The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-02-05
WASHINGTON. d. G..
THE sLAVEaoLDIEG CLASS DOMINANT IN
THE REPUBLIC.
SPEECH Of WILLIAM H. SEWARD
It Detroit, October 2. 1856.

when Was compact and complete at its begin.
nlng, and we have not conquered other nations
or planted colonies, near or distant. to be hell
as dependencies by force alone. On the con-
lrtry, we had a broad foundation laid, upon
which were raised at first only thirteen columns
a portion of an indefinite number which were
10 be erected during Il long future. all of one
material and equal strength, and all to be COM
bihed inseparabiy, according to one great orioi-
nal design.
New States, ultimately to become members OF
ihe Federal Union, pass through stages of unor-
canned colonization, and of dependence and
pupilage under the Federal Government. or that
oi some foreign Power, and receive their bases
ana even form their social institutions during
those early stages Nevertheless, SO intimate is
the union Of all these States, that each exerts
no measured influence upon every other while
me fortune OF every one is inseparably involved
In the common destiny OF all
you viii infer at once from these statements
that The nature and character OF the institutions
OF eyea any one maturing Territory in the Uni
Ted States, are subjects Of the highest and pos
slely even vital Importance. That although
caprice and oppression may be harmlessly prac-
tced by other nations upon their provinces and
colonies, Yet such wrongs, committed by our
Federal Government against our growing Terri
tories, are equally injurious to those Territories,
and dangerous, # not disastrous, to the whole
Republic.
IL Is my purpose TO show you, on this occa-
sion, that the sayeholding class of the American
people IS systematically and successfully per-
verting the administration OF the Government.
especially in regard to the Territories so as to
chahse ihe Constitution, ami endanger the sta
bility, welfare, and liberty of the Union.
First, insomuch as this proposition must seem
to you bold, If not new, shall show from gen
eral principles that it may possibly be true and
secondly, i shall establish its truth by undenia-
bile demonstration
First. The proposition may be true Property
is an essential element of civil society So is
liberty, which, properly understood, is only the
equal security of all citizens against oppression
How TO adjust the balance between property and
liberty in States, is the great problem of govern
ment- Property is always Jealous Of enlarged
liberty, and especially so when ii is based on
relations subversive Of natural justice, which is
nothing more than equality among men. Prop
erty, therefore, has always a bias towards op-
preston, and it derives power to Cypress from
its own nature, the watchiulness of its possess
ors, and the ease with which they can com
bine. Liberty is exposed to the danger of such
oppression by means Of the incolsiderateness
and the jealOusies- which habitually prevail
among subjects or citizens. In every State all
the property classes sympathize with each other
through the force of common instincts of fear
cupidIJy, and ambition and easily marshall
ed under the lead OF one which becomes domi-
nant, and represents the whole Wherever the
rights and duties al the property classes arc de-
fined and regulated with sufficient CONSTANTS
10 prevent oppression; and liberty is at the same
time so bounded - to secure property against
social or individual aggression, there the people
are free and the State is republican Where
this balance is not accurately adjusted, liberty
IS abridged, and property class administers the
Government, IN the form Of an aristocracy, or a
monarchy, or "A despoiism. The mere mention
OF the names OF Switzerland, Venice France,
cher various alterations being remembered !
Great Britain, and Russia, furnishes all needful
illustrations OF these positions. Human nature
and the physical elements OF society are every
where the same. IL is therefore possible that
social and political errors and evils, which have
frequently existed elsewhere, may find entrance
here.
Secondly. The allegation of the peryersion of
the Government by the slaye-property class,
which ] have made is true First let us see
whether such direction of the Government as
IT describes was designed expected by its
founders On the contrary, they laid the found
ations OF the States, not in property-Inuch less
in slave propcrty--but in the natural rights or
political equality Of men They established few
safeguards OF property, knowing how apt il j.
TO take care OF ITSELF while they built strong
bulwarks around liberty, knowing how easily
liberty is always overthrown. The Declaration
OF Independence, which no weak or wicked ci;-
zen then dared 10 pronounce = series of alstrac-
fions, recited the fundamental truth OF The
great political society which il ushered into the
presence of nations that - all men are created
equal -" endowed by their Creator with the
inalienable rights of life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness" and that Governments
are Instituted among men to secure those
rights, and derive their powers only " from the
consent OF the governed"
The Convention which framed the Constitu-
ton submitted it to the American people by n
letter bearing the signature of George Washing
ton, in which its character was defined with a
steady hand in clear light. Individuals -
said the Convention, "entering into society must
give up share of liberty TO preserve the rest.
The magnitude of the sacrifice must depend as
well on situation and circumstances as on the
object TO be attained. In all cur deliberations
on this subject. the object which the Convention
has kept steadily in view was the cons olidaiion
of the Union, in which IS involved our prosperi-
~, felicity, safety, perhaps our national exist
eRce. This important consideration, seriously
and deeply impressed our minds led each
State in the Convention 20 be less rigid on
points of inferior magnitude than might have
been otherwise expected An ANALYSIS of the
Constitution, especially including its amend
snentS justies this declaration, that the points
on which liber..liiy of concession 10 property
was exercised were OIL y those of inferior mag
nitude, and that neither prosperity, felicity, safe
Nv, nor national existence, was intended 10 he
put ~ hazard Cor thu preservation of mere
remnant or shadow OF liberty. The people
fpaaking in the Constitution, declared their hisil
objects in that great transaction in words SIM
pie majestic aud comprehensive, "To form a
perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic
tranquility, provide for the common defence
promote ,he general welfare, and secure the
blessings of liberty 10 ourselves and to our pos
1erity' They boldly and directly laid the axe
TO the roots OF privileges and of classes, they
broke the very nainsPriugs of aris:ocracy, or al
least they attempted 10 DO SO 10y ordainng tina,
.no title of nobility shall be granted by the
United States. or by any State" and that Con
.ress shall make no law respecting an establish
mont of religion prohibiting the free exercise
,hereof" Although the people well knew nearly
every fourth person in the new Republic wa.
actually a slave, and that perhaps of ever,
twenty persons a slavcholder-and so they
we'll understood the existence among them
selves of caste and ciass-yet they pertinaciousiy
ref,sed TO recognise either, and, on the contrary
treated of all The subjects of the Government
nnder the common and proiniscuoas description
Of apersons thus confounding classes, aud rec
o,nis;ne only men. While they aimed at 81
, ,s,;,,a,e extinction of that caste and the elias
huilt mon it, by authorizing Congress to pro
h;h;t The importation OF persons who wer
elaves AFTER iSo5. and TO tax it severely in tn
nean time and while they necessarily left 10 TIA
Individual States the management OF the domes
.ic relations of all classes and castles existing
therein. they especially declared Ehat should b
the rights and relations of all PERSONS so ia
as they were to be affected by the action of III
Federal Government which they We're establish
inr. The privilege Of The writ of haJeds eorpa
,hall not be suspead&eunless when, in case c