Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-02-22

1 Dy many THAT thcy Wouiu botIi uishPpcdf
| together. Nor do any words employed in
our day denounce il with an Indignation
more burning than that which glowed on
the lips ot'the Fathers. Early in the Con-
yention, Governor Morris, of Pennsylya-
MIA, broke forth in the language of an
| Abolitionist: He never would concur
in npholding domestic slavery. II was a
nefarious institution. II was the curse of
Heaven. In another mood, and with
mild, juridical phrase, Mr.. Madison
Thought it wrong TO admit in the Consti-
tuition the idea of property in man." And
Washington, in letters written near this
| period--which completely describe the
aims Of an Aboltionist--ayowed = that it
was among his first wishes to see some
plan adopted by which Slavery may be
abolished by law" and that to this end
chs suffrage should not be wanting"
In this spirit was the National Constitu-
ton adopted. In this spirit the National
Government was first organized under
Washington. And here there is a fact
Of peculiar significance, to which | have
already, ON former occasion, called
L
perpetual memory. AT the time that
| this great chief took his first oath to sup
port the Constitution Of the United States,
| the national ensign nolohere withan the
national Territory copered a single slime.
On the sea, an execrable piracy, the trade
in slaves, was still TO the national scandal,
! tolerated under the national flag. In the
/ Ctatn., ~, a .act.nral .n,t.tnt.nn knraath
the shelter Of local laws, Slavery unhap-
| PLY found home. But in the only Ter
ritories at this time belonging to the Ma
ton, the broad region Of the Northwest, it
had already, by the Ordinance Of Freedom,
been made impossible, even before the
adoption of the Constitution. The Dis
trict Of Columbia, with its fatal dowry, had
not yet been acquired.
Entering upon his high duties, Wash
ington, himself an Aboitionist, was sur
rounded by men, who, by their lives and
declared opinions, were pledged to war
fare with Slavery. There was John
Adams, the Vice President, who had early
announced that conserving to Slavery
is sacrilegious breach Of trust There
was Alexander Hamilton, who, as mem
Der of the Abolition Society Of New York,
had only recently united in a solemn petit
ton for those who, 7" though free By the
AaUs Of God, are held in Slavery By the
lars Of the State" There was, also, an
other character Of spotless purity, and
commanding influence, John Jay, Presi-
dent Of the Abolition Society Of New
York, until by the nomination of Wash
ington he became Chief Justice Of the
United States. In his sight Slavery was
an " iniquity 80 a sin Of crimson dye"
against which ministers of the gospel
should testify, and which the Government
| should seek in every way to abolish.
| "Were in the Legislature, he wrote, 81
would present bill for the purpose with
great care, and would never cease NOV
ing il till it became law or ceased to
be member Till America comes into
this measure, her prayers to Heaven will
| be impious." By such men was WASH
ington surrounded, while from his own Vir-
ginia came the voice Of Patrick Henry,
amidst confessions that he was a master
Of slaves, crying, 81 will not, ] cannot
justify it. However culpable my conduct,
| will so far pay my devoir to virtue as TO
own the excellence and rectitude of her
precepis, and lament my want Of conforms
| ity to them Such words as these, fifty
coming from our leaders, belong to the
true glories Of the country:
While we such presidents can boast at homo,
Keep thy Fabrcius and thy Cato, Rome!
| The earliest Congress under the Con-
stitution adopted the Ordinance Of Free
dom for the Northwestern Territory, and
thus ratified the prohibition of Slavery in
all the existing Territories Of the Union.
were men fresh from the labors Of the Con-
yention, and therefore familiar with its
policy. But there is another voice which
bears testimony in the same direction.
Among the petitions presented to the first
Congress, was one from the Abolition So
ciety Of Pennsylvania, signed by Benja-
min Franklin. as President. This veneer
able yotary Of Freedom, who throughout
a long life had splendidly served his coun-
try al home and abroad - whose name,
signed TO the Declaration Of Indepen-
dence, gave added importance even TO
that great instrument and then again
signed TO the Constitution Of the United
States, filled il with the charm of wis
dom - in whom, more than in any other
man, the true spirit of American Institu-
tons, at once practical and humane, was
embodied--who knew intimately the pur-
poses and aspirations of the founders -
this veteran statesman, then eighty-four
years Of age, appeared at the bar Of that
Congress. whose powers he had helped TO
define and establish, and by the last polit-
zeal act Of his long life, solemnly entreated
cha, il would he pleased to countenance
the restoration Of liberty TO those unhappy
men, who alone, in this land Of Freedom,
are degraded into perpetual bondage"
and g that il would step to the very verge
Of the power vested in il for DISCOUR-
AGING every species of traffic in the per-
i souo of our felloV men Only n short