The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-01-16
THE NATIONAL ERA.
For the National Era.
WESTERN RESERVE, OHIO.

make our humanity "dOrA at their bidding
These men have for a long time been Of such
doubtful character, respecting the cause Of free
dom that their influence over the honest intelli-
gence of the North had well nigh lost its force
long ere the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act.
Their entreaties now in behalf of corrupsMhd
savish legislation, induced by their own treason
to principle, will be needed by none but the reck-
less and mercenary traders in property and poll
tics When they demand that all agitation on
the subject of Slavery and against this Fugitive
Act shall cease, they insist upon an impossibity.
They prove to US, if they honestly think their
demand is right and just, that they are senseless
on the subject If they have common sense, and
know anything about the true feelings Of the
freemen Of the South, then they must be misera-
bic hypocrites when they pretend that agitation
can be stopped. They ought to recollect that agi-
tatiOn commenced when slavery was less ram
pant and Unsuitable in its demands, and long
before the annexation of Texas or the recent pro-
slavery outrages were perpetrated They ought
to suspect that agitation has become more neces-
sary than ever, since the belief has become wider
and deeper that this nation is threatened to be
engulphed in general despotism and to become
prey to the spirit Of slavery. The hope has long
been entertained and has hitherto been growing
more ardent, that slavery should die out, and
theory, purely republican, democratic, and just
towards all men, and be an asy um for the OPP
pressed of all nations and climes.
But when the people Of the North seea studied
and insidious and determined effort, not only to
maintain slavery, but to extend its demorailing
and ruinOus effects the fair face Of this coun-
try, when they know and feel that it reacts upon
them morally, pecuniarly and politically that il
brings disgrace upon them and their country,
they cannot bury their feelings, their hopes, and
their wishes. thus suddenly, at the command OF
mere political hucksters or hirelings, who would
apparently see their country sink into utter dis
grace, If they could but get their political ambi
ton satisfied. The men Of sense Of justice, Of
humanity Of spirit in this vast free North, be-
lieye that the minority who insist upon q gross
wrong ought to yield TO the wishes Of a majority
who insist upon glorious right Webster and
others ought to know that it is more difficult now
10 quell agitation than il was in the days Of bitter
Drejndicrs and mob law against the comparatively !
small number Of freedoms votaries. II they !
really understand the strength Of the anti-slavery
host. they must know that the numbers of free
men, and their depth of feeling, are too great and
intense to be silenced by tyranncsl act of Con-
gress These men, having used their brief au-
thority in passing an act villanous in spirit dia-
bolcal in purpose, vioaive of all the known legal
securities to personal liberty, reckless Of all |
equality and fairness shocking to our notions
and sentiments, suppressve TO our feelings of
humanity tending to debase us in our own eyes
by making us the mere slaves and tools of tyrants
now demand that we shall not seek to throw off
this intolerabe enactment, that we shall not free
ourselves from its stigma from its infamy, and
from its cruelty, by repeal nay, that we shall not
even Gg1ate for this purpose. Good God was
ever demand more insolent, was ever any position
more insane2 Is it possible that Daniel Webster
IAN suppose that this people under the circum-
stances, will cease agtationl Or has he become
desperate to carry his point and save himself
after having foolishly embarked in the same sink
ing vessel with the shareholders Does he sup
pose that he has intellect sufficient to beat back |
the tide Of human progress and still the voice of |
reform? Silly man Let him no longer be |
called the "GOd-liken Call him insane il he |
knows no better Call him Devil-like,n If he is |
really intelligent on the subject.
Shareholders may as we'll know and believe,
what we are free to say TO them, and to all those
who seek to gain their favor, that if slavery can
not be maintained without such enactments, and
without pressing as into their pro-savery service,
then it must 60 down; FOR we cannot be made
slaves nor will We be made tyrants or the tools Of
tyrants. IL it be true, rs asserted by some, that
this Union cannot be preserved without cessa-
tho Fusitiue Slave law. then it is trne thai this
Union will not be preserved for it becomes sim
ply impossible, in the nature of things humane,
spirited men will not yield their freedom Of
speech, freedom Of conscience and freedom of agi-
tation, merely TO save slavery, when they heartily
letest the institution sought to be saved at the
expense Of their freedom and manhood and MIR.
Webster and all others who are making the at
tempt to stop all agitation, on the preence of saw
4 a. +
once. They might as well offer, as price to save
this Union, the proposition to nullfy and reverse
all the laws of nature The Union Is not worth
such price the proposition will not be accepted
we think We can make q better bargain we
think our freedom, the freedom of mankind
and the general welfare of this country, are too
great price to pay for the preservation Of any
Union; we believe we can save the Union, save
freedom, and save the general welfare all together;
and we will persist in the attempt to do 80 good
while longer, before we give up in despair. II we
cannot succeed, then We must bid good bye TO the
Union, but to our own rights and liberties never,
while we have good sense, stout hearts, and will
ling arms.
Shareholders and their allies at the North may
attempt to repeal all the laws of God, and "reGn-
act the laws of Satan, and they cannot stop the
agitation the more they "pile up the Agony the
more they will arouse the hitherto sluggish hui
manty Of the giant North when they desist
from the practice Of the gross private and public
wrongs with which they wither and curse the land
or when they choke all the breath from our nu-
merous bodies, or cut our millions Of breathing
throats, then, and not till then, will we cease to
agitate aud discuss the question Of Slavery, and
all its appendices and concomitants.
The truth is, freedom and slavery cannot dwell
together in fratcrnal love and harmony. lie is
a miserable statesman, and poor political phi
losopher, who suppOses otherwise; one must yield
or the other must. Now, which ought to yield
We say, clearly, that Slavery ought, and that
Freedom ought not to yield many of us have
detymiaed that Slavery shall not crush the spirit
Of Freedom in this country. We believe that
Effort is necessary to beat back the dark and in
sdious tide of Slavery while its Shiny fold Is
steadily coing its dark form around the fair pro-
portions Of the Goddess Of Liberty, we cannot,
as worshippers Mt her altar, knowingly and guilt
lessly stand at ease and feel secure in our birth
right We have been told that eternal vigil
ance is the price of liberty y and we feel that il
10 80, when we reflect that this country is already
far gone in works Of despotisu, M the result Of
too easy virtue on the part Of those who have
been placed az sentinels and guards at the out
posts Of Liberty. Were We to lessen our vigil
ance and cease our agitation, at the command Of
the supposed great men Of the land, the fathless
sentinels and agents Of confding constituencies,
it might be political fun for them, but it would
be Freedoms death for US and for this nation
We cannot obey the command OF these great
men, because we dstrust their intelligence, we
suspect their integrity and we doubt their good
ness. Although some Of them may be "godlike"
in power of intellect, yet we fear they may be
u devil-likeo in motives and hence we desire to
trust little to our own reasoning powers, espe-
cially rs we conceive wo ourselves know some
thing about right and wrong, and know some PLAIN
things as Wep as those who know more than we
do Even the "godike" cannot make us believe
that black is whls, that mrOng Is right; that two
and two are five and it will be about Us hard for
him to make us believe that the Fugitive Slave
act is Just, righ, and proper.
4 have road tho r,oa.a..o al M