The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-09-28

can slavery as the vilest Of the world. such SLAYER,
as not ieund among the Turks Algers"-and after
declaring liberty the bnhrght OF every human crea.
lure, OF which no human law can deprive him. be
pleads; ~ therefore, you have any regard TO Justice
no say nothing OF mercy the revealed law of God i
render unto all their due Give liberty to whom liberty i
due has Is TO every child OF every psrak OF hu.
man nature Al the same time the Presbyterians pow.
eui feigious body inspired by the principles of John
LAWN IN more moderate language, but by public act
recorded her Judgment. recommending to all the people
under 'her care TO use the most prudent
seht win the interest and the state OF civil society
TO PROCURE EVENTUALLY THE FINAL ABOLITION Oh sIA.
VERY IN AMERICA" The Congreg atiooaIists Of New
England also OF the faith Of John Calvin. and with the
naed OF slavery belonging 10 the great conforms
tuchard Baxter, were steny united against this wrong
AS early as l776, Samuel Hopkins their eminent eadel
and avine published his tract showing il be the duty
ana interest OF the American States emancpae all Their
African slaves, and declaring that Slavery is in every
instance wrong, unrgheous and oppressiyea very gea
aud crying slnhere being nothing of the kind equal te
on the face OF the earihS And IN l7Oi shortly aite
ne adoption OF the constitutions the second Jonathan
Edwards, twice -bonored name, in elaborate dis
course oien published called upon his country, :. in the
present blaze OF light" the injustice OF slavery TO pre-
pare the way tor " its total abolition" This he gladly
thought at hand "lf we judge of the future by the
past, said the celebrated preacher within y years
from this time II will be shameful for man 10 hold
negro slave as to be guilty of robbery or theft
mus, at inns time, the church, in harmony with the
natlon. by It's leading denominations Quakers, Method
lists, Presbyterans. and Congregatonalss, Numbered
against slavery. The CoLLE0Es were in unison with
ne church Harvard University spoke by the voice Of
Massachusetts, which had already abolished slavery.
Dartmouth College. by one of its learned professors
CLAIMED Tor the slaves equal privileges with the whites
iale College, by its president, the eminent divine Ezra
olIes became The head OF the abolition society of Con-
nechcu And the University of William and Mary in
Virginia, testified its sympathy with this cause at this
very ,me by conferring upon Granville Sharpe. the
knowedged chief OF British abolitionists, the honorary
degree OF doctor of laws.
The LITERATURE of the land, such as then existed,
agreed with the nation, the church, and the college,
cf IaHar
in his Notes on Virginia; Barlow, in his measured verse
Rush, IN work which inspired the praise of CIakson
the ingenious author Of the al lgerne Captivethe ear-
est American novel, and though but little known,
one OF the earliest American books republished in Lon
don-were all moved by the contemplation of slavery
(" III our fellow citizens of the southern States are deaf
TO the peadngs OF Nature" the latter exclams in his
work, will conjure them, for the sake of consistency,
to cease to deprive their fellow creatures OF freedom,
which their wrlers their oraoTs representatives. and
senator's and even their constitution of government, have
declared TO be the nalenable brthrght of man." fe
male writer and poet, earliest in country among the
graceful throng, Sarah Wentworth Morton, at the very
period OF the national convention, admired by the society
IN which she lived, poured forth her sympathies also
The generous abors of John Jay in behalf Of the crush
commemoIatlng slave who fell while vndicating his
freedom. she thus rendered truthful homage to his in
alienable rights:
Does not the voice of reason cry,
Claim the first right that Nature gave;
From the red scourge OF bondage fly,
Nor degn to live burdened slave ~
Such sir at the adoption of the constitution and at the
hrst organization OF The national government was the
out-sPoken nnequlvocal heart of the country. Slavery
was abhorred Like the slave trade, il regarded
temporary, apd by many it was supposed that they
would both disappear together As the oracle ceased or
grew, mute at the coming of Christ. and voice was
heard crying 10 mariners at sea- "Great Pan is dead %
so, at the adoption OF the constitution, slavery became
dumb and its death seemed be near Voices of free
dom filled the air. The patriot the Christian the scholar
The writer Wed in loyalty to this All abo.
,ioniss.
Glance a, the earliest Congress under the cons-
luton From various quarters memorials were presented
10 this body against slavery Among these one from
the abolition society OF Virginia, wherein slavery is
pronounced mot only an odious degradation but
tageoas violation q one Of The most essential rights Of
the Gospel Still another OF more important charac.
Ter, came from the abolition society of Pennsylvania
and was signed by Benjamin Fran kn president This
venerable man, whose active life had been devoted the
welfare OF mankind al home and abroad-who, both as
philosopher and saiesman had arrested the admiration of
the worldwide had ravshed the lightning from the
skies and the scepire from tyrant-who, a member
oil the Continental Congress, had set his the Dec
iaraon OF Independence, and, member of the ma
uonai convention, had again set his 10 the cons
tuiion-,n whom more perhaps, than any other per-
son, was Embodied the true spirit OF American insii,u-
tons at once practical and humanelhan whom no one
could be more familiar with the purposes and aspirations
oil the foundersthis veteran, eighty four years of age
within few months of his death, appeared by Pc
uton at The bar OF that Congress whose powers he had
helped 10 define and establish. This the last no.
lca act OF his long life. Listen to the prayer OF
franklin:
/" Your nemorisss particularly engaged in attending
10 the distresses arising from slavery beeye il TO be their
indispensable duty to present this subject notice
They have observed with real satisfaction that any i'm.
poant and saluaEy powers vested in you for promo
tng tue welfare and securing tue blessings OF liberty
people OF the United States and they conceive that these
blessings ought rghfuy 10 be Administered, without dis.
tnc,ion Of color all pons OF people so they indulge
themselves la the pleasing expectation that nothing which
can be done for the relief OF the unhappy objects
care Will be either omitted dcayed "Under inn
Pressi3as they earnestly enest your serious attention
the subsct OF slavery that you will be pleased couute-
nance tue restoration OF liberty those men,
alone, Ia htslaud Of freedom, degraded perpetual
bonda2e, and who, amidst the general Joy OF surrounding
promote and justice distressed race
and that will very OF the power vested
IN you Tor dsconfagng every species of traffic in the per
sons oil our fellow men"
Important words In themselves a keynote OF the
times. From his grave franklin still call upon
IN II to DISCOURAGE sLAyERY and, in making this prayer
he Pfoclams the true national policy of the fathers Not
encouragement but encouragement OF slavery was their
rule
Sir, enough has been said 10 show the sentiment which
like vital air surrounded the national government as il
stepped into being. In the face OF this history and in
the absence oil any positive sanction it is absurd TO sup
pose that slavery, which, under the confederation was
merely sectional, constituted a national instu-
ton Our fathers did not say, with the aposate angel
EVIL, be thou my good r. In another spirit they cried
out TO slavery: "Get thee behind me, Satan :"
but there y yet another link in the argument In the
discussions which TOOK place in the local conventions on
me adoption OF the constitution, sensitive desire was
manifested to surround all persons under the constitution
with additional safeguards. Fears were expressed from
tDe supposed iDdetniieness OF OF the powers
ceded 10 the national government and also from the abb
sence OF bill of rights Massachusetts, on ratfyjnq
nd n ~