Washington sentinel., 1854-03-04

Mr.: Jefferson had said, in his Declaration o
independence, that oil men constituting POI
J tons of the body polite ought 10 be equal
ought to have equal political rights, there woul,
have been something like propriety and wisdom
IN 1t. But however egotistlcal or absurd i
may appear in me TO venture to contradict ol
dispute the language of the Declaration of In
dependence, proceed to do it iearessly.
cannot, in the first place, believe that Mr. JEFF
terson ever intended TO give the meaning Of
force which is attempted now to be applied to
this language when he said: We hold these
truths TO be selfeyident, that all men are ere
ated equal.n
! hold it to be a selfevident lie. There is nc
such thing. Sir, tell me that the imbecile, the
deformed, the weak, the blurred intellect in
man, is my equal physically, mentally, or mo-
rally, and you tell me lie. Tell me sir that
the slave in the south, who is born slave, and
with but little over one half the volume oil
brain that attaches to the northern European
race is his equal, and you tell me what is ply
sically a falsehood. There is no truth in il at
all. But much more, Come from the slave
region, and go TO the free north; 90, if You
/ VIII, to the States Of Indiana, Ohio, New York,
or any other free State, and show me that the
| negro race, or the negro man, is upon an
| equality with the white man, and you show me
what does not exist. Sir, it is not true that
| even all persons of the same race are created
equal. But Mr. Jefferson puts no limit upon
| 1t. lie does not say they have equal political
rights, or. ought to have If he had said that,
| there might have been truth in it; but when
he says they are all created equal he says that
| for which he cannot find an honest endorser in
the world Sir, you tell me that the native Af
| rican, upon his burning sands, and in his ma.
| tive wilderness, is my equal, and hesitate
not to hoot at the idea. Tell me that the serf
of the autocrat of Russia, kueeling at his feet
and willing to lick his spittle, is my equal, and
| scorn the. assertion He is not my equal.
There is no truth in the declaration. Men are
not equal mentally, we all admit. Who are
the equals of the mighty fallen, who recently
had seats on this floor? Who are the equals
of Webster and Clay? The clarion voice Of
| the one, and the thunder tones of the other, at
different times made the welkin ring and turn
ed the whole blue arch of heaven into one great
bell, which toned to liberty rs though stricken
by the hand Of God. Are You the equals OF
those men? There is no color Of truth in it.
1t is false, physically, mentally, aid morally
false in word, and false in form. Neither do
believe that Jefferson intended that such con-
struction should be given to the language.
Equal in what? He does not say Does he
mean that all men are socially equal? Now, /
will demonstrate to you that there is no such
thing as social equality. Men may be made po-
litically equal. 1t is possible that their polti-
cal rights may be placed upon par, but social
and mental equality the God Of heaven alone
controls Men are not alike in their mental
organization or in their social feelings.
Arc you the equal Of the man who daily and
nightly wallows in the gutter, and yomts upon
all, and nauseates oil who come into his pre-
scnce? Are you his equal? If you are, you
are not mine. If he is your equal, you invite
him to your table, and your parlor, and make
him the associate and companion OF your wife
and daughters. Have all men that equality?
They have not with me, if they have with you.
No. sir; deny that any social equality can
You may per force of human laws, make po.
itical equality; but per force of no human law
can you make social equality. Men must have
tendencies, aptitudes, tastes, education, and at-
fnities alike, before they can have this social
equality. Why, sir, there is one class of men
who would readily say that | was not on an
equality with them. The learned divine, who
prates all the time about catcchisms and creeds,
about which / know nothing, would say at
once that there was no social equality between
us, and should be as ready to admit it as he
would. Again, there are other classes with
which ] am not willing to admit u social equal
ity. This language of Mr.. Jefferson goes to one
as well as to the other. 1t includes physical,
mental, moral, social, and political equality.
"All men are created equal" say that in
no one instance is there any color of truth in
it, There is neither mental, moral, physical,
social, or political equality, to be found among
rs. 1t does not exist. Now some fellow will
say that Petit is bold man, he cannot be
popular at home, he is certainly no democrat,
because he saws we are not all equal" | will
say to him, go roll with the fellow in the gutter,
if YOU are his equal" But | speak what is
true. ! speak what is the Judgment of all men,
if they dare say it, that neither morally, mem
tally, socially, physically, nor politically, does
equality exist in any country on the earth. 1t
cannot exist in the nature OF things. God him
self has not created them equal. 1t IS not
therefore, a truism, as Jefferson put it forth,
but is false in form, and false in fact. Sir,
will not trouble nor detain you with the ine-
qualities which the Almighty created especially
under his own theocracy The only govern.
ment, except this-I always except this, for this
is another government which he has taken
under his special care---but in olden times he
made exceptions himself as to political rights
as well as moral physical; and mental rights.
lie created priesthood. He created kings,
and set them up over the people, with different
political rights and powers | speak what is
his recorded and plainly written will, when |
say there is no such thing as equality among
men.
Now proceed to notice another question
which has been raised and touched upon by
the Senator from Massachusetts, Mr.. EVERETT
and by the Senator from Texas, Mr.. HousToS
particularly, and that is, the Indian question
and the faith Of treaties. Whenever hear an
appeal made to my justice, my candor, my
honesty, and nv integrity, either in public or
q private capacity, | inquire whether there is
anything wrong, and whether ] propose to do
anything wrong. Now, in reference to the In.
dians, the honorable Senator from Texas Mr.
HousToNl would make you believe that oil the
Indians upon the North American continent
are to be annihated by the organization OF
these territories. Letme say to the Senate--for
need not say to the senator--that almost all