Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1850-07-19

religion IaVOrS the continuance OF slavery. liz
tells US that sat the introduction of Christianity,
the Roman world was full of slaves; and | sup
pose there is to be found no injunction against
that relation between man and man, in the teach
ings of the Gospel of Christ, or of any of his A.
postles." Now, in reply to this, it is sufficient
to say, that this argument proves too much. 1t
would justify highway robbery, arson, and a
great many other crimes not specifically forbid
den by Christ. He taught by intoxicating great
cardinal principles, such as, Do unto others as
you would have them do unto you be no res
pector of persons and, as one of the Apostles
has very laconically said, the whole duty of man
expressed in one word, viz: "Loue thy neigh
Dor as hysef." On this great principle of be-
nevolence, we are assured, hang the law and
the prophets.
Commodore Stockton's argument, Mr.. Chair
man, you have doubtless read, as it has been
published and furnished, in pamphlet form, to
the members of this House. The substance of
it is this that God has abandoned Africa; and,
the slaye-trader being more merciful, has step
ped in to give relief; since on the whole, as he
says the slave is better off here, safer, and hap
pier, than he would have been in his own coun-
try! Again, he says: We must not do evil that
good may come; while in the same treatise, he
quotes the conduct of Joseph's brethren, in sell
ling him into Egypt, to justify slavery All L
have to say in relation to this Commodorean sem
timent is, that think it very bad theology 1t
may not be improper for me, here, to remind the
friends of this peculiar institution, that In ma
king so good thing of slavery, by calling 1t a
religious institution" you will be likely to de-
feat the passage of the bill, now reported inthe
Senate, ssprovding for the arrest and rendition OF
fugitive slaves; as Congress has no power to
return members of any religious communion
from one State to another, or pass any law sup
porting religious establishments in any respect
whatever.
But, Mr.. Chairman, if this be religion, it must
be the religion of the Heather. In fact, there is
a striking resemblance. In obedience 10 the
one case, the infant mind is quenched by throw
ing little children into the Gauges in the other,
the mind is quenched in the turbid sea OF slave
ry. The southern municipal laws forbid the ed
ucation of the slaves, while their physical
strength is carefully perfected, in order TO Pc
cuniary profit. Sir, let me say, in all kindness
to these gentlemen, that think this is false re-
ligion-a religion that leads down to the cham
bers ofdeath.
In discussing the subject of slavery, have
thought we do not keep sufficiently in view the
great object of human existence. The remarks
OF my honorable friend from South Carolina, Mr..
ORR, and the remarks made, in the early part OF
the session by the honorable gentleman from
Tennessee, Mr.. JOHNSON, warrant this conclu-
sion. They have both dwelt with great empha-
sis, on the pecuniary advantages OF this institu-
ton both to the North and South, in the increas-
ed productions of labor, and the mutual advanta-
ges of trade--that in a state of slavery we can
acquire property faster than we can in state OF
freedom Now, | am willing to admit that the
acquisition of wealth is proper. The Constitu-
- IL ,.l1 H.. 1.l1 n
means to an end. The highest object of good
government is the moral and intellectual devel
opment of the people it seeks TO govern. Were
| to ask the question, s'What is man p | should
expectthe same answer that Yves given ancient
ly--that he was created but ''a little lower than
the angels, and crowned with glory and honor
and immortality"
What. sir, is man, under our own observation?
He is noless grand and powerful as we see him
now. His genus is stamped on everything a.
round us--n all the multiplied inventions and
discoveries of the age. We see him riding up
on the wings of the wind, commanding the light
ming to carry his messages across the continent,
which instantly obeys him! Not content with
the analysis of Earth, he ascends to other sys-
tens, and dwells among the planets. Resolved
on still higher researches, he travels onward to
the fixed stars. his mind expanding as it goes up
ward What, then, must be the crime of drag
gng him down from these sublime heights of
progress into slavery for life-and this for mere
pecuniary gain Sir, you may take him from
his wife, his children, and friends, and put hand
cuffs on his wrists and letters on his feet, and
brand him as your property, after having SO class
ed him in your statute books, in violation of the
Constitution; yet he is still mldn--he is still
our brother.
- Io hot Az ~,
gress of this great Republic is prepared to per-
vert its powers by forging chains for millions yet
unborn, by opening new fields and markets for
slavery? God forbid that it should be so But,
if it is to be, let me say to you all, Gentlemen
of the House of Representatives of this Ameri-
can Congress, be not deceived. God is not to
be Knocked. five sow the storm of cruelty and
oppression, we must reap the Whirlwind OF woe
and trbuaton But, sir, | am dwelling too
long on these interesting topics. must pass
on.
1t has been stated on this floor, by an honora-
Bile gentleman from Missouri, Mr. GREEN that
our Government was founded in slavery. He
says 'my purpose is not to add fuel to the flames
that already threaten to envelope us i'll one gen.
eral conffagration." wish to say, sir, for the
relief of this gentleman's fears, who thinks the
Republic is about to be reduced to ashes, that he
must nave udue q mistake III his TeaGIQG--Lndt
he has taken the history of the Barbary States
for that of the United States. The former, | be-
leve, were founded in slavery; and, in the pro-
gress of their pratica warfare, they captured our
American seamenin the Mediterranean, and sold
them as slaves. But there is one fact which he
ought to remember, and that is, that slavery was
not then considered religious institution. If it
had been, we should have thought the engage
ment in the Mediterranean between the fleets of
Decatur and Hammadi, which settled this matter,
strange sort of communion" One other in
cident it would be well for us to remember. In
the adjustment of that difficulty, full liberty was
restored to the slaves, and instead of slavehold-
ers being rewarded for their crimes, they were
compelled TO make compensation for past inju-
ries, and to give bond for their good behavior
in the future.
/ will now, Mr.. Chairman, pass to a conside-
ration of the Constitution as relating to this sub
iect. 1t was well said, the other day, by the
great champion of the Constitution, in the other
end Of the Capitol, that this instrument made no
provision for the delivery of fugitive slaves, and
the extradtion clause provides only for apprenti-
ces and minors bound to service or labor. We
are, therefore. obliged to go out of the literal
construction of the Constitution into an equity
view IN order to reach the slave. What, then, is
equity IN relation to all the parties concerned p
In order to answer this question, we must look
no Frcta Al l--1-