The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1852-09-30

tuition OF the Un1teQ Otates-
Over the President. on this high occasion, hoated
the National Flag with its stripes of red and It's
stars on field of blue As his patriot eyes rest
ed upon the glowing ensign, what currents must
have rushed swiftly through his souf! In the early
days of the Revolution, in those darkest hours
about Boston, after the battle of Bunker Hill, and
before the Declaration of Independence, the thir-
teen stripes had been first unfurled by him, as the
emblem of Union among the Colonies Tor the sake
of Freedom. By him, at that dae, they had been
named the Union Flag Trial, struggle and war,
were now ended, and the Union, which they first
heralded, was unalteraby established To every
beholder these mems-ies must have been tull OF
pride and consolation. But looking back upon the
scene, there is circumstances which, more than
all its other associations, fills the soul-more even
than the suggestions of Union which prize SO
mich. AT THIS MOMENT, WHEN WASHINGTON TOOK
FIRST OATH To-sUPPoRr THE CoNaTiTUTIoN OF
THE UNITED STATES, THE NATIONAL ENSIGN, NO.
WHERE WITHIN THE NATIONAL TERRITORY, COVERED
A SINGLE SLAVE. Then, indeed, was Slavery Sec
tional and Freedom national.
On the sea, exerrable piracy, the trade IN
slaves, was STILL to the national scandal, tolerated
under the national flag. In the States, sec
tiona institution, beneath the shelter of local laws
Slavery unhappily foun1 home. But in the only
territories at this time belonging to the Nation the
broad region of the Northwest, it had already, by
the Ordinance of Freedom, been made impossible,
even before the adoption of the Constitution. The
District of Columbia with its fatal incumberance
| had not yet been acquired. ffs
| The Government thus organized was Anti-Save-
ry in character Washington a stakeholder
but it would be unjust to his memory not to say
| tina. he was an Aboitlonist also. His opinions do
not admit of question. Only short time before
the formation of the National Constitution, he had
| declared, by letter. ''that it among his first
wishes to see some plan adopted by which Slavery
may be abolished by law;'' and again, in another
letter, sthat support of any Legislative
for the abolition of slavery, his suffrage should not
be waneing; and still further, in conversation
with distinguished European Abolitionist, trav-
elling propagandist of Freedom Brlssot de War
vile, recently welcomed to Mount Vernon. he had
openly announced that promote this object in Vir-
ginia. she desired the formation of a SOCIETY," and
that he wonld second it" By this authentic testi-
mon. he takes his place with the early patrons of
Abolition societies.
By the side of Washington, as standing beneath
national flag he swore to support the Constitution,
were illustrious men, whose lives and recorded
words now rise in judgment. There was John Ad-
ams the Vice President-great vindicator and final
negotiator of national dependence-whose
soul, flaming with freedom, broke forth in the early
declaration that ''consenting to Slavery is sac
| rilegous breach oftrust," and whose immitigable
hostility to this wrong has been made immortal to
his descendants. There also companion in
arms and detached friend, of incompatible genius
the Vel youthful Hamilton, who, member of the
Abolition Society of New York. had only recently
united in solemn petition for those who, s'though
free By the larcs of God, held in Slavery by The
Laaos oj the State, There, too, noble spirit,
the ornament of his country, the exempar of cour-
age, truth, and virtue who, like the sum- ever held
an unerring course, John Jay. Filling the impor-
tant post of Minister of Foreign Affairs under the
Confederation, he found time to organize the Abol-
ton of Society of New York. and to act its Pres
ident until, by the nomination of Washington, he
became Chief Justice of the United States In his
sight Slavery ''nquity,'' ''a sin of crimson
dye" against which ministers ofthe gospel testify,
and which the Government should seek to abolish.
"Were in the Legislature" he wrote, 81 would
present bill for this purpose with great care, and
| | would never moving it till 1t became law
or ceased to be member Till America comes
into this measure, her prayers to Heaven will be
impious.'
But they were not alone. The convictions and
earnest aspirations of the country were with them
At the North these broad and general. AT
the South they found fervid utterance from
Shareholders. By early and precocious efforts fol
stotal emancipation the Author of the Declara-
ton of Independence placed himself foremost
among the Abolitlonists of the land In lang age
, now familiar to all, and which can never die, he
perpetually denounced avery He exposed its
pernicious influences upon master aswell as slave
declared that the love of justice and the love O
country pleaded equally for the slave and that the
abolition of domestic slavery the creates
object of DESIRE" He believed that the 'sacret
side was raining daily recruits and confidently
looked to the young for the accomplishment of thi
good work. In ftful sympathy with Jefferson wa
another honored son of Virginia. the Orator of Lib
> erty Patrick Henry, who, while confessing that h
was master of slaves, said !" will not, canno
= Justify it. However culpable my conduct, I will
so far pay my dovoir to virtue, to the excel
lence and rectitude of her precepts, and lament m,
: want of conformity to Them At this very pc
riod, in the Legislature of Maryland, on bill fo
D the relief of oppressed slaves, young man, after
u wards by his consummate learning and forensic
u >, powers the acknowledged head of the American
o bar, William Pinkney, in speech of earnest
/ truthful eloquence-better far for his memory thai
l. his transcendent professional fame-branded Sla
II very nquitous and most dshonorable;'' 'sfound
i ed in disgracefu traffic - as shameful in it
10 continuance as in its origin; and he openly de
clared, that sby the eternal principles of natura
e justice, master in the State has right to hol
- =, his slave in bondage single hour"
Thus at this time spoke the NATION. Th
u CHURCH also joined its voice. And here, amids
al the divers ties of religious faith it is instructive
1r observe the general accord. The Quakers frs
IS bore their testimony. At the adoption of the Con
TO stituton their whole body under the early teackn
/ of George Fox, and by the crowning exertions
8 Benezet and Wooman, had become an organize
rs hand of Aboitonists penetrated by the convctio
4 that it unlaw full to hold feIlow-man in bone
o. age. The Method.sts, numerous, earnest an
Sn faithful, ceased by their preachers to prt
e. claim the same truth Their rules in 1888 d.
Mt nounced in formal language the buying sellr
be of bodies and souls of men, women, and children
,t; with an intention to enslaye themn The words
el their great apostle, John Wesley, were constant
n repeated. On the of the National Convention
the burning tract circulated in which he expo
ses American slavery the vest'' of the wor
me - such Slavery as is not found among the Turk
he at Agers after declaring ''liberty the brit
no right OF every human creature, of which no huma
NJ. law can deprive him. he pleads: "If, therefor
er you have any regard to justice Ito say nothing
tie mercy the revealed law of God,) render unto
th their due. Give liberty to whom liberty is du
as that is, to every child of man. to every partaker
de human nature" At the time the Presbyt
,Iy rians, powerful religious body, inspired by Il
sr principles of John Calvin, in more moderate la
m guage, but by apubc act, recorded their judgmer
,at recommending Ito all the people under their ca
no to the most prudent measures consistent wi
n the interest and the state of civil society," to procu
is eventually the final abolition of Slavery America
Ct The Congregationasts of New England, also
ed the faith of John Calvin, and with the hatred
pes Slavery belonging to the great non-conformis
he Richard Baxter, were sternly united against tn
&C. wrong. As early 1776, Samuel Hopkins, the
s." eminent leader and divine, published his ira
ere showing it to be the Duty and Interest of tt
na- American States to Emancipate all their Afric
slaves, and declaring that '' Slavery is in eve
on instance wrong, unrighteous, and oppressive
ith very great and crying sin-there being nothing
kiuda to tho f,ca of he earth