The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-04-11

list OF measures agreed on in tkse articles. was IN
uiscontlnuance of the slave iraS, with view to IN
ultimate extinction of slavery iself
! say with view 10 the Ultimate extinction q
slavery, and have authority for saying So asl
attention TO an extract fromIthe proceedings Of
town meeting al Danbury, Connecticut held on l2tl
OF December l775:
IL Is with singular pleasure totre the second artc
on tne association In which IL aseed to import no NOR
negro slaves as we cannot but ;hnt pspable abst,
20 loudly TO complain Of attempts enslsve us while W,
are actually enssvng Ofhers"-As Arehres, an series
| poL l, p. 1893
| This was the Northern view. What was IN,
Southern We find IL upon record in the proceed.
ings Oh me Congress of the Representatives of Da.
men, In the colony of Georgia. Aoceding to the As
sociatlon, thsy declared their views In these words
We the representatives Of the extensive district Of Da
zen, IA the colony OF Georgia, being now assembled in
Congress by the authority and res ooice OF the inbab
ans OF said district now freed from their letters do re.
Then follow several resolutions setting forth tho
grounds of complaint against the expressions Of
U;eai Britan closing with the Emphatic declaration
which VIII ney rzsg:
To show 10 the world that we ID not Influenced by
h,n @ gT lneresled noves BET by general philan
eompekon we hereby declare disspprobson and all
norrence OF the unnatural practice OF slavery la America
however the uncultvated OF country or other
sPel0us arguments may plead for iDa practice founded
~ injustice and cruelty, and highly dangerous 20 our In
critics well lives debasng part of our fellow
below men, and corrupting the virtue morals of the
rest aud laying the basis Of that liberty We contend for
aud which we pray the Almighty coatnue to the latest
posaerliy, upon very wrong foundation We therefore
resolve at all times utmost enlearors Tar t5e
nGn,aission Of our slaves in this colony upon Tie most
SAFE anu equitable iootng Tor the AID themselves
Am Arehfres, An series vol. l. p 1875
That sir, was the Southern view. AZ least il was
the view of large and intelligent and influential
body oil Southern men. And with THU understand
ing OF their effects and tendency the articles of As
ISOLATION were adopted by colonial conventions
mo nd
the country, and became the law of America-the
fundamental Constitution, so TO speak of the first
American Union. 1t Is needless to cite many reso
lutlons OF these meetings. They can be found in
the American Archives by those who desire to in
vestigate the subject | will quote but Two
The first is resolution of the Convention of
Maryland, held in November, IVA, re,dopted by
subsequent Convention, more fully tttented in
December of the same year;
Resoired That every member of this mesng will aud
every person IN The province should strictly d invoaby
observe and carry into execution the Association agreed
on by the Continental Congress"
The other Is the declaration adopted bya general
meeting of the freeholders Of James Gin county
Virginia, in November, IVA, in these word
The Association entered into by Congress hng pub.
cly read the ireehoders and other inhabitants Of In,
county, that they might testify TO the world the concur
renee aud hearty appreciation of the adopted by
did bud obge themselves by the sacred y;,,
honor and love TO their country strictly and nsoaby 10
observe and Keep the same in every particular
These, sir, are specimens of the formal a.d solemn
declarations and engagements ofpublic boies To
show the sentiment which pervaded the masses of
the people, will read an extract from an eIoonent
paper entitled "Observaions addressed 10 the PEG.
Pile Of America" printed at Philadelphia in Novem-
Der, l774:
The least deviation from the resolves Of Congress- will
be treason such treason few villains have ever had AN
opportunity OF committing II will be treason against the
present Inhabitants OF the colonies against the millions Of
UNBORN generations who are TO exist hereafter ID America
against the only liberty aGd happiness which remain 10
mankind against the last hopes Of the wreched i'm every
corner OF The world IN word, will be treason against
God WE ARE NOW LAYING THR FOUNDATIONS OF
AN AMERICAN CONSTITUTION Let us therefore hold nm
everything we do 10 The eye Of postery They will most
probably measure their liberties and happnessb the most
careless oil our footsteps Let unhallowed hand
touch the precious seed Of liberty Let us fern the go
rlous tree IN such manner and mpresnate il with such
principles OF life, that Il shall last forever. a.
nosf acish 10 Ire 10 hear the finphs of The jub in The
year 1874 10 see the models pictures fragments of wri
nss haa sa DC displayed to revive The memory of the
circumstance shall give presidency on that day /, snail
De 10 inherit g. ne blood or even e Rossss ,,s
PTesid-n We have The iifrt cxpfcssl6ns Of the puD
lie sentiment and will Of the American people upon
this subject of slavery. The earliest action Of the
associated colonies was anti slavery action The
Union which they then formed was indeed as i
have said, incomplete but IL was complete enough
warrant the Congress which represented IL in de-
claring independence In waging war; In contracting
of nationality and sovereignty.
Well, sir, nearly two years passed by, and the
grievances of the colonies remained unredressed.
The war of the Revolution had begun and the Decla-
ration of Independence was promulgated. That in
srumen breathed the same spirit the Articles Of
Association The original draught, MS II came from
the hands of Jefferson contained a clause reproba-
ting in the strongest terms the traffic in men. ]
will read II
'Ie has waged cruel against human nature itself,
n ~..A
persons Of distant people who never offended hun; cap
turing and carrying them into slavery in another hems
pherr OF TO inenr miserable death IN Their ranspora
ton thher. This piratica warfare, The opprobrum OF
irfde Powers Is the warfare Of the Chrisian King of
Great Britain. Determined 10 keep open market where
should be bought and sod he has prosued his neg
alive for suppressng every safive attempt prohibit
or restrain this execrabe commerce"
This clause was indeed omitted from the Declara-
ton not because 4 did not express the sentiments
of The majority of Congress, but, as Mr.. Jefferson
informs u.s. in compliance TO South Carolina and
Georgia He intimates also that some tenderness
under these censures was manifested by Northern
gentlemen whose constituents had been somewhat
largely engaged In the slave trade But still the
great Fundamental truth which constitutes the basis
OF all Just government, and which condemns equally
every form of oppression, was retained In the Deca-
ration and announced TO the world sef-evldent I:
the truth that all men created equal; that they
are endowed by their Creator with certain inaliena
BILE rights that among these are life, liberty and the
governments were instituted among men, deriving
their Just powers from the consent OF the governed"
Thus we see that, in this second great act Of the
American people, the fundamental truth upon which
the Articles of Association were based was reilera-
ted not as rhetorical flourish" not as an alb
siracon incapable Of practical application In human
affairs, but living principle, not 10 be disregard
ed without fatal consequences, In the structure or
the administration OF government. That such was
the view actually talN Of the Declaration at that
Il. G,xsh LAM o{ dos
patches transmitting II TO the authorities Of the DIFF
ferent colonies, and to the commander-in chief Of
the army. ! will quote paragraph from the letter
of the President Of Congress, John Hancock, TO the
Convention of New Jersey.
do myself the honor to enclose In obedience TO the
commands OF Congress, copy or the Declaration ~ Bde-
pendence, which you will please TO have proclaimed In
your colony In such aud manner az you Judge bes
The important consequences resulting TO the American
States from this Declaration Of Independence, considered
as the ground and foundation n future Government,
such mode ~ thai people may be universally Informed
OF itn-Amer. Arch ,5fh series, cod. J., p. IL.
Such were the principles, Mr. President of the
Government and the people during the struggle for
independence. They were reiterated OF the close OF
IT, Very shortly after the treaty Of peace was rati
fed in 1888 Congress issued an address TO the
States, drawn up by Mr.. Madison, the main purpos,
of which was To persuade 10 the provision OF fund
for the discharge Of the public engagements. Tha
address contains the clause which VIII now read
"Let be remembered hnaly ha mas ever peeh W.
pride and boast Of America that the rights for which sb
commended TIE rights Of human nature ny me bess
ing OF the Author Of these rights the means exerted 10
their defence they have prevailed against all opposition
and fory, he basis Of thirteen Independent States NJ
instance has heretofore occurred any Instance b
expected hereafter occur In which the unaduiterate'
forms Of republican pretend 10 so Iar
Opportunity OF iusiifyng themselves by their fruits
this view the citizens Of the United Saies are responsible
Tor the greatest trust confded TO political society,"
~ ' hudis0n Papers, Ap. H.
This. sir. was the acknowledgment Of 1888. Tina
the war of the Revolution was waged not TO vinds
cate privileges but rights; not the rights OF any par
or class OF The people, but the rights Of oil men
| +" the rights OF human nature"
Ii was not long before an occasion arose 10 yes
the .i,ceritv of Congress In these various decora
| lions; TO determine whether or not Congress wa
prepared to carry the principles so soiemnly recog
missed into practical application, without respect
persons or sections Nor was Congress wanting
The occasion.