Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1848-10-04

. ishments upon him. This is the recipro
CITY Of slave law-to be forever liable (,
be proved guilty. but never able To prov
himself innocent: Ia be- subjected TO nj
punishments. bat, through his own oath
10 no protection. Hear what is said b,
the hiyhes, tribunal of South Carolina
Although slaves are held 10 be absolute
property Of their owners. Vet they have
the power Of committing crimes. "-Si
No.s ant McCora's Rep. p. l7a. A ne
gro is 50 far amenabls to the common law
that he may be one Of three to constitute
the number necessary to make riot-lI
t Bays Re. $50. Rv the LAWS Of the same
Stale. q negro may be himself stolen. and
| he has no redress: but ii he steals a ne.
gro from another. he shall BE- hung!
| NoitWmd McCord's Rep. l79. IN err
ample IF this penalty suffered by a siare.l
This is the way slave legislatures and
slave judicatores consirue the command
of Christ, "Whatsoaver We would that
men should do unto YOU. do We ulso the
same unto them" Nay. bv the laws of
some Of the slave States, where master
and slave are engaged in joint act. tine
slave is ndictabe. while the master is not.
What rights are more sacred or more
dear to us than the coniugal and the pa
rental! No savage nation. however far
removed from the frontiers Of civilization.
has ever yet been discovered. where these
rights were unknown or unhonored. The
beasts of the forest feel and respect them.
1t is only in the land of slaves that they
are b!oted out and annihiated.
Slavery is an uns peak able wrong 10 tho
conscience. The word conscience" con-
veys complex idea. 1t includes con-
that is. the sentiment or
ins,inc, OF RICH, and wrong: and in,elli-
gence. which is the guide Of this sentiment.
Conscience, then, implies both the desire
or impulse 10 do right, and also a knowl-
edge Of what is right. Nature cndows us
with the sentiment. but the knowledge wa
must acquire. Hence we speak Of an
enlightened conscience '-meaning there.
by not only the moral sense. but that
knowledge of circumstances. relations.
tendencies, and results. which Is necessa-
~ in order 10 guide the moral sense T.
just conclusions. Each Of these elements
is equally necessary TO enable man to
feel right and 10 act right. Mere knowl-
edge. without the moral sense, can take no
cognizance of the everlasting distinctions
between right and wrong, and SO the blind
'ustlIlcts utSuIucu w knOWIcuXes VIII pe
forever at iau, in its conclusions. The
two were made To coaxist and operate to-
gether. by Him who made the human soul
But the impious hand of man divorces
these twin capacities. wherever il denies
knowledge. II one of these coordinate
powers in the mental realm be annuiled
by the Legislature. it may be called law;
but IT is repusnant TO every law and attri-
butte Of God.
But, not satisfied with having invaded
the human soul, and annihilated one of
its most sacred attributes. in the persons
Df three millions Of our fcllow-men; not
satisfied with having killed the conscience.
as far as it can be killed by haman device.
and human force, in an entire race; we
are now Invoked to multiply that race, to
extend it over regions yet unscathed by
its existence. and there to call into being
other millions Of men. upon whose souls.
and upon the souls Of whose posterity. the
same unholy spoliation shall be committed
forever.
Slavery is an unspeak able wrong 10 tho
religious nature Of man. The dearest
and most precious Of all human rights is
the right Of private judgment in matters
Of religion. | am interested in nothing
else SO much as in the attributes Of nv
Creator, and in the relations which he has
established between me aud Himself, for
line and for eternity. To investigate for
myself these relations, and their moment
ous consequences; to ''scarch the Scrip
.ures;" to explore the works Of God in the
outward and visible universe; 10 ask coun-
sci Of the sages and div;nes Of the ages
gone by.-fhese are rights which il would
be sacrilege in me 10 surrender; which il
$ worse sacrilege ia any human being or
human government 10 usurP. Yet, by
denying education to the slave, you DIES.
roy not merely the right but the po,cer OF
personal examin alton in regard 10 NIL that
most nearly concerns the souls interests.
Who SO base as not to reverence the
mighty champions Of religious freedom,
in days when the dungeon. the rack, and
the fagot. were the arguments Of a govern
Inent theologvl Who does not reverence,
say. Wickliffe, Iiuss, Luther. and the
whole army of martyrs whose blood red
Tened the axe Of English intolerance,
Yet it was only for this right of private
Judgment; for this Independence Of ano-
her mans control. in religious concern
ments. that the godlike champions of re-
gious liberty periled themselves and
perished. Yet il is thi. very religious
despotism over millions Of men. which II
IS now proposed. not to destroy, but TO
create. 1t is proposed not 10, break old
letters and cast them away, put to forge.
new ones and rivet them on. Sir, on the
continent OF Europe, and il the Tower OF
London, have seen the axes, the chains,
and other hornd implements Of death, by
which the great defenders Of freedom for
he soul were brought 10 their final doom
BY which political and religions liberty
was cloven down; BIZ: fairer aod lovelier
20 the view were axe and chain and all the
ghastly implements Of death ever invented.
by religious Ligoiry or civil despotism to
IS ring and torture freedom out Of ias 4opl
Of nan;-fsirer and ioveiier were they oil
han the parchment-roll Of this House on
which shall be inscribed q lar for nrofan-I