claiming the national countenance or protec-
tion, what 10 to hinder now, more than 10 the
infancy Of the Republic, that the "perogativs''
Of the stakeholder, should, yet again subvert
justice and freedom and peace, m- g
The right of Shedding slaves-what is III
II is not alone the violent disffauohisement OF
the naturalrights Of freedom God hss'g;ven
10 every human being. 1t is, yet more, the
legalizsd grant Of a monopoly ofpowsr to the
STAKEHOLDER. 1t is comforting, in proportion
TO the extent of bis possessions, political su
psriority aud cont oiling sway over republic
Of "fresdom and equality" which is utterly
at war with the first principles Of republican
iustitStions. is the "perogative" of the
stakeholder which has hitherto shaped the
policy, and as far as it could, ruled the desti.
ny Of our nation. Continue that prerogative
perpstuato that monopoly, and what is to hin
der the repetition Of the sectional jealousy
the political antagouism and strife, the porfi-
dy and treachery which have stained our ma.
lionsl history for more than half century,
eliminating in the dire aud desolaitng woes
of civil and fratracidal war, in which our land
is now plunged!
The Constitution oil the United States was
framed to guarantee to our whole people IRE.
publican Institutions" and to protect "life,
liberty and the pursuit Of happiness" to all
its subjects. The great trial hour Of that
Constitution is now come, in the menacing as.
pect Of a supposed "priveleged clgarchy,"
who, Under color Of constitutional rights"
aim not only at the subyersion of the Consti.
tuition itself. but at the very, destruction of the
Republic.
Tho time has arrived, the occasion is fore.
ed upon Il Q nation by the'perady cS hostile
and ambitions raen 10 pronounce whether our
Republic is one of freedom or slavery; wheth-
er its guarantees Of justice and aight 10 all its
subjects are reality, or a delusion; whether
the unity, security and peace of a great ma.
ten, with its fundamental Constitution. are
to he rnf in jonraray ~ -..v5.uvv of
Estate Rights" or preposterous claims Of 10.
cal jurisdiction, which are at open and flag.
rant war with the national tranquility and
even its very existence.
Let the sole mn crisis to which a perfdous
war has brought US not pass, ere the guards
of liberty are set, and future peace and tran
guilty are secured by tho establishment, en-
tire, c,tunreserved, and universal and perpetual,
OF the genuine principles of American Liber.
ty II Chicago Journal.