Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1909-02-18

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the English government fostered this
slave traffic with her new colonies.
North and South shared alike in the
profits of this traffic. Newport, r. l.,
was great slave-mart. But there
was antagonism. to slavery even then.
Whoever wishes to trace the remote
origin of the American Rebellion will
find the germ of the Union armies of
1851 in the cabin of the May Flower,
and the inception of the secession
forces between the decks of the Dutch
SLAYER, which planted the fruit of her
avarice and piracy in the James river
colonies in 1920. When the Consti-
tuition was formed it sanctioned slav-
cry in our land. In 1898 the inven-
ton of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney,
made slavery a hundred times more
profitable to the slave holder of the
South. In 1920, the famous Missouri
Compromise was enacted, dividing the
newly acquired territory of the Louis
lana Purchase by that famous line
which admitted Missouri as slave,
and Main as a free state. From this
time forward, the maintenance of this
balance of power-the numerical
equality of the slave states with the
free was steadily followed by the rep
resentatives of the South. New states
were constantly being admitted and
every one revived the question, Shall
| it be a free or slave state? Along
those years stand out the acquisition
of Louisiana, the annexation of Texas,
the Mexican War, the compromise of
1850, the repeal of the Missouri COM
promise and the bred Scott Decision.
The slave holding states were ag-
gressive and domineering. The South
was united, the North divided. AS
the struggle deepened, new and holder
spirits arose to leadership in the
North. The North cried mo more
slave territory" The South answered,
| More, or disunion.' In 1850, the
North became one vast debating
ground. Churches were rent in
twain, political parties fell to pieces,
and new ones were formed. The coun
try was rent like the demoniac of
Gadara. In that tempest the Wing
party was swept away, and another
arose that would brook no compro
mise, and the footsteps of the coming
conflict were heard Kansas was now
the bloody skirmish ground of the
impeding conflict. Suddenly the crack
OI JOIN bFOWn Tlu6S were nGdTu
amid the hills of Virginia.
In 1860 the Republican party met
in Chicago to nominate Seward. But
God had another leader ready for this
crisis. He was Abraham Lincoln. He
was not radical on this slavery ques-
ton. He believed that theConstitu-
tion gave tothe South the right to
own slaves. That right he said he
would, if elected, respect. He would
however preserve the Union. He
would not provoke violence against
his southern brethren.
In November, 1860 as this man sat
in the telegraph office in Springfield,
the news was flashed to him that he
had been elected President.
He realized the solemn responsible
lily that God had placed upon his
shoulders. From then until the 4th
of March, the southern leaders were
plotting for secession.
James Buchanan, lmute and help
less, sat in the Presidential chair. He
saw his cabinet ofiK6rs and senators
who had sworn to Uphold the Union,
violating their sacred vows, and pre-
pairing for disunion.
South Carolina had passed the Sc
cession Act, and other states had fol-
lowed. On the 18th of February, Lin
coin was to leave Springfield for
Washington. He had accepted invita-
lions to visit several cities while on
the way.
In the station at Springfield, the
President with his family was pre-
pairing to leave his native city. 1t
was a cold, cloudy morning. The
leave-taking became a scene of sub
dued anxiety. The rushing train was
heard. The crowd closed around the
car into which the President and his
party made their way. The conductor
had his hand lifted to the bell rope.
Mr.. Lincoln appeared on the platform
of the car, and raised his hand to
command attention. The people bar
ed their heads to the falling snow
flakes, and standing thus, his neigh
bors heard his voice for the last time,
in the city of his home, in a farewell
address SO pathetic and chaste, that
it reads as if he felt the tragic shadow
of forecasting fate:
MY friends, no one not in my sit
uation can appreciate my feelings of
sadness at this parting. To this place
and the kindness of this people, l owe
everything. Here have lived quar-
ter of a century, and have passed from
a young to an old man. Here my
children have been born, and one bur-
led. | now leave, not knowing when
or whether | may ever return, with
a task before me greater than that
which rested upon Washington. With
out the assistance of the Divine Being,
who ever attended him, cannot sue
coed. With that assistance | cannot
fail. Trusting in Him who can go
with me, and remain with you, and
be everywhere for good, let us con-
fidently hope that all will be yet well.
To His care commencing you, as |
hope in your prayers you will com
mend me, bid you an affectionate
farewell"
1t was memorable trip
Sumpter was fired upon April II,