The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1879-06-12

ears VI thelf colonial lie, that az the
time Of our revolution American society
was ripe for a higher degree Of civil and
religious liberty than the civilizations Of
the old world had ever known. Out OF
this love OF liberty grew institutions adapt
ed to the enjoyment Of liberty Individ-
ual, civil and religious slavery, it is true,
existed in most Of the Colonies, but this
| spirit OF liberty held it in check, and as
slave labor was comparatively mprO6ta-
| bic, slavery came to be regarded as a kind
OF patriarchal institution; so that at the
| time Of the formation Of our Constitution
it was not regarded as a very dangerous
element in the political growth Of the
country Doubtless the fathers supposed
that in the natural workings of the social
and political elements which were mould
ing our new American civilization, slavery
would soon be eliminated without internal
violence. But just as we began our na-
tlOnal career the invention of the cotton
gin and spinning ienny-the cultivation
Of cotton aud the growing importance Of
this textile in the industries of the world
began to make slave labor immensely pro-
titable, and then the current of public
opinion and the character of our civilization
began to turn the other way and go back
wards, The African slave trade became
active Capital sought investment in this
most lucrative industry of cotton growing
Legislation was directed to the encourage
ment Of this great agricultural interest,
and slavery was changed in its very charac-
ter from the milder types Of domestic and
patriarChal slavery to the degrading and
brutalizing plantation system, by which
men and women were herded together like
beasts Of burden, and driven before the
lash of cruel task-masters to their daily,
unpaid toll. The friends Of liberty through
out the land now became thoroughly
alarmed. By the spread of the area of
slavery into the new States that were being
formed, and BY the rapid growth of those
industries dependent on slave labor, the
slave interest was becoming mighty so
cial and political power, changing the
whole character Of public sentiment in the
South, and enslaving and debauching the
public sentiment Of the North, and claim
ing the right to control absolutely the leg
islatiOn and administration of the coun-
try. Thus, with the very beginning Of our
national life, began the great battle for lib
erty; battle Of hundred years, in which
the giant minds and heroic spirits Of the
Republic took leading part.
The agitation of the question during the
early part of the century resulted, in 1920,
in the Missouri Compromise, which, while
itadmitted Missouri as a slave State, dedi-
Gated to freedom forever all ourNestern Ter
ritories north Of 36o 3O<. This compromise
qGieted for a while the public conscience
but the aggressive spirit of slavery soon
awakened renewed alarm. The COmprO-
mise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave law, and
the "Kansas-Nebraska Act, j." which sought
again to allay agitation, only added fuel
to the flames. For now the great North
west was peOpled with earnest and stalWaFt
freemen, and New England's heart-full Of
the old Puritan fire-burned and throbbed
as never before to the sentiment Of liberty.
And now the great struggle for the control
of American civilization and for tine p0liti-
cal control Of the country began in real
earnest.
For many administrations the slave
power had been able to control every de-
partment Of the Government, no matter
what political party was in power. But
now the teeming millions of the great
Northwest, and the burning fires Of iber-
ty all over the North, told plainly as Ian
guage could tell that the sceptre must de-
part from Judah that the political con-
troll of the Government could no longer
continue in the hands Of the slave power;
that freedom in this land should hence
forth be the rule and slavery the excep-
ton.
It was a grand moral spectacle when, in
1860, with thirty millions Of people, We
stood facing the apparently inevitable con-
hict Of arms. Across the Continent for
two thousand miles stretched the geOgraph-
ical line that divided the two grand armies
of the opposing civilizations. On the one
side were the wealth and culture Of the slave
holding rulers, along with the ignorance
and utter moral degradation Of the masses
the lower miIliOns-Which the civiliza-
ton of slavery had produced. On the
other side were the intelligence end culture,
the industry and skill, the enterprise and
prosperity and wealth, which were the
fruit Of the higher civilization Of freedom.
But the verdict Of the American people IN
1850 was unmistRkable, and by the peace
full methods of the Constitution every de
partment Of the Government passed legit-
imately into the hands Of the great army
of freedom, and Cotton was King no long
er. Then it was that the ambitions men
of the South determined to destroy the
Government which they could no longer
control, and to build an Independent
slave oligarchy-to build an empire with
slavery as its cornerstone, aye, to oOnsecrate
10 the most degrading system Of human
bondage known in the civilized world,
nearly one-half of the great American Re
public. foundedb by Washington and his illus
trious confrei es. A proposition so astoUnd-
ing startled and amazed the lovers Of free
dom-the statesmen and leaders of thought
throughout the North The first impulse
of many was to let them 60, that they
might work the swift destruction Of their
false system Of society and Government.
But on a second thought they said, Not So
This is the great Republic. This is Ma
ton Ave, it is the hope Of nations.
Once admit that we are bound together by
a rome of sand, and our glory viii depart
forever Division and anarchy will take
the place Of unity and law, and our boast
sd civilization, which is the fruit of more
tbap two centuries of unfettered thought
and free discussion, viii pass away forever,
and red-handed anarchy will take its place.
And now the hearts of patriots and free
men throughout the land were united in
tbe determination that the Republic should
not die that this free thought should not
be fettered, that this free civilization should
not be driven from the earth, and so they
wrote upon their banners those immortal
words, Liberty and UHid7l, one and in
separahle, now and forever The thunder
inc dc fiance of rebel cannon only strength
ened this sublime purpose, aud kiudled
anew the fires of patriotism in the hearts
I of millions Of Mortimer. The direful
conflict of arms was inevitable, nay, it was
upon US. And now begins the rol-csll Of
I freemen who will defend the faith. And
/ hundreds of thousands of heroic men frou-
freedoms fields and workshops answer e,
/ their names and voluntarily offer theirlives
{ in defense IF the country.
For two long years the tide Of battle
/ goes against us And still other thousands
come to i'll the deCiniated ranSs, to length
/ en- the lines and strengthen the columns OF
/ the great Union army. Il was q sublime
| exhibition Of peoples patriotism when The
world saw with what ardOr and purpose
/ they rallied in defense of the Government
and of the principles of freedom and jus
tics upon which that Government was
| founded. Cit zeIs by thousands In every
| free State, and many thousands, be 1t SAID
/ to their honor, from the slave States, who
( loved their country more tEan they loved
slavery, came to swell the ranks Of the
| Union army. Men whose education, bab-
/ its and tastes were wholly averse TO militia
" life. men whose culture and wealth
| had surrounded them and filled theiI
homes with all that Could enrich and beau
| tify their lives, men fr0W every calling
I profession snd position, mustered BY
[ thousands and voluntarily accepted pIivs-
| ton, and suffering. and hardship, and