The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1864-04-29

the good work Of ratifying such glorious en-
, actments comes TO bo dono. shall We not
! have our books clear ? Surely it will not
90 the iate o. froe Ohio-the first State or.
gahizod under the eternal prohibition of
slavery in tho ordinance of S7-to stand in
the way of Maryland; We mus, not no
: found across the track when tho omancipa.
: tion train comes.
II may still be urged that it is unnecessary
, to rescind this resolution. because it is dead,
and can do no barn. know that II is dead
and truly 't stinkoth," and / would bury
, IL 80 that it will not contaminate the moral
!, atmosphere of our State. All that | ask is
that it shall be quietly removed. since il can
. serve no useful purpose in the most remote
| degree, even in the view of those who once
favored it; and since ii places US in an i'm.
proper attitude before tho country, and in.
terposes standing negative in the way of
, any action of Congress, such as indicated by
, the proceedings hero quoted OF course the
resembling of this will not affect the power
, of Congress either way but t would be an
, encouraging movement of the State, 10 tho
right direction. 1t would say TO them
We have thought of this matter-we see
you moving-aDd we lift the stumbling
block out OF your path, because we wish you
} God speed.
The Constitution as il is, as it was, as tho
, Fathers made it's right now. II requires
, no amendment. 1t is an instrument of free.
! dom. Not one page of it is stained by even
, the word slave. Tho Fathers when they
wrote i made it for immortality--and immor.
tality knows no such word as slavery. They
t carefully chose the language thoy used, so
e that when The day should como, to crown
their nobIest labors, the constitution should
be found ready-perfoct in all its parts-
All that is now wanting, is that Congress
should pass an emancipation act based upon
tho principles Of justice-and fyou please,
, excused to the timid and tender.footed on
the military necessity of tho case. The
country thus freed. will be right in all its
o parts. The Constitution will apply then,
+ lar bettor than it does no1 and we shall
n have reached the goal our fathers sought
!, aud achieved the great American idea of
|, liberty guarded by the love of justice-and d
d right triumphant over the long array of
If wrongs that have marred all historv-we
!. shall realize freedom for tho strong, protec.
. ton for tho weak, and fraternity for oil.
- should not amend that Constitution
# But every line should stand. at once the his.
!. tory OF our early convictions and our fral
:, regeDeration; while it would tell of the
:, enormity OF the wickedness that attempted
;. to and blot tic out in sorrow, cay it--tel also
a OF those who wonld allow il to be tampered
with, in the hour of dangor. All VIC need
now is an act of Congress to remove the
:, many loot marks the slave system has left
, upon ou nationality, and record us in bis.
tory as worthy OF our sires. There are
q amendments now proposed, to mako the
= | Constitution declare that slavery shall no,
, exist; and can acquiesce in these; be-
. cause truth may not too often be spoken !;
aud to shout twice for the liberty OF the
, oppressed is good for the soul and lungs.
The gentleman who has just taken his
scat, says that this amendment was offered
, as an olive branch. Aye! and the parent
I tree from which it was torn, now bleeds
s from the sacrilegious wound. 1t was reft
, from that tree of liberty, beneath whose
, shade our fathers cultured their system of
: free government. 1t is now o wi,hered
, branch. Its sere leaves cannot vibrate to
the breath of freedom f; and its barren buds
viii. bloom no more with peace and fraterpi-
ty. Ii only lies by the wayside to mark the
! path of the spider.
The Senator from Stark Mr. Martin
Republican though he be) tells US that he
: canDot vote for this resolution because the
proposed amendment iotbids Interference
with 1.-The Domestic Institutions" of any
State and he regards that as a protection
to our educational system. Let me tell
the Senator that he wofully mistakes the
use of these words. The Senator from
Monroe very aptly said: if you take "the
ngger out OF the woodpile." there is moth.
ing left of this question. Nothing can be
moro true; and this term domestic iustitu:
tiOns is the conventional woodpile in which
the alarming "ngger" is concealed. NV
literary friend knows that words are used
to conceal as well as express ideas; and
+ this phrase is tho device by which it was
sought to cover up the base sacrifice which
Congress was then frightened to mako to
the internal institution of slavery. The
, Fathers had studiously excluded tho words
slGusry and sidpe from the Constitution
and II was moro than their craven sons
could do. to even propose to insert them
and so they covered them up in the words
domestic institution"-a trick that has al
ready deceived my learned friend, and GOV.
cred tho fearful ugincss of this reality. II
was not possible, even for last Congress OF
Buchanans administration, to say in terms
that the National voice should be forever
silenced against slavery. They could not
strike thIs blow at liberty and speak the
words they meant--but shrinking from the
foul intent they sought this refuge of lies,
and said domestic institutions"
And my venerable friend from Brown,
Mr.. Louden, on whose head the SHOWS
OF age have fallen SO kindly. and who
shows so much Roman frmness when he
talks OF comfy to Kentucky, and tells US
he has four sons fighting The battles Of
the Union-is afraid to break faith with
the slave holder, by Withdrawing this
olive branch. Does he realize that the
whole slave interest has broken every
pledge, and cast all fealty to the winds 4?
Does he propose, forever to eat dirt in
their presence ? And is he prepared 10
lay these four sons upon the alatr of an in
terest that SO openly wars with the life of
the nation? Is he willing,l If they shall fall.
that the barren earth shall drink up their
frnitless blood, shed in mere contest for
party power. when liberty and chains
were the stakes in this terrible strife ?
Is it not his wish that, il they fall, that
their names shall go 10 swell the glori.
Gus list OF those who have died for mans
highest interests, and that the last stroke
Of their swords severed the bonds of tho
q L. q H.