Year: 1861

"IEr HIM WHO THINKETu THAT HE sTANDETH TAKE


HEED LEST HE FALL


Twelve months ago, the man who would
have predicted that within one year the
entire loyal people Of the country would
demand, as with one voice, at the hands of
Congress, the passage Of law for the uni
versal emancipation of the slaves of the
country, so far from being prophet, would
have been treated as a madman, or at best
as but fanatic. One year ago, Slavery
seemed to be more impregnably planted on
American soil than at any other period
since the organization of our Government
under the present Constitution. For the
irst time in our history, there was on the
statute book no law to prohibit its advent
into any territory of the Union, and we
had Just elected to the Presidency man
who was pledged to carry out every guaran-
tee of the Constitution and Laws for the
maintenance of the accursed institution, and
the popularity Of whose position would have
constrained him to most scrupulous re-
dcmption Of his pledge. The majority of
the House, the majority Of the Senate, and
the majority of the Supreme Court, were
all welded to Slavery, and through neither
vould it have been possible to have gotten
Ia proposition looking to Emancipation.
But how to-day stands this bloody and
cruel institution, so strong and SO defiant
one year ago? Smitten by fanaticism and
judicial blindness, the advocates of Slavery
reyolted against the Government. because
the people selected for President man
opposed to extending the institution over
free territory-and the result is, the fate
of the institution is fxed-its doom inevi-
table-its utter destruction certain. The
Congress now in session will not adjourn
without the passage of law which will
look to wiping Slavery from all that por-
tion of the American continent under its
jurisdiction. On all hands, Slavery is
now regarded as the cause of this war-as
the main instigator Of the attempt to over
throw the only Republican Government Of
the world-as the cause of the terrible and
bloody war now devastating this lately
peaceful and prosperous land-as the Cause
of the awful destruction of millions Of pro.
perty, which has been given to the flames
and as the murderer of the thousands ol
honest and loyal patriots, whose blood now
cries from the ground for vengeance upon
the fratricidal traitors-and the loyal peo
pie throughout the length and breadth Of
the land are rising up, and with one voice
demanding that the thing which has caused
all these terrible calamities shall be de-
stroyed-uttsrly obliterated from the face
of the earth.


This demand proceeds not now from the
little band of Abolitionists who have sc
long borne their testimony against Slavery
but from the great heart of the free people
of the country. Foremost and loudest in
the demand are the leaders and masses ol
that Democratic party, which has hereto
fore stood so firmly by the institution, and
have been found SO ready and willing tt
yield to the rapacious demands of Slavery
They perceive now that the demands o.



Slavery are Unsuitable; that it will not b
satisfied with less than the entire overthrow
and destruction Of all democratic forms o.
government; and they are reduced to the
single alternative of Freedom or Slavery
In this emergency, they make choice. o.
Freedom, and demand that Slavery shal
DC brought to the block.


At the last, or extra, session of Congress
Senator Pomeroy, Of this State, introduced
into the Senate the only bill which came
before either House, having for its objec
the abolition of Slavery in the rebel States
Both in Congress and out Of it, that bill
was regarded with disfavor, and denounced
as unjust, iuprudent, impolitic. The facts
however, show that Senator Pomeroy va
but little ahead Of the times. Within tht
first week of the present session, at least I
dozen bills, striking directly at the tota
overthrow of Slavery, have been introduced
into the two branches of Congress, ant
before the close of the session there can b
no doubt but that some one Of the numbe
will be passed into law. The question o