The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1866-02-23
mapded and received an apology for apply
ing tho Jefferson proviso to Oregon.


ing tho Jefferson proviso to Oregon.
sQuNrrER SOVEREIGNTY.
The application of that provso was in
terrupted for thrCo administrations hut
Justice moved steadily onward. IN the
news that the men of California had chosen
freedom, Calhoun heard The kuell Of parting
slavery; and on his dcath.bcd he couusclcd
secession. Washington, aud Jefferson, and
Madison had diod despairirg of tue aboli-
tion of slavery; Calhoun died III despair
az tho growth of freedom, Ills system
rusl cd irresistihly to its natural develop
ment. The death. struggle for California
was followed by a short truce but tho
new school of politicians who said that
slavery was not evil but good, soon sought
to recover tho ground they had lost, and
confident OF securing Texas, they demanded
that tho established linc in the territories
between freedom aud slavery should be
blotted out. The country, believing in the
strength aud enterprise, and expansive
energy OF Freedom made answer, though
reluctantly "Bo it so; let there be
no strife between brethren let freedom
and slavery compete for the territories Oh
equal terms, in fair field under an impair.
tal administration aud on this theory, IL
on any the contest might have bcou left TO
the decision OF time.
DRIED SCOTT DECISION.
The South started back in nppalmCnt
from its victory for it knew that q fair
competition foreboded its defeat. But
where could il now find an ally to save it
from its own mistake? What have next
to say is spoken with no emotion but re-
gret. Our meeting to-day is, as it were, at
the grave, in tho presence OF Eternity, aud
the truth mnst DO uttered in soberness aud
sincerity. la great republic, as was OBJ
served more than two thousand years ago,
amy attempt to ovcrturn tho state owes its
s,rcugtl to aid from some branch of the
government. The Chief Justice Of the Uni.
ted States, without any necessity or ocoa-
sion, volunteered to como to the rescue OF
the theory Of slavery. Aud from his Court
theie lay no appeal but to the bar Of hu-
manity and history. Against the Consttu-
ton, against the memory of the nation
against previous decision against series
of onactments he decided that tho slave is
property, that slave property is entitled to
no less protection than any other property
that tho Constitution upholds it in every
! Territory against any act of local Logisla
ture, and even against Congress itself OF
as the President tcrscly promulgated the
saying Kansas is as much slave Stat,
as South Carolina or Georgia slavery, by
virtue Of the Constitution, exists in every
Territory The municipal character o
slavery being thus taken away, and slave
property decroed to be sacred" the an
| thority of the courts was invoked to Intro
duce it by tho comfy OF law into States
where slavery had been abolished and il
one of the courts of the United States =
Judge pronounced the African slave trade
legitimate, and numerous and powerful ad
vocates demanded its restoration.
TANEY AND SLAVE RAcks.
| Moreover, the Chief Justice, IN his elabo
! rate opinion, announced what had never
been heard from any magistrate of Greece
or Rome was unknown to civil law
aud canon law, and feudal law unknown tt
jay, to Rutedgc, Ellsworth, and Msrshal
that there are "slave races" Tho sliri
of evil is Intensely logical. Having the au
thority of this decision five States swift,
followed the earlier example of o sixth, an'
opened the way for reducing the free Negro
TO bondage tho migrating free negro be
came a slave If he but touched the soil Of
seventh; and an eighth, from its extent anC
soil and mineral resources, destined to in
calculable greatness, closed its eyes ON it
coming prosperity, and enacted-as by Ia
ney's decision ii had the right to do--tha
every free black man who would live with
in its limits must accept tho condition o
slavery for himself and his pcstcrity.
SECESSION RESOLVED on
Only one step more remained to be taken
Jefferson and the lea1iag statesmen of hi
day held fast to the idea that tho cnslave
ment Of the African was socially, morally ant
politically wrong. The new school wa
founded exactly upon the opposite idea; am
they resolved first to distract the Democrat
party, for which the Supreme Court had nov
furnished the meabs and then to establish
a new Government, with negro slavery 70
its cornerstone, as socially, morally ant
politically right.
TIE ELECTION.
AS the Presidential election drew on
one of the old traditional parties did no
make its appearance; the other reeled a
II sought TO preserNe its old positions; ant
the candidate who most nearly represcnte,
it's best opinion, driven by patriotic zea
roamed the country from end to oDd t
speak for nnion, eager at least to conlron
lis enemies, yet not having hope that !
would liud its drliverance through hin
The storm rose to whirlwind; who shoul
a;lny its wrath Tho most Experienced
statesmen OF the Gouniry had failvd ther
was no hope from those who were grea
after the flesh; could relief come from on
whose wisdom was like the wisdom of lttl
children?
EARLY LIFE or ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Tho choice Of America tell on aman bOrl
west of the Alleghauies, in the cabin q
poor people Of Hardin County, Kentuck,
t-AbrahaA Lincoln.
His mother could read bu' not write; In
father could do neither; but his parent
sent him, with an old spelling. book, L
school, and he learned in his childhood t
do both.
When eight years old he hoated dowl
the Ohio with his father on a RAFT whicl
bore tile family and al'their possessions Il
the shore of lndiauai and, clil as he was
he gave help as they toiled through dens,
forests TO the interior of Spencer County
! There. in the land of free labor, he grew vi
II, n log cabiu with the solemn solitude io
his teacher in his meditative hours. o
| Asiatic literature he knew only the Biile
of Greek. Latin aud medieval no more thai
the translation OF 4Esops Fables; OF English
John Benyals Pilgrims Progress. Th'
| traditions of George Fox and Will am PEN
passed 10 him dimly along the lines OF tw'
centuries through his ancestors, who wer
Quakers.
MA EDUCATION.
Otherwise his education was altogethe
American. The Declaration of lndepeu
deuce was his compendium of polltica
wisdom. the Life Of Washington his cor
| 4 al .II Iaf1 N 81.