The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-08-07
1913
ronrr1srEp IRON FIRST PAGE

aayiutelligence. They are indeed real Democ-
racv. There all men stand upon equal footing
before the law, and this is all claim by equality
/ know that nature has implanted in man differ
emf degrees Of intelligence, different degrees of
moral character, and different degrees in every
respect; but before the law they are all equal
We repudiate the idea of Slavery. We stand
upon the Declaration of Independence, which met
the appreciation of the men who moulded our
Constitution. | stand here to-day as the advocate
of this and of nothing more. have already said,
am not a setter-forth of new doctrines. | ask
no man TO go further than the fathers of our Con-
stitution have gone. Within the pale of the Uni
ted States, claim that all is Freedom. No power
is conferred, and none intended to be con-
ferred, upon the General Government, through
Congress, TO favor the institution of Slavery at
all, much less power TO extend it a single inch
Slavery was regarded State institution
alone.
Here sir, do not understand me to be so I'M
reasonable TO demand the immediate and I'M
conditional emancipation of Slavery in those
States where it has grown up by prescription
where il has moulded the habits, the character,
and the institutions of the people. see and know,
and feel the difficulties plainly and as strongly
as any man. know you cannot do it at once
but know that, if you feel as those who framed
Constitution felt, you will not believe that it
IS an institution which should be cherished, fos-
tered, and upheld you will not believe that it
should be eternal but you will be willing to
look at it a temporary evil, TO be got rid OF
Just as soon circumstances will admit. Ii
could see that you following in that direc-
ton you would find no man more lenient in
judgment on your course than myself. perceive
the difficulty would leave il entirely with your
selves to prescribe the mode, TO fix the manner
and the time, when an end should be put to It,
But what do we see?
Now, you say that il is a divine institution.
Not only is Ii to exist where it has been imposed
on the people by long prescription, but, being a
godlike institution, fraught with blessings ana
benefit to mankind it is to be spread all over this
continent! On this ground meet you; here the
people of the free States meet you, and declare
that il shall not be spread another inch with their
appreciation and consent This is the great issue
between us. If advocacy of this doctrine consti-
tutes AN AbOlitionist one. If il does not
constitute an Abolitionist, am not one. am not
choice in the use of terms; care little for names
/ care less for what men may say of me; but
| wish to be understood precisely as ! mean.
grant YOU full power and jurisdiction to dispose
Of this matter as you fit, in your own States,
hoping that, as just men, you will view 1t, as L
DO to be a temporary evil, to be got rid of as
soon as possible; but whether you so regard it or
not. deal with il as you see fit, in your own
States there am not responsible for it. When,
however YOU undertake TO extend II into terrific
~ now free, must meet you and on this issue
the North will meet you Is this Abolitionism
believe it marks strongly the character of those
whom you call Black Republicans. | cannot de-
fend them against the charge, nor do | wish to
do so for am one of the blacklist of the black,
if this be the criterion of the judgment
The Senator from kentucky Mr.. THoNPsoS]
asked us Yesterday what We meant by the slave
power? He locked around with an air of tri-
umDh as il he had found a slang phrase which
Ha cLaA 10 dat1nQ
what we meant by the slave power" which he
heard so much talk Of lie explained it him
self in the next breath, for he went TO tell US
that in the slave States not one fifth of the white
inhabitants own slaves. Ifhe had said one tenth,
he would have been nearer right; but, taking his
own admission, not more than ono nth OF the
entire free population of the Southern States have
any interest in the institution of Slavery. What
are 10 infer from that? BY the slave power,
| mean that power which reigns and demineers
over four fifths of the people of the South which
rules them with rod of iron; which gags the
press; which restraints the liberty OF speech ;
which makes il perilous even for You, mon of the
South, to 60 home and proclaim the doctrines OF
the Declaration of Independence, though you
may believe in those doctrines in your hearts.
You dare not do il. do not blame you, for the
fact is that fifth have triumphed over all the
rest, gagged them, and prescribed what they
shall say and do on the subject. The South is
not free country. The policy of this slave
power has moulded and controlled the Govern
ment since its foundation, and it always
threatens dissolution of the Union, if An attempt
il made to check its absolute dominion. This,
sir, is the slave power, and it Is felt in every
corner of the Republic.
Gentlemen frequently talk to me as if | were
interfering in a matter that does not concern me
This is charge which do not like to bear; for
of all things in the world deprecate the idea OF
intermeddling in other peoples business. have
some interest in this question. Notwithstanding
you say that you will resist all attempts to agi-
tate certain subjects, the Constitution of the
United States gives me the right to 60 into any
of your States-to go to Richmond, or anywhere
else in Virginia, any other Southern State, and
there speak for Freedom boldly rs intend to
do here to-day, and with the same impunity.
The fathers of the Republic were willing that
any man should propagate any doctrine in which
he believed, leaving the judgment TO the people
TO correct him If he was wrong. How IS the
practice in point of fact? You frequently say
that you are n law-abiding and constitution
abiding people; but, sir, ii would be more peril
Gus for me to 60 into your States and declare
what, before God, believe to he true upon this
subject of Slavery, than it would be to proclaim
Red Republicanism in St Petersburgh. You
know il, and yet you talk of the Constitution
and the constitutional rights of the South, while
you deprive of the plainest and most sacred
constitutional rights.
Why sir a Northern man can hardly 60 with
safety into the South to transact business entirely
collateral to the question of Slavery. | know q
gentleman from Ohio who went into South Car
olina administrator to wind up the affairs of al
estate, not at all connected with Slavery. Wher
he got there, he was told that il was understood
he was Abolitionst, as all men who entertain
my sentiments styled, and a committee waited
on him, and told him be must leave the place a
once. 1t was only BY the greatest. exertions o
influential lawyers that he permitted to abid,
in the town until his business could be transacted
Happy was he that he escaped at last without ,
GOAT of tar and feathers, or something worse Thu
is the law-abiding conduct of which some gentle
men talk so much and SO loudly proclaim
here, boldly that in my judgment there is not tn
semblance of Liberty in the Southern States-n
more for the living there than for me.
Judge so from this circumstance, that the mos
extreme and outrageous measure in regard to thi
subject by the most violent men are never rebuke
there, although there must be in that section, a
in Others, men of judgment and discretion, lover
of Liberty, Justice, and Right. If propositio
is made of the most extreme and violent charaG
ter involving the greatest outrage on the right
of men, you do not hear the voice Of wisdom an
Justice saying, " Friends, you are going too far
No man say this for the reason that, if he di
so, he would be denounced at once as AN Abol
zionist. ANY man who should undertake
moderate their zeal against what they call Abol
tionism, would be deemed an Abolitionst himsel
and would stand about the same chance that
reactionist did during the French Revolution.
take no pleasure in proclaiming these thing
although believe them to be true. From ii
accumulated evidence which receive on this sui
ject from every quarter, cannot doubt for OF
moment that the people of the South are laborn
under one of the most accused despotisms tia