The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-09-07
For the National Era.
LIBERTY VERSUS SLAVERY.

Now that the socalled Representatives of the
people have betrayed their constituents, it be.
comes the people themselves to take the matter
IN nand, and redeem our country from the foul
curse OF Slavery and Slave Despotism IL is
one OF the strangest anomalies of modern times,
that people protesting the pure principles of
republlcanlsm and democracy and holding
themselves up as a model to all nations, should
become the advocates of one of the foulest sys-
TENS OF oppression that ever cursed humanity.
Our Government is nominally democratic,
while 1t is virtually and practically aristocrat-
lc or, what Is worse, the nation is ruled by a
petty Slave Oligarchy. theoretically, all power
emanates from the people; while virtually and
practically, political faction at Washington is
the source. Equality of rights and privileges
is the great and fundamental principle Of the
democratic creed; while, in the practical ope-
rations OF the Government, this principle is
dnnutted. Almost the entire power and pat
ronage or the Government is prostituted to the
Slave Power, and made tributary to its perpet-
uation the national funds are squandered in
the prosecution of expensive and destructive
wars and the negotiation of treaties for the &C.
QUESTION of more slave territory. Not content
with the passage of the Compromise of 1850,
by which we were made a nation of slave.
catchers, it has at length succeeded, through
the aid OF Northern doughfaces, in effecting
the double evil of extending slavery into free
territory and also in abrogating solemn COM
pact by which slavery was forever prohibited
IN said territory. AS was anticipated, the
passage of the Compromise of 1850 but pre-
pared the way for fresh demands The long
and contemplate subserviency of the North
has taught the South that her demands, how
ever insolent, will be complied with
Talk no more to me of African Slavery Be-
hold are we not a nation of slaves We are
required, under pain of fines and imprisonment,
to become slave catchers for the South, and
our hearts revolt
We must not, and by the grace of God we
mil not submit to such degradation We are
In the midst of revolution, which, if not
speedily effected at the ballot-box, will be
effected by physical force. If our fathers were
justified in resisting British despotism, certain
ly their posterity are justified in resisting the
worst system of oppression upon which the sun
ever shOne. Is it true that the great doctrine
of Equality of rights and privileges" is a lie!
Did our fathers fee from British despOtism,
only to establish in America another Is
slavery, then, the genius of our Institutions
the sole object Of their foundation No; in
the language of Patrick Henry the great
American orator, 4" Give me liberty, or give me
deathu
If ever any doubts have existed in the minds
of Anti Slavery men as to the designs Of the
Slave Power, RECEIPT events must have suffced
to remove them. From henceforth, Anti-Sla-
very men must not be satisfied with merely
defensive measuree--their movements must be
aggressive in Their character. For myself
am satisfied that nothing short Of the entire
abolition of slav ry throughout the nation
ought to be atten tied. Does any one say this
is attempting toe much Not if we would
have justice done 20 the slave or secure peace
to the nation. Does any one say, the Consti-
tuition guarantees 90 the South the right to hold
slaves! This remains to be proved. (The
trainers of the Constitution, it is plain, could
never grant rights and powers they never pos
sessed But, even admitting this to be true
deny the right Of our fathers to enter into
league with Satan, and bind their posterity
and all future generations to its observance
Moreover, the days of compromise are ended.
Recent events have shown that there can be no
peace to the nation while slavery is permitted
to live. The doctrine Of mere non-extension Of
slavery, as means of curing the evil, has
proved altogether inadequate.
Slavery is, and must be, from its very nature,
aggressive. 1t will be satisfied with nothing
short of universal dominion. AS an evidence
of this look at the efforts which are being
made by the Slave Power to acquire the West
Indies, Central America, Mexico also the pro-
posed coalition with the Brazilian Government
/ Tor the purpose of extending slavery and the
re-esta blshment Of the African slave trade. In
word, it is evidently the design Of the Slave
Power to acquire all that joins them, for the
purpose of extending over it the benign inhu-
ences of slavery. We repeat nothing short of
the entire abolition of slavery will remedy the
evil, or save our country from ruin and what
We do, must be done quickly. A few more
copquests by the Slave Power, and it will be
too tGte We, as a nation, will have filled up
the measure of our iniquities, and, as there is
God in heaven, ours is the oppressor's doom.
Friends of Freedom to the rescue Let preach
en-, lawyers, doctors, farmers, mechanics, mer-
chants, and men of every stripe-fOrgetting
party names end party ties-to man, unite
for liberty, and, for once let Us have " Gov
ernnent by the people," j. c. w.
| WhltJord, Mieh, June 20, 1854.
| 10 Our correspondent expresses himself
strongly, and he has reason. But, let US not for
get that State Rights, in system, are the best
safeguard against Federal tyranny. Our bust
ness is to redeem the Federal Government from
vassalage to tho Slave Power, and all RESPONSE
bility for Slavery, and, through its constitu-
tional exercise, foster sentiment of Liberty
in the slave States, as it has been made an in
strument of encouraging Pro Slavery senti-
ments in the free States.-Ed. Era.