The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-05-17
CONVENTIONS AT AUGUSTA AND AT
LOUISVILLE.

Episcopal church at Louisville Both are measures
of selfdefence both have been forced upon the
southern churches by the fanaticsm of their breth
rem of the North. Cut off from equal privileges in
their respective churches--doomed as they were, to
an ignominious vassaage and il has been termed,
"a virtual outawry," on account of their peculiar
institutions, what were the Southrons to dor
Were our Nuthodists to be told, s'You shall have no
bishop in our church, because he may own slaves''
Were our Baptists to be informed, "Not man of
you, however pure and virtuous he may be, shall
be employed as a missionary, who has slaves, and
insists on retaining them his property" This is
species of accommodation of the whole South,
in consequence Of her peculiar institutions, which
presents painful alternative to every man who val
ues both his church and his country. Submit, and
he becomes degraded in his own eyes, as South
sSron aad freeman. Resist this dicatorial and
elusive spirit and he the hazard of separating
himself from the churches of the North. But
whenever gnominous vassalage and an honorable
separation are presented to independent man, he
cannot hesitate long. The Presbyterians were the
first to be driven into the necessity of separation
The Baptists and the Methodisis of the South are
now following in the same track; but whatever con-
sequences may result the church to the state,
let the responsibility fall upon those who first strike
the blow. In this state of the case, we might sup
pose conference Of the sections of the country,
and the Sourn might thus address the NORM:
aWhy force our churches to this painful sep
araton' You cannot suppose that they would
remain united TO you upon unequal and degra-
ding conditions' Our country itself consists of a
confederacy of States. They equal partners
in one federal government which unites them
all equal partners they are in all the great
rights of sovereignty-and equal parties to the
same glorious compact Our political connection is
founded upon this great principle The constitution
itself was avowedly las its President, George Wash
ington, declared) the result of spirit of amiiy
and of that mutual difference and concession which
the popularity of political situation rendered in
dispensaole. Your fathers were aware of our pecu-
liar institutions. They saw that we had slaves
among us. They attempted to restrict us on that
account, and to deny the privileges which we
claimed, Their wisdom, however, finally yielded
in the spirit of compromise. At that time, of
course, they were willing to enter into po-
liiical partnership with us, Notwithstanding our
fathers were possessed of slaves. They were
patton ir all the offices of the republic on that
account. A Southron may be the chief magistrate
of the United States, vice president, cabinet
secretary, or foreign minister. The ermine of
the judge--the generals sword--al the insignia of
every department Of the government, have graced
the citizen of the South as well as Of the North.
The author of the declaration ofyour independence
was STAKEHOLDER. The first President of Con-
gress was Shareholder. The first man of the ma
ton and of the age-he who ledyour armies to glo-
ry, and your country to independence, the illustr
GUS Washington--was trusted by you, although he
was STAKEHOLDER. Your first third, fourth, fifth,
seventh, and ninth Presidents were all the owners
of slaves; and yet whose names stand more promi-
nently forward to grace your annals than Washing
ton Jefferson, Madison, Monroe and Jackson
Who have contributed more to raise our national
fame abroad, or to cast more lustre upon human
nature itself, than these men, and men like them'
"We ask you, therefore, why should you intro
duce different rules in our religious communities,
from what our fathers have so wisely provided in
political confederacyi We equal partners in the
State. Why should we not be equal in the eye of
the Church, You waive the question Of slavery in
political officers Why should you raise the dis
tinction in our religious associations If we were
to submit to the inequality which you would inn
pose upon the church, how long would it be before
you would place under the ban of political ostra-
cism, How long before you will say to US, you
are cut off from the epscopate and from missions
we will next prescribe every citizen Of the South
who possesses slaves, from the presidency, and from
the benchn Let us submit to the one, and it may
not be long before fanatlcism shall further set her
mark upon us, and cut us off from an equal par
ticipation Of the Offices of the republic.
''You ought to love the Union as well as we do.
You have as much reason to rejoice in the glo-
ries of our common forefathers. The name Of
America ought to sound as proudly in your ears
in ours. You have as much interest in the
union of the States as ourselves. Have you not
the same interests as we have in preserving it,
Why, then, force US to separate churches
Why loose the sacred ties which bind our COM
mon affairs together You do not actually dis
sever, is true, the cord which unites our States
together but you cut one of the strands which enter
into its composition. Our Union ought to be cemented
by every cause which forms the element of social or
ganization. 1t is an affair of sentiment as well as
of interest; and notwithstanding there other ties
which bring us together, and we still fervently hope
will tie together, yet there is not link too
many in the chain which unites us. We ought
not to strike one of, lest we weaken the combine
ton. But where will you stop Why do not your
fanatics further say: we will have no commercial
connection with your We will not deal with you.
We will suffer manufactures to perish upon
our hands, sooner than sell them to your 1t is
well, indeed that there are some bounds to your
passions, and that these TO be found in
the interests of your purses. Will you next
say that your sons shall not marry our daughters,
because they happen to own slaves Some of your
fanatics are no doubt willing to fly to this