The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-06-24
AN ADDRESS
ANTI-sLAvERY CHRISTIANS OF THE UNITED
STATES

FRIENDS AND BRETHREN: We address you
in behalf of the American and Foreign Anti
Slavery Society Approving of the principles
ayowed and the measures pursued by that as
ISOLATION, we beg leave to submit to you the
considerations which peculiarly entitle 1t at
the present juncture to the active sympathy
and effectual aid of the friends of the Anti-Sla-
very cause.
While the advocates of constitutional gov
ernment in Europe are lamentinga widespread
reaction in behalf of despotic authority, the
friends of the nalienable rights of man behold
with grief and modification a similar reaction
in our own Republic, in behalf of despotism
more memorable, and more hostile to human
progress and happiness, than any which afilicts
the Eastern continent In both instances, the
reaction is more apparent than real. Opinions
in favor of human liberty remain the same, but
the expression of them has to a greater or less
degree been stihed by sudden, mighty, and
combined effort of capitalists and politicians
aided to great extent by ecclesiastical infiu-
ence and in each case accompanied with NO
lated pledges and revolving perfdy.
In our own community, the cause OF Chris
tan morals has been deeply wounded, and
new impulse given to infdelity, by the various
modes adopted by merchants, politicians, and
divines, to cOnciliate the slaveholdlng interest
Doctrines have been advanced on high author
ity respecting the supremacy of human laws,
which, if true, convict the "nOble army OF mar
tyrs, including the blessed apostles themselves.
of being but felons and traitors Public men,
and even public meetings, have professed in I'M
qualified terms their ignorance OF higher law
than the Federal Constitution. Rich men
among US have given of their abundance to re-
duce to slavery the fugitive from bondage; and
lawyers, heretofore regarded as reputable, have
not shrunk from taking reward against the in
nOcent, and prostituting noble profession to
the service of the slave-catcher. The sympa-
thy heretofore felt for the victim of oppression
who had escaped from his prson-house. and
the repugnance manifested to aid in his arrest,
have been denounced ~ "prejudces to be con-
quered ;" and lips which once uttered noble
words in behalf of human rights have been
busily employed in proclaiming to republicans
the duty Of catching slaves. Nay, some pro-
fessed ambassadors of the merciful Jesus have
announced from their pupits that He has sane
toned the conversion into articles OF merchan-
disc of beings charged with no crime made
little lower than the angels and redeemed by
his own blood A law has been passed for the
recovery of fugitive slaves, which, for its cool
violation of all the received and acknowledged
principles of Judicial justice, for its outrages on
humanity, and for its arbitrary requirement
of every citizen to assist in save-hunt when
commanded by an official mental, is unexam-
pied in the legislation of any Christian coun
try. Yet an active agency in the execution OF
this most detestable law has been made, even
by professcd ministers of the Gospel, a test Of
Christian obedience
The success which has thus far attended the
combined effort to which we have referred has
been in great measure owing to the fancied
security Of the North and the simulated vi0- |
lence OF the South.
EXTENSION OF SLAVERY AND PANIC ABOUT THE
UNION.
The war against Mexico was waged for the
acquisition OF slave territory, and great was
the fear felt by the North that human bond
age would be extended to the shores of the Pa
ciic. No less than fourteen States protested,
through their Legislatures against any enlarge
ment Of the area Of slavery. The voice of Dan
el Webster was raised to warn his cOuntrymen
of the impending calamity, and to approve and
enforce the great principles announced by the
Free Soil Convention at Buffalo. The innate
love of liberty was awakened throughout the
North. and its representatives in Congress bow
ed to the will of their constituents; and all the
devices of the Shareholders to procure terrific
rial Governments for the conquered territories,
allowing the slavery of a portion Of thc inhab-
itants, we're defeated Soon, the Wilmot pro-
yso. applied, with the assistance OF Daniel
Webster, to Oregon, secured that important
territory to freedom This was followed by
the joyful intelligence that New Mexico and
California had both adopted State Constitu-
tons prohibiting slavery. A shout Of victory
assembled from the North, and the greatness OF
the triumph was supposed to be attested by the
walngs Of desperation uttered by the slave
holders. II was at this moment OF fancied Sc
curity that the capitalists and politicians con-
tryed panic about the Union and traders in
Southern votes and merchandise devised the
patriotic work of saving the Union, by surren-
dering the territories OF New Mexico and Utah
TO the shareholders, and making slave-huntng
q national duty, under regulations Of extraor-
binary cruelty The work was fastened ON
by the most astounding treachery, supported
by the audacioos assumption that the law OF
physical geography and Asiatic scenery rem
dered il physically impossible that any portion
of the vast region conquered from Mexico could
ever be trodden by slaves
A dissolution Of the Union could have no
other effect on the slaveholdng interest than
10 break down those bulwarks which the Fed