The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-01-22
COMMUNICATION.
r..,, ,,,. .. Em..s,p.risa.-x.- is.

IhOEf 4
nave lust been reading the Declaration
r Independence. adopted July 18th, 1776,
b. me American Congress. The illustri-
~. men composing that body pledged to
~ snport Of this immortal instrument
.gIeir ives, fortunes, and sacred honors. ="
bsa remarkable production. The world
Contains but few. if any pieces Of uninsPr-
a composition that have been so much sd-
m;r.d Il has been read 10 the American
nsonle from 10 until now Nor do they
hecame tired Of it. There are truths in il
vbieb stir their souls and excite within them
an enthusiastic love Of the great Prinei pies
Of liberty.
Bu should this Declaration Of Indepen-
5spce be read in all the States Of this
Upiopl Are the doctrines which it teaches
believed in all the States! Are us prinei-
Oles practically carried into execution Let
& zee Il is here said, 1--WE hold these
,7,,bs 10 be selfevident. that all men are
created equal; that they are endowed by
their Cfeator with certain unalienable rights;
thst among these, s:e life, liberty, and the
pursuil Of happiness" Ii has appeared to
me that this portion OF the Declaration
ought 10 be omitted when it is read in slave
SAFES. Ii must excite unpleasant sensations
IN the minds Of those who consider the ira-
mort of language. Is il the doctrine Of slave
States that ''all men are created epual!' Is
he equality Of creation a truth acknowl-
edged by themi Would it not be necessary
70 make some additions to the Phraseoloey
70 express the views Of many shareholders!
Il would perhaps suit them to say that call
men are created equal, " except The african
race. They would assign 10 this race an
infeiOrity which, in their judgment, Incl
cafes the propriety Of its subsection TO bon
dsge. But the Declaration says "au men
are created equal" Africans are not eI-
cep,ed. IL IS not animated that they do not
stand on an equality with Europeans, Asia
ucs. snd Americans. There IS nc allusicn
70 their inferioIity. The ren who corl-
posed the Congress Of 10 were men Of phi
lOsophical and comprehensive views. Their
object was to announce TO the world what
tbey conceived to be the doctrine of human
rights They aimed 10 establish principles
susceptible Of universal application. Their
purpose was to touch a cord whose vibra-
IONS would be co-euensive with the world
vide area of humanity. And they did
touch il with a master hand, nor have
its responsive vibrations ceased TO this day
Ii Is morally certain that the trainers Of
the Declaration believed the sentiment, that
"au men are created equal Ii was their
belief Of this sentiment which, in their eSti-
nation, justified them in their positive and
indignant refusal to wear the British yoke.
That yoke was prepared for thenf-it was
Of parliamentary construction-its dimen-
GOns and weight were fixed by royal impeT-
unence-and our fathers were requested TO
put il On-but they rose up in their majesty
and said Our necks were not made for such
an instrument, and the best blood in our
veins shall be spilled like water before we
will put il on. The lovers Of liberty every
where sPplsuded the noble resolution
yrans turned pale-thrones tottered--
crOwns deprecated in value--scepues be
came emblems Of diminished power-and
Heaven smiled most propitiously. But
whittier are my feelings hurrying mel
only intended to say that the authors Of the
Declaration must have been deeply pene-
trsted with the sentiment that ''all men are
created equal''-otherwise they could not
have determined that it was their duty to re-
sst British aggression. Had they repudia
ted equality Of creation, there would have
been nothing 20 forbid the conclusion tina
II was the Prerogative Of England to rule
and their duty to submit 10 her tyranny.
They could not have philosophical on same
ness Of color in English and Americans
and argued from this Circumstance the ex
emPhon Of the latter from obligation q
obey the former. For they knew that colo
was not included among the attributes o
man-that il was in itself an unimpoT
lani mstter-and that no peculiarly Of com
oleGon could impose on one nation an Ob
legation to serve another. But more in IN
next. A SOUTHERN KExTUcKIAS.