The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-06-15
IRCENDIARy MOVEMENT At TILE NORTH.
lncipsent Coalition between the seward-
scea Party and the Original TaPpan Anti
slavery Party.
IFrom the New York Tribune, (Anti. Slavery)l
AN ADDRESS

lFrom the New York Tribune, amt. sayery)l
AN ADDRESS
70 TIE ANTrsLAvKRY CHRISTIANS OF THE UNITED
STATES.
FRrESpe AND BRETHREN We address you in be-
half Of the American and Foreign Anti-Slayery So
cieay. Approving Of the principles avowed and the
measures pursued by that association, beg leave
10 submit to you the considerations which peculiar
y entle it at the present uncture to the active SYM
pathy and efectual aid Of the friends of the anti
slavery cause.
While the advocates of constitutional government
in Europe are lamenting wide spread reaction IN
behalf of despo.ic authority the friends of the ina
fepabe rights of man behold with grief and morti-
heaton similar reaction in our own republic in be-
half of a despotism more memorable. and more hos
tile to human progress and happiness, than any
which afiicts the Eastern continent. In both in
stances the reaction is more apparent than real
Opinions in favor of human liberty remain the same,
but the expression of them has to greater less
degree been stifed by sudden, mighty, and COM
bined effort of capitalists and politicians aided to
great extent by ecclesiastical influence, and in each
ease accompanied with violated pledges and revolt
ing perfdy.
In our own community the cause Of Christian
morals has been deeply wounded, and new i'm
pulse given to infdcly, by the various modes adopt
cd by merchants, politicians and divines to coneil-
ate the slaveholding interest. Doctrines have
been advanced on high authority respecting the
supremacy Of human laws, which, if true, con-
Wet the "noble army of martyrs" inclxding the
blessed apostles themselves, of being but felons
and traitors. Public men, and even public meet
ings, have protested in unqualified terms their
ignorance of higher law than the federal consti-
tuition. Rich men among us have given of their
abundance to reduce to slavery the fugitive from
bondage; and lawyers, heretofore regarded repu-
table, have not shrunk from taking reward against
the innocent, and prostiuting noble profession to
the service of the slave-catcher. The sympathy
heretofore felt for the victim Of oppression who had
escaped from his prison-house, and the repugnancs
manifested to aid in his arrest have been denounced
rs prejudices to be conquered - and lips which
once uttered noble words in behalf Of human rights
have been busiy employed in preclaiming to repub,
6cans the duty Of catching slaves. Nay, some pro-
fessed ambassadors Of the merciful Jesus have an
neunced from their pulpits, that He has sanctioned
the conversion into articles Of merchandise of beings
charged with no crime, made little lower than the
angels, and redeemed by his own blood A law has
which, for its cool violation of all the received and
acknowledged principles Of judicial justice for its
outrages humanity, and for its arbitrary require
ment of every citizen to assist in slavehun when
commanded by an official mental, is unexampled in
The legislation Of any Christian country. Yet an
active agency in the execution of this most detesta
bic law has been made, even by professcd ministers
Of the gospel, a test of Christian obedience.
The success which has thus far attended the com
bined effort to which we have referred has been in
great measure owing to the fanced security of the
North, and the stimulated violence of the South.
EXTENSION OF SLAVERY AND PANIC ABOUT THE UNION.
The war against Mexico was waged for the &C
QUESTION of slave territory, and great was the fear
felt by the North that human bondage would be ex-
tended to the shores of the Pacific. No less than
fourteen States protested, through their legisla-
lures against any enlargement of the area of sla-
very. The voice Of Daniel Webster was raised to
warn his eountrymen of the impending calamity
and TO approve and enforce the great principle
announced by the Free Soil Convention at Buffalo.
The inmate love Of liberty was awakened through
out the North, and its representatives in Congress
bowed to the will Of their constituents; and all the
devices of the Shareholders TO procure territorial
governments for the conquered territories, allowing
The slavery of portion Of the inhabitants, de-
5eated. Soon the Wilmot proviso, applied with the
assistance of Daniel Webster, to Oregon, secured
that important territory to freedom. This was fol-
lowed by the joyful intelligence that New Mexico
and California had both adopted State constitutions
prohibiting slavery. A shout Of victory assembled
from the North, and the greatness of the triumph
was supposed be attested by the wailings of des
peration uttered by the Shareholders 1t at this
nome mt Of fancied security that the capitalists and
politicians contrived 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-hunting a
tional duty, under regulations of extraordinary
cruelty. The work was fastened on by the most
astounding treachery, supported by the audacious
assumption that the law of physical geography and
Asstic scenery rendered it physically impossible that
any portion Of the vast region conquered from Mex
leo could ever be trodden by slaves.
A dissolution Of the Union could have no other
effect on the slaveholding interest than to break
down those bulwarks which the federal government,
from its beginning has been busy in raising around
it, and to all beyond the slave territory into
active hostility. But, although the Union was in
little danger, the work of saving it less pro-
6tabe than patriotic, as it tended to prevent the
political and commercial intercourse threatened
committees were found convenient mode Of adver-
Using for the trade and votes Of the Shareholders
In this mannor influence was exerted, which,
aided by the supposed security of the North, led to
the so-called Compromise, in which the fruits of the
recent victory were all thrown away, with the sin
gle exception Of the anti. slavery constitution of
California. Something was, indeed, gained to the
character Of the national capital by prohibiting the
importation of slaves for sale, but nothing to the
cause Of humanity, since the traffic was only trans
ferred from Washington TO Alexandria. IN return
for the Californian constitution, which Congress
could not have prevented and did not dare to annul,
we have had the prodgious enlargement of the slave
State OF Texas, the abandonment OF New Mexico
and Utah TO slavery and the enactment of the Fugi
tive bill, drafted by the Shareholders themselves,
forced through the House of Representatives with
out discussion, and so intensely odous and wicked
that not even personal interest party discipline
could induce one-half of the members Of the lower
House to incur the infamy Of giving it their votes.
The political parties, having thus conciliated the
shareholders, entered upon a new race between
themselves for power and Office, and mutually agreed
to prevent, far possible, all interference in the