The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-01-07
ADDRESS OF
HON. Il. W.. CAN'T,

ADDRESS OF
HON. r.. w. CAN'T,
[CoScLUDED Indeed adetailed &C
count Of their acts would be sickening and
disgusting in the extreme As the Federal
army advanced through Arkansas let the
sunlight of peace be behind it, however dark
and threatening the cloud ahead. five do
rot, robbers and freebooters will take pos
session Of oar soil, and soon depopulate and
convert it into waste.
NEGRO SLAVERY.
I am asked If Mr.. Lincoln's Emancipation
Proclamation will stand If you continue
the struggle, certainly. He has the physical
force at his disposal to carry it out. IF you
cease now, you may save all in your hands,
or compromise on gradual emancipation. ~
But let, beseech you, the negro no longer
stand in the way OF the happiness and safety
of friends and kindred.
The changes of sentiment, upon this ques-
ton, in the South, have been curious. Not
many years since, it was by no means
unusual for the press and public men, as
well as for the people generally in the South,
to concede that slavery was an evil, and re-
gret that it should ever have existed !, ex-
pressing, however, no disposition or desire
to be rid of it. Yet, few years more-the
demand for cotton having increased, the price
Of negroes having advanced, and the agita-
tion of the slavery question having increased
h virulence-fnds us defending slavery as
. Divine Institution. De Bows Review, and
other southern papers and periodicals., with
Senator Hammond, of s. c., were promi-
nent in this defence. Their object was to
educate the Southern mind to this belief
Such a course had become vital to the exist.
ence OF slavery; because, to concede that
negro slavery was morally wrong, was vir-
tually to concede the VIII Ole argument to the
abolitionists. As the controversy warmed,
we became sensitive. And so morbidy so,
that the North might have threatened with
impunity to deprive US of horses, or other
property; yet the whole South would be
ablaze if spme fanatic took one negro. Such
was public ser timent South, at the com.
mencement of this most unfortunate and
bleody struggle. But Revolutions shake up
mems thoughts, and Pot them in different
channek. have recently talked with South
ern slsveho|ders from every State. They
are tired of negro slavery, and believe they
could make more clear money. and live more
peaceably, without than with it. As for the
non STAKEHOLDER of the South, honestly
thought the struggle was for him, more than
for his wealthy neighbor. That to free the
negro, would reduce to comparative slavery
the poor q hi,e man. now regret, that in
stead of war to sustain slavery, it had not
been struggle at the ballot box to colon ze
it. This will clearly be the next struggle.
am ofoplnion that, whether it is divine
institution or not, negro slavery has accom-
plished its mission here. A great mission
it had. A pew and fertile country had been
discovered, and must be made useful. The
necessities of mankind pressed for its speedy
deyelopement. Negro slavery was the in.
strument to effect this. II alone could open
up the fertile and iniasmatic regions of the
South, solving the problem Of their utility,
which no theorist could have reached It
was the magician which suddenly revolu.
tionized the commerce of the world by the
solution of this problem It peopled and
made opulent the barren hills OF New Eng
land, and threw its powerful influence across
the great Northwest. Standing as wall
between the two sections. it caught and roll.
ed Northward the wealth and population of
the old world and held in their places the
restless adyenturers Of New England, or
turned them along the great prairies and val
leys of the West, Thus New England reach
ed its climax, and the Northwest was over.
grown of its age, while the South, with its
negro laborers, was sparselv settled and
comparatively poor. Thus slavery had done
its ntpost for New England and the North
west, and was weight upon the South IT.
at this point, its disappearance could have
clearly cqmmenced, what untold suffering
and sorrow might haye been avoidedi
Its existence had become incompatible
with the existence of the Government. For.
while 1t had stood as A wall, daming up the
current and holding back the people and Ia
borers of the North, it had, by thus preclu
ding free Intercourse between the sections.
produced marked change in their manners.
customs and sentiments. And the two sec |
tons were growing more divergent every
day, This wall or the Government, one
must give way. The shock came, which was
to settle the question. thought that the
Government was divided, and negro slavery
forever. Ierred.. The Govern
ment was stronger than slavery. Reunion
is certain but not more certain than the
down fall Of slavery. As have said, the
mission of the latter is accomplished. And.
IS his happiness must always be subordi
mated to that Of the white man. he must, ere
ong, depart on the foot prints of the Red
man, whose mission being accomplished, is
last fading from our midst.
While think the MISSION of the negro
Is accomplished here, am clearly of the
opinion, that the time win come, when civ
lization and learning shall light up the dark
lbodes Of the four hundred million people in
India, and when their wants and necessities
will put the patient and hardy negro To toll