Washington sentinel., 1854-06-21
THE LOVE OF THE ABOLITIONISTS
FOR THE SLAVES.

THE LOVE OF THE ABOLITIONISTS
FOR THE SLAVES.
Joshua R. Giddings, in a speech, delivered
in the House of Representatives, whilst the
Nebraska bill was pending, gave utterance to
the following sentiment:
!" To surrender this vast Territory to slavery,
will exclude free men from it; for, as | have
said, free laborers, bred up with feelings OF
selfrespect, cannot and will not mingle with
slaves"
This is suggestive. 1t exposes the hypoc-
risy Of the abolitionists, and proves that their
loud-mouthed professions Of kind and charita-
Bile feelings for the negro race are all false.
"The free laborers bred mp with feelings Of
selfrespect' to whom Mr.. Giddings alludes are
evidently freesoil and abolition laborers and
it is true that the feelings of such viii not per-
NIT them to mingle with slaves, nor even to
occupy the same Territory with them. In the
southern portion Of the Union, there is a vast
number Of laborers owning 10 slaves; but yet
living in the same States and counties and
towns with slaves. The aboltionists them
selves are constantly declaiming on the small
and the large number Of those who are not
Shareholders. These latter, together with the
slave owners, arc free laborers, yet they do not
fly the country because of slavery. But we
presume that Mr. Giddings would say that they
are not bred up with feelings Of selfrespect !"
( The Ohio abolitionist evidently speaks Of
those who entertain ideas similar to his own.
Indeed, he has no right to speak for any other
class of men, whether laborers or idlers. We
must, therefore interpret the passage we have
quoted from his speech to mean that freesoilers
and aboliiionists shrak from inbabting the
same territory with slaves. Their feelings oi
selfrespect viii not permit them to do SO. We
have no doubt that the declaration thus inter
preted is perfectly true. The abaEtionists are
supremely selfish. They care nothing for the
slave, yet they are constantly asserting that.
the negro is entitled to equal rights and equat
privileges, and they are constantly pressing
laws to place him nominally on footing of
equality with the white man. This is dont
merely for effect. Like their professions o.
love and sympathy, it is all q sham, mere
gull-trap. cunning device, to hide the black
philanthropy, so that they may obtain thai
credit for honesty and sincerity which will pro
tect them from the fate which their incendiary
purposes deserve. But when the truth is told;
their feelings of selfrespectn will not permit
them to inhabt the same Territory with slaves.
But it may be said that Mr.. Giddings and his
abolition crew do really cherish sincere af
fection for the negro race--but that their feel
ings of selfrespect win not permit them 10
mingle with that race when in state of sla-
very-yet they would cherish negro as an;
equal and brother in state of freedom. 1t
is not so. Whether bondsor free, they care
nothing for him. When they have stolen a
slave they are content-not because they have
benefited the slave but because they have in
iured the slaves master and effected something
to keep up sectional agitation for their own
aggrandizement. This is proved BY the faci
that they oppose the introduction of manumit-
ted slaves into their neighborhood, and by the
horrible condition Of the free blacks who are
in their midst. A man may manumit his slaves
and carry them amongst the abolitionists Of
Ohio. VIII these philanthr6pic gentlemen re-
ceive them with open arms? Will their charity
furnish their colored brethren, whom they love
SO much, with food, and raiment, and shelter?
By no means, they would hunt them up and
drive them off. But if the master carries his
slaves in their neighborhood, then they are on
the alert, using every means to steal them, Sc
crete them, and hurry them beyond the reach
ofpursuit.
Every one who has any knowledge Of the
subject, knows that the people Of the south
those who own slaves as well as those who do
not--are infinitely more kind to the negro,
whether bond or free, than the abohtionists Of
the north. Indeed, the abolitionists have less
regard for the negro than the rest of the popu-
laton of the free States. For effect they will
insist on the passage of laws establishing ne
gro equality; and tor effec. they viii lionize
free negro in a railroad ear or on steamboat,
for it costs them nothing; but they do not
seem much disposed to iasist on negro equality
in practice, unless they can wound the sensi-l
bilities Of southern gentleman, and create
disturbance by doing SO. In the south the
laws recognize the inferiority Of the negro,
and the southern gentleman can treat his slave
with kindness and consideration, and permit
familiar and friendly intercourse without fear
of losing any Of his dignity or authority. This
applies to southerners who do not own slaves
for the law recognises and fixes the social in
feriority Of the negro But when the legal
barrier which separates the two races is re.
moved and mischievUus men preach up negro
equality, then natural repulsion ensues and
tie requirements Of society enforce the dictates
of nature more relentlessly than the laws could
have done. The negro is an inferior animal
and if the law does not recognize the fact ma