The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-06-23
THE WASHINGTON UNION

equal a white man. and consequently he has divine
right TO enjoy all the rights and privileges the white
man. and that all human laws in conflict with that divine
right must yield and give place to the higher law
The time has not arrived when il is deemed prudent by
the leaders of the republican party in this State make
ank and honest confession of faith and proclaim il to
the world in tones that be heard and language that
can be understood to the same thing ia all portions
OF the State But long they quote the Declaration
Of Independence to prove that negro created equal
to white man, have excuse for closing our eyes
and protesting ignorance OF what they intend 10 do so
soon as they get tho power.
TO show how shallow Is the preence that the Declare
ton OF independence had reference on included the
negro whom II declared all created equal it
only necessary to refer to few historical facts recorded
in our school books and familiar to our children
On the 4th of July 1776 when the Declaration of In
dependence promulgated to the world African slavery
existed in each of the thirteen colonies Every sgncr
of the Declaration Of Independence selected by and
represented slayeholdng constituency Every battle of
the revolution from Lexington and Bunker Hill 10 Kings
Mountain and Yorktown, was fought in STRENGTHENING
State.
The treaty Of peace acknowledging and confirming the
independence Of the United States made and signed
behalf Of Great Britain OF the one part and OF the thir
teen sIaveholding States on the other
The constitution of the United States under which
live SO happily and have grown SO great and power
full and which all profess to cherish and yenerate
formed adopted, and put in operation by the people
of twelve slaveholdng States aud free State slavery
having disappeared from Massachusetts, about that time
Of efgoveriment which recognises the right OF each
State and colony to regulate its domestic and local
affairs.
In view Of these inconrovertible facts, any
believe that the signers Of the Declaration Of indie
pendence, and the heroes who fought the battles Of the
revolution, and the sages who laid the foundation OF
complex system o. edgral and State governments in
tended to place the negro race on an equal footing with
the white racer If such had been their purpose would
they not have abolished slavery and converted every
gro into citizen the day which they put forth
the Declaration Of independence Did they do it Did
any of the thisteeG States abolish slavery much less
place the negro equality with the White ian dli.
ring the whole revolutionary struggled History records
the emphatic answer, no Not one Of the original States
abolished slavery during the revolution has any
of them at any time since extended to the African
all the rights and privileges of citizenship terms of
tire equality with the white man
No vlndicatc the ehalacter moEIyes, and
duct of the sgners Of the Declaration of Independence,
except upon the hypothesis that they referred to the white
alone and not 10 Pho African when they declared
all men to have been created equal that they were
speaking of British subjects this continent being equal
to British subjects born and residing in Great Britain
that they entitled to the same nacnabc rights,
and among them enumerated lifc liberty and the
pursuit of happiness The declaration adopted for
the purpose Of sying the coonists in the eyes of the
civilized world in withdrawing their allegiance from the
British crown and dssolying their connection with the
mother country In this point OF view the Declaration of
Independence is in perfect harmony with all the events Of
the revolution and the line of policy pursued under the
articles of confederation, and the principles Embodied
and established in ths ,edsfal sohssitulion The his
tory of the times clearly shows that The negroes
were regarded as IN inferior race, who, in all ages
and in every part OF tho Globa, and Under the most
favorable circumstances had shown themselves incapable
of selfgovcrnmcnt and consequently under the protec
ton Of those who capable Of providing for and pro-
ecng them in the exercise of all the rights they
capable enjoying consistent with the good and safety OF
society 1t il on this piinipS that III al fivzed and
Christian countries the government provides for the pro-
cf tI,,1e t,.. Hif,ft apI.
other unfortunates who Incompetent to take of
themselves It does not follow by any that he
the negro race ale Incapable Of goyaraing them
selves that therefore they should bccome slaves and be
treated such The safe rule upon that subject appre
bend to be this that the African should DO allowed
to exercise all the rights and privileges which they
capable Of enjoying consistent with the welfare Of the
in which they reside, and that under
form Of government the people Of each State and Terri
tory must be allowed to determine for themselves the
nature and extent Of those privileges Applause
The whole history of OUR country clearly shows that
fathers acted this principle not only in promul
cation of the Declaration of Independence but in laying
the foundations and erecting the superstucture Of
complex system of federal and State governments. Who
will take the pains to examine the journals of the
Continental Congress will find that nearly every colony
before il would authorize Its delegates assent to dec
laIaon Of independence, placed ruGo1l ali express
condition, rcservng to itself the sole and exclusive right
of regulating its internal affairs and domestic
ccns and local police, without the interference OF the
general Congress- of any other State colony The
battles of the revolution all fought in defence of this
principle and The constitution Of the United States
formed and adopted for the purpose Of perpetuatng it in
all time to come; at the time It combined all the
people of the Union IN confedcracy with certain spc
cited and limited powers for the common defence and
general welfare
Under this system of government the rights and pYivi
leges of the African remain precisely they
when the constitution Of the United States adopted
dependent entirely upon the local legislation and policy of
the several States where they may be found In my opin
ion the policy of Illinois has been wise and just in
regard to this race and ought be continued only ma
king such changes from time to time experience shall
prove to be just and necessary. While Illinois had the
undoubted right under the constitution of the United
States to adopt and persevere in this line of policy yir
na and each other State has right equally clear and
to pursue line Of policy the sub
ject, directly the reverse of ours, and we have
right to complain Of interfere with the local and do
nestle of other States and Territories than they
have with Applause.
The founders OF our government did not deem it pos
siblo desirable ii practicable to maintain entire
fomty in the local legislation and domestic institutions
of the different Sates and for this each State
allowed separate and distinct legislature will full pow
all internal and local concerns in order that each
might shape and vary ts internal policy and adapt it
the circumstances, interests, and wishes Of its own peo
pie While there diversity of opinion in regard to
the extent Of the rights and privileges which could be
safely ntscd the African race in the different States
they all epudiaed the doctrine of the equality of the
white and black races and concurrcd in that line of pol
icy which should preserve the purity Of each and prevent
any species OF a,agamation, political, social domcs-
tic They had witnessed the sad and melancholy results
of the mixture of the in Mexico, South America and
Central America and where the Spanish from motives of