Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-11-09


native land and enslavs them here, is il
less offensive to extend the horrid inlus.
tee to their posterity! gran that sla-
very deteriorstes. That a continuance
in bondage from age to age sinks Them
lower and lower in the scale of human
degradation, and renders them more and
more incaple oil approaching, or rightly
employing liberty. But does this affect
their right? Will we make our own
wrong act its own excuse! Try it which
way you wlll-exert your powers TO the
utmost--it must result in this, that every
man has natural, indeleasible right 10
liberty land consequently that he who
deprives him oil It's enloyment-he who
defains him in slavery, no matter on
what pretence--except for crime--is
guilty OF an acl 81 positive wrong, of ia
grant injustice. He can never acquire
claim 10 the perpetual, nnrequitsd SER
wees OF his fellow man, but such as is in
violation of the laws OF God and the eter-
nal rule OF right.
How then could the people OF Illinois
have been innocent had they become
partcipators il the act of enslaylng their
fellow creatures The word of God
says, " Be not partaker in other mems
sins keep myself pure" Necessity
The tyrant's plsa--could have awaited US
nothing. We had Iiyel-we had pro-
crossed N improvement and n real
eslih without the adventurous ais &
slavery. So that even ii il we're us be-
a. at fsat thine oap
know from experiences, tins tear 81 ;eoz1,
that II Is 10, necessary % cur VIC Il bins.
Whatever palhaiion therefore 49, "a
found fer Our poiItIaai orethocn, "a ne t,.s
tual existence of @ie eyii s9ous 'haBn,
and the difficulties attendant 81 rs ssg.
mediate removal, however we a., a.
cusc them, and sympa'hlze With their
supposed regret, we cannnt-dare not
Say his 1attering JUNCTION" to those VINO
would have broken down constitutional
| barriers, and hazarded fearful contest
between the state ard fedora govern
ments, in order TO par,ake Of slavery
with all It's consequences. Surely it
would have provoked the anger Of God
against us as people, and we could
! have had,no just expectation. :" but q
certain fearful locking ior Of judgement
| and revelation ri he righteous ndir-
nation OF God"
What need have 10 draw gloomv
pictureJof The consequences which Won d
have followed ne establishment Of slave
ry in Illinois Were | TO ell how sla G.
~ ensrvates the ulties-gyes play to
the worst passlons--corrnp the 'eader
minds OF youlh--blunt the finer teei.i4 s
Of our nature, and presents obs es
againsi the tree progress Relgio Il
should but tell "a thrice rep@eted Ia le,"
aud leave perhaps faint i'nprt ssion of
the evils which would have resulted.
3 To- NE pnini YOU 10 The attributes of
JhHoyAH--iet II to your reiueIn-
ofsnce me puri and ,trictneAs of his ho-
ly IA" --requltiit 80 love our neigh
Dor as ourselves" and compAfe with
| these The act o. voluntarily engaging in
| a traffic III hum an beings, and all the s,or-
rars you have escaped viii appear before
| gna.
The malsdction Of Heaven hung over
US! Yes as surely as | believe thai God
| IS ,us,, believe that ae would cave
marked US or some signal punishment,
comm ensurefe vito our guilt, had we
committed this great folly.
Blu, thanks be to HIS name; thanks
10 bis restraining grace, tlE haspreseryed
US from this public caiamity He has
| opened our eyes ia our true interests, and
! Illinois with loud voice, mas proclaim
cd to an approving world tAa, Member
slavery nor involuntary seryitude shall
ever be as~nitted" within her Limits. Re-
ioice then my brethren. " A gain say re-
oice !" "Take with ycur words" even
the words oil ho.y David and 81. g
hold God is mine helper; the Loas a.
with them ihs uphaid ~ soVb 1913
wiA 3raise THEE farevet, asesass f479
has, done #, / wll' waie sa rp s. 10
| for 1t IS good before NV satAss
And while we ste oher4g -. iavt,b
| Thanksgiving Tor wha 70 - iast,s -.
slider great deiiyeraacs. s tasra ms 10
~ presses itself upon our .sl.s4ts so 9fyu-
culisr obligation on those wnI Drais.r
to rejoIce from sense nj he MORAL
evils we nave escapcj3 W. navs .,.s-
ssd thr0agn icry ordeal. EataYed
IN sucsslc in which many O, us con-
cei1cd ourselves bound TO exer, our
paSers--in which our feelings became
ehlistod, and perhaps our passions excit-
sd--have We no need, IN he ane 5and
u humility, confession ;.o,! arsver-.,d
on ne other, ought We not exercise that