Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1854-02-13
For the Grant County Herald.
JOHN MITCHEI4-IEBER AND
SLAVERY.

The American nation has long beer
celebrated as the home of the persecu.
ted and oppressed. Here the victim
fleeing from religious intolerance or DO.
litical despotism may find secure re.
treat. This as national characteristic
was observed long since by Napoleon.
who remarked that ethe American was
singular nation, it thrived by the fol.
lies of Europe" And how true is this
now. Annually we see hundreds OF
thousands forsaking homes. kindred, and
all the endearments of their fatherland
and being guided by this star in the west
hope to find here as those wise men did
IN Bethlehem-a savior. But this is Pc
culiarly true Of us at the present time.
How the national pulse has throbbed
with delight and gratitude when Kos
stith stood AMONG us free man-when
Kosta was rescued from the ruthless
claws-and when John Mitchell landed
safely on these shores a flying exile,
guilty Of no crime but love of country,
and efforts for political independence
The address of the latter at the banquet
in New York was replete with the no.
blest sentiments, and with the true spi-
rlt of republicanism, and we rejoiced that
liberty had among us so earnest an ad-
vocate. But how few great men now
days are consistent. How our hearts
died within us when we have seen this
individual condescendiDg from his dlgni-
ty as an intelligent freeman, to give his
complete sanction to American Slavery
"the sum of all villainies." And the de-
sign Of this communication was to show
the inconsistency of this individual, land to
mark the depth into which he has fallen.
Hear him saying in New York 'sit makes
my pulse beat strong to find myself in
the presence Of free citizens" Often
had he stood before multitudes in his
own country apparently possessed of all
the attributes of humanity and not one
citizen among them, .'this to him was a
hideous sight" and why? because op-
preston denied to them the right of cit
izenship. Hear again his language of
eXultatlon: "The monarchical east casts
him out; the republican west welcomes
and embraces him. One SLAVE less in
Europe, one freeman more America to
theel Again as much as the Americans
love clipper ships and dollars they love
liberty and justice more" Then follows
catalogue of natures noblemen with
whom he seems to deeply sympathize
who wander exiles in foreign lands dri-
ven thence by oppres SION. america /
know will not be false to her high ira
ditionS and to the immortal men who
made her history. The time is coming
when she will have to decide once for
all, whether she will be the ally of ty-
rants or Of the people" Modest spir-
It's and loftiest intellects were not made
to be dragged down forever into an eter-
nal and hopeless conflict with cureless
wrong, SIauery and falsehood. No, eve
ry individual sacrificed in the cause of
liberty still lives aud moves about US,
helping to swell and kindle the seething,
heaving, mass OF that fluid which breeds"
we will add, Gods judgement on oppres-
Ston. This we would think was the
language of the most entire devotion to
freedom. Now, that we have loo ked on
that side, look on this. In the Citizen,
his own paper, published in New York,
we find these words sWe are no more
abolitionists than Moses or Jesus Christ
were. We deny that it is a crime or E.
ven pecadillo to hold slaues to buy
staDes, to sell staues, to Keep slaues to
work by logging, or other needful coer-
clon." And as to being participator
In the wrong Of slavery, II wish l had
a good plantation well stocked with
healthy negroes, in Alabama Just SO,
John, how consistent it would be. This
is a fine text on which to enlarge. Nc
more Of an abolitionist than Moses
Would that he were as much of one then
by his efforts; our Israelites might be
redeemed from worse than ssEgyptian
bondage" No more of one than Christ.
presume not he was the author of the
Golden Rule, and his whole life was
spent in promoting peace ON earth, and
good will to men.
We suspect he has become frightened
at The word abolition. | wonder if he
does not rejoice at the abolition of Eng
llsh rule over himself--and would not if
/ 1t was abolished also over his own coun-
try? "But again | deny that it is crime, y
&c. Then might makes right for Eng
land to Cypress your country; it was
right In her to send you to Botany Bay
under an escort of soldiery it was right
to make you toll there for nought, and
that by logging if necessary; it would
be right TO sell your mother and sister
from you, never to see them more, and
Ii would be right to destroy every noble
aspiration in you, and as nearly as posi-
bic to assimilate you to the nature of a
brute. This is your own teaching for
these are all concomitants of that slave.
ry which you justify. If these are your
real sentiments then all your EXPIRES.
sions OF gratitude TO this nation are as
sounding brass" And if oppression is
all right 1shn, why did you flee from it,
and In thy efforts to escape, involve the
life and liberty of one OF thy country
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