The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-09-11


that we will have no trade, commerce. dealings,
or intercourse whatever-with any colony, or
province in North America, which shall not &C
cede to, or which shall hereafter violate, this
association; but will hold them as unworthy of
the rights of freemen, and as inimical to the
liberties of this country"
"The foregoing association being determined
upon by the congress, was ordered to be sub
scribed by the several members thereof; and
thereupon we have hereunto set our respective
names accordingly.
cIN CONGRESS- PHILADELPHIA
October, 20, IVA.
"PEYTON RANDOLPH, President"
(Arehi0es, Ibid)
Mr.. Chairman, that was the bold, stern Ian
guage in which our fathers denounced slavery
the sum of all villanies." These were some of
the incipient measures to which they resorted, to
rid themselves of the iniqutous and ruinous sys-
tenn of slavery. simultaneously with this as
ISOLATION, formed by the first congress- North
Carolina denounced the slave trade and slavery, in
language equally bold and truthful. The colony
of Georgia did the same in the following year; and,
indeed the united voice of the colonies, during
the agitations which Immediately preceded the
revolutionary war, down to the browning period
of the declaration of independence, was utterly
condemnatory of slavery, MORALLY, SOCIALLY, AND
POLITICALLY.
has assured us, that if the " black republicans
elect their president in the coming contest the
union will be dissolved, inasmuch as no southern
man will take office under such an administers
ton. This prediction however, is not original with
that gentleman, nor to the section from which he
comes for even the north has at least one man
simple enough, to back his own pretensions to
the presidency by similar threat. But, Mr..
Chairman if Mr. Fremont can induce no living
cta tp fpnan LET
him select the ghost of some one of their dead
sages; for though he be dead, he yet speaketh."
Hear the old Georgians speak from their honored
graves
"CoLONY OF GEORGIA, january IL, 1775.
ITO show the world that we are not influenced
| by any contracted interested motives, but
general philanthropy for all mankind, of whatever
climate, language, or complexion, we hereby de-
clare our disapprobation and adherence OF the
unnatural practice of slavery In America
practice founded in injustice and cruelty, and
highly dangerous to our liberties, las well as
lives debasing part of our fellow-creatures be-
low men, and cOrrupting the virtue and morals
of the rest and laying the basis of that liberty
4 we contend for upon very wrong foundation.
We therefore resolve, at all times, to use our
utmost endeayors for the manumission OF our
slaves in this colony upon the most safe and
equitable footing for the master and themselves"
In that day, Mr.. Chairman, Virginia was not
behind her sister colonies in condemnation of
slavery. In November, IVA, James City county
endorsed the action of that first continental con-
gress in the following language:
"The association entered into by congress be-
ing publicly read, the freeholders and other in
habitants of the county, that they might testify
to the world their concurrence and hearty ap-
probation of the measures adopted by that re-
spectacle body, very cordially acceded thereto,
| and did bind and oblige themselves, by the
sacred ties of virtue, honor, and love to their
country, strictly and inviolably to observe and
keep the same in every particular."-Ibid
Woe is the day, Mr.. Chairman, that she ever
receded from her plighted faith Had she kept
the faith of her fathers, note of discord would
have ever marred the harmony of that union,
then so auspicoHsly inaugurated. But she has
fallen, and her sons are now heading that great
conspiracy, the purpose of which is to blight the
continent with the endless curse of human bond
age
] know very we'll Mr.. Chairman, and / blush
| to own it, that Virginia and the south are not
| alone in this great apostacy. My own section
had its full share in the original sin Of African
Kidnapping and fealty to truth compels me to
| admit, that in nothing is her case more hopeful
| than that of the south, but in that remission
which may be expected to follow the confession
| and repentance of sin. Still, sir, however much
of injustice and cupidity prevailed in that day,
| both at the north and the south, there was yet
| an immense balance of justice, humanity, and
| love of human rights. Bad men and base actions
| were not then unknown but the central force of
public opinion love of freedom and justice !;
and this drew our fathers to a union so close and
| cordial, that the result was the old confedera-
| ton, the declaration of independence, revOlu-
| tionary war, and the constitution of the United
| States. These all, were the sole fruits of the
| love of liberty and justice, and an intense and
| unremtting hostility to the eIistence-much more
| to the extension of slavery. But there is no end
to the proofs, that the spirit of liberty, and not
| of slavery, was the spirit and bond of union,
under the old confederation and throughout the
revolutionary war Why, sir, under the guidance
of that evil spirit of slavery propagandism, which
| now possesses the sham democracy of the slave
| and the free states, the of independence
would have been an impossibility. A cargo of
African negroes, sir, would have transformed FIVE
| regiments of these shams into " COW boys" and
tories. will adduce but proof more of my
| original proposition, and that shall be the dec
| laraton of independence itself Here it is, 0 We
strengthening democrats, and blush that ever
you dubbed yourselves followers of jefferson
| I'VE hold these truths to be self-evident, that
| all men created equal that they are en-
| dowed by their Creator with certain unalien-
! able rights; that among these are life, liberty
| and the pursuit of happiness that, to secure
these rights, governments are instituted among
men, deriving their just powers from the con-
sent of the governed" &c.
| | know sir that democrat in the other end
of the capitol, in the last congress, pronounced
this sacred charter of human rights " a self-evi-
dent lie; and that democrat, so far as | know
is still in full communion in the democratic
| church, and is probably honored the more fol
throwing the he in the faces of those whose blood
| purchased that freedom which enabled him. or
the floor of the American senate to dishono
their memories and insult those of their posterity
| who revere their virtues and cherish their prn
ciples. But why marvel at such audacity of Ian
guage2 Alas, sir! il but too well accOrds will
the acts and records of the apostate party o
which he was prominent member.
Mr. Chairman, if any human records of the pas
can be relied on proof of any event of the past
then the proof that the bond of our American
union, prior to, and during the revolutionary wal
| was an irrepressible love of personal freedom a
one Of the inherent, indestructible rights of al
human beings unconvicted of crime, is proved
And, sir, declare it here, the truth of history
that so long as this great truth was cherished
, and practically recognised by the federal gov
eminent, in all matters within the legitimate cog
nizance of its several departments there wa
never manifested any dangerous indication of dis
loyalty to the union. No. sir disunon is the whel
of the spirit of slavery propagandsm and sine
that evil spirit bias possessed southern politicians
, and their alliance has been perfected with GU
northern slave democracy, there has been n,
, peace for the union and, in the providence o
, God, there never can, and never ought to be, an
"peace to the wicked" either in union, or on
of it.
But, Mr.. Chairman, having proven the allie
forces of the slavery propagandists of the sout
and the slave democracy of the free states to b
hostile to the only enduring element of unior