Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-04-19
Bxtracts from owen Lotejoy's Famous and
Fiery Speech Against SIaSert.

Fiery Speech Against sIatert.
As Owen Lovejoy's intemperate and anti
slavery speech has made great noise in the
country, doubtless many of our readers will
be pleased to read few of the most intense
efforts which have not yet been published.
THt PRIVILEGE or AN AMERICAN CITIZEN.
Mr.. Chairman, claim the privilege of 60
| ing any where and every where within the
limits of this American Republic, as n free
citizen, unmolested, and OF uttering, in an
orderly and legal way, any sentiment that
choose to utter, and yet are we allowed to
do iH Are we, for that, in these United
States, to be subjected to violence, toutrage,
tar and feathers, burning, imprisonment, and
the gallowsP Answer that question. |
know gentlemen say that selfpreseryation is
the first law Of nature; but If you can not
keep slavery and allow free discussion then
L say, in Gods name, before free discussion
and all the rights of free citizens are to be
sacrificed to- that Moloch of Slavery, that.
Moloch must be inundated at the Shrine Of
liberty, free speech, free discussion, and all
those rights that cluster around an American
citizen. .
Why Mr. Chairman, citizen of Rome,
when the scourge was already appraised, and
about to fall upon him, if he uttered the cry,
Il am Roman citizen" it arrested the
scourge: r.Wellfsir, is not there more of
charm is II not a prouder position to be an
American than to be n Roman citizen? And
are we in the nineteenth century, living un-
der the Constitution, with our free institu-
tlons-are our persons and our rights to be
less sacred than they were under, the old
Roman administration eighteen centuries
ago and more? That is my response to the
question why recommended the circulation
Of the Helper book.
-gDIg. n ABOUT JOHN BROWN. i.7
Now, what about John Brown GCries of
Lets have itl'1 This affair of John Brown
brings us to the reality of things. This raid
confronts us with slavery, and makes us ask
is slaveholding right? and if so, what right
has ltf When the curtain rose, and startled
the nation with this tragedy, John Brown
lay there like wounded lion with his head
upon his paws, q saber cut on his brow, bay
onet gashes in his side, the blood oozing out
and life itself apparently ebbing fast; around
were certain little specimens of the canine
species, snuffing and smelling and finally one
of them yelped out "Mr. Lion, was the old
war-horse that pastured on the Western Re-
serve with you in this expedition" The lion
slowly rised his head cast a disdainful side
glance upon the inquirer, growled out a con-
temptuous negative, and reposed his head as
before.
In regard to John Brown, you want me to
curse him. will. not curse John Brown.
You want me to pour out execrations upon.
the head of old OsSawatomie Though all the
slaveholding Balaks in the country fill their
houses with silver, and proffer it, will not
curse John Brown. | do honestly condemn
what he did; from my standpoint, and with
my convictions, disapprove of his action,
that Is true; but believe that his purpose
was a good one.-that, SO far as his own mo-
tives before God were concerned, they were
honest and truthful; and no one can DENY
that he stands head and shoulders above any
other character that appeared on the stage in
that tragedy from, beginning to end-from
the time he entered the armory there to the
time when he. was strangled by Governor
"Fussation." General laughter.1 He was
not guilty of murder or. treason. He did
unquestionably violate the statute against
aiding slaves to escape but no blood was shed,
except by the panic-stricken multitude, till
Stevens was fred upon while waving flag
of truce. The only murder was that Of
Thompson, who was snatched from the heroic
protection ofa woman, and riddled with balls
at the railroad bridge. Despotism has seldom
sacrificed three nobler victims than Brown
Steven and Hazlett. f' i.E t-H' e.
THE RIGHTS OF SLAVERY.
As remarked, Mr.. Chairman, this brings
us to confront slavery, and ask what right
this Caliban has upon earth2 say no right
why gentlemen need take offense; they need
not unless they choos.-ny honest conviction
is that all these slave-holding laws have the
same moral power and force that rules among
pirates have for the distribution of their
booty; that regulations among robbers have
for the division of their spoils; and although
l do not believe gentlemen have behaved
very handsomely to me, am going to add,
Notwithstanding, that do not mean to say
that gentlemen who are shareholders would
be guilty of these particular things; that is
not the point; am talking about this mat
ter in the court of conscience, in the court of
right aud wrong; and i insist that any laws
for enslaving men have just the same moral
force as the arrangement among robbers and
pirates for distributing their spoils. / want
to know by what right YOU can come and
make me slave2 | want, to know by what
right you can say that my child shall be your
slaye7 Iwant to know by what right YOU
say that the mother shall not have her child,
given to her from God through tie martyr
dom of maternity?
The argumentthat proves my rightto my
children gives the same title, the same sacred
claim to every father. They, as !, get it from
their God, and no humaIfenActinent can an
nul the claim No. Sir, neyerleg Therefore,
every slave has right to his freedom, in spite
Of your slave laws. Every slave has right
to run away, in.spitey of your slave laws.s,
tell you, Mr.. Chairman, and tell you all
that If were slave, and hid the power,
and were it necessary to achieve my freedom,
l would not hesitate to fill up and bridge over
the chasm that yawns between the hell of
Slavery and the heaven ofFreedom, with the
carcasses of the slain. Give me my freedom!
Hands off Unthrottle that mani Give him
his liberty He is entitled to it from his God.
With these views, do not think, of course, it
is any harm to help away slave L told you
thata year ago. Il need nqtrepeat iit.y} /
)i Y INDoRsING THE HELPER book 4u
One gentleman from Virginia stood up in
his place, and wanted to know where there
was a man who would indorse the Helper
Book. He wanted such man, If there was
one here, TO stand up, that he might look
upon the traitor. Mr., Chairman, /, for one,
signed the paper recommending the circula-
tion of the Helper Book | signed it intelli-
gently. ] was neither engrossed nor ab-
stracted. Ibid Il because I wanted 10 do il;
and now If the gentleman wants to look upon
that kind OF traitor, me, ne, ddsuht Qui 1eci,
ih me conVertitS telpi;FI did it, z tl,x.5lFK
/ will sign a Recommendation for the circu-
lation Of any book that | choose, without
asking permission of the gentleman from
Missouri, (Mr. Clark or any other gentleman
in the House or out Of the House. / viii
sign paper recommending the circulation of
ntbIo tha IL. /.