The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-09-02

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ing himself against slavery and promising his
suffrage for its abolition, he did not see this
wrong as he saw it ut the close of life, in the
illumination of another sphere From this act
of Washington, still swayed by the policy of
the world, appeal to Washington writing his
will From Washington on earth appeal to
Washington in Heaven. Seek not by his name
to Justify any such effort His death is above
his life. His last testament cancels his author
ty as a stakeholder However he may have
appeared before man, he came into the pres
ence of God only as the lberator of his slaves
Grateful for this example, am grateful also,
that while STAKEHOLDER, and seeking the re-
turn of fugitive, he has left in permanent rec
ord rule of conduct which, if adopted by his
country, will make Slave-Hunting impossible.
The chances of a riot or mob or " even uneasy
sensations among well-disposed persons" are
to prevent any such pursuit.
Sir, the existing Slave Act cannot be enforc-
ed without violating the precept of Washing
ton. Not merely uneasy sensations of we'll
disposed persons" but rage tumult commotion,
mob, riot, violence, DEATH gush from its fatal
overlooking fountains
- hoe fonte derivata clades
In patriam populumque fuxit.
Not case occurs without endangering the
public peace. WOrkmen are violently dragged
from employments to which they are welded
by yearSkof successful labor husbands are
ravish66 from wives, and parents from chill
dren. Everywhere there is disturbance: at
Detroit, Buffalo, Harrisburgh, Syracuse, Phil
adelphia, New York, Boston. At Buffalo the
fugitive was cruelty knocked by log of
wood against red-hOt stove, and his mock
trial commenced while the blood still oozed
from his wounded head At Syracuse he
was rescued by sudden mob so also at Bos-
ton. At Harrisburgh the fugitive was shot !;
at Christiana the Slave-Hunter was shot At
New York unprecedented excitement always
with uncertain consequences has attended every
case. Again at Boston fugitive, according
to the received report was first basely seized
under pretext that he was criminal arrest
ed only after deadly struggle; guarded by
officers who acted in violation of the laws of
the State tried in Court House surround
ed by chains contrary to the common law
finally surrendered to Slavery by trampling on
the criminal process of the State, under an
escort in violation again of the laws of the
State, while the pulpits trembled and the whole
people, not merely uneasy" but swelling with
Unsurpassed indignation, for the sake of order
and tranquility, without violence witnessed
the shameful catastrophe.
With every attempt to administer the Slave
Act, it constantly becomes more revolving, par
ticularly in its influence on the agents it en-
lists Pitch cannot be touched without detile-
ment, and all who lend themselves to this work
seem at once and unconsciousy to lose the
better part of man. The spirit of the law
passes into them, as the devils entered the swine
of courts, vie and reyie with each other Now
by indecent speed, now by harshness of man.
ner now by denial of evidence now by Grip
ping the defence, and now by open glazing
wrong they make the odious Act yet more obi
GUS Clemency grace, and justice, die in its
presence. All this is observed by the world
Not case occurs which does not harrow the
souls of good men, and bring tears of sympa-
thy to the eyes, also-those other tears which
patriots shed DER dying laws"
Sir, | shall speak frankly. If there be an ex-
.ception to this feeling, it will be found chiefly
with peculiar class II is a sorry fact that
the mercantile interest," in its unpardon-
able selfishness twice in English history, frown-
ed upon the endeavors to suppress the afro
battle Wilberforce's great effort for the aboli-
a sordid compromise, at the formation of our
Constitution it exempted the same detest-
ed Heaven defyng traffic from American
judgment And now representatives Of this
"interest" forgetful that commerce is the child
of Freedom, join in busting the Slave But
the great heart Of the people recOls from this
enactment. 1t palpitates for the fugitive, and
reioices in his escape. Sir, | am telling you
rba nf ba 10 oil 10
side. The songs, more potent than laws are
for him. The poets with voices of melody are
for Freedom Who could sing for Slavery!
They who make the permanent opinion of the
country, who mould our youth, whose words,
dropped into the soul, are the germs Of char
acter supplcate for the Slave And now, sir,
behold new and heavenly ally. A woman,
inspired by Christian genius, enters the lists,
like another Joan of Arc, and with marvellous
power sweeps the chords Of the popular heart.
Now melting to tears, and now inspiring to
rage, her work everywhere touches the con-
science, and makes the Slaye-Hunter more hate
full. In a brief period, nearly 100, 900 copies
Of Uncle Toms Cabin have been already circu-
lated But this extraordinary and sudden sue
cess--surpassing all other instances in the rec
ords of literature-cannot be regarded merely
as the triumph of genius. Higher far than this
it is the testimony of the people, by an UMPIRE
cedented act, against the Fugitive Slave Bill
These things dwell upon as the incentives
and tokens Of an existing public sentiment,
which renders this Act practically imperative
except as tremendous engine of terror. Sir,
the sentiment is just Even in the lands of
slavery, the slave-trader is loathed as an igno-
bic character, from whom the countenance is
ho In
more regarded while pursuing his prey in a
land of Freedom? In early Europe, in barba-
rous days, while Slavery prevailed, Hunting
Master, mach jagender Herr, as the Germans
called him, was held in aversion Nor was this
all. The fugitive was welcomed in the cities,
and protected against the pursuit Sometimes
vengeance awaited the Hunter. Down to this
day, at Reyel, now Russian city, sword is
proudly preserved with which Hunting Baron
was beheaded, who, in violation of the munich
pal rights Of this place, seized fugitive slave.
Hostile to this Act as our public sentiment may
be, it exhibits no trophy like this. The State
laws OF Massachusetts have been violated in
the seizure of a fugitive slave but no sword,
like that of Reyel, now hangs at Boston.
have said, sir, that this sentiment is Just.
And is it not! Every escape from Slavery
necessarily and instinctivey awakens the re-
gard Of all who love Freedom. The endeavor,
though unsuccessful, reveals courage, man
hood, character No story is read with more
interest than that of our own Lafayette, when,
aided by gallant South Carolinian, in def
ance of the despotic ordinances of Austria,
kindred to our Slave Act he strove to escape
from the bondage Of Olmuk, Literature
pauses with exultation over the struggles of
Cervantes, the great Spaniard, while slave in
Algers, TO regain the liberty for which he says,
in his immortal work, Eve ought to risk life
ie.slf Slavery being the greatest evil that can
al 10 the lot Of man" Science, in all her
- nif0ld trinmnhs throLs with nrida and AZ.