Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1843-12-05

Washington! Yes, lot Americans be as
proud as they please, this black spot is
on their escutcheoR. Even under the
shnde Of their constitution, the man OF
color crawls slave, and the laWny
American stalk a iyrant.
"The cruelty of the slave principle
rests not there-it goes much further
The wretched slaves are totally prohibit.
ed even from petitiOning Congress-the
poor paltry privilege even Of prayer iS de.
MED them; and you, even you, friends,
Irishmen, are the advocates and vindica-
tors Of such a system. What! would not
you at least insist that their grOans should
be heard'
sit is carried still farther. Even the
free born Americans are not allowed to
petition upon any subject, including the
question of slavery; or, at least no such
petition can be read aloud or printed
and although the Congress is entitled 10
abolish slavery in Columbia, the door for
petition praying that abolition is closed
without the power of being opened.
1--WE really think that men who came
from generous aud warm hearted ireland
shou Id shrink into nonentity rather than
to become the advocates and defendants
Of the system Of slavery. But we trust
that the indignant voice of Ireland will
scathe them, and prevent them from such
a crime.
sin another point Of view, your adr
dress is, if possible more culpable. You
stale that before the aboIitionists proclaim
ed the wish TO have slavery abolished,
several slaveholding Slaes we're prepar-
ing for the gradual emancipation Of their
negroes, aud that humane individuals in
other States were about 10 adopt similar
measures.
"We utterly deny your assertion, and
defy you to show aOy single instance of
preparatory steps taken by any State for
the emancipation Of The negroes before
the abolition demand was raised. You
violate trdth by that assertion. There
were no such preparations. II is pure
fiction, invented by shareholders out of
an unjust animosity to the abolitiOnists.
You say that the fear Of abolition has
rendered the Shareholders more strict,
harsh and cruel TO their oppressed slaves,
and that they would be more gentle and
humane ifthey were not afraid Of the alb
OIitionists. We repeat that this is not
true aud is merely an attempt to cast
blame on those who coaesCe to put ~
end 10 negro slavery.
"It is in the same spirit that the crim>
nal calumnIates his prosecutor, and the
felOn reviles his accuser. II is there
fore utterly untrue that the shareholders
have made the chains Of the negro more
heavl through the fear of abolition.
"Yet, Il you tellthe truth-if the fact
he that the negro 10 made TO suffer for
the zeal OF the abolitionistS-if he is
treated with increased cruelty by reason
of the fault of the friends Of abolition
then, indeed, the stockholders must
be a truly satanic race. Their con.
duct according TO yeu is diabOlicRl. The
abOitionis's commit an offence and the
unhappy negroes are punished. The abb
olitionsts violate the right of property,
and The penalty of their crime is impose
ed upon the negro! Can any thing be
more repugnant 10 every idea of justice?
Yet this is your statement
"Wc, on the other hand, utterly deny
the truth Of your allegations, and where
you calumniate the slave holders, we be-
come their advocates against your calum.
ny. You calumna,e every bOdy-slaves,
ab0itionisis and slave owners; trainers
of constitutions, makers of laws, every
body! Tie slavehOders are not favor.
ties Of ours; but we will not permit you
to impute an impossible crime to them.
"You tell US, with an air of triumph,
that public opinion in your country is the
gteat lawgiver. le it be so, how much
does it enhance the guilt Of your conduct,
that you seek to turn public opinion a
galnst the slave in favor ofthe sIavehol
der!--that you laud the master as gener-
Gus and humane, and disparage as much
as you can, the unhappy slave instead OF
influencing as Irishmen ought to d., the
public mind in favor Of the oppressed
You carry your exaggerations to lndi.
crOus pitch, denoting your utter ignor.
auce of the history ofthe human race
You say, that the negro isreally inferior
as a race; that slavery has stamped its
debasing Influence upon the Africans;
thai between him and the white almost
century would be required TO elevate
the character of tho one, and destroy the
antipathes Of the other You add-we
use your words-'The very Odor of the
negro IS almost insufferable to the white
and however mach humanity may las
ment it, We make no rash declaration
when we say the two races cannot exist
together on equal terms under our gov>
ernment and our institutions
"We quote the paragraph at full length
because it is replete with your mischiev>
Gus errors and guilty mode Of think