Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1865-04-01
THE RESPONSIBILITY.

In all the long years that slavery has
cursed the nation, and the agitation of
the subject of its protection, its restric-
ton, its extension or its abolition, the
Democratic party has been the champion
of the institution. 1t has been unneces--
sary to defend the institution of human
slavery as positive blessing, or as natu-
raj condition of a portion of the human
race, or as local benefit. or as national
policy. On the contary it has been rather
fashionable among the most respectable
champions, to feisn to deplore it as an
evil, wrong in the abstract, but entailed
upon US by the errors of our forefathers,
riveted TO the nation by the founders of
the Republic. Slavery was protected by
the CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED
STATES" and every effort for its abolition
or its restriction was unlawful, and IN
holy, and reasonable, and altogether out
of the question, because it was -" un-
constitutional to interfere with it." The
broad wings of the American Eagle, like
the wings of the cherubim, were stretched
over it, and whatsoever approached it
must reverently uncover himself and put
the shoes from of his feet, for that was
holy ground. When the British Govern
ment told Napoleon the First that it was
right to imprison French civilians cap
tured upon the high seas, because it was
customary" Napoleon said II will make
it customary to do the same thing upon
the land, then that will be right Also" In
the past, it has been right to hold four
millions of people in bondage, and to
keep alive a source Of never-ceaSing aS'-
tation and strife and civil war, because it
was "CoSsTlruTioSNL." Congress pro-
poses 10 make it Constitutional that
slavery shall be abolished, and that that
miserable source of national diScord shall
perish forever. Then that would be right.
If that amendment to the Constitution is
passed, the only excuse that slavery ever
had viii have been annihila;ed. If it does
not pass, upon whom will rest the reSpon.
sibility: Purely and simply, beyond all
question or denial, upon the so-called
Democratic party Of the day. In those
States which have passed upon this
amendment, there has not been a vote cast
against il that was not cast by Demo
crat." No. man who voted the Union
ticket at the last general election has voted
against that amendment. In this State
the only votes cast against 1t were one in
each house of the Legislature, and those
BY the only representatives of the Cop
perhead Democracy that encountered the
Capitol. In Congress a few Democrats
voted for the amendment, and in the New
York Legislature stray Democrat voted
for its ratification; but those Democrats
are to-day ostracized by their party,
damned to the neither he'll, as "Judases |"
and Arnolds," and their names written
upon a scroll which Democratic papers
call "the roll of infamy."
Referring to this subject, the Chicago
Post, the home organ" of Senator
Douglas during the lifetime Of that
Statesman, and an earnest supporter OF
General Mcclellan during the late cam
paign says:
but of these States, the Legislatures Of
Kentucky and New Jersey are Democratic.
The indications are that both will follow the
lead of Delaware; in which case the amend
ment will be defeated for the present. The
Democratic party ,eiH be held responsible for
that result, and tciN hare the credit or Gls
credit of inlterposing It's potcer to prerent the
abolition of SLarery throughout the United
States.
And this at time, too, when the rebels
themselves are abandoning slavery to its
fate! The Albany Journal quotes the
above, and asks;
ais the Democratic party willing to assume
the responsibility Is it willing to go upon
the record Of History rs the unaskcd cham,
pior Of an Institution that the whole world
unites in pronouncing outlaw: Is 1t Wiling
to incur the everlasting infamy of having In.
terposed between the most hideous curse OF
the century and the death it deserves
1.-The issue cannot be shirked. 1t Is
clearly Enthusiastically defined, and it must be
promptly met. The question to be answered
is, Shall Slavery live or perish: There IS
no eyading it; there is no Postp"ning IT,
The welfare of unborn millions hangs upon
the ans. What shall it be :"
New Jersey, the last resting-plaee OF
modern Democracy, has given her answer
that Slavery shall live 1t now re-
mains 10 be seen whether a sufficient num-
Der of slave States will nullify the vote of
free" New Jersey, and pronounce the
doom that Slavery shall de-"