The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1855-06-19

Ezn.azduszsBnunsuurzzIIn
done in this great Cause; but only by earnest
constant, valiant efforts against tho institution
| against the law--which makes slaves. -.
am not insensiblc to the difficulties Of this
work Full well know the power of Slavery.
Full well know all lis various entrenchmonts
in the church, the politics and tho prejudices
of the country. Full we'll | know the sensitive
interests of property, amounting TO many hun
dred millions of dollars, which are said TO be
at stake. But these things can furnish, us no
motive or apology for indifference or forany
folding of the hands. Surely the wrong is not
less wrong because it Is gigantic, the evil is not
less evil because II is immeasurabe; nor can
the duty ofperpetual warfare with wrong or
evil be in this instance suspended. Nay, be-
cause Slavery is powerful-because the enter
prise is dficuIt-therofore is the duty OF ell
moro exigent. Tho we'll tempered soul docs
net yield to difficulties, but presses onsard
foreVey with increased resolution.
And here the question occurs, which is so
often pressed in argument Or in taunt, Whdt
hare zoe at The North, TO do cith Slavery? In
answer. might content myself by saying that,
as members of the human family bound to-
gether by tho chords of common manhood,
there is no human wrong to which we can
justly be insensible, nor is there any human
sorrow which we should not seek to relove;
but | prefe- to say, on this occasion that, as
citizens Of tho United States, anxious for the
good name the repose and the prosperity of
the Republic--that it may bo a blessing and
not a curse 10 manknd-there is nothing a.
mong all its diversified interests, under the
National Constitution, with which, at this mo-
men', we have so much to do; nor is there any
thing with regard to which our duties are so
irr 81 4 10 tha
dal Of Slavery in tho national capital-of Sa-
very 10 the national territories--of the coast
wise 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 foot
holds under the Constitution, and thus at onco
to relieve ourselves from a grievous response
bili,y, and to begin tho great work of emanoi-
patton, were az object worthy of an exalted
ambition. But before even this can be COM
menced, thero is great work, more than any
other important and urgent, which must be
consummated in the domain of national poll
tics, and also hero at home in the Free States.
The National Government itself must be enan-
cipated, SO that it shall no longer wear the
yoke of servitude; and Slavery in all its pre-
tensions must be dislodged from its usurpod
footbold, in tho Free States themselves, thus
relieving ourselves from a grievous RESPONSE
bility at our own doors, and emoncipating 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. Ay, Sir, emancipation at
the South can be reached only through The
emancipation Of the North. And this is my
answer to the interogatory, What have we at
the North to do with Slavery?
But the answer may be made yot moro irre-
sistibe, while with mingled sorrow and shame
portray tho tyrancal power which holds US
IN thraldom. Notwithstanding all its excess Of
wealth, numbers and intelligence, the North is
now tho vassa of an oligarchy whose single
inspiration comes from Slavery. According
10 the official tables of our recent census, the
sldpc- mdsters--men, women and children, all
told-are only THREE HUNDRED AND
FORTY-SEVEN THOUSAND; and yet this
small company now dominates over the Re-
public, determines its national policy, disposes
of its offices. and sways all to its absolute will.
With a wa,chfulness that never sleeps and an.
activity that never tires, with as many eyes as
Argus and as many arms as Brareus, the
SLAVE OLIGARCHY asserts its perpetual
and insatiato masterdom; now sciziDg broad
territory onco covered by a time-honored or
dnance of Freedom; now threatening to wrcst
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, heaven defying Slave trade, and
thus to replenish its shambles with human
flesh, and now, by the lips of an eminent Son.
ator, asserting an audacious claim to the whole
groupe of tho West Indies whether hold by
Holland, Spain, France, or England, as "our
Southern Islands, while il assais the indepen-
denco of Haiti and stretches its treacherous
ambition even to the Valley Of tho Amazon.
In maintaining its power, the Slave Oligar-
ehy has applied a new test for office, very diff
feront from that of Jefferson: 4" Is he honosti
is he capable? is he faithful to the Constitu-
tionf These things are all forgotten now in
the controlling question, els bio faithful to
Slavery" With arrogant ostracism it ex-
cludes from every national Office all who can
not respond to this test. So complete and ir-
rational has this tyrany become, that at this
moment while now speak, could Washing
ton, Franklin or Jefferson once moro descend
from their sphere above to minglc in our affairs
and bless us with their wisdom, not one OF
them with his recorded nretracted opinions
on Slavery, could receive nomination for the
Presidency from National Convention of
either Of the late great political parties; nor,
stranger sill, could either Of these saintcd pa
triots, whose names alone open perpetual
fountain of gratitude in all your hearts, be
confirmed by tho Senate of tho United States
for any political function whatever under the
National Govcrnment-not eyen for the Office
of Postmaster.
What now say, amid your natural astonish
ment, have more than once uttered from my
seat in the Senate, aud no man who has sat in
its secret sessions and thero learned the test
which is practically applied, could answer; and
] ask you to accept this statement as my testi-
mony, derived from the experience which has
boon my lot. Yes elow.citizens, had this test
prevailed in the earlier days, Washington
first in war, first in peace, and first in tho
hearts of his countrymen.-could not have
been created Generaissimo Of the American
forces; Jefferson could not have taken his place
on the Committee to draft the Declaration of
and Franklin could not have
gone forth 10 France with the commission Of
tho infant Republic TO secure the invaluable
ral;a ma of that ano;art tip0doo,