Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1859-11-10
speech of Hon. Joshua X. Giddings
at tPhiIadelphia-His Views of the
Harper,s Ferry InsurTection.


was received with manifestations o.
applause. So much was this the case
that several minutes elapsed before h'
could obtain hearing. Silence being
somewhat restored, he opened by re
marking that TO prevent error in the
future as to what he should now say
he had taken. for him, the very urn.
sual course Of placing in writing hi'
remarks He imagined that the aci
Of reading would inconvenience hin
somewhat, but he trusted his auditors
would overlook any hesitation ofspeecl
caused by the difficulties he would
have to surmount, on account OF keep
ing strictly to the letter of his manu-
script.
The speaker then proceeded:
There is at this time an unusual excite
ment in this country. Nineteen men,
one week since, invaded the Old DO.
minion, captured two thousand of hel
inhabitants, and sent CONSERVATION
throughout her vast territory. Hel
Governor has taken the field in per.
son, called out her military forces,
placed arms and troops at all assaila
bic points. Maryland, too, has sup
piled her quota OF men and arms; while
the President of the L. s has ordered
such portions of our army as were
within convenient distance to repair tc
the scene of conflict, and ordered the
militia of the Dictrict of Columbia in
to actual service to protect the public
property. He also placed arms arc
ammunition in the City Hall, to bt
used in case of emergency.
The invading forces are nearly slair
perhaps four of them remain alive
but nearly dead of wounds. Others
have fled, but probably all are by this
time prisoners. Yet, even in this city,
and in several States. there appears tC
be degree of excitement and conster-
nation. 1t is, in truth, the first IN
stance in which any number of white
men have combined for the purpose OF
giving freedom to the slaves of our ma
ton.
Such scenes have long been foretold
More than seventy years since, Mr.
Jefferson pointed his countrymen tc
the time when this condition of things
must take place, and solemnlv warned
them that in such a contest, God haC
no attribute that would enable him tC
take sides with the Shareholder.
Near twenty years since, Mr.. Adams
with prophetic assurance said the da.
of deliverance to the slave must com'
whether in peace or in blood h
could not tell-but whether it was t,
come in peace or in war he said let i
come.
The sympathy of the Christian
world is with the slave. For their liber
alton our Ministers and Christian
pray, our statesmen labor. and thei
freedom is the object of desire with al
candid, intelligent men; while all fee
unwilling to see their freedom STAINED
with blood. Men of age and ofexperl
ence look coolly upon these facts
They should not be moved nor permi
themselves to be excited. / deplore tn
loss of human life as deeply as an.
man. / never saw human woe. no
can / look upon human suffering un
moved; and yet would ask for tn
slave, nor for the master-for Brow
nor for his fellow prisoners, anythin,
more nor less than Justice.
This interesting incident in on
country S history stands connected wit
we'll defined causes. The subject whic
excited the invaders to action Is un
mistakably set forth in all the account
we have received. The institution G
Slavery was the moving cause. W heth
er Brown and his men are as Suily a
they are represented or not, their OF
ject seems to have been the liberatio
of the slaves of that region. Pennsyl
vania had slaves. She emancipate
them. and now enjoys the quiet an
prosperity consequent upon her justice
Virginia retains her slaves, and
consequently subjected to annoyanc,
Thus cause and effect are connected
| make these remarks to show the ce
tainty with which every effect may
traced to its appropriate cause--a
though the real causes of effects a
too rarely searched for.
If we ascertain the cause, we cam,
fail to see clearly the remedy. In o
der properly to trace out the more I
mote as well as the proximatc caus
OF this lamentable occurrence, it seen
!. necessary to allude to some histor
factss and to some important immut1
bic principles.
Virginia held slaves while a Co
ony. From the arrival of the Dutc
e ship in 1920. with her small cargo
human chattels, to this day, the o.
Dominion has cherished the peculi.
institution. All the other Coloni,
c held slaves until after the Revolution
At the formation of the Feder
Government. a new doctrine W.
adopted. The Declaration of Ind
pendencc was the bond of the Unio1
and by that it was agreed that the ne
/. Government should be free; each Sta
: holding its slaves. subject to the wi
of its own people. without reference
= the Federal organization.
Atthe adoption of the Constitutio
D. the States each retained their enti
and supreme power over the institl
ton, within its own territory. havir
a right to abolish it at pleasure. and
consecrate its soil and its institution
A to freedom. do not intend to arg,
these points. / merely lay them dow
as incontrovertible principles. | ther
fore assert that each State NAV,