The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-08-19

gun cracked, and the poor bird rolled lifeless
into the street. The meanest man in town had
shot it from his garden behind the she'd Be-
lieye me, thrill of horror ran through our
little circle of sportsmen and not one of us has
forgotten the felon deed to this day. The Vir-
ginia hunters must excuse me. The Constitu-
ton and the Compromises, and the laws, must
take care of themselves and get along, and
maintain the order and harmony of society,
and all that, in some way that will not make
me ashamed to look in a glass or afraid to
sleep by myself | should have to practice
hard swearing seven years on board pirate
ship, before could undertake to describe my
self, with any hope of doing justice to the sub
iect if for one moment admitted the posi-
bility of obeying that Fugitive Slave Law
am not Dragging of my audacity; cannot do
this thing; God knows cannot and that is an
end of it. have sworn to the Constitution
some five or six times but no man can swear,
or curse, or pray me down to the point Of
catching lugtives from slavery, whether they
come from the battle-felds of Hungary or the
cotton-felds of Carolina
But was talking about Platforms. On the
point in hand, the Pittsburgh manifesto is,
think, little ambiguous, and its builders
something more so. | wish they had put it
down plump and plain, that the Fugitive Slave
Law is a law, and that they intended to take
special pleasure in trampling upon it at every
opportunity then we should have had doc
! trine for our duty, and people would know
that we justified our disobedience, and would
look into the reasons that are as good for re-
belion now as they were for revolution hun
dred years ago. A Minister of France said to
his most absolute master, "Sire, you cannot
make this law, because it is unjust" 1t seems
to me that an American freeman may say to
our tyrants, Sirs, you cannot enforce this law,
because it is inhuman--I cannot obey it. be-
cause am man. And for all the prospect
that there is of electng John p. Hale, or
making demonstration of our forces, don't
think it would have been impoltic.
But wish to be understood about this bust
ness of shooting slave hunters | am convinced
that, as the world goes, those who would be
free, themselves must strike the blow 1t is |
not worth while for freeman to shoot a ty- |
rant for the sake of a slave; and never will |
believe that the best blood of Virginia " flows
in the veins of her slaves, till it is shown. The
best blood of Virginia flowed for the liberties
"f Virginia, and didn't stick fast in the veins of
L. thn
their freedom in that old fashioned way they
will get it, They will get it long before that
they will get it when they will have it. Until
then don't see how it is to be given to them,
on such conditions as will make it worth having.
If they prove utterly incapable, ! shall still
hate reasons enough for my opposition to the
system will not surrender my manhood to
any overseer, patriarchal or POLITICAL but if
any other man. white or black, has different
view of the matter, my quarrel is not with his
master If Providence cannot make man
out of the slave must wait till things improve
before attempt it. There are plenty of people
of all colOrs that neither heaven nor earth can
elevate into freedom, and the principal concern
of freemen with them is to defend themselves
against the injury and dshonor of their exist
ence, and Of its mischevous Incidents The
first plank in my platform carries this doctrine
All men are created equal, but they don't all
turn out equally well and the practical infer
ence is, they must be treated accordingly.
That is the length and breadth of my quarrel
with the world; and | decline taking the gas
and undergoing the gossip of any other doc
trine verify believe that the redemption of
the world must be accomplished by the labors
and sufferings of its best men, and that the
inferior must receive his elevation from the SUI
perior, and that the weak must receive their
highest rights by concession from the strong
but do not believe that our present social, in
dustria and political organizations are capable |
of immediate Justice to all men. Heretofore
liberty has been conquered or purchased from |
the oppressor, and it will be so still for some
time to come; but conscience and opinion grow
stronger continually, and it is duty to forward |
the good work, rs it is wisdom to know the |
true law OF progress and to understand its drift |
Slavery is in the ascendant, but we need not |
despair; we must rectify our position, adjust
our method, and adapt our own system to the |
great work we have in hand and when ace are
ready we will be able. people not half in
earnest about taking care of their treemen are
not fit to emancipate their slaves.
have something to say on this subject in
my next, SENIOR
New loRK-The Independent Democracy
of Oswego county sent Hon + w Fox as a
delegate to Pittsburgh Mr. Fox was elected
in ls4s to the Legislature on the Van Buren,
ticket
VERMoNr-The Independent Democracy of
the Sd district have nominated A. Judson Row
ell for Congress Henry Adams is the cand-
date of the Compromise Democrats, and Alvah
Sabin of the Wings The Independent Demo-
Gratis of Orange county have nominated Phn-
tors.
GEN PIERCE AND THE FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW.
The testimony adduced and endorsed by SEN
LEE, relative to Gen Pierce's speech at New
Boston, it would seem is not conclusive as TO
his position on the Fugitive Slave Law The
Concord IN. H. Independent Democrat says:
CAS- we have received large number of
letters from Southern men during the last fort
night, asking information in regard to this
matter, we take this occasion to say to one and