New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-10-03
rur OVERTHROW OF THE CONSTITUTION.
RANGERS FROM THE SLAVE POWER.
s,r,rH OF Mr. SEWARD AT DETROIT YESTERDAY.

u.s compact and complete at It's beginning ana
=. have not conquered other nations or planted
.,oo;s. near or distant to be held as dependencies
/, farce alone. On the contrary. we had broad
e,cS,,icn laid. upon which were raised at first only
,h;,,eeo columns, portion of an indefinite number
,ebch we're to be erected throughout long future,
~ of one material and equal strength and all to be
ooub;psd in.e parably according TO one great Orig
nsl design.
ENey States, ultimately to become members of the
Federal Union, pass through stages Of unorganized
colonization. aud of dependence and pupilage under
the Federal Government or that of some foreign
power and receive their biases and even form their
social institutions during those early stages. New
ertheess so intimate is the union Of all these States
that each exerts no measured influence upon every
other while the fortune Of every one is nseparably
involved in the common destiny Oi all.
You will infer at once from these statements that
the nature and character OF the institutions of even
any one maturing Territory in the United States
arc subjects Of the highest aud possibly even vital
importance: that although caprice and OpprcsS on
NAV be barmlessly practCed by other nations upon
their pro, nccs and colonies, yet such wrongs
committed by our Federal Government against our
growing Territories, are equally injurious to those
Territories, aud dangerous, if not DISASTROUS to the
whole Republic.
1t is my purpose to show you on this occasion
that the slayeholdiug class Of the American people
is systematically and successfully prrvcrting the
administration of the Government, especially in
regard 10 tie Territories so as to change the Con-
stitutiOD, and endanger the stability welfare and
liberty Of the Union.
First. insOmuch as this proposition must seem to
you bold, if not new ! shall show from general
principles that it may possibly be true; and sec
NJ 1. 81 ,,.iI
demonstration.
First: The proposition may be true. Property
* An essential element of civil society. SO is
liberty. which properly understood, is only the
eousl security OF all citizens against oppression.
How to adjust the balance between property and
liberty in States is the greatest problem of govern
uent Property is always Jealous of enlarged |
liberty md especially when il is based relations
srbycrsiye Of natural justice which s nothing more
tlnn equality among men. Poverty therefore, has |
always bins toward oppression, and 1t derives power
t ourcss fom IFS nature the watsfulness of its
posses ofs aud the with which they combine.
Liberty is exposed 90 the danger of such oppression by
means of the ncOnsideratenes and the eaOusies which
habitually prevail among subjects or citizens In
every State oil The property classes sympathize with
each other through the force of instincts of
fear cupdity and ambition, and easily marshalcd |
under the lead Of one which becomes dominant, and |
roprcscnts the whole. Wherever the rights and duties
"a Il property classes defined and regulated, with
sufficient constraints TO prevent oppression and liberty
il at the same time ~ bounded as TO secure property
against social individual aggression there the people
are free aud the State is Republican. Where this
balance is not accurately adjusted liberty Is abridged |
and property class administers the government, IN
the fOIm Of aiistocracy, or monarchy or despo
ism. The mere mention of the names OF Switzerland,
Venice France hcr various alterations being rcmen
bored Great Britain and Russia furnishes all neliu
illustrations of these positions Human nature and the
physiCal elements OF society are everywhere the same
H. therefore possible that social and political errors
and evils which have frequently existed elsewhere may
find entrance here. -
S,cogdjD. The allegation which have made of the |
perycrion of the Government by the slave property
class IL true. First let rs whether such drec-
ton of the Government describes was designed or
expected by s founder. On the contrary they LAID
the foundations of The States, not in PrGperty-Inuch
less in slave prOperybut in the natural rights or po
htical equality of men. They established few safe
guards of property knowing how apt It Is to take care
OF itself while they bu strong bulwarks around
| liberty knowing how easily Liberty Is always over
thrown The Declaration of independence, which no
weak or wicked citizen then dared TO pronounce
series OF distractions Ieced as the fundamental truth
of the great political society which 1t usb"red INTO the
Ireeencc of nations that All men created equal
-"endowed by their Creator with the inaenablc
" rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit OF happ-
ness and that governments are instituted among
men to secure those rights, and derive their powers
only from the consent of the governed
The Con, ention which framed the Constitution sub
mied it TO the American people by lGtttr bearing
the signature Of George ahsingtoh IN whcn us rn
" Individuals said the Convention entering mo
society must give up share of liberty to preserve
" the rect. The magnitude of the sacrhcc must uc-
" pcud as well situation and circumstances aS gu
" the object to be attained In all our deliberations on
g this subject, the object which the ConN ehtloh
a. has kept steadily in view the consolidation OF the
Is Union in which is involved our prosperity fencly
- safety perhaps national existence. ihis lmpoT-
tant confederation seriously and deeply impressed ON
" our minds led each State in The Convention TO be
- less rigid points OF inferior magnitude than might
" have been oil crwse expected An analysis OF the |
Constitution especially including its amendments, Justi-
ts this declaration, that the points ON when hDeahty
OF Ia property was exercised were ohy 'osc
OF inferior magnitude and that neither prosperity lT
city safety nor national existence intended to be
put at hazard for the preservation no, OF nero
remnant or shadow of liberty. The people,
speaking in the Constitution, declared tner
Sch objects in that great transaction in words SIMPLE
nsicstic and comprehensive, TO form perfect
Union establish justice, insure domestic tranquity.
pro, ide for the common defense, promote the gen
"cra welfare and secure the blessings oi nDGi'y :" ~
:. sek q and to our posterity They boldly ana al
,eetly laid the AK IL the roots OF privileges ana Vi
classes they broke the very malnsprngs Oh aisocia!
or at least they attempted to do so Dy 0fuaihl"g .a,
no titlC of nobility shall be granted ny inc leu
., States or by any State and that Congress Shau
uaakc no law .,spectiug establishment OF Religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, H'housn
the people well knew that neatly every louIt Pe.s
in The new Republic actually slave, ana tta' per
hnps one Of every twenty persons was sln'ehsuer,
s.d SO they well understood the existence among them
sclves of caste Ind class, yet they pe'tnaciousy re-
fuseo 10 recognize either and the contrary treated
of all the subjects Of the Government under he com
mon and proIniscuous description OF persons, thus
conloundlug classes ana recognizing only men. WINE
they aimed at al ultimate extinction OF that caste anu
the class built upon it by authorizing Congress to pro-
hibit the importation OF persons who were slaves
after 1873 and to tax il severely i'll he meantime and
while they necessarily le 10 the individual States the
management of the domestic relations Of all classes
and caste existing therein they especially declared
What should be the rights ard relations of all persons,