The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-05-31

the hands. Surely the wrong is not less wrong
because it is gigantic, the evil is not less evil
because it is Unreasonable; nor can the duty
of perpetual warfare with wrong or evil be in
this instance suspended. Nay, because Slave
~ is powerful the Enterprise is diff
cult-thsrefore is the duty of oil more exigent.
The well-tempered soul does not yield TO diff
cultes, but presses Onl0Grd toreUer with increas-
ed resolution.
And here the question occurs, which is so
often pressed in argument or in taunt, What
haze zoe at the North to do ioiM Slaceryf In
answer might content myself by saying that,
as members of the human family, bound togeth-
er by the cords Of common manhood, there is
no human wrong to which we can Justly be in
sensible, nor is there any human sorrow which
we should not seek to relieve; but prefer TO
say. on this occasion, that as citizens of the
United States, anxious for the good name, the
repose, and the prosperity, of the Republic
that it may be blessing, and not a curse, TO
mankind-there is nothing among all its diver
SIZED interests, under the National Constitu-
ton with which, at this moment, we have so
much to do; nor is there anything with regard
to which our duties are so irresistibly clear. |
| do not dwell on the scandal of Slavery in the
National Capital-of Slavery in the National
Territories-of the coastwise slave trade on the
high seas, beneath the National Flag-all of
which are outside of State limits, and within
the exclusive jurisdiction of Congress, where
you and /, sir, and every freeman Of the North,
are compelled to share the responsibility and
help to bind the chain. To dislodge Slavery
from these usurped footholds under the Consti-
tuition, and thus at once TO relieve ourselves
from a grievous responsibility, and to begin the
great work of emancipation, were an object
worthy of an exalted ambition. But before
even this can be commenced, there is great
work, more than any other important and
gent, which must be consummated in the domain
of National Politics, and also here at home in
the Free States. The National Government
itself must be emancipated, so that it shall no
longer wear the yoke of servitude; and Slavery,
in all its pretensions must be disodged from its
usurped foothold in the Free States themselves
thus relieving ourselves from grievous respon-
sibility at our own doors, and emancipating the
North. Emancipation, even within the Nation
al jurisdiction, can be achieved only through
the emancipation of the Free States, accompa-
MED by the complete emancipation of the Ma
tional Government. Az, sir, emancipation at
the South can be reached only through the
emancipation of the North. And this is my
answer to the interrogatory, What have We at
the North to do with Slavery?
But the answer may be made yet more ire
sistible while with mingled sorrow and shame
] portray the tyranncal power which holds as
in tbraldom Notwithstanding all its excess of
number wealth, and intelligence, the North is
now the vassal of an o LIGARCHY, whose sim
gle inspiration comes from Slavery. Accord
ing to the official tables of our recent census,
the ACKNOWLEDGMENT, women, and children,
all told-are only THREE HUNDRED AND
FORTY SEVEN THOUSAND; and yet this
small company now dominates over the Repub-
lie, determines its National policy, disposes of
It's offices, and sways all to its absolute will.
With a watchfulness that never sleeps, and an
activity that never tires-with as many eyes as
Argus, and many arms as Briare us-the
SLAVE OLIGARCHY asserts it's perpetual
and insstiate masterdom; now Selling broad
Territory once covered by a time-honored Ordi-
nance of Freedom; now threatening to wrest
Cuba from Spain, by violent war or hardly less
violent purchase; now hankering for another
slice of Mexico, merely to find new scope for
Slavery; now proposing once more to open the
hideous, Remembering save-trade, and thus
to replenis. its shambss with human flesh; and
now, by the lips of an eminent Senator, assert
ing an audacious claim to the whole group of
the West Indies, whether held by Holland,
Spain, France, or England, as sour Southern
Islands," while it assails the independence of
Hayti, and stretches its treacherous ambition
even to the distant Valley of the Amazon
In maintaining its power, the Slave Oligarchy
has applied new test for Office, very different
from that Of jefferson Z" Is he honest? is he
capable? is he faithful to the Constitution ?"
These things are all forgotten now in the con-
trolling anast;nr 90 To lie fa:.Lf-i ~ cfayeTy -
With arrogant ostracism it excludes from every
National Office all who cannot respond to this
test. So complete and irrational has this
tyranny become, that at this moment, while
now speak, could Washington, jefferson, or
Franklin, once more descend from their spheres
above, to mingle in our affairs, and bless us with
their WISDOM not one of them, with his record
ed, unrstractea opinions on Slavery, could re-
ceive nomination for the Presidency from q
National Convention of either Of the late great
political parties; nor, stranger still, could either
of these sainted patriots, whose names alone
open a perpetual fountain Of gratitude in all
your hearts, be confirmed by the Senate of the
United States for any political function what
ever under the National Government-not even
for the Office Of Postmaster. What now say,
! amid your natural astonishment, have more
than once uttered from my seat in the Senate /;
and no man there has made answer, for no man
who has sat in its secret sessions, and there
learned the test which is practically applied,
could make answer and / ask you to accent
this statement as my testimony, derived from
the experience which has been my lot Yes,
fellow-citizens, had this test prevailed in the
earlier days, Washington-irst in war; first in
peace, and first in the hearts of his country
men-could not have been created Generalssi-
mo of the American forces; Jefferson could
not have taken his place on the Committee to
draft the Declaration of Independence; and
franklin could not have gone forth to France,
with the commission Of the infant Republic, to
secure the Invaluable alliance of that anc;aut
| kingdom.
And this giant strength is used with giant
heartlessness. BY a cruel enactment--w which
has no source in the Constitution, which defes
| Justice, which tramples on humanity, and
which rebels against God-ths Free States are
made the hunting ground for slaves and you,
and /, and all good citizens, are summoned to
| Join in the loathsome and abhorred work
| Your hearts and judgments, swift 10 feel and to
| condemn, will not require me to expose here
the abomination of the Fugitive Slave Bill, or
its utter unconstitutionality. Elsewhere | have
| done this, and never been answered. Nor will
| you expect that an enactment, so entirely de-
void OF all just sanction, should be called by
the sacred name OF lac. History still repeats
| the language in which our fathers persevered,
| when they denounced the last emanation of
British tyranny, which heralded the Revolution,
as the Boston Port Blu, and am content with
this precedent. / have said, that if any man
nnds in the Gospel any support of Slavery, it is
because Slavery is already in HIMSELF so do
now say, if any man finds in the Constitution
of our country any support of the Fugitive Slave
Bill, it is because that bill is already in himself
One of our ancient masters-Aristotle, l think
| tells us that every man has beast in his
| bosom but the Northern citizen who has the
| Fugitive Slave Bill there, has worse than a