The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-06-27

l the thirteen States abolish slavery-mu
less place the negro On an equality with Il
, white man during the whole revolutiona
struggle? History records the emphatic a
swer No. Not one of the original Stat
abolished slavery during the revolution, N
has any one of them, at any time since e
tended to the African race all the rights ar
privileges of citizenship OH terms of enti,
equality with the white man.
No one can vindicate the character, IN,
tives and conduct of the signers of the d.
claration Of Independence, except upon tn
hypothesis that they referred to the whit
race alone, and not to the African, whe
they declared all men to have been create
equal-that they were speaking Of Britis
subjects on this continent being equal t
British subjects born and residing in Grea
Britain-that they were entitled to the sam
inalienable rights, and among them wer
enumerated lie, liberty and the pursuit O
happiness. The declaration was adopted 70
the purpose of justifying the colonists il
the eyes of the civilized world in withdraw
ing their allegiance from the British crown
and dissolving their connection with tn
mother country. In this point Of view tn
Declaration Of Independence is in perfec
harmony with all the events Of the revolu
tion, and the line Of policy pursued under
the articles Of confederation, and the princi
pies embodied and established in the fedora
constitution. The history of the times clear
ly shows that the negroes were regarded as
an inferior race, who, in all ages, and in eve
ry part of the globe, and under the most ia
vorable circumstances, had shown them
selves incapable of self government, and con-
seQuently under the protection Of those who
were capable of providing for and protect
ing them in the exercise Of all the rights
they were capable of enjoying consistent
with the good and safety of society. 1t is
on this principle that in all civilized and
christian countries the government provides
for the protection of the insane, the lunatic,
the idiotic, and all other unfortunates who
are incompetent TO take care Of themselves
1t does not follow by any means that be-
cause the negro race are incapable Of govern
ing themselves that therefore they should
become slaves and be treated as such. The
safe rule upon that subject, apprchend to
be this that the African race should be al
lowed to exercise all the rights and privileges
which they are capable of enjoying consis
tent with the welfare of the community in
which they reside, and that under our form
of government the people Of each State and
Territory must be allowed 10 determine for
themselves the nature and extent Of those
privileges. Applause
The whole history OF our country clearly
shows that our fathers acted on this prnci-
pie, not only in pronulg CATION Of the Declara
ton Of Independence, but in laying the
and erecting the superstructure
Of our complex system Of federal and State
governments. Whoever will take the pains
to examine the journals of the Continental
Congress, will find that nearly every colony,
before ii would authorize its delegates 10 as
sent to Declaration OF Independence, placed
on record an express condition, reservIng 10
itself the sole and exclusive right of rcgn-
lating its own internal affairs and domestic
and local police, without the inter
ference Of the general congress, or of any
other State or colony. The battles OF the
revolution were all fought in defence of this
and the constitution of the United
States was formed and adopted for the pur-
pose Of perpetuating it in all time to come;
At the same time it combined all the people
Of the Union in one confederacy with ssrta;n
specified and limited powers for the common
ieicnce and general welfare.
Under this system of government the
lights and privileges Of the African race re-
MAIN tIcCl>tiN as tIItk HeTS WHEN the con-
ti,ution Of the United States was adopted,
dependent entirely upon the local legislation
md policy of the several States where they
nay be found. In my opinion, the policy of
Illinois has been a wise and just one in re-
,ard to this race, and ought to be continued, 7
,nly making such changes from time 10 time
IS experience shall prove to be just and ne-
.essary. While Illinois had the undoubted
4. I -. 81.
states, to adopt and persevere in this line of
policy, Virginia and each other State has
light equally clear and undeniabe to pursue
line of policy, on the same subject, direct.
y the reverse Of ours, and We have no more
light to complain of or interfere with the
ocal and domestic concerns of other States
nd Territories than they have with ours
The founders Of our government did not
eem it possible, nor desirable if practicable, /
0 maintain entire uniformity in the local 1
egisation, and domestic institutions of the /
itfvrent States, and for this reason each /
State was allowed a separate and distinct |
legislature, with full powers over all internal |
nd local concerns, in order that each might |
hape and vary its internal policy, and adapt |
to the circumstances, interests and wishes !
# its own people. While there was a di- /
.ersity Of opinion in regard to the extent of .
he ri ghts and privileges which could be
afely entrusted to the African race in the I
litferent States, they all repudiated the doc !
rine of the equally of the white and black !
aces, and concurred in that line of policy /
which should preserve the purity Of each,
md prevent any amalgamation, political,
ocial or domestic. They had witnessed the /
ad and melancholy results of the mixture /.
# the races in Mexico, South America and
Central America, and where the Spanish, !
rom motives of policy, had admitted the |
,egro and other inferior races to citizenship, |
nd, consequently, to political ani social |
The decentralization and de- |
,redation which prevailed in the Spanish
nd French colonies, where no distinctions |
N account of color or race were tolerated, |
perated as warning to our revolutionary |
athers to preserve the purity of the white |
ace, and to establish their political, social |
nd domestic institutions upon such basis |
s would forever exclude the idea of negro |!
and negro equality. Applause
They understood that great natural law |
which declares that amalgamatiOn between |
uperior and inferior races brings their pos |
erity down to the lower level of the inferior,
,ut never elevaaeS them to the high level |
# the superior race. l appeal to each of
hose young men before me, who won i'm
Mortal glory on the bloody fields of Mexico,
n vindication Of their country's rights and
loner, whether their information and obser-
alton in that country, does not fully sustain
he truth of the proposition that amalgama-
ion is degrading, demoralizing disease and
eath! Is it true that the negro is our
aual and our brother? The history of the
ines clearly show that our fathers did not
egard the negro race as any kin to them,
nd determined SO to lay the foundation of
ociety and government that they should
ever be of any kin to their posterity. I'm
nense applauae.l
But when you confer upon the African
ace the privileges of citizenship, and put
hem upon an equality with white men at
he polls, in the jury box, on the bench, in