FROM KANSAS.
Rumors of New Civil War—Border Ruf
fian Outrages at Fort Scolt. '
Lawrence, Midnight, Dec. 17, ’57.
1 have just received information of a still
more startling character from -the region of
war. A mesenger just in reports- a battle
fought below Sugar Mound, last night. The
Pro-Slavery men made ;tbe attack on some
Free-Siifie men, and met with repulse. It is
alleged that several ‘ merr were mortally
wounded; among them, Blake Little, mem
ber of the late Constitutional Convention, and
one of the.candidates under the bogus Con
stitution.
Missourians are.mustering in considerable
force'arßatnesville, a village on the border,
some eight 'miles from the Missouri line.
They also mustered at Fort Scolt. They
have been scouting the county in'surprise
parties, and have taken some six Free-State
men prisoners, whom they hold at Fort Scolt.
The lives of these men-are reported to be in
imminent jeopardy.
As mailers are assuming so very serious
on aspect, I start immedielely for the seat of
war, 90 miles distant. I cannot reach it be
fore noon to-morrow. As [ may not have an
opportunity to communicate before a day or
two, I write these lines ere I start.
Mdhdbr of Mb. Latham.
Doniphan, Dec. 17,1857.
A company of fifteen armed ruffians from
Atchison liavo just left this city, after having
murdered, in the public streets, with a shot
gun, Mr, Latham, a Free. Stale citizen of
Doniphan, These men came in in parlies of
two about 1 o’clock this afternoon, and after
consulting together, one of them najned
WcVeay shot a Mr. Latham and mortally
wounded him as he was peacefully walking
along the street, unarmed and unsuspecting,
near the Doniphan House. The buckshot
entered the head and blew out his brains.
Mr. Latham instantly fell dead.
Another member of-lhe Atchison company,
after the. fatal shot was fired, discharged his
rifle in the air. The party then left the town.
The outrage occurred so suddenly that no
one was prepared for it, and the murderers
escaped. A company of citizens of Doni
phan started in pursuit.
Thu death of Mr. Latham at Doniphan is
confirmed by Mr. Gaily, a passenger from
that plank, who informs us that be was but
n few fuel from Mr. L. when be was shot.
He was fired at from behind, and was killed
without having had -any warning from his
assassins, or any knowledge of who they
[Ed. Dem.]
were.
A ?lolaiiclioly Affair—Seduction
and Death.
The pariiculars of a melancholy affair, in
volving ihe seduction of a young lady and
her subsequent death have just come to our
knowledge. The facts of the case are sub
stantially as follows. A citizen of Elmira,
who has resided here some two or three years,
and who has enjoyed a position of high res
pectability, has had a j'oung lady in his fam
ify during most of the lime, whose name we
do not choose to mention. This young lady
was nn orrhan, but'had been thoroughly edu
cated in n p:eminent Seminary in the western
part of tins Slate, and to the graces of a most
amiable disposition added the advantages of
the highest,menial accomplishments. In the
circle in which she] moved she was loved and
esteemed as one of the purest and most vir.
uicus of her sex. A few weeks since the
man above mentioned broke up housekeeping.
His wife has gone to a neighboring County,
and it was represented that the young lady
went to the southern part of Pennsylvania to
reside with her relatives. Abdul a week ago,
however, a gentleman, a physician of this
village, happening to be in Corning, inciden
tally learned that the young lady was lying
dangerously ill at a Hotel in Knoxville,
opposite that village. Regarding this aciery
strange, and being a personal friend of the
lady, ihe physician weiv over to see her, and
found her at the point of death. In answer
to his earnest enquiries she confided to him
her condition and the reason of her being
there. She had just given premature birth to
a child which lived only o couple of days.—
She was brought there by the man with whom
she had lived here, and upon whom she
placed the paternity of child. On inqui
ry of the landlord it was ascertained that he}
had represented to him that the lady was the
widow of a clergyman in Michigan, who had
just died, and that she was on the way to her
in the east, bet being taken suddenly
ill could gel no further. He employed a phy
sician to attend her, and left money with the
landlord to-pay her board. before yes
terday she died. Her friends have'procured
her decent burial, and thus the tragedy, so far
nashe is concerned, is closed. These are the
facts as related to us, and with their simple
statement we rest the case'. —Elmira Adver
tiser,
The Right Kind of Talk. —Forney has
(jot back lo Philadelphia from Washington.
He concludes a long article in defence of
Douglas against the attacks of southern news
papers with the following paragraph, which
has the ring of the true metal :
“We are a patient people, over this way.
We have seen 7'he South, and' its allies
opposing Mr. Buchanan’s nomination, and
doubting his devotion to them ; we have stood
calmly by, and witnessed their rule in Kan
sas, trusting the while, like submissive and
enduring men, lathe approaching recognition
of the will of thd majority ; we have heard,
with unruffled temper, the objurgations of
legislators and of politicians in some of the
slave States, against such Democrats as
Walker and Stanton, because they would not
beeome paities to forgery in Kansas: and
now'we are expected to bear the additional
outrage upon Judge Douglas, and loses Sov.
Walker’s head carried before the conquering
minority of. the Lecompton Convention as a
trophy ol triumph. There is a point beyond
which forbearance may cease lo be a vir
tue. It has been reached, ‘gentleman of the
South!”’ 6
•i X, nE OEK Ledo*b, the great Fam
ily Paper, has now attained the extraordinary
circulation of Three Hundred and Thirty
Thousand. Copies. The Prospectus of The
Ledger, which contains all necessary in
formation in regard to it, will be found in our
advertising columns.
THE AGITATOR.
Ilf. 11. C0bb......
WELLSBOROUGH, PA, -
Tbnrsdaf IBW.
« # » All Business,arid other Cosamnnicalionsmuet
be addressed to the Editor to insure attention.*
We cannot publish anonymous communications.
Nicaragua Walker has been arrested by the U. S.
authorities and brought to the Slates. His cake is
dough, tor the present.
We regret to learn that Dca. S. E. Ensworth, of
this village, bad the misfortune to get a fool badly
crushed by a rolling lug, at Slide Island on_Pine
Creek, Tuesday.
Mr. H. Kellt informs us that he will canvass the
county in a few weeks, with a work entitled “The
Great West 1 * From a cursory examination of the
wurk we judge It to contain a'great deal of interest*
ing matter and very cheap at the subscription price.
The Carrikr or the Agitator will call around
with his Annual Address to-morrow morning. We
know that the limes arc hard, and we also know that
wc charge subscribers at whose doors uhe paper is
delivered by the Carrier, 25 cents less any dot
lar paper in the country.
B« latest advices from Utah we learn that the re
bellicm is fully organized and that the Saints have
declared CJlahTree and independent. There has
been no bloodshed yet, but the Mormons are destroy
ing the supply trains of the Government troops ev
idently with the intention of starving them out.
As we predicted, there was no sleighing, Christ,
man, owing to the failure of* snowfall. There was
a light fall of snow on Saturday—-just enough to
make bare ground aggravating. It snows to-day,
Tuesday, and drizzles withal. Winter is refreshing
himself for & terrible bout by-and-by. .Should De.
cember go out la tears, February will come In aJfit
of anger. i
As to that turkey : We gave him a warm,corner
of friend Cache's barn, thinking to do him an espe
cial honor in assigning him exclusive quarters; but
his Turkcyship got a fit of melancholy and refused
to take'any nourishment, notwithstanding the un
remitting attentions of his friends. He would not
be comforted, but moped about his apartment sullen
and silent. It therefore became 4 mercy to remove
him from this sublunary sphere to one of a higher
temperature, which waa done with a tender regard
for the infliction of unnecessary pain. Wc are
guiltless of the deed ; his blood is not upon our.
hands.
Now, and Then.
In looking over our Mulatto-democratic exchanges
published 'within the three weeks just passed, we
can bnl note a deal ot extraordinary blustering and
vaporing about what Government, will do to put
down rebellion in Kansas, as they choose to name
the resistance to fraud and violence by the better
classes in that Territory. It matters not. with these
amiable and patriotic journalists, whether the out
rages committed there be such as to render the se
curity of life and property precarious in the extreme,
or whether they disfranchise piae-tenlhs of the in
habitants, In either, or in both cases, these amia.
ble journalists enjoin patience, long-suffering and
forbearance, until Mr. James Buchanan, in the over
flowing goodness of his heart, shall magnanimously
strike oft the chains which his every public a.cl is
but riveting the more firmly upon the wrists of the
people of that Territory. It is but a revamping of
the old fable of the Syrens, who were said to en
trance the passing voypger with their songs of ease,
and then destroy him.
It is about eighty-seven years since the provincial
town of Boston was thrown into the wildest excite
ment by the enactment of a bloody tragedy in one
of its thoroughfares. The bells were rung, cannon
were fired, flags were lowered half-mast and upon
the street-corners, in the market places and within
Faneuil Hall the populace gathered with lowering
brows and breathing murmurs of indignation. Yet
the act which provoked all that fierce excitement
was trifling and unimportant, compared with hund
reds of tragedies enacted upon the soil of Kansas
within two years. The Government troops of the
time of which we speak had become notoriously in
solent toward the citizens of Boston, and on the oc
casion alluded to they had fired upon a little knot of
people, killing four and wounding several others.
Several soldiers were forthwith arrested, indicted
and tried for murder; but upon investigation it was
proved‘hat the people had provoked the quarrclin
that particular instance, and that fact stayed the
proceedings for murder.
But the British Government was at the bottom Of
the disturbance. It had quartered its troops among
(he colonists in a time of peace. It had taxed the
colonists, yet refused to give them a voice or vole in
the national councils. It had placed its own crea
tures over the, colonists as rulers; and when the
grievances of the people became unbearable and they
petitioned for redress,those petitions were disregard
ed and the petitioners driven from tlie Presence with
scorn and revilings. And when the bolder among
them counseled armed resistance, there was no
lack of cowering traitors who filssed “treason” and
magnified the vengeance which Britain should mete
out to Rebellion. Others timidly counseled acqui
esccncc until the mother country should take the so
ber second thought and grant* redress of her own
free will.
And now tarn lo the history 1 of the troubles in
Kansas and mark how closely our Government has
imitated the policy of England toward the colonies,
in its policy touching thc pcople of Kansas. The
Nebraska bill contained the evil seed of violence and
disorder. That seed was watered and quickened by
its removal of Reeder and its recognition of the le.
gilimacy of a Legislature whose creation by fraud
and outrage was notorious. It suffered the myrmu
dons of that Legislature to ravage the fields of the
peacablc settler, to sack towns, raze public buildings
and more terrible still, it suffered ruffians to shoot
and hang men for opinion’s sake, and then promoted
the assassins to places of honor and profit! It suf.
fered and still sufiers nine-tenths of the people of
Kansas to be taxed to support a Government which
has disfranchised them sud in whose councils they
bad neither vote nor voice; and when this insulted
majority assembled peacafily to petition Congress
for a redress of grievances, they were insulted and
by the agents of the Government to whom
that petition was directedand that petition went
up to Congress to he disregarded and the petitioners
obtained not redress nor tho promise of redress, but
words of scorn and messages of Insult 1 and troops
were stationed about their ravaged villages, not to
, protect them, but to harass and intimidate. And
now, when Government insists that this outraged
majority shall accept a Constitution framed by a
Convention which had its birth in a notorious fraud*
whether they will, or no;"and when it is proposed
to force Slavery upon Kansas in defiance even of the
poverty-stricken principle of Popular Sovereignty,
and that majority threatens open resistance to such
desperate tyranny, we hoar the Administration hand,
organs dispensing threats of the terrible vengeance
THJE'TIQGA COUNTY AGITATOR.
in (tore for such » shall dare to resist opprersion as
their fathers taught Jhem to resist it. And when
this Government undertakes to force the people of
Kansas into a Cowardly submission to the arbitrary
decrees of a ruffianly- minority, we hope, for the
honor of their ancestry and [or lhe sake of Human,
ily’s future, that that majority will arm and sweep
their oppressors into the Missouri. The’ Adminis-'
tralion could not exist the space of twenty.four
hours after that wrong should be consummated. If
we rightly know the North—if there be a drop of
.the blood in their veins that flawed in the veins at
their fathers—then the first note of conflict in Kan.
sas will nerve every arm not palsied with a Southern
bribe. And then, God save the Right '.
Therefore, when papers, like one now before us,
attempt to intimidate men in the discharge of their
duty, or to deter (hem from resisting to a bloody Ist
sue sny attempt to subjugate them, by threats of
death and destruction, we say to them, you misjudge
(ha men who have been taught that liberty is better
than life. Threats of the major excommunication
did not deter Lather from the glorious work of (he
Reformation, nor did threats of the dungeon and the
halter deter the Men of the Revolution from earning
Liberty for this continent, and for the cowardly
knaves who now recommend the freemen of Kansas
to give up their inheritance without a blow. Nor
will threats of the halter intimidate the free men of
Kansas, nor deter them from resisting, if necessary,
whale ver the democratic party may see fit to em
ploy in subjugating (hem, whether it be legislation
or cannon.
Editor.
In common with a goodly company of creation's
lords, we are Indebted to onr : fair correspondent,
“ Kate,” for a summary castigation, all and singu
lar of which we publish In another place. We do
not intend to seek an escape from her lash through
either excuses, .or apologies. . Her remarks are sea
soned With some grains of justice, since every prea.
cher should endeavor to practice what he preaches.
But os we are questioned touching oar delinquency,
we mast reply as follows:
We never yet paused upon the threshold of duly
to inquire what Mrs. Grundy would say, should we
proceed, or bow many friends we might gain by
turning back. Such friends as we have, rejoice to
see us ever true to our intuitions, to which we are
indebted for an undying hatred to wrong every where’
Our subscription list gives not and has never given
to us one moment’s anxiety. We have never beg
ged patronage and never will. And if an honest ut
terance of opinion, upon any subject whatever, result
in pecuniary loss, why, so let it. We know just
iiow many dollars it has cost us to speak out during
the short space of our active life; but we shall nev
er return to redeem one dollar of the sum.
“ Kate” will excuse us, however, for remarking;
just here, that we elect peace officers whose duly it
is to return all offenders against the laws, to the
Court of Quarter Sessions'ol the Peace. We like*
wise elect other officers whose duty it is to prosecute
all infractions of the law within tiie borough limits.
In the discharge of their official duties the*o men
escape the imputatallon of personal pique, or malice
as the law intended They should, that they may not
be deterred from jealously guarding the public mor
als; whereas, the private man who consents to be.
come a public prosecutor in these matters, must re.
solve to do so without other backer than his own in.
tegrity ; since temperance men invariably abandon
him to fight the battle alone. Bui there can be one
roan found in this borough who dares to undertake
the office of„public prosecutor, and who, if he un.
dertake it, will spare neither friend nor foe until the
, virtue of the law shall have been thoroughly tested.
We do not complain of the strictures ot our fair
correspondent. 4s to their applicability to others
hinted at, we know nothing. She is responsible for
the Insinuations, which, if justified by the facts, de
serve the utmost severity of her lash; but we most
respectfully submit, that the church organizations
of this village are not guiltless of the crimes impu
ted to this .society. As all reforms are claimed by
the Churcl) to root in Its bosom, so let not our fair
friends insist too rigidly that those wbnm the Church
brands as heretic shall nourish with their energies
; a plant that now seems drooping on its parent soil*
Let us work together without reference to differen*
ccs in belief.
Our shamocratic colcmporaries arc in a desperate
pickle. They are all on their knees praying, “good
Lord and good Devil 1“ with might and main. In
deed, their plight should provoke pity rather than
mirth, but their genuflexions are so ludicrous that
the “ tickling spot” responds first. Our Wayne
county friend has come to the conclusion that there
is no disagreement between Bnchanan and Douglas,
and we are not much surprised to learn from his
last paper that he cordially sustains both. Beards
lee will toueh bottom somewhere let the water be as
deep as it may. He deserves an appointment.
But our friends of the Tunkhannock Democrat
slip around the ugly gulf in the very cutest way im
aginable. They have kept “ dark” on the unfortu
nate split, up to last week. They now publish ex
tracts from such of its democratic colcmporaries us
lean towards Buchanan, modestly prefacing the
chapter with the astounding declaration that they
have paid little attention to the opinions of others,
being much more interested in being right than in
being concurred with. This sounds very well.
Friend Niebeil, of the Luzerne Union , is in favor
of admitting Kansas under the Lecompton Consti
tution, because he is thus sure having the Adminis
tration and the democratic parly on his side. That
is a very plain reason, certainly, but we would rath,
er be backed by a good cause than by a bad Presi
dent and a rotten party. However, Friend Niebeil
“ preaches for the rye,” and must preach to suit his
audience.
O" At HUchcockville, Connecticut, a few weeks
since, at a corn husking, two hundred bushels were
husked, forty girls kissed, five “engaged,” and ev
ery soul in the house before ten o'clock. Hitchcock*
vitle must be. a nice place to live in.—Exchange.
That's nothing. We were at a husking frolic not
a. hundred miles from that same Vi lie, when a ju
venile, ou which occasion wc saw ten girls kissed
more than ten limes apiece, a barrel of cider drank
and wasted, forty square feet of pumkin pie and a
bushel of nutcakes (more or less) disposed of and
and a spruce young men thoroughly embalmed in
slewed M punkin” by as fair hands as ever worked
a batch of butler; and all Ibis long enough before
ten o'clock. In addition lq this, not less than ten
fellows got the “ mitten” and kept it until the next
Sunday night.
Hard Case —A family arrived al New
Albany, Indiana, a short time since, bringing
an infant child, which died soon after. The
father went to several coffin-makers, to pro
cure a coffin, but not succeeding, got a shoe
bos and carried il home, filled it partly with
shucks, spread a doth over these, and in the
shoe bos placed the body and deposited it in
the graveyard solitary and alone, the mother
being on a sick bed. This is rather a hard
case, and in a Christian community too,
which boasts of a Young Men’s Christian
Onion, and about twenty churches, where
monthly contributions are taken for the
heathen.
From Washington.
The Conflict between Filch and
■ Jtonglas. '
Correspondence of the If. Y. Tribune.
Washington, Dec. 22, 1857.
In the Senate Jhjs_ morning, Mr. Smart of
Michigan, who had the floor, gave way to
Mr. Fitcli of Indiana, who-; began with an
allusion to Mr Douglas’s remark yesterday,
thal certain men, among them President Bu
chanan, were trying to read him out of tbs’
Democratic parly.
Mr. Douglas who was writing a letter, ap
paremly wholly inattentive to what was going
on, here suddenly turned upon the gentleman
from Indiana and inquired’, “Did I include
the President of the United States in that at
tempt to read me out of the party I Did i
not expressly except- him 1”
Mr. Fitch assented and went on (6 criticise
the argument of the Senator from Illinois.
He Soon diverged, however, ihio menaces to
those who were striving to break down the
Democratic party, that great conservative or
ganization on whose preservation depended
the preservalion of the Union. Ha held up
in terroremfor the contemplation of Mr.
Douglas thp political hie of Aaron Burr and
Manin .Van Buren, both of whom had trait
orously attempted to destroy the Democracy
and had thus brought roin on themselves.
He repeated the charge against Mr. Dou
glas that in conjunction with Mr. Toombs he
had prepared a permissory act for framing a
Constitution for Kansas without any provision
for submitting it to the people. Mr. Filch
said, however, that he attached little impor
tance to these charges of inconsistency;
very few of the Senators present could boast
a perfectly consistent record, and it was of
little consequence in this discussion what had
been the previous sentiments or declarations
of the Senator from Illinois.
Mr. Fitch continued in an elaborate attack
upon what is termed the Topeka faction,
which he described as a rebellious, lawless
set of men, and contrasted them with the
loyal, law-abiding citizens who hud formed
the Lecomplon Constitution. He admitted,
in this connection, that the Lecomplon Con
stitution contained' a clause prohibiting its
amendment prior to 1864; but that clause,
•he contended, was of no consequence ; it was
a dead letter. The people would change
their Constitution whenever they pleased.
He would ihavo preferred that the whole
Constitution ’should have bean submitted to
the people. =- But the Convention- thought
otherwise, and their decision of the matter
was RnajJwith him.
Mr. Fitch spoke without notes and with
much more force and vivacity than either
Senator Bigler or Green. He commanded
the attention of the Senate, and as he pro
ceeded with his malignant personal innuen
does against Mr. Douglas, the countenance of
the Soulhern Senators lighted up with a sat
isfaction in marked contrast with the gloom
and uneasiness with which they had watched
the process of demolishing the Pennsylvania
Senator in the debate of yesterday.
During the latter part, of Mr. Fjich’s
speech the' Little Giant had lain perfectly
motionless in his chair with his back to (he
orator who was so bitterly assailing him.
As the speech went on his interest in it was
.manifested only by the angry knitting of his
brows and the increased glowing of his deep
set eyes. When Mr. Fitch sat down and
Douglas slowly rose to his feet, there was a
hushed murmur through the crowded hall
that indicated how deep was the interest and
the expectation of the audience. He made
a magnificent rejoinder, compact, forcible
and ingenious, and delivered with a proud,
fierce energy of gesture anda sonorous ring
ing of his fine voice that made it one of the
, most impressive displays of oratory I have
ever witnessed. The mere sight of him was
an imposing picture of animal and intellectual
strength and power as he walked slowly to
and fro across the Senate floor, tossing his
shaggy locks as an angry lion losses his
mane, jerking out his sharp, sinewy senten.
ces, and turning now and then upon the gen
llemnn from Indiana, and vehemeritly de
manding, with a stamp of his foot, what he
meant by comparing him to Aaron Burr?
Or by accusing him of ambitious schemes to
break down the Democratic party ? Or by
his vague innuendoes and dark insinuations?
Or by imputing to him as a crime his dissent
from the President on some particulars re
lating to Kansas ? “What if Ido differ from
the President? I have not become the servile
tool of any President to receive and obey his
instructions against my own judgment and
sense of right.”
lie spoke with biller contempt of the Le
compton faction in Kansas, and declared
that but for the protection of the United
Slates troops, the people would not let.them
stay a day in the’ Territory. ’ Again he
warned the Senate that if this attempt to force
a Constitution upon Kansas against the wishes
of nine tenths of the people were persisted
in, civil war would be the result.
In conclusion referring to these repeated
attacks upon him, he said he asked no mercy,
he should shrink from no Controversy. If
the design were to bring him put and exhibit
his strength by repeated assaults, he would
foil that design by making no reply to them
them until a sufficient number were collected
to merit his notice, when he would give a
raking fire at the whole group.
It is obviously the policy of the Adminis
tration Senators to bring out Mr. Douglas by
setting at him their feeblest champions first,
and when his arguments, retorts and other
defenses are exhausted, to come down upon
himj with their great guns—Hunter, Mason,
Slidell, Hammond and Jeff. Davis. Thus
far, Mr. Douglas has carried on the fight
without assistance, but certainly with superb
power, and with as much success as could
possibly be expected in a battle fought on his
narrow platform of Popular Sovereignly, and
with the disadvantage of so decided a Pro-
Slavery record behind him. After Mr. Stuart
has spoken, it will be considered a free fight,,
and the Republican Senators will strike in.
With such auxiliaries there need be no fear
that Douglas will be overborne in the debate.
The strength of the argument against the
Lecompton Constitution is such that even
with Douglas against them the Republican
Senators could have no fear of the result be
fore the country. Acting in concert with him
on this question, an intellectual and moral
victory at least is certain to be achieved.
©onxmimtcatcons.
Tor The Agitator.
Is the Constitution Pro-Slavery?
There are but two ways that; the liberties
of a people, can .be stolen from ; them. The
one by an entirely new code of ilaws, openly
nnd JbblcUy,instituting a pew order of things.
The other—by giving new readings and new
interpretations to their long cherished charts
of freedom.- Our American innovators have
chosen the latter mode, and are putting forth
eypry effort, to totally subvert- the original
policy of oor fathers. It is plain to every
observing mind, that every step taken by the
general government, serves only to rob the
people of their long established! rights, trans
ferring them at the same time to our southern
friends.
To-day we have a new ided, pul forth fay
our chief Executive. Never,before has such
a doctrine emanated from ihe Presidential
chair, that is, “Slavery exists in Kansas,
under the Constitution of the Tfnited States ”
and wonders how it ever coqld have been
doubted is a mystery ! There is the Demo
cralic version of the Constitution 1 Under
our national chart Slavery ejtisls 1 Thus,
before we are aware of it, ( we- are made
a . slave-propagating—a. slave supporting
people ! ' ' ;
And now when this so
generally heaped ; constitution, I
propose briefly to notice some of its plain
teachings. lr In my opinion, if fits plain intent
and meaning could be carried put,every slave
in these United Stales, would instantly
breathe the air of freedom. Instead of being’
a helper of Slavery it is a great championl
for Human Liberty.
Can anything of the nature of
exist except by positive law ? Has not thjs
always been the doctrine of the -Democratic
pariyuntil these KqnstSa,.difficulties,? ‘ Lord
Mansfield In the Sommersett “iba»
the style of Slavery is rff such a nature, thal
it is incapable of being.inlroducad upon any
reasons moral or political and can only exist
by positive law.” - But let us see what,
slaveholders think upon (his point. The
Supreme court of MisS. declares thal “Slave
ry is condemned by reason; and the laws of
nature. It exists arid only exists through
municipal regulations,” (Walker’s R. 42.)
Another slaveholdind tribunal —the Supreme
court of Ky. has said “We view this as a
right existing by positive law, of a municipal
character, without foundation in [the law of
Nature, or the unwritten, or common law,”
(Marshall’s R. 470.) i
Now, where will our new interpreters find
anything like “positive law,” for upholding
slavery in the Constitution ? Is it not a cor
reel principle that nolhingjean come out of
nothing? If so, how will they make it
uphold their lovely institution as long as the
words slave or slavery sire not contained
within it ? Let those explain who can.—
Again we generally judge; the nature of an
instrument by its preamble, and how does
thal of the Constitution halrmonize with Mr.
Buchanan’s N. H. letter? ' I quote “We, the
people of the United Stales, in order to form
a more perfect Union—establish justice, * *
and secure the blessings of Liberty, for our
selves and our posterity dp ordain,” &c.
Thus it was not ordained to establish and
promote the interests of the slaveholder—not
to make slavery in any way, former manner,
but to “establish justice” and “secure the
blessings of liberty” and it fails to say any
thing about the blessings of Slavery. In
those early days our fathdrs . failed to appre
ciate the philanthropic efforts of the southern
humanitarian I The prearrible not only speaksj
strongly for freedom but the contemporane
ous declarations of its framers are decided
upon this question. Early in the convention
Guv, Morris of Pa. saidj“he would never
concur in upholding domestic slavery. It
was a nefarious institution. It was the curse
of Heaven.” While MpfMadison, in a milder
tone “thought it wrong to admit into it the
idea of property in man.” Alex. Hamilton
declared the slaves to be “free by law of
God, but held in slavery by law of man.”
Had I room, many more cases might be
cited. j !
The 3d Sec. of Art. 4th is considered to
be the stronghold of slavery,—in short iris
the only clause they pretend to prove slavery
from, therefore I beg leave to briefly glance
at the debate upon it. jThe convention began
its labors May 28, : 87, and no allusion was
made to fugiliyp slaves-,'until Aug. 28, when
C. C. Pinckney “thought some provision
should be included itj favor of property in
slaves.” Mr. Butler,-then openly moved “to
require fugitive slaves jand servants ip be de
livered up like -but Mr. Wilson of
Pa, objected, as it “would oblige the state
executives to do Aal the public expense” and
Mr. Sherman “®iw no more propriety in the
public seizing and surrendering a fugitive,
than a horse,” after which the article now
found in the coustiluiidn.was proposed making
no mention of fugitive, slaves, but simply
“persons held to service”’ and on the 6th of
Sept, it was decided that “service” expressed
the condition of free persons and nothing
more. After its adoption Hr.'Mason of Va.
“thought there was no security of property
coming within this Mr. Justice
McLean says, “that the constitution looks
upon slaves ns persons l and nolms properly.”
But for sake of argument I will admit that
it does refer to slaveryl If go, -it only refers
to them as persons, and article 4th of the
amendments declare }hal “no~ person shall
be deprived of life liberty or properly except
by due process of law” and where I ask,
was any slave ever deprived of liberty, by
any process at all 1 | Blaokstone says the law
is always ready lo catch at anything in favor
of liberty, if so, give every slave of the
south, a fair trial by jury, and slavery will
have received her jdeath blow. Under the
constitution every slave has a right to trial
by jury. Are they! not worth $5OO, and
upward. And does mol article 7lh of the
amendments declare ‘Hhat in suits at common
law, when the value in controversy shall
exceed $2O, the. right of trial by jury shall
be preserved?
It is plain that Congress has no more power
to establish slavery than it has fp create a
monarchy. If it is claimed that Congress
has no jurisdiction, pv'er the latter, on the
ground, (hat the constitution fails to mention
the name, I claim the same, as regards
slavery, for that word is not within that in-
atrument I If a man looks through gre«g
glass, everything appears green to him,
if he is a lover of slavery, he will see it ; a
every thing, with which he comes in comay,
In conclusion, I would ask every one th»i
belieoes lae constitution to be pro-slavery, i 5
examine the record of our fathers who framed
it, and then carefully read the instrument
itself, and see if it can be made a supports
of the multitude of outrages that have been
heaped upon the freemen of Kansas. Give
it a fair hearing, and its framers will
cleared from the foul aspersion of trying to
email that greatest of curses upon their poi.
terity forever. Ebaxk;
For ttu Agitator.
Mb. Editor ; We have long contemplated
writing a communication for your paper,
touching the moral aspect of our village, hot
have refrained for the reason that we dislike
the idea of making public to your numerous
readers residing out of town |ihe disgraceful
scenes which are of daily occurrence among
us. But “there is a time when forbearance
ceases to be a virtue” ; and that point is now
reached. No longer can it be said that these
things are known only at home, for we ate
becoming of much renown, and the reports
that follow us* wherever we go, causes the
blush of ln no other place of in
sjzerfs so much corruption known, and such
shameful'-transaction? countenanced by those
who be called respectable. "
Jon.- have recently beep in New Yofo
pttfjabty* visited its noted 'Mr6etd s of‘ sin ani
degradation, but did you see or hear anything
more disgraceful than is enacted--.here at
,home. We 100 have been there, visited the
famous locality of “Five Points,” but accord,
ing to the population have ndt seen more
drunken men stagger across our path there
(ban here in our own village. And who is
to blame for all.this, and on whose shoulders
does the responsibility rest'.?
We expect to speak plainly, regardless of
the feelings of any one,' and consequenilj
must ask to be indulged in reflections unfe.
vorable to yourself, trusting, that you will
excuse all seeming discourtesy. Your post,
tion is an influential one, and in your paper
you preach us many good lectures, but air,
do you ever think of the proverb, “It is easiet
to preach than practice.”
You tell us what ought to be done; wb;
don’t you do it ? You say that this drinking,
gambling and carousing should be stopped;
why don’t you enter a complaint and caussg
4 prosecution 1 Are you afraid of losing I
friends, lessening your subscription list, as, <3
subjecting yourself to divers other inconven .
ences T We would say, do that which it
right and undergo the consequences, and »i
would say 100, do not preach unless you
practice, for depend upon it, it is labor lost
Nor are you the only one at fault. Where
we ask, are our officials, and what is their
business and what their oath I Is an oath of
no consequence! Then why expend out
money to pay them for doing nothing but
countenancing, yes, encouraging vice of the
darkest hue. Not one among all our offici
als dare enter a complaint against our drink
ing and gambling saloons, and the public Jilt
of spirits at the bar. We say they dare nd
do it, and we ask why? and we ask too bo*
many among them have not at one uaeot
another accepted an invitation to “ireat.”-
Lel each one answer for himself, and let bis
too rest assured that facts are known whici
be little suspects.
Deacons of our churches, whose positk -
officially give them great power, denouna
a lady who wrote a kindly letter of admoni
tion to one of our rum-sellers as “lota bred.''
Another official says, “it is a wrong course u
take.”' Another says to the communication
of “C” in your last issue, “she is out of be
place.” A grog-seller anathematizes all its
ladies in town, because he has been asked b
desist from his course. These gentlemen-
God save the mark—may as well cease fret
ting, for they will have no peace till things
are different. We are mothers, have chil
dren to protect and shall endeavor to do it.-
Officials, we do not ask you what course «
shall pursue, for we have seen your court!
njnd deprecate it in the extreme. The pious(l)
officer who stands at the bar and sees the poi
'son dealt out and makes no effort to atop it—
we do not want his advice. Another, regard
less of his official position and religious pro
fession witnessing gaming with complacent;
—we do not want his advice, and another
who joins in drinking and carousing—wed#
not ask your advice for it is not worth the
taking, and yon who rest on beds of ease
without action or effort—we do not seek you:
advice for we can act. We do not care Is
any of your ill-nalured remarks, for we con
sider their source, and must beg to be exct
sed if we consider them unwanhy of alto
tion. Strangers can come here and cony?
a Hotel formerly known for Us respectaK
ily, into a continued scene of drnnkenoea
and debauch, and receive no check. Gam
bling saloons may be kept and patronized bj
men who would like to be considered respect
able, and even the old men with gray hair l
totter to and from these “hells,” and who
shall interfere? And) our young, sons art
learning 100 the art, and may soon he invol
ved in the general ruin. Already vre s«
some not yet a dozen years of age stagger
ing in our streets. This seems almost a vis
ion of the!fancy, but no, it is true. At
shall nothing be done? Shall woman, sic
ply because she is woman, see her childrt:
and the children of her fellows going do*t
to ruin, fold her hands and barely say “'- ;1
sad ?” Will not Ihe result be like that *(*■'
ken of in the Scriptures to those who
“Be ye clothed and fed,” and made no aciifi
for the purpose ?
We have already slumbered too long,
the time for action is here. We expect no'-
,ing from the “vigilance committee” long si"'
appointed. They have died a natural dem
and wo do not wish to see them “resurtec
ed” before their time; for under their t's
lance brothels have flourished finely, an? 1
Hotel too low to be reached by anythin? y 1
a sense of shame, has congregated around’
the vilest of our section.
We cannot close without making n> en !'f
of a pitiful case of recent occurrence—P
because the subject by confining hims*"'
his room prevented our physicians ohser<*
the operation of certain substance up°°
human system. 3 It is said, that a
cently drank at one of our groceries a S