The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-09-15
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X q
ton. and to add little more cruel wrong to-
wards the oppressed Of Gods people. And to
make assurance doubly sure, to put the key In
to the paddock Of the chain, which fastens IT
forever upon the free States they further re-
solve that henceforth all discussion upon the
subject of slavery is to be discountenanced and
resisted by these political organizations
And now. | wish to put it to the people of
New York whether it is possible, in the nature
of things. that two parties shall be maintained
upon the same platform? Let men who are
looking forward to political life look to that
Eyerybodys common sense supplies the an
swer IL is impossible utterly impossible.
What is the saving grace of both Of these plat
formsl Slavery. That is the point in which
they agree They are to maintain slavery, and
resist agitation against slavery. Why, | am
astonished to see so many of you here tonight
TO see you come here and countenance agita-
ton My brother Democrats, why are you
here! Why are you not at home, resisting
agitation? Or, why not here give some prac-
teal effect to your resistance OF agitation! But
you do not propose TO resist it here but at the
ballot-boxes. You are not going to give your
SURFACES to Anti-Slavery men. Well, much
good may it do you. What will be the prac.
teal effect of your resistance? Already we
see the Democratic party divided into two parts
There are the Liberal, and there are the Hnnker
Democrats And there are the Wings, just a.
liberal just as indulgent supporting the candi
dates and rejecting the platform They are
divided, and remarkable fact Is, that the
Hunkers Of both parties have greater affinity
for each other than they have for the other
faction Of their own party, and Utce versa.
This shows just this, that the time is coming
in the history of the land, when, by the com
mon consent Of the slave power and Of the An
t-Slavery sentiment of the country, all their
old issues are to be temporarily laid aside, and
this question of slavery or freedom is to be set
tied. Applause When the slave power went
into the Baltimore Convention, and forced the
two parties to abandon their own issues and
unite in this new issue, they accepted tho issue |
which had been rendered to them for long |
time. For twenty years this question has been
continually agitated and pressed.
We now see this Independent Democratic
party swelling in numbers, and the question
taking possession of the literature Of the coun
try and even the theatres and finding its way
more and more into the pulpit, and asserting
more and more its supremacy over other ques-
tons We see the people gathering in immense
crowds as have seen them the last few weeks
in Ohio utterly refusing to listen to the discus
sions of any other political question. We see
it taking possession of the minds and hearts OF
the people, and we see too, Hunkersm and
slavery arrayed to stay the onward stride Of
freedom. The issue is important. The slave
holders made il, and the Anti Slavery men Of
the country join in it, For whom are you to
Join in this struggle off the Lord be God,
follow him, but if Baal, follow him. If free
dom be dear to you, and you love and cherish
It, and mean to maintain it. JOIN with those
faithful men, who arc maintaining the defence ,
of freedom. But if slavery be dear to you, if
whips, and gags and chains, be the emblems
under which you prefer to march, array your :
selves under the standard of slavery but do not q
stand neutral Nay, upon this question, you {
cannot stand neutral You must be upon the
one side or upon the other.
have said that this question was agtated
throughout the length and breadth of the land
SO it is but there's another thing. 1t has gone
over all the world That remarkable book
the creation Of womans genius, borne upon
the wings Of inspiration, has passed from land
TO land, making its way as if the gift of
tongues had been revived for a new apostle Of q
liberty, and is fixing the gaze of nations upon !
our system of slavery here in America. The
world IL now looking upon US, and the Demo
Gratis of England have lately sent over TO us
Democrats in America appeals to remove from
our land this stigma which impars the weight
of our influence and glory i'll other countries.
We hear these appeals constantly from all who
struggle against despotism On the other hand,
the tyrants Of the old world, as they look at
our institutions, take up the taunt against us,
and say Thou, America, art thou not become
like unto us!" When we see these things, we
know that we cannot withstand the influence
Of the world. We have got to take up and
settle this question, which the worlds opinion,
and our own conscences and honor, combine
to force upon us
Our first business is to declare our own per-
sonal independence, TO refuse our support TO
anything which degrades our humanity or any
mans humanity Our next is to relieve our
selves of all responsibility for this matter of
slavery Does any man doubt that Congress
may relieve us Of slavery in the District of
Columbia! Nobody. We can remove it. |
know that it is said that we cannot | have
heard of q member of Congress, who, when
asked by his constituents why they did not
abolish slavery in the District of Columbia, re-
piled, "Don't you know that the District of
Columbia has Legislature of its own, and that
it would be unconstitutional to interfere with
the legislation of that Legislature 2" Laugh
ter But we are too wise for that, gentlemen,
nowadays, We know that slavery there IL
Iepugnant to the express terms of the Consti-
tuition.
Then there is the coastwise slave trade,
which gathers up it's victims from Virginia and
the Northern slave States; and from Alexan-
drla Norfolk, Richmond and other cities are
daily sent forth the miserable creatures of sa-
very upon the Southern plantations The ships
which arc freghted with them are registered
and controlled by our laws. We can repeal
those laws
Then there is the sale of men, women, and
children, under DEGREES issued out of the courts
OF the United States Those sales take place
under laws made by the voters of New York,
and other free States and those laws can be re-
pealed by the votes of the free States IL you
can exempt the homestead from sale, cannot
you exempt men, women, and children! No
one doubts that. Then you can prohibit slave
ry IN the territories. When you have done
these things, you have met the practical ques-
tons of this day. and have said that the slave
power shall no longer rule over us. You have
settled this great question Of freedom or slave
ry, in favor Of freedom--this great question,
whether this country shall be a Democracy or
a despotism, in favor of Demooracy--this great
question, whether the land shall be ruled by |
the people OF by class of Shareholders, In ia
vor Of the people--and that your Government |
instead of being the representative of the spirit |
and idea Of slavery, shall become the represent |
alive Of the idea and principles of freedom.
Let us do our part of the duty in this great
work Ohio will we'll do hers. We have gone
into this battle not with a view Of increasing
our vote, but for the purpose OF electing our
candidates Applause. We may fail, as other
parties fail but we shall 60 to this work again,
and shall succeed. | tell you we will give an
utterance at the ballot-boxes which will make
people take note of the signs Of the times, and
send CONSERVATION into the camp of Hunker-
ISM We intend to east sixty thousand votes in
favor of our candidate for Governor. We do