The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1867-08-09

a morbid sentimentalism, but lfe.strug
| gle Of compressed and overcrowded human.
ties--of the homestead interests of tie in.
dustrial millions, against the manorial IN
terests of plantation aristocraoy. Ii was,
therefore. palpably apparent to sagacious
statesmsnship, that the inexorable Jaws of
population must ultimately produce ag
gressive collision, whom the teeming mil.
| lions, pressed on aud crowded forward by
other millions coming, would overrun and
crush out slavery, and cut into homesteads
| its manorial estates. Ultimate extinction
was. therefore, the fate which awaited it
| in any event.
But to await the period Of territorial OK.
haustion was as irrational as il was unnat.
ural The immense interests of freedom
could not afford to have slavery in the
meantime augment its power aud strength.
ell te defences, TO interpose aud pre-.
serve a future theater for homestead aud
industrial life, commensurate with the in.
terests of rapidly augmenting free popu.
lation, which, if yielded, it would have to
recouquer and repossess, was, therefore,
the natural prompting of that feeling of
concern which ancestral regard has for the
well-being Of posterity. Hence the strug.
gle of craftsmanship and the arts of diplo.
macy which preceded the recent convul
sions.
TuE MIsTAKE OF ATTEMPTING TO PREVENT IT.
But the exigences of future population
could not be controlled by parchment com.
pacts or conventional diplomacy, The
fairest portion of the continent was already
under the dominion and suffering tho curse
of manorial vassalage. It's peculiar civilza.
ton and profligato social system were con-
testing the dominion of the remaining por.
tion with the more rugged systems of the
North. Ono or the other must yield to
/ the peaceful arbitrameht of material inter.
ests and physical laws, if they wisely chose
to direct their councils by ito force, if
blind obstihacy made that the alternative.
Slavery, reading its fate in the foot prints
of western empire, if peaceful causes were
left to work out their results. rashly chose
to hazard the experiment of force against
destiny, and perisheG in blood.
IT'S LESSONS.
have required to this stern logic of the
past for the lesson which it teaches. The
misfortnnes of nation. which so nearly
foundered in its blind effort TO thwart this
march of destiny by attempting to hold
race of slaves forever excluded from the
rights of manhood, should warn it egainst
the kindred peril of attempting to hold
race of freemen forever excluded from the
privileges of citizenship.
ENFRANoH1sEMENT AN ISSUE RESULTING FROM
EMANCIPATION.
Enrranchisement is an issue naturally and
necessarily arising from emancipation. To
ignore it is vain--to successfully resist its
ultimate consummation is impossible. I'm.
partial manhood suffrage is but question
of time. Emancipation was not more surely
the destiny OF the slave, than enfranchise
ment is of the freeman. This government
cannot permanently maintain stable peace
and tranquil unity, while it contains within
il numerous and powerful race alenated
and made enemies by exclusion from those
privileges which alone give enduring
strength 10 the ties of allegiance, aud last.
ing frmness to the bonds of union.
SUFFRAGE AND SLAVERY INCOMPATIBLE.
Disfranehsement was an inseparabe in.
cident of servtude. Slavery could only
be maintained under color of law, which in
popular governments is the expression of
the public will. From that expression the
voice oil the slave was necessarily excluded.
1t was unnatural that it should be given to
sanction or sanctify the riveting of his own
chains.
CAUSE FOR DIsFRANcHIslNG FREE NEGROES.
But the lettering of his limbs was of itself
not enough. In order toprevent his restive-
ness and discomfort, biz aspirations for
freedom were discouraged and repressed
by crushing from bis heart every motive to
seekit. To this end nothing was omitted
which could render the condition of the
freedman more intolefable, if possible, than
that of servitude. He was excluded from
citizenship; ci the temples of justice were
closed against him he was denied the com.
monest rights of humanity He was made
vagrant and vagabond by the enforced
disabilities which hemmed him around,
aud for being such was condemned as a
criminal, and returned to his chains, or
voluntarily sought them as relief from
the miseries of his freedom. e.
ORIGIN OF NEGRO. DISABILITY IN THE NORTH.
j, Nor were these barbarous disabilities
confined to the dominions of slavery. The
young States of the Northwest i'm tated their
example. Originally settled by emigrants
from the slave States, they inherited their |
prejudices and emuated their inhumanity. |
Out of complaisancy TO them, they voluntar |
lily constituted themselves outposts to the !
citadel of slavery, and Janizaries to guard |
its portals. a.'' Ho
THE BLACK LAWS.
To this work of barbarity and outrage /
the earlier legislation of Ohio was prosti-
tuted. Her code of black laws is the |
record OF her greatest infamy, and deepest |
shame. This Draconean code refused
asylum to the black man, except under
heavy bonds; dolied him settlement aud
the privileges of education; virtually closed
against him the courts of justice. by ex-
Guiding him from the witness stand made /
it crithe to give him employment; re-
quired his departure or removal on failure
to comply with conditions to him practically l.
impossible withheld from him both public
relief and private charity; decreed for him
nothing but degradation or exile: Where
soever he turned he was an alien and out
cast, compared to which condition shackles
were a refuge and tender mercies. Point
I,g to these oppressive laws and bsrharous
the Southern master quietsd
ihe awakening instincts and quelled the
aspirations OF his slave for freedom.
THE WORD WHITE n44I
1t is doubtless historically true that the
word white was incorporated into the
Constitution from the same complacent re-
gard for the Interests of slavery which
the enactment OF The black code.
Il had its origin in that spirit OF servility
which the earlier part of this century mani.
ested toward the haughty dietation OF
Southern power-the spirit which bends
he supple hinges of the knee, that thrift
nay follow faNhing."
But the citadelis now stormed, and the
'laye set free, Over him is extended the (
egis of universal emancipation. Why (
hen keep up this outpost of seryilty 7
Why lorger maintain the attitude of the
IaniaaryH The purpose Of her humiiating
having eeased to exist. why ID