Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1856-01-25
Old Time Patriotism.

opportunity" is the Divine injunction for
all times and places. "The greatest good
of the greatest number" is true philosophy.
EQUAL RIGHTS is genuine Democracy.
But there are at this day men, calling
themselves Americans, Christians, Wings,
or Democrats } who deny or ignore all the
above maxims. They deny that there is
any such thing as "equal rights" but say
the strong, the rich, the intelligent have
and will and should rule over the weak.
the poor, the ignorant. They say govern
ment is made for the smallest number, and
that the "servile masses" should work for
them on such terms as they may dictate.
They say men have no right to try to edo
good outside of their own family or town,
or county, or state, or nation. All efforts
to relieve men from wrong and evil, they
denounce as "impertinent interference"
with "nonc of their business" They say,
"Lct everybody do just as they please
and then insult high Heaven in the words
of the blood.stained Cain, cam my bro.
theirs keeper ~
This spirit would abolish all Law, and
roa-s. mankind to the most barbarous
state of society, where brute fv.-- -~-sa
reign triumphant, and injustice, robbery,
oppression, ravishing, and murder, would
rage unchecked save by counter horrors
of the same mere animal power.
But, thank God this lie Of the Devil
is not universally believed. The history
of our race is history of the yet-waging
contest between two Powers. The one is
RIGHT, trying to "do good unto all men"
and to preach "the glad tidings of great
joy which shall be to all people," The
other is WRONG, with its "none-of-your-
business" and "do-asthey-please" policy,
crying, cart thou come to torment US
before our time r
The American Revolution was fought
and won upon the principle that "aH men
are endowed by their Creator with the
INALIENABLE rights of life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness" Our Constitution
was designed to carry out that principle,
and for many years Congress was faithful
to its trust by abolishing Slavery in the
Territories where it existed, and circum-
scribing it in other ways.
No man was more engaged in carrying
out the War for Equal Rights, and plan
ming our National Constitution, than was
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. When he was 81
years old, fresh from his last great labor
il forming the Federal Constitution, he
wrote the following letter to his friend and
Revolutionary compatriot, JOHN LANGDoN,
then Governor of New Hampshire and the
leading Democrat of New England:
"PnrL,DrLrHrA, Aug. 4, l7ss.
"SIR: The Philade phia Society for promot-
ing the Abolition of Slavery and the relief Of
Free Negroes unlawfuly held in Bondage,
nave taken the liberty TO request your Excel
lency's acceptance of a few copies of their
Constitution anu the laws Of Pennsylvania
which relate to one of the objects of their
institution also of copy of Thomas Clark
sons excellent essay upon the Commerce and
Slavery of the Africans.
The Society have heard with great regret
that a considerable part Of the slaves who
have been sold in the Southern States since
the establishment of peace, have been imported
in vessels fitted out in the Stale over which
your Excelency presides. From your Excel
lency's station, they hope your influence will
be exerted hereafter TO prevent practlce
which is so evidently repugnant 10 the politl-
cal principles and forms of government iately
adopted by the oi,izcns of the United States,
and which can not fail of delaying the enjoy
ment of the blessings of liberty by drawing
down the displeasure of the great and Impair
tial Ruler of the Universe upon our country.
81 am. in behalf of the Society,
"Sir, y'r mo. ot'd't servant,
"B. FRANKLIN.
His Excellency ]. LASGDoS, Esq
This was the same Society, chartered by
our Legislature, in the performance Of the
duties of which Passmore Williamson was
imprisoned, which would not have been
done to Franklin doing the same thing.
Surely Franklin was no 'agitator,' fanatic
or 'intermeddler with other peoples bust
ness Pennsylvania had no direct concern
in the distant State of New Hampshire's
buying negroes in Guinea and selling in
Carolina-the Foreign slave trade was just
as legal as the Domestic slave trade now
is-and State Rights were then as we'll
understood as to-day. Yet Franklin, as
President of an Abolition Society, did not
hesitate to urge Gov Laugdon to have q
legal trade made illegal in New Hamp-
shire. He-and other good and great
men-"agitated" against "legar Slavery,
in their own State, in other States, and in
Congress, until one after another 0 States
abolished it, Congress abolished it in all
the now 5 States North West of the Ohio,
and declared the Foreign slave-trade to be
piracy and punishable by death.
Such were the principles and practice of
the Fathers of the Republic, warm from the
contest that "tried mems souls" How
different they thought and acted from the