The Daily spy., 1849-09-04


be neutral The fact is that it cannot be neutral,
and you who attempt TO make 1t neutral, are as
certain to find the power OF the government slld-
ing away with the bonds OF those oppressed TO
your Tree Institutions, as you are certain 10 ma
any result whatever. We then are not sall'hed
with neutrality, tor we know that it 10 thing
inpossbe We are not satisfied with any cold,
reluctant, compelled ssent. 1t is not enough for
us that Southern President, constrained by pc
htcal necessity, shall approve any,to hm,obnox'
ious bill, if he should approve OF 1t. Ihat Is not
enough. What we want-and | repeat With
pride and exultaon the language OF our own ii
lu trious standard bearer in the last political con-
test, language which demonstrates lfs adhesion
10 our prncIples-w hat want is that "the in-
fluence OF the national government should be
kept actively and perpetually upon the side o
freedom Nothing short of that will satisfy us
(Applause | confess that when | saw this lam
guage in the'letter of Martin Van Buren TO the
Cleveland convention, trlt that we had guar
antee that our trust aud confidence i'll him in the
last political contest had not been misplaced and
felt, too, that we had guarantee that the noble
body OF men who joined with US in the State ol
New York, and carried the contest through so
gloriousIy, would never shrink from their allegi
ance to the great principles which they then and
there proiessed with us that they would be true
to that vow which they vowed with us OF aIlegi-
ance to freedom upon the common altar at Buffa-
10, and in the sight OF God. (Renewed APP
plause
We must have more than the freedom of the
territories. That is great object undoubtedly
but it is the great the astonishing TACT in the his.
tory OF our country, that there should even have
been any question about the free dom OF these
territories. Did you never think OF it as an as
tonishns thing, that the freedom o. these terri
tories should ever have been questioned? Why,
the law made every man tree IN these territories,
and nothing could prevent their freedom but pos
tive law, or what is equal to positive law, most
criminal remissness upon the part OF the people
to whom the territories were consigned as sa-
cred trust And yet we were actually persuad-
ed to think that the freedom OF the territories was
really great issue among the people oil TINS
country. II so, what made it so: The tlmldIty
OF the men O the tree States made it so. (Great
applause) 1t never ought 10 have been ques-
ton, for a moment, whether these territories
should be free or not. But there are questions
beyond this, on higher grounds. Some Wings
and Democrats say-WeIl, the people Of Ca ior
MIA will make constitution, and will either pro
hblt or permit slavery; the bill will come before
Congress and pass, and Gen. Taylor will sign ii
and then, where will your party be: Just where
it is now, only great deal strong er-goin
ahead! (Applduse.)
Will they think our work is done Suppose
that freedom in the territories is secured; sup.
make it applicable TO every foot of the territory
OF the United States, as hope we shall do; sup
pose all this were accomplished; there remains
the slave clanking his chain in the District OF
Columbia, light in sgrt Of the capitol. Do you
intend TO endure that shame much longer? !
think not Then there remains the great in1u-
ence of this government to be eXerted, upon one
side or the other, upon the great question of free
dom. Shall it not be eXerted IN favor OF free
hall he imn IN he
holding OF any Office in government, that's
man in slave State votes the emancipation tick.
ct? Shall tho shareholders have the influence of
the government entirely in f;vor of their system?
That is the question we must solve. | saw bu.
to-day that an estimabIe clergyman, formerly
citizen OF Boston, compelled to resign the
Presidency OF a collegiate institution in Kentuc-
ky because lie dared TO vote the emancipation
ticket We all know that the influence OF the
general government has been made 10 bear so
heavily upon every emancipationst oil the South,
that 1t was death to any young mans political
hopes TO be supposed to be al emancipationist. -
Shall it be so forever2
No, my friends, the influences of our govern
ment are yet to be perpetually upon the side OF
freedom. No question must be raised upon
hrmlng an appointment, because the nominee
happens to be upon the side OF freedom in this
country The President must not hesitate TO
confirm men strongly in favor Of freedom. Then
you will find ditIused from Washington, all over
the land instead OF an influence favoring slavery,
an influence in favor OF liberty. The southern
politicians understand this very we'll They are
not blinded at all They see precisely how
the whole thing will work. because they have
worked the whole thug themselves, only upon
the other side. They understand it perfectly ;
and when you array yourselves upon the side OF
freedom, and conhne yourselves within the strict
limits OF the constitutional power, and power so
clearly constitutional that no man can pr tend to
question it; when you exert that power in good
tdlth, you may he sure that the time is not tar
distant when those now in the Southern States
who feel as the slave feels, the iron entering into
their souls, the extremity Of bondage in the slave
States, and at his hearth stone-all these
men will be emancipated. All these men will
rise up, and they will feel themselves breathing
the air OF freedom, and able TO utter their senti-
ments. They can then speak freely, for the
sympathies of the great heart of the country will
then be with them. They will know that at
Washington II ere is power which sympdthises
with them, and the result must be that in the
course of time--nO human being can of course
pretend TO fix the limits OF those things which
are written in the counsels OF Him who alone is
wise over all--but the result must be. hlay,
complete eniranchisement throughout the whole
United States. Shall we not labor for this end !?
Now, my friends, let me present TO you one
single other view OF this subject, which has often
suggested itself to my mind, and borne with great
weight upon me aud it is this: Our fathers sup
posed at the time the Declaration was framed
~ kaNa Init