The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-07-28

ton from his family and his wife, is SANDER.
Yet here is q preacher Of the gospel making
a pilgrimage of more than half thousand
miles, to find and arrest member OF Chris
tan Church, in free State, and drag him into
slavery He finds him settled down in home
which his own industry has secured, with a
wife and three children, useful and greatly
respected citizen. One would think that man
with particle of humanity, even If Freeman
tcere his slave, upon seeing such state OF facts,
would refuse to break up and desolate fami-
ly, and blight the prospects of man and tel
low Christian. But 30 deeply has this fellow
drank Of the spirit Of patriotism, that he deter
mines to make the mischief. Bonds and secur-
ity were offered him the most ample, for any
price that he might demand, in case Freeman
should be proved his slave. He refused every
thing; he demanded the man; and declared
that he would remove him to slave State and
to slavery!
A man that can read such state of facts,
and not feel his heart rising with Indignation
against this scoundrel clergymen, ought TO re-
gard himself as having sinned away his day Of
grace and as sealed over to Reproduction.
And yet, is this many any worse than the
law allowsl Has he done anything Illegal
This American people have laws within which
men may violate every sentiment OF humanity,
smother every breath OF Christianity, outrage
the feelings of q whole community, crush an
innocent and helpless family, reduce a citizen
of universal respect and proved integrity to the
level Of a brute, carry him to the shambles, sell
him forever away from bis church, his children,
and wife; all this may be done without viola
ting the laws of the land-nay, by the laws and
under the direction of magistrates
And so deadening has been the influence Of
slavery upon the public mind, that religious
teachers and religious editors, will find not q
single word to say against this utter abomina-
ton, and many pious words will they utter in
favor of this execrable statute.
Meanwhile. that same God who permits the
existence of 'tarantulss, scorpions, and other
odious vermin, suffers also the existence of such
creatures as this Rev Mr.. Ellington. 1t may
serve good purpose, in CLOSING, timid, shut
fling age, to exhibit before the sun, how utter
villain man be, and yet keep within the
pale of the law, within the permssons of the
Church, and within the requirements Of the
Christian ministry. To crush the human heart,
to eat up living household, to take family
into ones hands and crush it like cluster Of
grapes-this is respectable, legal, and Christian
in the estimation of cotton patriots and patriot
ic Christians, who regard law as greater than
Justice, the Union as more important than pub
lie virtue and practical Christianity.
Such law as that which permits these
scenes, will destroy the conscience and human
ity of the community, or be itself destroyed by
them. A people that have learned to see such
sights unmoyed, are not far from the level Of
Romans, whose amusements were in blood and
death of beasts and gladiators
As long as smooth prophets ease down the
public conscience and obsequious editors count
themselves worthy to bind up the sandals Of
savage laws whose every step perpetrates as
many crimes as man can commit against man,
80 long we need not wonder that there are such
monsters as this Ellington, ruifled out as min
lister of the gospel, to the shame Of every honest
man that wears the same cloth, and preaching
the gospel like volcano, through whose base
flame the fires of perdition.
IL will not forever be thus There is an I'M
perverted heart! There is Judge above cor
ruptiOn! There are laws neither framed in de-
ceit nor red-mouthed with the blood of the in
nocent. We turn to that great Heart guard
dian of the supreme and universal law, be
meath which the miserable piddling ensctments
of paltry politicians and housing merchants,
are as gross and withered leaves beneath the
boughs Of the cedars of Lebsnon.) Has not the
shame of our nakedness appeared long enough
How long shall this land stand before the world
like drunken woman loosely exhibiting her
hideous charms, which none can behold with
out shame and disgust?
Henry Ward Beeeher in the Independent.