New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-10-29
The Hon. Joshua II. Giddings

Virginia
The Hon. Joshua II. Giddings
ON JOHN BROWN AND THE HARPER FERRk
TROUBLE.
PHILADELPHIA, Fridsy Oct % 1850.
The Hon. Joshua X. Giddipgs Of Ohio delivered Q
discourse this evening at the National Guard Hall On
the subject Of the Harper s-Ferry Insurrecton,'
and John Brown OF Osaw atanie:"
Mr. GIDDISGs sad There is at this time an unusual
exciten ent in the community Nineteen men, one
week since invaded the Old Dominion, captured Two
thouserd of her inhabitants, and seut condemnation
throue bout her vast territory. Her Governor mas
taken the field in person called out her militia forces
placed arms and troops At all available points. Mary
land, too has supplied her quota OF men and arms,
while the President of tie United States has ordered
such portions Of army as we're within convenient
distance to repair TO the scene OF conflict and placed
the militia u the District of Columbia in acve service
to protect the public property: lie also psced arms
ana ammunition the City Hall, TO be used in case OF
The invading force lie nearly all slain-psrhsps four
OF tuem remain alive, but nearly dead OF wounds.
Others have fed, but probably all are by this tine
prisoners; vet even in this city, and in several States
there appears 10 be degree OF excitement and con-
serDaop. Il is in trut1 the iirst IN st ,nce IN wlch
any number Of white men have combined for tbs pur-
pose Of giving freedom to the slaves Of orr nston.
Suoh scenes have long been foretod there;
seventy years since Mr. Jefferson pointed hi, country
men 10 the time when this CONDITION OF things must
take place and solemnly warned them thai IN suen
contest God had not attribute that would enable
him TO take sides With the STAKEHOLDER. Nesrly
twenty years since Mr. Adams, with prophetic assur
ance sad the DAY OF the deve ancs OF the slave must
come Whether in peace or 10 blood he could not tel.
Bot whether it come in peace or IN blood ne ssid lei
IL -, a.,
The sympathy Of the Christian world is with the
slavee For their liberation our ministers and Chrs'
tans pray statesmen labor, and their freedom Is
the object of desire with all candid, iatelse men,
while all feel un ng 10 See their freedom stained with
blood. Men of age, Of experience, look cooliy upon
these facts they should not be moved, nor permit
themselves TO become excited deplore the loss OF
human life a. deeply az any mao. never w''nss'
human woe, nor can look upon human suffering I'm
moved. And yet l would not ak for the slave. nor
for the masterfor Brown, for his fellow prisoners
-apythipg more nor ADJ thiDg less, than Justice.
This interesting incident in our counIyls history
stands corrected with some welldefined csuse. The
subect which excited the invaders 70 aoaon !, unnis
takaby set forth in oil the accounts we have received
The institution Of Slavery the moving GAUGE.
Whether Brown sDd bis men are as guilty as they are
represented not, their object seems To have been
the liberation Of the slaves Of that region. Pennsyl-
vania had slaves: she emsncpsted them and now en-
Joys the quiet aud prosperity consequent upon her
iuttce. Virgins retains her slaves, and Is conse,
queItly subjected TO annoyance. Thus, cause and
effect are always connected. 80
make these remarks to show the certainty with
which every effect may be traced TO its appropriate
csuse although unthinkf men seldom trsce events 70
their remote origin. This event may be as clearly
present age FIVE ascertain the cause, we cannot fail
To see clearly the remedy In order properly to trace
out the more remote we'll as the Pro1lTate causes
Of this lamentsble occurrence, it seems necessary to
slude to historic facts and 10 some important,
inmutsble principles. ,
Vrauis held slaves while colony, from the lan1lng
Of tho Dutch ship in 1920, with her small cargo OF hu-
man chsttels, up to this day the Old Dominion hes
cherished the peculiar institution. All the )ther
colonies held slaves until after tho close Of the Revo-
luton. -
at the formation of the Federal Government new
docuire was adopted. The Declaration OF ltdePen'
derce WA the bo1d Of the Union and by that It vas
agreed that the lew Government should be Tree, eacn
Stste holding its Slavery subject to the Will OF Is own
peoule without reference 10 the Federal 0rgapzau
At the adoption of the Constitution toe states eacn re-
tanned their entire ard supreme power over Tue lns
tu,ion within its own territory having the night TO
abolish il at pleasure and 20 copsecrate 1T SOL aDd us
institutions TO freedom. do not intend to argue tins
point merely lay them down a. ncoutIovertlole
nr,ncinles | therefore assert tina. each State may
~ pleasure establish liberty within its limits and tnst
no other power has any right TO interfere. IDat Penn
syysua has the undoubted right TO be free, while NJ
ginis has the power and privilege to MAINTAIN her
Slavery. ..,,.
that eyery attempt Of the Federal Government TO IN
yolye the people of or other Free States
in the expense the crime, drgrace Of Slavery con
stues an Overlapping Of is Legitimate, It's con'ntS
In saving this am certainly aware that Virgi MIA
and al the Slave States deny this proPoetoo, COO
insist that although we bad the right 70 aoosh sv-
ery in our own States, We are nevertheless bound W
aid them 10 uphold it In Virginia. l sm aware tnat
this row constitutes the great lssue between our poi
cal parties But repeat IL Is no part OF my present
pup &c TO argue these ponts IL suhcient ior my
purpose to soy that nearly al OF our people OF
the Free States maintain and believe the doctrine 20
have Laid il down-that oar obligation 70 defen1 Inc
slave States AZ snst invasion domestic violence na:
no more reference to Slavery than TO her impnsoned
offenders. .h;.o, r
on.LI 10 cav that By the Constitution Penns
arc ell the sts.es covsnsIted win eacA othst 70 s
r.resr might've slsves, and 70 grant 70 tne c.Ioas
.scb ss al the iu nun tiles ard privileges OF crti7ens
f RE .syera Sts,es Ths. both tness Covenants nave
o,oy.a ncoIveDen. Tns Ssve States 81 they can
10 yraIi To TIE orea Zsts OF orI own fiee STATES
The sams imuu.it sS- sGd Pnvieges wnD1 tuei Own
ctizsts Ell = " Jooaf eodsnserirg tne estIanon Oh
Slavery. Ina. r do1btnss uue. N1. -s ~ ~
E,,s Sac. .elzs and return 'usye slaves sithoct
s.,shnsbitg Slavery 70 that extsnt wshin Their VI
tsTito,ies The co.'s ssnts are at1a add aspendc.s-
Nou, be perfo.Ined, both doubtless Wa be. ~ olE ~
volased TIE cher oasht not TO De pefiornf icc Nd.
srsue this pant, lay down es plain PROPOSE,
,.Sirs ina. mo people Of the FIRES oSstes genS ~
btieys H. This belief Of the es, body Of OR people
l. ;hs predicate nom which Idrsw desue'ions.
cerrainly hazard botbinz 10 saying thst tn people
of Ali tie Free States a:sire 10 % tEs crty tc"afi
e,cL other ard willing tbs. each STATE sden eny
al 10 CO institutional privileges, AID that pes,iotsm e.
msnes that they shall rsain.aa thsL osa nsnx ma
the r,ghts OF their STATE.
Perrsylvanis and other Ststes have sbolshsd see
rsu,iou, her pssSIe desiring TO Dc nee aac snafsy
| rurfsd from the coB,sslOs VI oppfsssion however
fno,yidusls from political or intere ted motives, may
labor 10 subeoa her people to tba sspp1 o. slavery
ne state TOD " Say TIA. Line t1ris ct a' G. ~ sis "
81 pNtis, sIsh 70 % sea,sy s'psa,s- Ah1 i'f'1'e'