Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1907-03-14

Eelap1 ana oet0otaf30Q Of the people OF
the free states and the whole civilized
wor1d2 Union on the one side
will bseet union on the other.
One section will stand in naeaacing
hostile array against another; tho col
lision OF opinion will be quickly fol-
lowed by the clash Of arms."
Mr.. Everett, then 1886 the governor
of MASSACHUSETTS, informed the legisla-
ture, for the admonition Of these IN
sparins agitators against the peace Of
the south. that "everythin8 that tends
to disturb the relations created by this
compact 1.-THE constitutional 10 at war
with it's spirit, and whatever by direct
and necessary operation Is calculated
to excite an insurrection among the
slaves has been held by highly re-
spectacle legal authority an ofense
against the peace Of this common
wealth which may be prosecuted as
misdemeanor at common law" IT was
proposed in the legislature to pass an
act defining the ofense with more Ger
tainty and attaching to It severer
penalty. The abolitfonists asked to be
heard before the committee. and Rev.
S. J. May, Ellis Gray Lorlng, Professor
Charles Follen, Samuel e. sewell and
others Of equal ability and character
spoke in their behalf. They objected
to the passage OF such an act In the
strongest terms and derided the value
Of a Union which could not protect it's
citizens in one Of their most cherished
rights: During the hearing several bit
ter alterations took place between
them and the chairman.
In New York Governor Marcy called
upon the legislature Ito do what may
be done consistently with the great
principles Of civil liberty to put an end
bringing upon us and the whole coun-
try" The character" and the "inter-
ests" Of the state were equally at
stake, and both would be sacrificed I'M
less these furious and cruel fanatics
were effectually suppressed.
In May, 1886, the federal house of
representatives resolved by overwhelm-
ing votes that congress had no right to
interfere with slavery In the states or
in the District of Columbia and that
henceforth all abolition petitions should
be laid on the table without being
printed or referred. And one day later
than the date Of Mr.. Lincoln's protest
Mr.. Van Buren, declared in his inau-
gural that no bill abolishing slavery in
the District Of Columbia or meddling
with it in the states where it existed
should ever receive his signature.
''There was no other FORM" says Ben
ton, Eat that time In which slavery agi-
tation could manifest itself or place it
could find a point to operate, the ordi-
nance Of 1857 and the compromise Of
1920 having closed up the territories
against 1t. Danger to slave property
in the states either by direct action or
indirectly through the District Of Co.
lumbia were the only points Of ex-
pressed apprehension"
Abolition agitations Jared little better
in the Twenty-6fth congress than in
the Twenty-fourth. At the extra ses-
sion in September Of 1887 Mr.. Slade Of
Vermont introduced two petitions for
the abolition Of slavery in the District
Of Columbia, but after furious debate
and stormy scene they were disposed
Of by the adoption of the following:
Resolved. That all petitions, memorials
and papers touching the abolition Of slav-
cry or the buying, selling or transferring
Of slaves in any state, district or terri
tory of the United States be laid on the
table without being debated. printed,
read or referred and that no further &C.
ton whatever shall be had thereon
Few AboGionists In Illinois.
In Illinois at the time we speak Of
(March, 1880 an abolitonist was rare
~ seen and scarcely ever heard of. In
many parts of the state such person
would have been treated as a criminal.
It is true there were few Covenant
ers, with whom hatred Of slavery in
any form and wherever found was an
essential part Of their religion. Up to
1924 they had steadily refused to vote
or in any other way to acknowledge
the state government regarding it as
IAN heather and unbaptized institu-
ton" because the constitution failed to
recognize "Jesus Christ as the head of
the government and the Holy Scrip
| lures as the only rule of faith and
practice" It was only when it was
proposed to introduce slavery into ILL.,
nois by an alteration Of that Heather
constitution that the Covenanters con-
scented to take part In public affairs.
The movement which drew them out
proved to be long and unusually bit
ter campaign, lasting full eighteen
months and ending In the fall Of 1924
with a popular majority Of several
thousand against calling convention
for the purpose Of making Illinois q
slave state. Many Of the antislavery
leaders In this contest, conspicuous
among whom was Governor Coles, were
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