The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1854-01-04
RAVENNA, WEDNESDAY JANUARY 4, 1854

praise upon our Government for its part IN the
: Kosz.a affair. In one two of those passages oi
very rare rhetorical beauty which occur in Secre-
tary Marcys letter to Mr.. Hulsemann, he ven
lures to inaiuuate the despotism of Austria. Now,
sir, 1 viii not say that there itnpudeut hypoc-
rsy in that nslnuation; but l will say that the
insinuation was in bad taste. | will adj, that it
was bad policy. In our diplomatic correspondence
We should studiousiy avoid all alIusinns to despo-
tism lest such illusions might suggest to the read
er comparisons between our country and other
countries that would be quite unfaverable to US.
admit that Austria is an oppressor; but is it not
equally and more glariDgy true, that America is
far greater and guiliier oppressorl Indeed, Aus
tran despotism, compared with our despotism,
which classes millions of men. women, and chill
dren with cattle is but the little finger to the
loins. No, SIR it will be high time for America to
complain of Austria for despoiism when We have
set such example before Austria as will tend to
shame her out Of her despotism, rather than to
justify and confirm her in it.
| In this same letter Secretary Marcy proceeds to
number, among the justifcatons of Captain In
graham, the divine law to " do unto others as we
would have others do unto u.s." Now ask you,
| was it not the very acme of presumption for
1 America to quote, in justification of herself, that
| divine command which she surpasses all otf Ter ma
tions in wickedIy trampling under foot ! Why
did Secretary Marcy suppose Mr.. Hulsemann
to be stune-blnd! Did he suppose Mr.. Hulse-
mann had lived in Washington SO long, and had
never yet seen the buying and ceiling of men,
women, and children, which is going on here con-
tinually, under the eye and the authority of the
American Government? Did be, ask suppose
| Mr.. Hu!semann to be ignorant of the fact that the
American Government is the great slave catcher
for American shareholders? Did he suppose him
ignorant Of The fact that the great American slave
trade finds, in the American Government, its great
patron and that this slave trade is carried on,
only under the general protection, but under the
specific regulations of Congress Did he suppose
him to be ignorant of the fact that many, both at
the North and South. claim that American slavery
s national institution made such, indeed by
the American Constitution ! 1t is, at any rate,
made such by the enactments of Congress. the de-
cisions of the judiciary, and the acquiescence of
the American people.
1t is common remark, that we at the North
have nothing to do with slavery, and that the slave
States only have to do with il But as we'll may
you, when you are urging up hill with heavy
load upon my back, and your lash upon my back,
tell me that l have nothing to do either with the
load or the lash. The North feels the load and
the lash Of slavery. Did Mr.. Marcy suppose Mr..
Hulsemann to be ignorant of the fact, that this
Administration sufpasses all its predecessors in
shameless pledges and devotion to the slave power!
Certainly Secretary, with all his signal ability,
fell into a very great mistake at this point. |
would call it very ludicrous mistake, it not
SO suggestive of wickedness as to be painful,
rather than ludicrous, mistake.
| But, sir, wish to do our Secretary perfect ius-
tice; and should leave this matter here, I might
leave the impression upon the minds of my hear
ers, that the Secretary enjoned absolute obedienee
to this commandment of God, which he presumed
to quote. Now, he did no such thing. He re-
membered American slavery and the fugitive slave
act, and provided for their safety. The Secretary
says that are to obey the Divine command Ito
do unto others would have others do unto
u.s." only when there is no command of man to
the contrary. In word, he adopts the Ameri-
can theology-the pro-slavery theology which
exalts the wisdom of man above the wisdom of
God, the authority Of man above the authority of
God. Christianity, says the Secretary requires
Us " to do unto others would have others do
unto u.s." eacept soaen aoe are acting undsr legal
restraints.
Now, sir this exception is sheer Interpolation
of the Secretary. This law, as find it in the
authentic and sacred record of Christianity is ub-
solue. The Administration are therefore guilty
of deliberately corrupting Christianity Sir, ad-
NIT that the Administration was under a strong
temptation in this case to corrupt Christianity.
admit it, and yet hold that this temptation should
have been resisted.
l am aware that if the Administration had put
the justification of Captain Ingraham's conduct
upon simple Bible truth they would, in SO doing,
have opened wide the door for the rescue of every
American fugitive slave; they would have justif-
ed the rescue of Shadrach. of Boston; they would
have justified the celebrated rescue in my neigh
borhood-I mean the rescue of Jerry, of Syracuse;
they would even lave justified the shedding of
blood at Christina; nay, sir they would have
Justified the liberation of every slave in the land.
Now, sir, to suppose that an Administration
which had sold itself in advance to the slave power;
that an Administration which had surpassed every
other in its devotion to that power-to suppose
| say, that such Administration would take the
simple, Bible ground, which would invite the sub
version of all slavery, is to suppose that it would
practice the cruelest iugrattude. Such ingraii-
tude could not have failed 10 exasperate that power
that mighty, dominant power. before which, moi
only all American administrations, but the Amer
can people themselves, fall down as abjecly die
Nebuchadnezzar's people before the image which
he had set up.
And yet, sir, hold that the Administration hac
no right to give up Christianity for slavery. I'm
porant as it may be to maintain slavery, it is
theless more important TO maintain Christianity
and neither this nor any other Administration
SHALL with my consent, deliberately corrupt Chris
tianity, either to save slavery, or for any othe
, purpose. And if the immortal John Wese ey wa
right in calling American slavery "the sum OF al
h,-o