The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-01-30
MANIFESTO AGAINST THE SOUTH.
Speech OF Hon. VIM. II. Seward, at Cleve
land, Ohio, October 30.

H. I'll
The urgency Of the invitations which have brought
here has at least the objections arising
from the ness which seems to be implied
In going from my native State to debate political cues
tons before people from whose eloquent orators and
honorable statesmen, 1t has been my pride to imbbs
enthusiasm and receive instruction.
II shsll be able to effsr nothing that Is valuable
shall not throw before you any of those historical
wreaths which induigent audience is somssimss
Wiling to accept In place Of more important oontr
buttons
The occasion invites to . consideration of many
grave subjects But the time Is short. l shall waste
little on the preudces which constitute the chief Ca
pta Of our political sdversarss The two
Of organic law and waxed strong in tho dsoussion Of
the principles Of administration proper for neutral
natl during the conflict between European belIigs.
rents. Each performed It's duties and fulfilled ita de,
tiny; each contributed enough to bs remembered in
astins gratitude, and each hurried At times Into
errors TO be forgiven and avoided
Their swords in rust
Their soulsin we trust"
Our duties are to the generation which is living and
to the generations which to into Iife Il is
living faith, and not dead one that yields bensacsnt
fruits He who acts from pr.judce or from passion il
slave He who persuades another to sot so, makes
MIN slave. Inc ballot box Is an altar Of indspsn-
'eA''' . TN Of fi an Independent mind
,,H s cSH1 mss,va with 1os soul rssgnd
Virtue alone who dost revere
Thy own reproach alone dost fear.
wings but with some who propose to seosde
privatioDs defeats and triumphs they have hitherto
shared with perseverance, and fidelity [ shall speak
for the common cause, whioh thus far has held y.
gether and which the seceders promise to ADVANCE
eaeetualy by separation. TO such may say perhaps
without presumption,
And DO silent that you may hear;
Believe for mine honor
And hass m ns:Ps &, unto mine honor
tnaH nk you to consider, first, the principles and
p0mcy wn,cn sae interest OF our country and Of hu
render those PRINCIPLES and that policy triumphant
We never were, We are not now and for long time TO
pie The colonies which preceded our states vere Of
shoots from an imperfect European oivilizstion Eng
land, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Spain, svis-
.erlsnd, Italy, Germany, Holland, and Sweden, con.
tributed the original elements Of population: With
these we're mingled the natives OF the and
compulsory ennis ration from the wilds of Africa The
deasteIs and prvations Of the Old World caused this
dood OF emigration to continue with daily NO
volume; and our tettlements on the Pacific viii soon
become the gate fer similar how from the worn ont
civilization Of Asia Our twenty millions are expsud.
ing to. two hundred millions-our originally narrow
tS into great empire Its
The second principle OF American citizenship is that
our cs%ocrsuc sysem must Be preserved and perfect
all men, and their Inherent and absolute right to pot
cal equality; AZ men-not alone all American men,
nor alone all white men, but all men Of every country
cline and complexion are equal; not made ssuai ~
human lswf, but born equal It results from this that
member Of the state obliged to submit to ts ruis
tnefesre entitled equally with every other man to par
ucipate IN it, government II 1t be Q monarchy, he
mas right to Keep pusket to defend himself when
the government becomes intolerable II It be demo
ciecy where consents substituted for force ne has
be placed In his hands he being resident when he il
able to speed the bullet the ballot With discre
amongst which deny this principle are wrong and
ought to be corrected.
There are two antagonsticsl elements Of .ocstv IN
AmericeInesdom and slavery. Freedom Is in har.
mony With our system Of government and with the
cent Slavery 10 In conflict with that system With
Jusce and with humanity, and is therefore organised
EresSos, a im.. ana P.rpstusy aggressive
OF aoori slavery on Its debassment and bondage
Slavery demands soil uostensd With tears and blood
~ h;0 so .nst sauss under the elastic tread Of
These elements divide and classify the American
and its sceptrs. The throne Of the ono il amid the
rocks OF the Allegheny mountains; the throne of the
other 10 reared on the sands Of South Carolina One
union As among the Of defence and not always
| the last to BE- employed. The other maintains the
union Of the Sstes, and ble now and for
ever IS the highest duty Of tho American people to
thsMselves to pssterity and to mankind.
ne parry o. ssvery upnods an aristoorscy founded
lection Of chivsrous republic The party Of freedom
n.intsins universal suffrage, which makes men equal
tney are In sight Of their
The party Of s.,sry oh.rshss ignorance because
bprt
demands the diffusion OF knowledge because il Ia the
only safeguard Of rep blicsn institutions
Inc party OF slavery pstronzes labor which produ-
ces only exports to commercial abroad
CO. cotton and sugar-and abhors the projection that
draws srain from our native fields lumber from ma
ingenuity skill, and lassr, from the free minds and
willing hands of our own people.
The party of freedom seeks COM lete and unv.,..,
emancipation You wings Of the Reserve and you
especially seeding wings, know 80 well az you
two great national parties Of the land as have dc.
scrbee them That existence and DEVELOPMENT con.
sute ne only reason you can assign for having been
enrolled In the whig party and mustered under it's
banner, so sesously and so long. And now am not
to contend that the evil spirit have described has
sessed the one party without mitigation or
and that the brrehosnt one mas on all ocos,ions and
fully, directed inc action Of the other But appeal
to you to your candor and justice II the Mt
tprt has not worked chiefly in tn. vhir partv its
sntssonht in the adverse party.
Slavery once the sin OF not some OF the States
only but OF them oil; of not nation only, but Of
oil nations It perverted and corrupted the moral
ruption became . universal habit Habits of thought
b. came liked principles No American State has yet
delivered i,.sf entirely from those habits. We in
New York ave sdfty Of slavery 1iH BY wiihhoiins the
,teM cf sBrass from the race hare emanc,patea
You In Ohio are guilty in the way by system Of
black laws, still srstocratic aud odious IL Ia
written in the stitution Of the United Saes
five slaves shs count equal to three free me n as bs
rs of repre- and IL lie writ, n also IN viola
ton Of the divine law that we shall surrender ths
fugitive slave who takes refuge our Hresdps from
his reie nts pursusr Yeu bln,h vt thee things
because they have become familiar as household
words snd your preten ded free soil allies claim
merit for maintaining these msscalled OF
slavery, which they find In the national compact
Doe not all ibis prove that the whig party have kept
up WIN tne fprt OF TIE age that II IL rs true md
ishiul TO human freedom the inert conscience of
the American people will permit 1t to be
Wbsf, then, you say nothing be demo for free.
dom; because the public conscience is inert Yes,
rucb can be done every thing can be done Slavery
can be limited to its present can be smelio
rsud-N can be, and 1t must be abolished, and you
aud can and must do IL. The task 10 ~ simple aud
easy sen consun nation will be mt and Its re-
wards glorious 10 requires only fellow this sim Die
rule OF aotion-to do every where and on every COCA
ZION what We csn and not to neglect or refuse TO do
What at any time because at that precise time
and on that particular occasion. caBpot do more
Crcumus noes determine possibilities. When We have
doLe our best to shape them and make them propi.
tiouf We may rest satsned that superior wisdom has
determined their form they exist and will be satis