The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-10-12
AN ABoIIrIoNIsT DEFINED.

understanding In the Choctaw Nation, an
Abelitionist is defined to be, one who teaches
slaves, or permits them to sit ut meals with
him-the only legal definition of the word we
have ever known. Bat in the pulpit on the
stump in Conventions in Congress, and in the
columns of the newspaper press, it means any
thing, or everything, according to circumstan-
ces An Abolitionist "is one who goes for
amalgamation, for running off slaves and for
cutting the threats of the slaveholders" An
Aboltionist is one "who would turn all the
slaves loose at once.n An Abolitionist is one
"who writes, epeaks thinks, or feels, against
Slavery" An Abolitionist is one "who goes
against the rights of the States and the guar
antees of the Constitution, and would inter
fere with Slavery in the States" An Adolf
ZIONIST is one who is opposed to Slavery, and
would prevent its extension to free territory"
So run the definitions, sometimes so narrow, as
to include nobody, sometimes so broad as to
embrace everybody. Mr. Torrey was an Abo-
ltionist because he was in the habit of run
ming slaves off to the FREQ States MIR. CARR
con is an Aboltionist, because, while he denies
that the Constitution confers any power on
Congress to abolish Slavery in the States, he
hates Slavery so intensely, that he advocates the
dissolution of the American Union. Mr.. Smith
is an Abolitonist, because, while advocating
the American Union, he holds that Congress
has the right to interfere with Slavery in the
States. Mr.. Chase is an Abolitionist because,
although he holds that Congress has no right
TO abolish Slavery in the States, it has right
and is bound to prohibit it within the excu-
sive jurisdiction of the Federal Government.
General Cas- is an Abolitionist because, while
submitting to every demand the Slave Power
makes upon him, and denying the right of Con-
gress to interfere against Slavery anywhere
within Federal or State jurisdiction, he re-
CARDS Slavery as an evil, and thinks it cannot
exist anywhere, except by positive law. In a
word, every man is an Abolitionistb who does
not believe that Slavery is the most blessed of
all human institutions and that the great mis-
sion of the American Union is to protect foster,
extend, and perpetuate it.
These remarks are suggested by ON attempt
of the NeU York Daily Times to vindicate the
Wings of New York against the charge of
Abolitionism; and by paragraph in the Ma
tiondl Intelhgenesr, defining the position of
Senator Sumner. The Times says:
There is nothing whatever, in the position
of the Wing party in this State, to warrant
such an imputation. The Wings of New York
stand now, as they have always stood, firmly
and faithfully by the Compromises of the Con-
Stitution on the subject of Slavery. They rec
ognise the right of every State to maintain or
abolish Slavery, just as it may see fit; nor is
there the slightest pretext for saying that they
would justify or countenance for a moment
any interference, on the part of the General
Government with that right, or with its indie
pendent exercise"
According to the TINES, an Abolitionist is
one who goes against the Compromises Of the
Constitution, and is in favor of the interference
of the Federal Government to abolish SIGUerg
an The States. 1t is rather odd, that this def
milton fits nobody. Gerrit Smith and the small
class Of Anti.SlsveTy men who concur with
him, are in favor of Federal action to abolish
Slavery in the States but they deny shat they
go against any of the Compromises of the
Constitution, for there are no Compromises,
sanction or protection. Mr.. Garrison and the
email class of Anti-Slsvery men he representa-
do not call for Federal action to abolish Slavery
in the States, but for State action to abolish
the Union. The great body of political Anti
Slavery men who supported. Martin Van
Buren, in 1S4S, and John P. Hale in 1852,
make no war on the Compromises of the Con-
stisution, because, they say, they impose on
them no duty inconsistent with sound moral
ity and disclaim any purpose of interfering,
through the General Government to abolish
Slavery in the States. The Nsw York Times
might as well try again.
The InteIligeneer is somewhat more precise
Somebody, with the characteristic courtesy of
the Pro-Slavery tribe, had stigmatized Charles
Sumner, in its columns, as a brazen-faced
Abolitionist" This being brought to the no.
tice of the editors subsequently, they regret it,
for they are not in the habit of allowing the
language of vituperation, &c. They add
Edwards the Senator from Massachusetts,
such language could not be justified by any
thing within our personal knowledge. In
common with most of his countrymen of the
North, he is doubtless q thorough Anti-Slave-
ry man; but he is not an Abolifonist in the
understood sense of the torn. He has never
proposed, and we presume il has never enter
ed into his head, to interfere with the relation
of Slavery in the States or Territories within
which it has lawful existence"
The InteLligencer then defines an Abolition
list as one who is in favor of interfering
with Slavery in the States and Territories
within which it has lawful existence" Is it
aware that such definition will relieve Ger
rit Smith of the "imputation of Abolition
ISM Mr.. Smith denies that Slavery has
lawful existence anywhere-nay, that it is
possible to give it lawful existence He will
of course disclaim being an Aboliiopist, in
the understood sense of the word, as defined
by the Intsliigeneer. So will the editors of the
Pest and Tribune of New York, Chase, Sum-
ner, Seward, Giddings, Wade, Hale, and the
great majority of Anti-Slavery men, whether
Wings Democrats, or -Soilers-for, while
they all 60 against Slavery in the Territories
belonging to the Union, they all deny that it
has or can have any "lGwftd existence" there
in. Try it again, Mr.. Inteuigsncer.
The truth il, Aboliionism is mere raw
head and bloody bones. to frightcn towards
and all those respectable people who think
more of appearances than reality Every
person who loves Liberty, and hates Slavery
and who is doing what he can in his
sphere, honestly, without fraud, without VIC
lence, to bring about the abolition of all Sla-
very and oppression in this country and