Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1902-08-28
For the shepberdstOwn Regisier.l
THE CAUSES OF THE CIVIL WAR.

l hope the REGISTER Will pardon
me for stating few facts that forced
the people of the South to take up
arms in defense Of their Constitutional
rights, their homes, their lives and
their liberties. These facts shall be
honestly and truthfully portrayed aud
told without prejudice or passion thir-
ty-six years after their occurrence
and there are still living witnesses to
attest to the violations Of the phghted
faith to the Constitution of the Uni
ted States.
nl7S7 our forefsther,, who fought
the battles of the revolution under the
articles of confederation that gained
our independence from the tyrannlcal
oppression of Great Britain, called a
convention Of all the States (l3) which
formed the Constitution Of the United
States. 1t was by the mutual consent
and solemn agreement OF all the States
whose representatives reflected the
will of all the people; it was to be the
chart Of our liberties, the preservation
Of our lives and Of our property, and
the palladium Of our hopes for all time
to come.
All the States consented TO It's pro-
visions and were sworn to protect and
defend it, and all the Governors OF
the States when sworn into Office were
sworn to obey its provisions as the su-
preme law of the land-"anything IN
the Constitution or the laws Of a State
to the contrary Notwithstanding.
The principles contained in the
Declaration of independence, the Con-
.titution of the United States and the
Bill OF Rights were intended to pro-
tect the Liberties of the people from
tyranny and oppression.
Previous to the stealthy approach
Of imperialism its violation or attempt
ed infraction by any State or Govern
or or the people Of a State was looked
upon as crime worthy Of political
oblivion and Of the merited disgrace
Of traitor.
What we propose to do is simply to
state facts, and then leave the people
Judge as to who or as to what section
Of our country was responsible for the
war Of 1862 to '65. In examining
the chart of our liberties-the Consti-
tution-we will see who were the sg-
gressors and who deserve the name Of
traitors
When the Constitution Of 1887 was
framed and adopted, all the States
were slave States and, consequently, |
provision was made for their return |
when they escaped from the service Of
their owners, as well as provision for
the return of fugitives from justice
who were guilty of the committing Of
crime in one State and having fed to
another State 10 avoid the punish
ment Of his guilt.
Both these provisions of the Consti-
tuition were so grossly and shamefully
violated by the States Of Pennsyl-
vania and Ohio that their further toll
erance became unbearable.
The third clause Of the second sec
ton of the fourth article Of the Con-
stitution reads as follows mo per-
son held to service or labor in one
State, under the laws therec:, escep.
ing into another, shall in consequence
of any law or regulation therein, be
discharged from such service or labor,
but shall be delivered up on claim Of
the party to whom such service or la
Dor may be due.
This provision of the Constitution
was intended to secure the return Of
all persons, both white and black, who
had absconded from the service that
they owed to their masters. The white
servants owed their services to their
masters who had paid their freight to
this country for them, who were una
bic TO pay it for themselves, only in
labor. The blacks owed their SER
vices to their masters who had pur-
chased them from the petty tyrants
Of Africa, who were constantly at war
with each other, and who made cap
tivity or defeat pay the penalty Of
death or an endless servitude under
the most savage and cruel tyrants, so
that their escape from the cruel and
savage servitude of Africa to the hu-
name and moderate seryitude Of
benevolent and Christian people in
the United States was the first step in
the civilization Of their race. The
above provision was put in the Con-
stitution for the return Of those who
would attempt to evsde this moderate
I