The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1865-01-27
Volume Number SO.

involved in the liberation of so many
thousand slaves, at time when the
people were so little able 10 bear it
as well as the total inability of the
nation to provide for the comfort of
so large n number Of human beings
thus thrown out of employment.--
With all these difficulties before them
the founders of our Government
could scarcely have acted otherwise
than they did, be their opinions with
regard to emancipatiops what they
might. ~
But this, In my estimation, furnish.
es no proof that they In any way ia.
vored the institution further than the
expediency of the ease under the cir
cumstances seemed 70 demand. On
the contrary, they saw and depreca.
ted the evil they had not the power
to arrest, and raised tue voice of
warning on every appropriate occs-
sion, doing all in their power, both by
precept and example 10 produce
proper state OF feeling, and to make
an institution fraught with such fear.
tul evils unpopular.
The sin of slavery, like all other
sins that minister to the qualification
of sensual pleasures the longer in
dulged and persisted in, the stronger
the attractions.
Another thing that had powerful
tendency to strengthen this evil, was
the sudden rising at the North Of
factious spirit aft rwards more fully
developed in the ci.ferent phases OF
Abolitionism. The operations OF this
faction were franght with incalculabie
mischief to the calse Of emancipa.
tion, causing counter irritation at
the South. inaaming the public mind,
and rendering the cause OF emancipa-
ton, SO well begun by the Coloniza-
tion Society, entirely hopeless. Tho
counterpart to Abolitionism develop
cd itself at the South among the nul.
liliors and fire cater, properly called
secessionists. These factions, aboli.
tionists and secessionists, were both
revolutionary IN their tendencies. .---
The ilrst, tho Ugh morally right SO far
as the single principle of slavery was
concerned, was legally wrong mas.
much os they claimed the right to
steal the slaves or induce them to
leave their masters in violation Of the
Constitution, in view of n higher law
conflicting with the Constitution.
With regard to the nullifiers, I
might here state that although they
flew the track ostensibly on account
OF the tariff, yet slavery was ut the
bottom ofit-as was seen attime by the
penetrating eye Of General Jackson,
and has since been verified by pass.
ing events.
The causes above referred to have
precipitated the country in the pres.
cnt cruel war. The question now
gravcly presents itself to us; shall
we allow the evil to exist or shall we
remove the cause with the war? II
we do not make that the terms of
peace, the inltitution still exists while
one man remains slave. An amend
ment to the Constitution is the only
legal method ny Wllicn we can get
rid of it after the cessation OF hostil-
i',e7, and every man should use his
utmnst endeayors to bring about n re-
suit so desirable.
In my opinion, the re. e.clection OF
Mr.. Lincoln has, to Il great extent,
prepared the public mind both North
and South for the event, and if we
fail TO accomplish it, we are recreant
TO duty as nation, and in our guilt
we must suffer the penalty, the blood
of millions may be the forfeit, and
this will be required at the hands OF
the present generation, for depend
upon it.. If the ulcer is not removed
il will break ont with greater viru-
lencc than before.
Yours Truly,
+. d.