Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1851-05-16
GEO. TaOMPSON's SPEECH 10.
RONTO.

w 81 o4l tIc lIlNltdIlOH OF Inc Anti Slavery 80
ciety OF Canada. rejoice over the formation
of that body, and that its head qnarers are TO be
IN this beautiful, improving and important CITY.
IL was called into existence as | learn from its
constitution, to cry aloud to your neiohbors be-
yond the line, to stay their hands from prosecu-
ting system of inquity and to invite and URGE
them by every consideration arising from our
common Christianity. to put stop to it for ever
by the abolition of Slavery. am Glad to find
that this duty is to be performed in the spirit of
OF those who entertain the feelings of brethren
and friends towards the inhabitants of the neigh
boring States. and that you Giscaim all desire
to lntermeddle oficiously with the internal af-
faf5 OF that growing and mighty people, from
whom you are separated by so short distanc :
The work you have proposed to yourselves is
worthy of You, and the spirit in which YOU pro-
pose to prosecute it is worthy of Y0u and of
those with whom you propose to cooperate, as
OF those also whom your Christian remon-
strances and brotherly rebukes will be direct
ed.
am rejoiced to find also that you heartily bid
God-speed to the noble and ever increasing band
OF Christian and Pratriots in the u States. who
publicity pelad without fear. or favor the cause
of their enslaved fellow-citizens. In this YOU
do well. The true abooni>ts of the United
States are emlnently worthy OF your admiration,
your encouragement and your God speed. The
world does not contain nober band of men
and women. lu proportion as you learn to know
them, you will learn to love them and to regard
them as that part of the population of the great
! American Union, who are doing most for the
diffusion of those Divine principles, which lie at
at the foundation of the great doctrine of the
| universal brotherhood of man, and of the equal
regard OF our common parent for all the child
rem of the human family.
As British subject, feel peculiarly happy in
being with you on this occasion am increas-
mgly happy TO find myself upon the same Mat
form IN the new world, with those who have been
my fellows laborers in the cause of Emancipa-
ton in the Old world-to find them still alive,
and vigorous in the cause in which we labored
and trlumphed on the shores of our native coun-
try-to find too, that they have faith in the pow
er and universally of the truths which were sue
| ccssiulIy applied 10 our own Colonial system of
bondage. This is as it should be. We won the
victory ever West India bouGage-not because
we were Britons, but because the truths we
preached were divine, universal, and eternal
This i. no question of latitude aud longitude
it is a human question. | ask not is the slave
my fellow subject, but is he man. ask not
do | stand upon British or American soil, but
am still in Gods dominions? Am still under
the law of the Supreme Ruler, and are the great
principles of morality and justice still the same
If my brother is held in unjust bondage, my
message is the same, whether ii be to my own
or any other human government. Thus saith
the Lord, 'broak every yoke, and let the oppres-
scd go free.
| have come amongst yon to discuss this CUES
| ton on no low or narrow grounds In my mind
it links Itself indissolubiy with every topic with
in the entire range of religion and human duty
Itascends to the very being Of God, and has to
do with His character, HIS attributes, and His
moral government Of the world. 1t entwines it.
self around the spiritual nature, hopes, fears,
! Joys, sOrroWS-the present condition and future
dcstlniCs Of man. 1t must be understood before
we can comprehend mans responsibilities, or
| know the meaning of the command Il am the
| Lord thy God, and thou shall have no other God
before me-" This question cannot be separated
/ from the doctrine of a future and equal Judge
mont, and of just and unerrinT retribution 1t
cannot be dsjoincd from the capacity, improvea-
| bcness and Immortality of the soul. 1t con
Germs the all important question OF the inspra-
! ton, authority, and Interpretation of Scripture.
! it defines the limit of human statutes, and set
! ties the question OF the paramount claims and
! obligations of the law of individual conscience,
ana of God. 1t must be studied if we would
/ know who is oar neighbor and what is our duty
! towards him, or to what extent we are Guthor-
! ized in applying the principle of the everlasting
gospel and the truths OF revelation TO the affairs
/ Of the world. As far as | have been connected
! with the great question of slavery, it has never
! been with me question of politics. 1t is tran
| scendenty--itis infinitely above all human pol
/ tiles. If there be a principle at the bottom of
/ this question-or in other words il there be any
truth in the doctrine that there is a God--that he
! is the Creator and Governor of the WOrId--that
! he is the sole proprietor of mainland that man
/ belongs of right to himself, and is responsible
only to the Supreme Ruler for his actions, then
! slavery is not an institution to be regulated but
crime to be aboliShed--not a condition 10 be
modified, but a wrong to be redresSed--thPn re-
! lgon and morality demand that the evil doer
return TO the allegiance be owes TO God, and the
/ slave be instantly restored to his rights a man.
This whole subject resolves itself into the ques
ton; Can man hold property in man 1t this
/ question be answered in the affirmative, then we
/ have no ground 10 stand upon.
/ Then we are impairment Intermediates, wheth-
cr we speak against slavery on English Cana
/ dian or American soil. But if it be answered in
the negative then our feet are placed upon rock,
and our commission Is, Go We into all the world,
and wherever We find the Divine Creator and sole
/ proprietor of man dethroned by the usurpation of
| his prerogatiye; denounce the daring implety,
and demand that God be restored TO his righuul
dominion, by the restorative of liberty TO that
] subject of bis government who is now held in
/ chattel bondage" Grant that man may hold
! property in man, and you are lrespasser on the
! plantation, and an invader of legitimate rights.
/ Deny the Internal doctrine, and you are true and
! loyal subject of the King or kings-the vindic-
ator of His outraged rghts--the restorer of his
chdren--the uphoder of His government--aye,
and the savior of the Shareholder himself. Go
/ forth in the strong belief that man cannot have
( property in man, and you are at once cowork-
er with God. You are at once in harmony with
universal truth--your doctrine finds an echo in
every human hear;--the conscience of all men
are on your side--you have At once enlisted the
affections, aronies, eXultaton and hopes of hu-
manty on vour side. Can man hold property in
man! Can man become a God on the one
/ hand; can man become beast on the other =
Can the master be man and God IN the same
person OF can the slave be man aud beast in the
| same person? Can creature own an equal
f! fellow creature Can the poisherd say unto the
/ potsherd-"T art mine Can the sinner be
! God over his fellow f? Or can another man,
| formed like him, be at once free 10 serve God,
and doomed to serve man Be rational,
I