True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-04-02

Kansas.
CONCLUDED.
Ay, sir, Congress is 10 abide by this
statute, which makes it felony for a citi-
zen to utter orpublsh in that Territory
'any sentiment calculated to induce slaves
to escape from the service of their mas
ters.' Hence it would be felony there to
utter the strong words of Algernon Sid
ney, resistance to tyrants is obedience to
God;' felony 10 say with Jefferson, Il
have sworn upon the altar Of my God
eternal hostility TO tyranny in every form
over the mind and body of man. felony
to utter there, in the hearing of slave,
upon American soil, beneath the Ameri-
can flag, the words of flame which shook
the stormy soul of Henry, Give me lib
erty, or give me death;' felony to read
in the presence of one of those fettered
bondmen the words OF the Declaration,
'All men are born fee and equal, and en-
dowed by their Creator with the inaliena-
bic rights of life and liberty felony to
utter there those other words, blazing in
letters of living light on the great written
charter of our National Government, 'We
the people of the United States, in order
to establish iustice,' the attribute Of God,
and 'to secure liberty the imperishabe
right of man, do 'ordan this Consttu-
iion;' felony to harbOr slave escaping
from his thraldom; felony to aid Free
dom in is flight; felony to shelter the
houseIess, 10 clothe the naked, to feed the
hungry, and 10 help him that is ready to
perish; felony 10 give to the famlshlng
a cup of water in the name of our Mas.
ter. Oh, sir, before you hold this enact
ment binding upon an American Congress
tear down that banner of freedom which
floats above us, for stirring "reminiscences
linger in its folds, and The stars upon its
field of azure have cleaned above the
field OF poised battle, where the earth
quake and the fire led the charge, and
where American virtue and American val
or maintained the unequal conflict against
the mighty power of British tyranny
and oppression Before you hold this
enactment to be a law, burn our immortal
Declaration and our free written Consti-
tuition, ietter our free press, and finally
penetrate lhe human soul and put out
that light of the understanding VIII ich the
breath Of the Almighty hath kindled.-
This would be fit preparation for the
Inauguration Of such legislation.
But sir, we are not likely to re ceiye
these enaclments as law. 1t is too late 10
make it felony TO utter the self,evident
ruth that life and liberty belong of right
TO every man by virtue of the same crea-
tive energy, which hreathel into him
the breath Of life, and he became living
soul.
Americans will not do this wickedness,
nor permit others 10 do it. The people
of the United States will not allow any
such vilIainy to receive the sanction Of
law upon their territory; they will not be
estopped by such legislation from utter
ing thoughts and sentiments calculated
TO effect and secure the freedom of every
citizen of the United States enslaved in
the Territory of Kansas, by this afro
cious assumption OF. power, and this 0a-
grant violation of the Constitution and
the organic act which constitute the su-
preme law Of that Territory. Our organ.
ic act has provided that the Legislative
power of Kansas shall be restricted to
such righLM subjects of Legislation as
are consistent with the Constitution of
the United States and the provisions of
that act. This pretended Legislation Of
Kansas violates the Constitution in Ibis
that it ahridges the freedom of speech
and of the press, and deprives persons oil
liberty without due process of law, oil
any process but that of brute force, while
the Constitutions provides that Congress:
shall make no law abridgi1g the freedom
of speech or of the press; and it express.
ly prescribes that mo person shall be de-
prived of life, liberty, or property, with
out due process Of law
Which shall stand-the Constitution
which guarantees 10 each man persona
liberty, and to collective man, empire, ol
these atrocious statutes which nauguralt
the worst despotism the world ever saw
The,e can be but one response: lei NJ
man here, upon the hearthstone of tht
nation, talk about the American Congress.
being bound 10 respectful obedience II
any territorial enactment which violate
so palpably the Cons ttution. Such leg
f isla'ion, sir, is proof stronger than
thousand witness that they who en-
acted it were not the representative
II