Year: 1864




pi public attention, is at last, thank God,
about to pass away forever. 1t is matter
of wonder that civilized nation should con-
sent, as Americans have, for the past forty
five years to be governed and ruled by 80
foul and wicked an institution as slavery.
Yet the unprejudiced mind must confess that
up to the election of Abraham Lincoln it
controlled the politics and legislation, and
too often the Judiciary of the country. II a
National convention assembled, Of whatever
party, it was regardedtas of the first conse-
quence to consult the wishes Of the slave
power in the selection Of candidates, and
their demands were never disregarded by the
leaders of either political party.


1t availed nothing that the grea. North
and mighty West outnumbered the South in
the rutio Of two to one in population they
were too willing to obey the behests Of the
nigger drivers. Ordinarily these traders in
human flesh would select candidates from
their own number, but occasionally allowed
US the poor privilege Of casting our votes for
a putty-head like Pierce, or an imbecile like
Buchanan, especially If they had some
monstrous iniquity in view which required
the doing of exceedingly dirty work. II Con-
gress had the inclination to doctor the tariff,
improve harbor, remove a snag from
river, build turnpike or railroad, the lord Of
the lash had but to crack his whip at the
Capital, and the thighs Of every fawning eur,
from Bangor to st. Pauls, would feel the
sting and fall to cursing the "d-d aboli-
tionists." In the day Of its weakness they
had only to talk Of oppression and. demand
the establishment Of a compromise line,
within which slavery might propagate and
dwell, and there the line was forthwith es-
tablished; in the day Of its growth they had
only to demand that the line Of the compro-
mise should be blotted out, and it disappeared
and was wiped away. In the day Of its ar
rogance they insisted that they have the
privilege Of calling the roll Of their slaves at
Bunker Hill, and everywhere in the Terri
tories and dirt-eaters were ready TO grant
the privilege, while others saw q constitu-
tional right to do so. What the fathers Of
evil that ought to be extirpated-was soon
claimed to be Christian blessing, ordained
by God, and especially ennobling to those
who bore the brands, dragged the chains,
and were owned and bought and sold, like
dogs.


The public mind was educated to regard
those who, from the ereading Of Christ's teach
ings. had formed the opinion that man,
though black, was not proper chattel for
barter and sale, and that the branding and
burning, and claiming and whipping, and
manning and mutilating, and transporting
them from parents and children, was not
exactly in accordnncefwith justice, humanity
and Christianity, as the lowest and yileSt
creatures allowed on the mundane sphere, to
wit: A6oGtionists.


Notwithstanding the horrors Of the institu-
ton, the degradation and oppression Of the
seryile race, the brutality, sel6shness, profit
gacy, sensuality, cruelty and criminality Of
the dominant race, engendered by slavery;
Notwithstanding the degradation Of free
labor, the extreme ignorance and squalid
poverty Of the poor whites Of the South,
caused by this monster; notwithstanding
the territory where slavery held its carniyals,
had been peculiarly favored by nature, by
the Southern sun, that Shareholders delight 70
talk and write about; Notwithstanding this
sunny land was first settled, and at the time
Of the adoption Of the Constitution was
far more advanced than the sterile North,
and we had seen that rugged and sterile
land solely, on account Of free labor, far out
strip the South in wealth, prosperity and
population, yet it was the study Of time serv-
ing politicians, and thoughtless people how
best to advance the interests and strength OF
the owners OF men.


A few had seen for years the drift and in
tention Of these men, but their voices were
stihed by the boisterous and derisiye cries Of
the multitude, until the first shot aimed by
South Carolina Ru6fan was fired at Sumter,
and then the eyes Of the Nation were opened
as to the intentions and doings of slavery
Then rebel tongues proclaimed in the face Of
civilization and Christianity that slavery was
the corner stone Of their Confederacy. Then
commenced the war Of the giants Freedom
and Slavery, and now when Freedom has
Slavery upon its back, and 10 scrubbing his
swarthy face with free soil and making here
and there clean spot, the recumbent wretch
cries out that, he has so long wallowed in
filth and slime that he cannot bear the sud-
den glare Of Freedoms light, and begs that
he may be permitted to return to his Somit,
and the entire Copperherd fraternity cry
Amen, let him alone. He is not monster
but bird of rare and beautiful plumage and
the hoar Freedom is tyrant and cruel con-
queror. Ten years hence, who so bold as to
acknowledge that he had been Copperhead .
In future years what man will not be asham.
ed of Copperhead fatheri The posterity OF
a Copperhead will be as reticent as to their
ancestry as are the posterity Of the COW boys
of the Revolution.-S. +. Journal


------