The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1852-10-04

erty for the people. Once that word was enough to
electry mems hearts, ay to maze the stones In the
streets cry out for 10y But, by the compromise OF
1885, and this internal slave law and the efforts OF po
ical leaders and parties to sustain them the people
had been demorazed; their sentiments had been de-
bauched To thousands and hundreds OF thousands the
cry of the Rights of Man had become an odious cry
To hail liberty in the East while we were propagans
slavery the West; receive with honors fugtive
from Austrian bondage while hands were hrustng
back fusitives into tenfod drer bondage at the South
contradictions palpabe and so haganf that even
partisan blindness could not but see them kossuth
owed labor and service Francis Joseph OF Austria,
Just much as Thomas Sims owed 1t to John Potter,
of Georgia. Why should the dne be cheered and the
other chained? Why should the MISSISSIPPI! bring Kos
suh here for freedom and the Acorn carry Sims back to
bondage? kossuth had commted treason Ten thonSand
times over, against the House of Hapsburg. Why
should he be sheltered in our arms from the o,
treason, while the Government here sets all the oul
ministers of the law make constructive reasons Tor
the punishment of innocent men? kossuh had rebel
led against Austria and had caused the deat OF tens OF
thousands of her subjects Why should he be screen
ed behind a rampant of American hearts, whle those
who killed Gorsuch, under the law OF
and in defence of life, liberty, and home should De lg
ANONYMOUSLY hung on the galows! -
These questions that no DEAFNESS could
avoid hearing, and when heard, no soPhlstry could
answer, Freedom is one; slavery is antPode and
therefore the protection of the fugitive hossutn,
and the surrender of fugitive slave can never be
reconcied. Hence it was, that in public assem-
bies, among public men, throughout the newsPa-
per press, wherever the spirit of slavery predoml-
Lated, there Kossuth was denounced l say, among
public men. Accuracy directs me to add, that,
among our public men, there were few honorable
exceptions, of which Mr.. Webster was one. But,
as to the newspapers, if you one to-day, filled
with the verest servility towards the slave power,
you might be sure it would revile and defame Kos
suth tomorrow. Or, if you saw one column reek-
ing with abuse of Kossuth you would be sure to
find pro-slavery p@an in the next. Even at the
door of this House, after Kossuth had been invited
to the Capitol, he stopped and insulted. Some
of the more simple ones ayowed their reasons
They said if we sympathize with the oppressed IN
the person of a Hungarian now, we may be called
upon to sympathize with the oppressed in the per-
of three millions of Africans. Compare the trl
umphal "Progress" of Kossuth in the free States,
such no Roman consul, returning from foreign
conquests and laden with spoils, ever knew, with
the feeble and grudged and stnted honors paid him
in the land of bondage. Slavery made the contrast
Almost without exception, the Northern opponents
of Kossuth were smpathizers with Southern slave
ry, and therefore with Francis Joseph and Nicho-
las
The person of this truly noble Hungarian has
departed from our shores; but he has left behind
him spirit that will never die. He has scattered
seeds of liberty add truth, whose flowers and fruit
will become honors and glorious amaranthine. l
trust he goes tie battle for the right not with the
tongue and pen alone, but with all the weapons
that freedom can forge and WELD. Before the Di-
vine government bow in reverence and alteration;
but it tasks all my philosophy and all my religion
to believe that the despots of Europe have not
ted their irresponsible and other tyranes too long.
1t seems too long since Charles was brought to the
axe, and Louis to the guillotine. Liberty, human
ity, justice, demand more modern instances. The
| time has fully come when the despot, not the pat
riot should feel the executioners steel or lead
The time has fully come when ifthe oppressed de-
| mand their inaenabe and Heaven-born rights of
their oppressors, and this demand is denied, they
should say, not exactly in the language of Patrick
|
was noble language in its day, but have now
reached an advanced stage in human development,
and the time has fully come whentEe oppressed if
their rights forciby denied them, should say
the oppressors 'Give liberty or will give yott
death!''
| SLAVERY DEBAUcHEs PUBLIC SENTIMENT.
have said one of the collateral consequences of
slavery in this country has been to deprave corrupt
and debauch public sentiment. When. before, in
the history of the world, has it happened that
the leading men ofa Republic, and the leading or
gans of public sentiment supported by their wealth,
1 have become abettors and champions of slaveFy?-
Yet such is the morally hdeous spectacle our coun-
l try exhibits.
When before, in the history of the world, have
the most influential minds in the community Ia
bored and striven to blot out, theoretically, and
practically, the ineffacable distinction between a
man and brute, between human soul and an
inanimate chatte, to plant and enroot in civil
policy vast, expanding system, in which con-
science reason, the capacities of religion, and the
Unborn convictions accountability are made subserv
tent and secondary to the bones and muscles, ant
put upon auction blocks as incidents to the pool
that perishesl When before, in all our history
have men in eloquence and power ever traverce(
the country, and scattered letters and speeches
like the flakes of snow-storm, and subdue AMI
harmonic the public mind to such stupendou.
wrongs2 When be. ore since the Mayfower cross
ed the ocean with hea precious burden, has an,
one minister the Puritan stock dared evel
desired to put priests robes and enter the hous
of God, to defend slavery to palliate it! Sir
I such things were never known before. 1t is
new spectacle for and angles. 1t must give
new Joy to the world of darkness.
THE HIGHER LAW.
Another collateral effect which slavery has produc
ed is the promulg from the Halls of Congress-
also from-what in such is not the sacred, bu
the protane desk-that there is "Hgher Law" tina
e the Constitution, or than any Interpretation which an
e corrupt Congress may put upon it. Such doctrine
nothing less than palpahle and fragrant atheism Ii
am bound to obey any human law constitution, a
my rule of duty, henceforth that rule be
comes my supreme arbiter, judge, and god; and al
II compelled by logical necessity, to ahjure renounc
= and depose all Others There cannot be two suprem
" rules of right If acknowledge myself bound by tn
divine law, and that in conflict with the huma
N law, then must disobey the latter But if the huma
law be the Higher Law and if it conflicts with God
n law, then am bound to disobey the law of God.
the 'Higher Law" then on taking seats IN th
House, and all magistrates and legislators, when ei
ering upon the duties of their respective offices, oug
take oath before God support the Constlt
ton, but ought 10 swear by the Constitution TO suppo
that first and God afterwards; provided is convenlen
say, then, that this doctrine-which is one OF the Of
shoots of savery-hat there is higher law than tt
nd law of the State, is palpable and practical athesr
And yet it is perfectly W. known 10 all who hear
IN and to all who frequent the pureus of Congress, tn
TO there butt of rdicule here, nothlr
er which readily and frequently raises the or
Id laugh that speaks the vacant mind"
We Sir, is of fearful omen when the laws OF men
he the laws of God And the last aggravation is added
Nv ~ this inquity, when the politician DISCUSSES himself
meath the earb of priest and cloaks his wlckedDe
d under the show of religion,
No person feels profounder reverence, or wou
rs pay sincerer homage to Cody, sin-avoldIng 81
" exposing priesthood, than myself But have no ad
quate words to express my adherence for the cleric
" hypocrte, with whom religion is neither sanctlhc
@ ton the soul, publication OF the body, but
ia ly kind of policy of insurance against the retrbu
oh in another world for committed In this accompa
ng led all the while by knavlsh tricks the part OF
insured cheat the Divine Insurer out OF His p
hu MUM.
Mr. Sutherland. / ask the gentleman from Mass
chusetts whether it is possible that the higher law
R ne God come in conflict with the Constitution!
re Mr.. Mann. think it would be better to ask whe
no. the Constitution In conflict with the hgf
ce law
ng Mr.. Sutherland. / ask the gentleman If every Am
ate citizen does not obey the higher law OF God VIII
ice he obeys every part of the Constitution! And can
ks good result come from discussing these mmatera