The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-01-22
WHO SHOULD INTERFERE 7

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WHO SHOULD INTERFERE 7
Now all persons recognise fitness or a
want of fitness in certain agents 10 do certain
work The preacher Of purity should himself
be pure; the advocate of honesty should him
self be honest; the missionary of freedom
should not be an oppressor The unftness of
this nation to preach by speech or by arms,
the doctrine Of human rights to the despots Of
Russia or Austria, is apparent Words of lib
erty from her lips are but a solemn mOckery.
The star-spangled banner, as it floats over sea
and land is the dishOnored emblem of the
deepest oppression. Mingling with the hosan-
nahs for liberty, which every Fourth of July go
up to Heaven, the groans of the agonizng slave
enter the ear of the Lord of Sabbaoth. So far,
then as moral influence is concerned, and this
Is almost infinitely the most important at this
age of the world the interference of this
country in behalf of European freedom will be
u positive injury Woe to the blood-wrtten
covenant of Hungarian liberty, should the pol
luted hands of American slave-catchers be
stretched forth to steady its ark, as it shakes
and trembles in the coming commissions.
Say, shall ask of Constantine
To loose his grasp on Polands throat?
And beg the Lord of Nah mouds line
To spare the struggling Suliote!
Will not the scorching answer come,
From turbnned Turk and hory Russ
Go loose your fettercd slaves at home
Then turn and ask the like from US
The heart of the true lover of his country
sickens over reflections like these As he CON
trasts the destiny his country might have at
tanned and the mission she might now prose-
cute, with the stern and painful realities of the
present, his heart is panied within him. Had
the United States been true to the principles
of their own Declaration and Constitution, had
they crushed the serpent Of slavery before it
had wound its suffocatng coil around the fair
form of their newborn liberty, and had they
gone on perfecting their own institutions they
might now occupy position of freedom and
prosperity to which the world would do invol-
untary homage, and from which they could
proclaim the gospel of human rights with II
power that would cause the walls of tyranny
strongest dungeon to tremble and fall
Free Presbyterian.
Doubtless consistent example lends force to
precept but precept without example is better
than none ut all. The most sincere, efficient,
and successful opponent of the policy of licens-
ing the retail of Intoxicating liquors we ever
knew, was himself incorporate; but he took
counsel from his principles, not his appetite,
and would not suffer an unfortunate habit APP
parently ncorrgible to check his efforts to
abate vice which, in his own case had mas
tered his virtue.
Perfect consistency does not belong to hui
man nature rs it liz. If none but the perfectly
righteous are to preach Righteousness angels
from Heaven, and not men, must be our
preachers. Sound principles ought to be Illus
trated and enforced in the life but man can
not excuse himself for not advocating them. on
the ground that he does not practice them.
Truth is Truth, no matter by whom uttered
The stakeholder who proclaims that all men
are created equal proclaims truth, and does
his duty in proclaiming it and his advocacy of
it produces its effect His life is contradic-
ton; but that discrcdits him, not the Truth he
holds in unrighteousness. Men may ridicule
or denounce his inconsistency, but cannot in
this way shield themselves from the power of
the Principle he enunciates.
This American Union is grossly inconsistent,
What Government is not! II interpostiOn in
behalf of right should come alone from Gov
crnment perfectly right and consistent, the
poor and oppressed can hope for no help on
earth, till the reign of the millennium. Three
millions of human beings are imbruted in this
eouutry Mora tbap t,y,, -,
Ireland, under the oppression of the British
Government to say nothing OF the millions in
the East ON whom it practices extortion. IT,
on account OF these expressions the two great
Constitutional Governments must De dumb and
inactive, while Absolutsm in its robber-might
is trampllng upon the rights of mankind, and
waging war against everything liberal, what is
to become of Right and Justice! VIII God
work miracles for the overthrow of the wrong.
door!
The editor of the Free Presbytsrian does no,
justify the action Of Northern people agains,
Slavery because they have no sins of their own
to answer for; nor would he because the South
is guilty of ensavng human beings, condemn
a Southern man for denouncing the larg,
profits of capital and small wages of labor ii
tho North We are all keener-sighted to fault
in others than in ourselves and in this way
grows up Public Sentiment higher thar
individual performers. And how is our in
activity to work selfrcformation Do W,
quicken our love of liberty at home by check
ing our sympathies for it abrosdl DO W,
exalt our sense Of right US it relates to oul