New-York daily tribune., 1859-12-24
MR.. OCoNOR'S S SPEECH.

To ps ESisr Of TAeR y. TSfoss<.
SIR. attended the Union meeting at the Academy
of music not because supposed there was ahy danger
of di.-unon OF that the South had reason TO nd aut
With the manifested in the character, not the
acts of John Brown-after they had seen ht to make
b,roou, of Preston s. Brooks reward for the oct
ra,e committed on the State OF Massachusetts, IN the
persou Of her Senator; but because was anxious 70
hear from the Acknowledged lea Ter Of the New"
bar. calm, logical argument the constitutional OBJ
la,iops Of the North aud South, in connection With
the question OF Slavery.
Nnrwitastandirg the educational advantages Of the
free States and the general intelligence OF the people,
there is no subject, probably, Of which the mJofny
are 80 ignorant IA the debates OF the Convention th
framed the Consultation, well as the sentiments oi
the fathers OF the hepuOne on tue e"p'" no" "o''e
In view of the fact Of Mr. Conor being suployedby
the State of Virginia defend the Lennon slave case
s,siust the State of Newlork, was not unreason-
able TO suppose that be had given the whole question
that thorough sitting for which be IL distinguished IN
our courts was anxious to participate IN the be neH
of sueh research aud crlcsm for though oht an mum
bl. olacenan IN society," like Granville sharp, haa
been for some time endeavOrlDg to ind out now much
of liberty was embodied in tue nau0ns charter Oh lee
DOM instead of searching for some foundation on
which 10 build up the claim OF property IN man anu
protection for the peculiar institution.
Nben SAY was mortified and disappointed that the
speech the honest independent sentiment ofIhe
FJee siaes and the worldat arge-that history wastor
tured and twisted 70 suit the time ana oecdson-i nave
no Doubt "A large number of those who were present
will coincide with me. Ii the question was put 70 the
oentlemen who occupied the siage-Do You believe,
with Mr. OConor, that Slavery Is Just, benign, anu
ordained By nature II is my hrm belief the majority
would have To do violence to their eonsclences or
stand where Mr.. OConor sad he would II convinced,
Oh the platform Of the higher law. ,-
"Whs the Parliament doth snail be holden or nanst when
ever 'h'i '"A'' '"- -'' Coke
The essence Of all law Is Justice Wa. justice Is not
law ard WIS. i not s% eG"s5 not not to s be
sentiments of leading men North and South, IN
he Convention that framed the COnsutulon,
denounciDg Slavery as u curse 10 the country, he
lodged the main point-dd they intend TO encourage
aud peuetuate Slavery by saying at an early
"r.rod Slavery was discussed by many II matters
little how long this discussion lasted so long as this
discussion confined itself 10 societies with no more
action than the Society OF Shakers or strong-nlnded
" NCmen. , =,
uropose now to give few extracts from the his
tory of The past that the public may Judge whether the
Distinguished pounder has not done injustice TO the
noble dead-as we'll as TO enlightened pubic sentiment
ofthe present me IN his uncalled Tor OOatloh ~ the
shrine Of human bondage.
Previous to the Revolution, while the nation was
taking council aud preparing Tor the struggle Oh
liberty against despotism, the people generally were
stuck with the inconsistency OF an appeal Tor ther
Z" own liberties, while holding IN bondage their
fellow -Inen, guilty only OF skin not colofed Ike
" their OWL" The people OF DAnoufy, Cohneencul
in owu-meetnQ agreed 10 impoIt no more slaves, az
the same time declaring, We cannot but think II a
pail able absurdty 80 loudly 10 complain OF attempts
Z" to ensaye US, while We ARE actually enslaying
others"
Ia DaIen Georgia, in l775, the following resolution
was passed Ut meeting OF citizens:
To show the world that not Influenced by any
traced interested motives but by genera Tor
hereby declare dsspprobaon aud sbhoencs Of the
usurs practice Of Slavery IN however the oReuyaed state o.
rolher
practice iounded In injustice and cruelty nArk tast M
@ ato Of op ow etsturs. below en aud e,aOns
the virtue and morals Of the rest"
Listen TO Jefferson, in the Virginia Convention Of
IVA:
The abolition Of domestic Slavery the ea,sst o5jec Of
desire in Colonies where il anhspPy introduced In
their infant state"
Again in the Declaration of Independence;
tina, all created equahs they are endowed With
certain aensbe rghtshst among these are life liberty and
the pursuit o happiness"
Such expressions ] have doubt, Mr. OConor
viii tell you the gittering generatles discovered
by the acute perceptions Of Rufus Choate. Again.
We End Jee rson, the Congress Of the Confederation
Offering resolution 10 exclude Slavery from all the
Territory eeded or 10 be eeied by tue States TO the
Federal Coy eminent, including the whole territory
now eomprising the States OF Tennessee Mississippi,
and Aiabanni--whch was lost BY single VOTE caused
by division ia one State although maj orty Of the
representatives were In favor OF ~ passage.
need not allude 10 the Anti-Siavefy sentiment of
Virginia IL WIS written in letters Of living light in
the Ordinance of l7S7 passed BY unanimous vote Of
tie States.
Passing on TO the Constitutional Convention, we
fud il presided over BY Washington, who sald " hSs
vote would never be wanting for the passage Of law
10 abollsh Slavery.
GOuy erne Morris said:
he would eoacer IA upholtng done.te ssef5' ~
was nsfsri0us insiiiuon- IL was rufss Of hesvou
Mr. MadirOn =" thought Il wrong 10 admit N the
" Constitution the idea Of property ~ man."
Luther Martin of Mary land sad
Ia the gruius of ocani.n
upgo-sd lessons the OF tins cqa4 rights o. mankind
and habnUstes us 20 tyranny and oppression -
naIy other members expressed thenseiyes WIN
equal force but time and space VIII not permit their
nention in detail. When the Govern nent went into
orerafion we find il supported by men who were
oten in their expressions Of hostility 70 Slavery
John Adams Vice President, had declared that
Z. Concerning " Slavery is = saeFIegioos breach Of
Alexander Hamilton, member Of the Abolition So
eiety OF New York united IN petou for those who,
free by the laws Of God held IN Slavery by tie
&. laws Of the State"
John Jay, Chief Justice Of the United States, sad
that IN biz sight, Slavery was "a iniq1ry, - ain
Of cTi nscn o. e..
Bertsnih ssfsnkln, President Of the Abolition Soe-
ety OF Per lvua appeared st the bar Of Congress
near The close Of his welLspert life, and entrsa'ed
that would be pleased 70 countenanee the resfora
ton Of liberty those unhappy men, who alone, 10
" is land Of Freedom, are degraded iato perpetual
bondage. r
Does any one suppose that a voice was raised 10
hang him" "kick him out Of Congress, or that he
was taunted with eries Of "nigger-wonhiper, with
which portion Of fhs audience a. the Academy gave
exprefsiCn 20 tbeir patriotism j could proceed 4,
gIesf length with the sentiments Of iaay ee Monroe,
v. a N IL IA IL, Ill. 81