Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-05-03

The House being in the Committee Of the Whole on
on the state Of tie UniOn.
Mr.. GRANGER said:
Mr. CHAIRMAN: l am aware, sir. that the sub
ject Of slavery is of the most vital Importance
that can come before you for discussion--ono that
brings with it the highest interest, the deepest
feeling, apd involves principles of the most sacred
character. l approach it sir, with great reuc-
tance and prompted to it only by the stern demands
of duty-a duty that, were it not duty, | would
gladly avoid. know, sir, that southern feeling
is ardent and on this subject sometimes fiery. The
North is slow and platiyc-passve and
yielding; but there is q point beyond which it
will not go. To that point, sir, it has arrived.
The mighty difference between the North and
the South requires n settlement and it can be de-
layed no longer 1t must be met and disposed
of. Freedom and Slavery must meet face to face,
md try titles. The question, | regret to say, as
sumes sectional aspect. The North and the South
are opposite parties. would it were not so but
since il is, let meet il like friends and fellow
citizens of this highly favored Commonwealth,
guided strictly by the Constitution, and sustaining
the Union in every emergency. The Constitution
was made to protect freedom slavery-one or
the other-not both. There can be no compromise
between them joint ownership. 1t is time
one or the other had full possession. The Consti-
tuition was formed by the convention and adopted
by the people, to secure the iualienabe rights of
Slavery in the United States is unconstitutional,
and therefore unlawful Slavery can have no legal
existence in this country without specific constu-
tiona legislative enactment creating it establish
ing it. Sir, there arc none-there can be no such
enactments. That slavery can have no legal eSis-
tence without specific legislative enactments ere
ating or establishing it, assert, on the authority
of the Supreme Court of the United States. In
the case of Prigg Is. Penn, l6 Peters, the court
declared '.that the state of slavery is mere muni-
cipal regulation founded upon and limited to, the
verge of territorial law" Now, assert, there is
such lar; and assert it on tie authority Of
the father of the fugitive slave law, the honorable
Senator from Virginia. Mr.. MASON When advC-
eating the passage Of that law, and discussing its
provisions, the honorable Senator objected to trial
by jury, the ground that it would imply proof
that slavery is established by existing law and,
said he, ,''t is impossible to comply with the requi-
siton, for no such law can be found" Now sir,
put that and that together. and the illegality OF
slavery is seen ut 4 glance"
Go back with me to colonial times, before we
were independent, and lad Government Of our
own, and observe the lan1marks that guide us on
this subject from that time to this. Slavery then
existed in Eng land it did in the colonies here.
In l772 Charles Stewart, of Virginia, was in
England with James Somerset, his slave. The
slave absconded and became n fugitive. lie was
pursued and recaptured and confined on board OF
n ship to be trans ported to the West Indies and
sold. From his prison he found means to reach
Al or nl TprI(' ti1an al
'"o ca. y: -, c - ,or,,,e ond oia;n,oJ
anu rS oo.i' rho ,,ar,ioS nu,onrad and tool ;ssno
The Chief Justice gave sentence as follows
'Thc state of slavery is of such nature that 1t
is incapable of being introduced on any reason,
moral or political, but only positive law. 1t is SO
odous that nothing can be suffered to support 1t
but positive law. Whatever inconvenience, there
fore, may follow from decision, cannot say TINS
case is allowed or approved by the law VI England
A. a. La pnho ol
Tho. doo;s;o, cir ,ros nover controvarted and
rsn,ons from hat dov to This, the law of England.
7, naxared tho colonies and condemned slavery
hare ma we'll os there. Four wears after in l776,
this country declared its independence and as
.umcd to speak for itself
Tho Continental Congress-tbc most auou.t
hodn of ,,en hat evor methv legol enactment
srS;o;nod tho dec;sicn of the Chief (ustoe and
oailna Cod to witness declared liberty innlienable
"a hoo,dnna ;nnnssihie in these Tinted States
In that immortal instrnment-the Declaration of
1ndano,dan.o S in ionrnoge roo snecifc and nosi
;nJorstnH95 thov dooIrod Ehertv
i've 10 Od 70 a;ntain II n,edced their lives their
S "nd tSa;n saorod hanor Tb;s was tbe Grst
ioi'uno, ant 'n.n I. Iva hno no,or hoon roneoIad
iam dors.d .bo doo,aro,;nr and saolsd Il
Im1 peephII phIond of ou aobt vears' war Sir II has
WIN '"1 ~ i;t;i H. rtSsa'o 'oc ,Lo oo,ntrn ond
pecohe 'ne Po',oI, T, ~ ha no too a
since tne tth ol ouiy, ~ nus uoeu
I"'u.y ~ .n r T,,Sodon,t;o ,rora ,,rtrood 20 tbo
tne Arl,cies q. Ho.IueG w.; W. aS,oeu w. oi'
cohs..u.lIn .;m n-oo W"s. of ,ho $50 ,hon
mih'stereu III io' muet y, a'v -, o'oe, umr',
hea slaves ye. 81 tronm nd "1' soon 30 nurira
uat slavery W"s uat S'Un ~
tnat III Tue Ar'o'oS y. u NV ,';u
est aluslon wus ,nhoe W ~ Sto,os
@ @u ~ a odnntsd creru ona of the old thirteen
states had constitutions eHcept hhooc islahu anu
oonn1otiou'' anu NV on1 I H' .o'' PLa5a IL
es'aoilsheu VI ioooS,''sou o'oS. ~ 49,