The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1853-02-23
Whole Number 1908

and forthwith carry them off TO distant planta
ton, such as Classy describes, to be broken 10 ,
BY the cart whip OF course, this assumes nc
slight degree Of magisterial or judicial blindness
Inc fugitive slave law, however, has pretty plainly
shown, IN the course OF its operations that Justice
is very properly blind in all questions where the
s'aver owner Is concerned. We scarcely needed
Mr.. H,ldreth's assistance to tell US this Rnt
should the said Miss Mary Smith or Miss Aune
Brown have The misfortune to possess the black
eyes or raven tresses of Grecian beauty enhanced
by the olive tnge of Italian sky. Justice would
be blind no longer. With no manumission in their
pockets, and slave dealers oath against them
we would not guarantee their discharge by any
Judge or magistrate in slave state, even if they
could boast fedigree through Saxon descent to
Adam.
We would fain hope, accustomed as We are to
slave-dealing and slave-owing iniquty. that the
horrible revolving incident on which the story of
the "White Slave" turns. is the pure invention of
the writer. Assuredy there is noihiog TO make if
improbable. 1t falls fairly within the contingencies
of such detestable system. 1t may have had q
foundation in real life; and perhaps, it is unlikely
that any accomplished writer would have yentured
TO draw upon his imagination for such a circum-
stance. unless he knew that the public in America,
for which he wrote, had good reaeou for believing
in its probability. 1t u.s. at all events. abhorrent to
English taste, and will be received here as ncrsdi-
bic though strictly reconcilable with the character
OF state that has direct iency to plunge all
connected with it into the very lowest depths of
profiigate depravity, and to confouud oil natural
ties in one mass Of incestuous kindred. If how
ever such things do occur not as casual excep-
tlons, but as common events in American slavery,
they must be fold 1t is impolitic it is cownrdy, it
is wicked to be deferred by fast,dious sdueamish.
| ness from the exposure of the filth and uuclean-
ness OF the systeiG. How can the sugeou ampu-
tate limb, or excise cancer, without exposing
the bo y in perfect nudity! Neg,o emancipation
would never have been gained in Engaud if, from
false delicacy, had refraned fiom calling a
spade "a spade" The first stop in any referm is
TO sac things in their true Ight the second to call
them by their right names. We revert to our
texi,-" The same cause will produce the same
effect" Slavery produced in our own colonies The
same misery, the same cruelty, the same ruin. the
same profigacy. the debasement of all
classes. That it has produced in the Southern States
of the Urion. Man is not capable of irresponsible
power. Ii is forbidden to the infrmity of human-
ty, it is forbidden TO angels and archangels.
The great Creator of all things has reserved it os
the attribute of Deity. Power. when lodged in
human hands, is inseparabIe from responsibility.
Where the victim is too impotent to enfurce that
responsibility, the wise and merciful ruling of
Providence has ordered it that the excuses of
power unlawfuly obtained, and immoraIlv exer-
cised, shall, by the degradation of the tyrant work
out their extinction; and then comes in tho maxim
por pnpul vor De-. God speaks by the mouth of
the people. So it happened in England, and SO it
will be in America. -.....-.
For many, many years we found parliament
against us; then said, "we will appeal to the
people," We found the press against US; we
will lecture in every public hall in the country
And at last, it was the worst difficulty of all, we
found the people not actually against US, but apa-
thetic, ethargic. incredulous, Indifferent 1t was
then and not till then, that we sounded the right
note, and touched chord that never ceased to
vibrafe. % To uphold slavery wac crms before
God ~ 1t was novel doctrine, but it was q cry
that was heard, for it would be heard. The ma
tiohal conscience was awakened TO inquiry, and n-
qniry soon produced conviction. Could it be 9TH
erwise than sin to ensiaVe the soul by eDchain-
| ing the body Could it be otherwise than sinful
to compel prostitution by The lash to exhaust life
by continuous labot under the cart whip7 to
| scourge men and women into disobedence to God
that they might pander to the luxury and debauch-
cries of man ? to desccrate the Sabbath, TO dehar
from marriage, to superseds the authority of the
parent to pouts the chastity of the child 10 sever
all the ties of nature, to degrade the intellectual
animal to passive brutality, TO fe!ter The conscience
with manacles and handcuffa, or blind it in dun
geons and work-houses? Rights of property
| what We're they to the rights of Col? Property!
who gave all property, but the same God that ad-
judged the man-siealcr to sioniog 10 death 3
Thou shalt not stea;'' and are a mans blond
and bones less valuable than his purss! .Thnu
shalt not commit adultery - and shall pro-
hibt marriage, appropriate anoihe,s wife for his
con.ubine! Thou shalt do no murdsr;" are
we permitted, then, to extermina,e race by la
| Dor, by starvation, and by torture
| Such reasoning came home to tho heart and
mind. Some few, indeed, great in power though
few 10 number. must needs be purchased into nc
quioscence Uheir consciences having peculiar
twist towards themselves y and the conscience
stricken public, not without grumblng, in
dignantIy. threw down the bribe of twenty mil
lions. Such, however, was the remorsefu
feeling of tho day. that while come vague indef-
mite fancy that the country ought TO pay penalty
for having ever surctioned the acqlsition of such
unholy property. induced this extravagance. eman-
cipaiion would have undoubtedly been compelled,
had it not seemed moro convenient thus quietly to
purchase it whom the bargain of blood wos pro-
posed.
Such then must be the policy ofour American
friends. They have yet greater difficulties to
overcome, but patience will overcome them all
1t was the work of half century TO overcome our