The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-03-18
WASHINGTON, DC.
TEE CONFLICT BETWEEN RELIGIOUS TRUTHS
AND AMERICAN INFIDELITY.
SPEECH OF Mr.. GIODINes. OF OHIO,
The Issues pending before the American People
ii regard to Freedom and Slavery.

SPEtCH Ut NIX. 6iUDlNGS. VI OHIO,
The Issues pending before the American People
IN regard to Freedom and Slavery.
Delivered in Committee Of Whole House on the stat,
OF the Union, February 6, 1856.
Or. Chairman, questions of mere economy
those which relate to banks, to internal improve
ments, or protective tariffs, no longer occupy
the public mind. These subjects have given
piace to questions of more transcendent impor-
lance, to those which relate TO the rights Of
mankind, to the religious, moral, and political
elevation of our race The discussion of these
subjects has, in all past time, been attended
with agitation and excitement. 1t brings the
rights of the people into conflict with depot
ism, whatever may be the form OF government
under which the discussion takes place. Such
is now the condition of this mighty nation; our
Union is shaken to its very centre by the agita-
ton of great and undying truths. Our Govern
meut is vibrating between Freedom and tyranny
and It becomes Us thoroughly to examine the re
ligious basis On which we found our political &C
ton.
The late message of the President in rels-
ton to Kansas is without precedent in the
history Of executive communications TO this
BODY Its tone of contempt for the people o.!
that Territory finds no precedent in our Gov
eminent, while the language of the people o!
Kansas, expressed by her Legislature, Is moot
extraordinary for sovereigns to use towards a
servant already arraigned before the tribunal OF
the popular mind, for hig crimes and misde
mesnors.
Under these circumstances, have thought
that the best service / can render the people
on the present occasion would be TO anslyze
the subject which now absorbs the popular
mind, and, so far as able, to define the issue
now pending before the nation.
That issue is founded upon fundamental re.
iigiols truths, which are maintained BIZ one
political party, and denied by the other.
Immediately after the last Congress adjourn.
ed, the men who WELD the judicial and executive
powers of. Government publicly denied the
great primal doctrine of our Government, that
all men are eRdOioed 6y their Creator pith an
hereat, equal, and inaliena6le rights" They
essayed TO oblilerste the line of demsrkation
drawn by our patriot fathers between the des-
potisms of a darker age, and the rights of man
kind as understood in this nineteenth century.
The annual message Of the President, in its
leading positions and in its details, wholly disre-
cards those rights of human nature, and speaks
of men, created in the image of God, with
undying spirits, with eternal destinies, az
transformed into property, in direct contradic-
have long regarded as selfevident."
1t will be my object to render this issue
more distinctly obvious. Its Importance lie
transcendent and however fully other gentle
men may have appreciated it, feel constrsin
ed to admit that / have failed to comprehend
Its vastness, or set bounds to the consequences
naturally resulting from its decision yet every
member of society is bound to examine and to
act upon his own responsibility.
Our fathers recognising God as the author
of human life, proclaimed it " self evident"
truth, that every human being holds from the
Creator an inalienable right to live, to sustain
aad protect life, attain knowledge, elevate his
moral nature, and enjoy happiness.
These prerogatives were recognised as gifts
Of God" lying behind and above human leg
isiation; and the founders of our institutions
proceeded to declare that Governments are
instituted among men to secure their enjoy.
Dent. Thus our Republic was founded on
religious truth. and it was thus far emphatically
2 religious Government. 1t has ever been sus.
tanned by the religious sentiment of the nation !;
and il will only fail when this element shall be
discarded by the people. The attempt now
made to overthrow these religious truths de-
Inands the severest condemnation.
There are but few men who openly deny the
existence Of a Supreme Being, or that he is
clothed with the attributes Of infinite wisdom,
truth, and Justice; or that men sre religious in
degree as they bring themselves into harmony
with those divine Qualities, make them their
own, and assimilate their characters to that of
Deity. This is the sense in which use the
term religion" do not speak as q secta-
RAN. Indeed, sectsrisns do not regard mem.
bership as religion, but merely as the evidence
OF religious feeling the part of the individual
All admit hat those who are wise, truthful,
jusi, and pure, Of all denominations, and men
who possessing these attributes belong to no par
ticulsr sect, are the truly religious men of earth.
| am conscious this examination of the reli-
gious character of our Government will sub
ject me to criticisms; but | assert, if there
be place on earth where religion, where wis
dom aud truth and justice and purity of purpose.
should be observed and practiced, this Hall con-
stitutes that place. If there be class of men
on earth who ought to be religious, who ought
to be wise aud truthful aud Just and pure OF
purpose, the members of this body ought to sus-
tain that characte'.
L repeat, we all acknowledge the existence of
Supreme Being; that he is the Creator; that
we are brought into life by His will. At this
point, the American people separate into two
great paries-one holding that sovereignty
dwells alone with the Creator, and not with men !;
that kings, potentates, and all human Govern
ments, are subjected to the "higher law" of the
Creator, and authorized to legislate Only for
the protection of the rights which God has con.
ferred on mankind. Another portion deny the
existence OF this "higher law" and insist upon
the perfect and unlimited sovereignty Of human
Governments over the lives and liberties of the
people. 10 be more explicit, the religious por-
ton hold that, as God gave life to tie human
race, de conferred on each right to that Ito.
erty which ID necessary to become wise, truth
full, Just, and pure TO bring himself into har-
moEy with the law OF God, and enjoy happ.
ness; that these ghts are equally self-evident
as the existence of our race; that they are IN
herent, 7lbqlienable, and common to all men
that they constitute the great moral ligament
which binds man to his Creator, connects earl
with heaven, and unites the human race in ons
common brotherhood, bound by the most sacred
obligations to love, revere, and obey our Univer
sal Father. OF the possession of these rights
every sentient being is conscious. When Goc
created man, and bresthed into him the breath
of life, when man became a living soul, thi
consciousness for med part of his moral nature
and never, IN any age or in any cline, has man
even in his rudest, his most barbarous state
been unconscious of his right to live, to nourisi
and protect life, and seek his own happiness.
These rights constitute an element of the hu
man soul; they cannot be alienated by the indi
vidual; nor can any association of men, or any
earthly power, separate the humblest of the hu
man race from them. Men may rob their fel
low man of the food which he gathers for hi,
own support; they may deprive him of the power
of selfdefence they may bind his limbs anS
scourge his body; they may prevent him from
attaining knowledge; but his right to the foo,
which he gathers, to defend his person, to a.
tain knowledge, viii remain unchanged. Thei
crimes will in no degree affect his right.