The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-05-19

How sad its rost
And our tears flow,
We who are weak and low,
And cannot rise,
When they who learn to soar
Leave us and go before,
Into the skies
M. Hampstead.
HOW THE MATTER LOOKS FROM MY STUDY
WINDOW.
To the Editor of the National Era.
Looking out upon the political world from
my study window, | discover strange agree
ments between sworn enemes-men often
standing on the same principle to destroy each
other. Just now ProSlavery Hunkersm and
Anti-Slayery Radicalism are in this position
respecting the citizens oath to the Constitution
OF the United States. Both maintain that the
constitutional oath imposes moral obligation
to obey the letter of this instrument, and faith
fully to help enforce every law conforming to
its provisions. So my Hunker friend declares
am guilty of treason and perjury, if refuse
obedience to the fugitive slave cause in the Con-
stitution while the ultra Abolitionist accept
ing the issue, would persuade me to renounce
Government to which can swear allegiance
only on my SOULS peril
Now, even accepting this Interpretation Of
the clause in the Constitution relating to fugi-
tives from labor-although we know there is
highly respectable authority against it, do
not accept the principle on which both these
conclusions rest that an oath to support the
Constitution of my country requires me, as a
Christian citizen, to obey any constitutional pro-
visions declared hostile to the will of God by
my conscience, in its highest form of healthy
action. The inevitable conditions of this oath
forbid such an inference.
For, |. To ,phom is this oath pronounced
To God Almighty, the Sovereign of the uni
verse, whose creature am, whose service is my
sole duty-since my duty tomyself, my brother,
and society, repose at least on the obligation to
love God Whatever in man. or his institutions,
resembles God, or helps me to resemble him,
claims my obedience by "divine right" and
there is no other rightful claim to my obedi-
ence but that which bears the "imagc and gu
prescription" Of the Almighty Lawgiver. 2.
Who pronounees this oathe ], man, owing
unquestioned duty to my Creator, never having
had, not having now, and never 10 have, the
right to do or promise anything contrary to his
will and, consequently, entering every relation
of life, every institution (of which the State ID
one,) under this inexorable condition. 3. IL
tchdt do promise obsdiencei To the Constitu
ton of the United States, an imperfect instru
ment, by the very fact that it is human work
and because it represents the life of the Amer
can People, which is imperfect That Consti
tuition was not invented, neither did it happen
to be what it is but grew naturally out of the
actual life of the nation and as the human
body reveals, by its outward blemishes, the dis
ease in the blood this Constitution represents
our shame as well as our glory. We are a
free, intelligent enterprising and religious
people, compared with other nations and
these excellent qualities are represented in that
instrument But there is in our national views
faint of barbarism, especially visible in the
barbaric institution of Slavery, and the bar
barrie society of portion of the country and,
by fatal necessity, this element of American
life has been organized into the Constitution,
which is not aleague with hell" but an or
ganc social system, good in its great radical
tendencies, but diseased in this respect-a
grand, lusty Constitution" which, with time
and fair treatment, can be trusted to throw off
its disease. Under this imperfect Constitution,
into this imperfect social suate, was born. |
am part OF the vital organic life Of the Ameri-
can People use and am used by the Govern
ment Of my country every day ! live; and
cannot get out of this net Of institutional life
while live in America, if would; for the man
who is preaching revolution, 'aBd declaring
himself not citizen under the Constitution,
owes it entirely to the generosity of his Govern
ment that he is not riding rail horse, in q
coat of tar and feathers, expatiating to four
stone walls, or dangling from gallows fifty
cubits high.
Thus, when am invited to take an oath to
the Constitution these three inevitable conditions
environ me. cannot promise to disobey God
and degrade my manhood but there is no per-
feet government on earth, and will not be- till
have been dead thousand years What can
| do? Take my oa''' as any rejecting, reli-
gious man, excepting Washington Politician
or a Boston "Come- outer" knows | must--to
obey tie Constitution, under these natural and
ineuitabe conditions More than this cannot
do, for never had the right to do it. IL do
less virtually declare that oil good men must
abandon our Government until it becomes per-
feet. And will my "Come-outer friend tell
me when that will be, if Government is left
entirely in the hands of wicked men,
What, then, do ! promise, as q Christian
citizen, by my oath? /. To abide by tho spirit
Of this Constitution, those ideas Of justice and
freedom on which it is Enthusiastically built. That
this system of Government is radically free, re- |
ligious, humane, is proven, not only by its own |
radical principles, but by the spectacle OF
America the freest happiest nation, as phols,
On which the sun shines. 2. To interpret all
The particular provisions Of this instrument by |
It's radical ideas, and obey chcerfnlIy, every |
provision therein, which, by conformity to these
radical ideas, is also in conformity with Gods |
will g. As good citizen and good man, TO |
abor all my life 10 purge the moral constitu-
ion of the American People, and the written
which is it, type, Of this faint OF
TO endcavor to reform and reconcile |
% Gods will the few constitutional provisions
Inconsistent with it. This do, not in spite Of, |
but because Of my oath since no man can
wear 10 God TO disobey God And the Consti-
luton gives me the power TO act for it's own |
amendment in this way, or for the repeal Of any
obnoxious law. Failing in success this immoral
provision or law no longer holds me with
moral obligation. My country still claims my
obedience, but her claims in this particular
must be denied SO must do until tho Gov
,rnment becomes no radically corrupt, that
Revolution would become public blessing.
promise, by this oath, TO become citizen OF
America, in the only rational sense that Cars
ian can become a citizen, imperfect ~ oil hu-
nan governments are and the notion 10 popu-
ar with extreme constructionists would either
make all good men blasphemesA or drive them
III outside the pale Of society in either case,
commit this grand institution Of Government
o the care Of nation Of wicked men.