The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-02-14

II asked, what then becomes of the Constitution,
! | reply by asking what becomes Of Gods Consti-
tuition of Humanity, il you give back slave to
the remorseless nav OF seryitude? | put Con-
stitution against Constitution Coils against
mans. Where they agree they are doubly
sacred Where they differ my reply to all CUES
tioners-but especially to all timid Christian
scruples, is in the language Of Peter Whether
il be right IN the sight Of God, 10 hearken unto
/ yotl more than unto God Judge ye
Ought not Christians, by all the means IN their
power, to preserve the Union Yes, by all means
that are right! But, dear as the Union Is, and
ought to be, whenever il comes between Chris
tan people and their Christian integrity 1t be-
comes a snare. The very value Of our Union Is
to be found in those principles OF justice, liberty
and humanity which inspire 1t. But II by any
internal juggle these principles must be yielded
up to preserve the Union, then a corpse only VIII
be left in our arms, defoEered, lifeless worth
less Union perpetuated by giving way to IN
lustice-a Union maintained by obedience to the
desires of Sayery--is but a compact OF violence.
We emphasize thee - 1e,e,,ss the 1onSH20-
tnued cries of politicians have produced among
kOOeE GuflSlldu men Oh unQuCNbbllCu ehN NH~AN
turbed conviction that no evil can be so great as
the dissolution of our Union. There are many
evils infinitely greater. The loss OF national
conscience is greater The loss OF public hui
manity is greater. An Indifference to the cOndi-
ton of millions of miserable creatures, whose
degradation, vices, ignorance and animalism plead
with our conscience in their behalf this would
be an unspeakably greater evil. So long as we
can maintain the Union on terms which allow US
to act with a free conscience, with humanity un-
violated, we shall count no sacrifice dear to main
tain it. But religion and humanity are price
too dear to pay even for the Union!
Our Southern brethren often complain that we
don't understand their condition or sympathiZe
with their real difficulties Even so, too, we
complain that they do not understand our
situation and sympathiZe with our difficulties.
There are hundreds of thousands OF men to whom
conscience is a lava law notwithstanding the
sneers of those who fout at the idea of con.
science party. But there is a conscience party
There is a stern and growing feeling in the Free
States, not yet expressed by any distinctive or
ganization, that the time has come for stand
against any further national iDhumanity, We
can bear much but we cannot and'will not bear
the guilt of Slavery. We regard it as epitomiz-
ing every ofense which man can commit against
man. 1t takes liberty from those to whom God
gave 1t as the right of all rights 1t forbids
all food either for the understanding or the heart.
1t takes all honesty from the conscience. 1t
takes Its defense from virtue, and gives all au-
thority into the hands of lustful or pecuniary
cupidity 1t scorns the family, and invades i
whenever desire or the want of money prevail,
with the same GOODNESS with which drover sim
giles out heifer, or butcher strikes down ? nj
lock. These are not the accidents of SaV Try.
They are It's legitimate fruits. They are its
vitality. II you stop these evils you will destroy
the system. Let the slave be taught let him
have, not filtered and adulterated gospel, but
that Gospel which angels heralded, strangely fill
ing the air with the cry, Peace on earth and good
lgtH tOtcGrd men-and it will make the slaves what
it made the barbarous Briton and the rude Saxon
-freemen and refined Christians. Take from
Slavery its rights OF merchandise, forbid the dis
ruption of families, the sale of slaves from the
homestead where they were born, and the system
will stink in the nostrils of Southern planters as
it now does in our own.
Now we declare that into fellowship with
these monstrous evils, whose preparation around
our whole Southern coast is enough to pfe-occu-
py the heavenly tribunal of mercy, and to ex-
haust its patience on only this form of all the
worldwide human suffering, we have been drawn
unwittingly. We did not know, or did not think
that TO swear fealty to the Constitution was to
swear preservatiol to Slavery. We had always
understood that the compromises OF the Constitu-
tiol were agreed upon in the North, only that
ii1e might be given for Slavery 10 die out. But
il another construction be made, and becomes the
settled reading of that instrument; if the North
il to have the guilt and the South the profits of
Slavery; if we are henceforth to understand that
Slavery is federal and NATIONAL recognized in the
all-embracing Constitution, then hut one course
il left US. No earthly consideration shall make
us partners in this monstrosity. We most solemn
~ declare, by our belief in humanity, by our
hopes in religion, by our faith in Christ that we
will cut every cord of oppression whose force
is derived from us And if in so doing men
choose to interpose the Constitution, upon their
heads be the blame Palsied be that hand and
blasted those lips which shall make our Consti-
tuition, ordained for freedom, the instrument of
bondage and cruelty
We shall study to circumscribe Slavery where
it now exists. We shall oppose every party that
secretly or openly connlves at H. We shall
be hostile to every measure which consults its
interests We shall not cease to stand upon the
brink of this dismal abyss, and over against It's
smoke and walls to pray with agonizing earnest
ness, "How long, o Lord how longn A day
will come-in Gods counsels il is already seen adj
NduCluS WITCH men VIII lOOh OdOh uPul lAlS e(s-
TEN as we now look at the dungeons and tribu-
nails of the Inquisition In that day, many man
will deny his parentage and forswear the ances.
tors who either forged letters for the slave OF
more meanly blew the bellows for those who
wrought at the anvil of oppression. May my
children to the latest generation, in looking back
10 my example, take courage, and strike home
for liberty and humanity
With these views, no soothsayer is needed to
interpret our views of the extension of Slavery
II is not enough that we do not will it, Every
man consents to it who does not exhaust his
strength in endeavOring to prevent il.
Nor do we misunderstood the cunning cry of
those who ask us to leave the issues of this ques-
ton in new territories to chance Nowadays
chance has too many wires and wire-workers to
suit our ideas of luck. Chance is the merest
gambler. The dice are loaded The cards are