The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1864-05-18

an incubus ever since it has had an existence.
IL il 10 pat Of the body-politc Of the nation. IL
Il an ercreseence upon it, horrible disease that
has been fostering upoa its surface. enfevering
the entire systs until at last it has struck az the
very vitals Of the nation; and unless destroyed
aud entirely removed the body must die.
As 10 the animal economy, when any portion
OF the BODY is 90 diseased that the functions oil
life and growth are materially ihserfered with so
in this. II there be sufficient vitality remaining,
there will be formed what the surgeons call q Ine
OF demarkatiOn between the diseased nesa sno
The healthy, and the former DIES and sloughs on,
and the body Is saved And as in such Cases the
skilfnl surgeon watches for this indication OF ma
ture and when t appears. at once amputates the
diseased part, and thus aids nature in restori ng
the body To health so in this the line OF de
NARRATION formed, aud by the breaking out OF
the rebellion il became clearly delineated upon
the bod y-politic The diseased portion (slAvery)
at once commenced TO die and slough of. The
President, like the skilIful surgeon, although per
hsps little t4rdy, applied the knife Of emanci
patton but il remains for Congress to flash the
operation. Let us complete the work with a
bold hand aud srrOng nerves and at once aud for
ever remove this poisonous ulcer, this vile ex-
erescence. from the body OF the nation, and thus
not only save iis life, but restore il TO renewed
result Is still another feature Of this Dill.
have said that slavery constitutes no part Of
the body polite That is so. Il is DO part Of the
national Government IL is neither head, body.
limb, hand cor foot and constitutes none Of its
vial functions. The Constitution and the Gov
eminent are complete without il. What branch
Of the Government cannot be conducted without
the existence Of slaveryf What part of the
motive power, what portion Of the fundamental
fraDewOrk or machinery Of the Constitution
do you remove or interfere with by destroying
slaveryf
The fundamental elements of the Constitution
Areihose which establish the principles and policy
upon which the Government shall be cOnduc ed
Slavery was not among the principles thus estab
Hshed. Neither did IL constitute any part OF the
policy upon which the Government 10 be con
Quoted. Il existed before the Constitution, and
that instrument silently suffers its continuance.
Simply that and nothing more. This being the
Case, how can il be said that cannot have 1.-The
Constitution a. it is" unless slavery is re-estab-
h.hed, or at least permitted. in all the territory
IN which it formerly existedf
That slavery exists by virtue Of State laws
alone. is proposition which canRct be, and
believe ia not, conroverted Therefore, when
those laws cease, no matter by what means, the
shackles OF the slave fall from bis limbs, and he
Is free man, and that without, and it you please,
in spite OF presidential proclamations, and With
out any legislative or Constitutional enactments
WHATSOEVER.
As | have before shown. the constitution and
laws Of the States in rebellion have ceased TO ex-
isE, aud the people are RENTED to their original
right TO organize new State governments under
the Constitution and laws Of the Union. As one
Of the results Of tSis state Of things slavery has
~. Tha onlu nh nd mi IN
be Effected now by congressional enactment and
constitutional amendments is to prohibit its re-
establishment forever; and while We are about
IL. let tue prohibition be universal throughout
the entire length and breadth Of the national
boundaries
That il is the duty Of the Government to do
this has become too well established to even ad
nit OF argument. IL has been adjadicated and
determined by the verdict and judgment Of the
people. Il is right in and of ITSELF IL is just,
and the people demand that It shall be done.
If this Consre does not take the initiative,
the next will be composed Of men who will
The people are awake TO this subject and UNDER
stand its merits. They are moving aud in the
right direction, and almost unanimously in the
same direction, that Of right, Of justice and OF
humanity.
True, there still exists a remnant of once
in nuua.bsrs, - Lich from interest nr Hind party
prejudice, or both still clings to the falling lOr-
tunes aud tottering form of slavery, and seems
determined ito sink or swim, survive or perish"
with il. And notwithstanding that the vanishing
demon proud and self sufficient even in the very
Jaws OF death, derides their sycophantic fidelity,
while il accepts the fruits OF their CO operation
yet, with all the tenacity (but Of the puIity)
ofthe love and fidelity OF Ruth toward her moth
erin law, upon Bonded knees and with out
stretched arms, they be.sech their once power
full protector, as Ruth besought Naomi:
Entreat me not TO leave thee, or 10 return
from following after thee; for whittier thou goest
will go; and where thou lodgest | will lodge /;
thy people shall be my people, and Thy God my
God; where thou diest, will die, and there will
! be buried; the Lord do so to me, and more
also, II aught but death part thee and me-"
Sir, 10 respect TO slavery and the slave power,
we in the midst of revolution. This proposed
legislation and this discussion are because We are
involved in revolution, and are themselves parts
Of it. In respects 10 slavery, it is not change
merely that Ia taking place. il is radical substtu
ton; and OF what? OF freedom for slavery /;
and shy. Because slavery proved itself inimcal
to civil liberty, the Constitution, and TO repu5li-
can institutions.
The slave power. not content with the ensave
ment OF les immediate victims insisted upon and
for a long series OF years WAS conceded the con-
troll OF the Government, and the enslavement in
fact Of all its energies, its power, its wealth and
It's emoluments At length. through congressional
enactments controlled by its interests, and sub
sided Judicial decisions in flrtherance OF its pur
poses, lie encroachments became intolerable; and
cry went up from the great body of the people
OF the free States, and from many of the slave
States against the aggression Of the slave power.
and demanded that it should con6ne itself to its
owa particular domIce, and not stretch its arms
over the entire nation and attempt TO control the
liberties Of the entire people. IL was the voice OF
Liberty, demanding of this modern Pharaoh TO
:" let the people go" But like its ancient proto-
type, its heart was hardened, and il refused At
length the people in their might and assert
ed their right under the Constitution to rule. and
said to the slave power, /" Henceforth this Gov
eminent shall be in truth what il is in form. a
Government by the people, and you may exist
forever, II you viii, where you are, but no fur
ther shall you 60"
Then the slave power rebelled. and ike the
ancient Egyptians, sought 10 destroy the nation
il could no longer enslave For time we seemed
10 De drifting about, We scarcely new whittier
But the pillar Of cloud BY dsy, and of fire BY
hight kept US on our way. Slavery. however
lay before rs. stretched out across our pathway,
and, Ike the Red Sea before the ancient lara
ehte, seemed an impossible barrier, TO our fur
there progress. while the hosts Of the euemv
we're Threatening death and destruction In our
rear.
AT length the President Of the United States
In obedience 10 Poser mightier than be. like