The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1865-01-27
Soldiers lpttrr.

The following extracts from pri-
vate letter, written by q soldier in
Cumberland Hospital, may prove in-
tcresting to many of our readers.
lnasmuch, therefoee, rs
| am in possession of no such items
as would be interesting TO youl I will
cndeavor to give my opinion of few
past and current events III the his,o
rs of our country.
1t is not unlreqnently the case that
those who slnim to be pro slavery men
confront us with the argument that
our fathers of the Revolution were
pro slavery a majority of those
constituting the Constitutional Con.
veuton must have favored the IN sti-
tuition or it woaid never have been
rcco9nizel in that instrument.
This argument, ut first sight, looks
somewhat plausible but whea we
consider the circumstances under
which they acted, rs well as the mo
tives by which they were actuatcd. we
shall view them in quite different
light
When orr fathers. under the Dec
laration, had fought the battles of the
Revolution, and thrown OIL the yoke
Of British tyrrany and oppression
demonstrating to the world that
"rhese Colonies were, and Of right
ought to b., free and Independent
States the first step essential TO the
maintenance and perpctuation of the
principles set forth in that matchless
instrument which had cost them so
much blood and treasure, was 10 form
stronger bond of union. And rs
the principle upon which they revolt.
ed from the British Crown, so clear.
" set forth in the Declaration Of In.
dependence, involved the right Of
self government, this new bond Of
union must necessarily be founded on
republican principles. But our raih.
ers labored under difficulties of a
more than ordinary character. lIay.
ing invcighcd against every form of
dcspotism and tyrrany rs inimical to
the rights of man, and having more
over declared that "all men are born
free and equal, being entitled to Ger.
tain inalicnahle rights among which
are life, Hb'rii, and the pursuit oil
happiness, with the declaration OF
this great principle before them, an
almost insuperablc difficulty present.
ed itself in an institution directly al
variance with these principles, which
had been planted by the hand Of Brit
ish authority, when tue Colonies were
yet in their infancy. This difficulty
was greatly incl eased when it was
found that any change affecting the
status oil this institution must also
affect the pecuniary interest and so,
cial relations of a large portion Of the
most influential and wealthy of those
who were to become subject TO the
new organization.
Fully sensible Of the importance
and delicate character OF tho under
taking, they approached the subject
cautiously, and after much delibera
ton, substituting expodency for right
they committed the fatal error which
has brought in its tram all the dreful
calamities we are now suffering.
would not intimate that right is ever
inexpe lient; hut what sometimes
seems most expedient. is often far
from being right. Nor would I re.
proach our fathers, or cast a stigma
on the fair fame of that patriot band
that adopted the Constitution. They
did the best they could under the cir
cumstances. The Government was
in its infancy, having inst made its
way into existence through u most
sanguinary struggle. The people
were poor, and the finances OF the
country were in a very cramped and
straig htencd condition European
statesmen were looking on with jeal
Gus eye, and in many instances the
new form of Government adopted by
our ancestors subjected to severe
structures both at home anu abroad
by busy class of political dema
gogues who predicted ifs downfall
alleging that the people were incom
petent for self government. In addi
ton to this, wcighty objection pre-
sentcd itself in the pccnniarv los,