Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1860-01-27
The Real Question settled.
LETTER PROM CHARLES o'eoSvoR TO THE COMMITTEE
OF MERCHANTS.
NEW York. Dec. 20, 1859.

NEW York, Dec. 90 1859.
CHAs. oCosNoR, Esq The undersigned. being
DESTROYS of circulating widely as pos ble both
al the North and at the South. the proceedings Of
the Union Meeting held at the Academy of Music
. last evening, intend publishing in pamphlet
form, for distribution correct copy Of the same.
VIII yeu be 20 kind as to inform u whether
this sep meets your APPROVAL and if - furnish Us
with a corrected report OF your speech delivered
by you On that occasion.
lonr. respectfully,
LEIrGH BuIiNET & Co. and others
GESrLEaES: The melsure you propose meets
my entire approval.
have l,ug thought ihat aur disputes concern
ing negro Slavery would seen terminate # She
public mind could be drawn to the true is,ue. and
steadily fixed upon H. 10 eicct ,Ais otyeei WAS
the sole aim 81 my address,
Though its minister cat never Ienuit the law
Of tie land u be uc-si0ncj by private Judge
ment there r. nevertheless, such thing as natu.
raj justice. Natural Justice has the piy3ne sauc-
tiun and il : impossible that any human law
which conflicts VIII j, should long endure.
Where mental emil -atenmcut abyuuis, where
morality Is protested by all, where the MUD IS
free. speech tree, and the press i free, is il pos
siblc IN the natuie Of things, that IawwhieA Is
adm ffei to conflict with natural ju'ticc and with
God own mandate should loag endure
You all viii admit that, within certain linits.
at least, oar Constitution docs contain positive
guarantees for the preservation of Negro slavery
in the old States throug h0ut all tine, unless the
local Legislatures shall think it fit to abolish it.
And, consequently, il Negro Slavery, however
humanity administered judicious,y re gulated be
an institution which conflicts with natural justice
and with God's laws, surely the most vehement
and extreme admirers of John Browns sentiment,
are right; and their demonstrations against the
Constitution, and gainst the most hal wcd names
connected with it, are perfectly justifable.
The friends Of truth-thc patriotic Americans
who W iuld sustain their c1untrys honor against
foreign rivalry, aud defend their countrys inter-
ests against all assailants greatly when they
contend with these men on any point but enc
Their general principles canno, be refuted; their
losie Is irresistible; tho error, if any there be-
IN their premises. They assert that negro slavery
is unjust. This and this alone Of all they say, is
capable Of being fairly argued agaiast.
/ Ii this proposition cannot be reiutcd cur Union
cannot endure, and ii ought not to endure.
Our negro bondman can neither be eXterulina-
ted nor transported to Africa. They are too uu-
metous for either process, and either. if practical
bic, would involve violation of humanity. II
they were emancpated, they would relapse into
barbarism, set Of Negro states would arise il.
midst. possessing political Ell uality and entitl-
eli to social equality. The division of parties
would soon make the negro members a powerful
body in Cougress-would place some of them in
hish political stations, and occasionally let one
into the Executive chair.
1t Is in vain to say that this could be endured;
it is Simply impossible.
What then remains TO be discussed
/ The negro race is apon With \ Constitu-
ton which held them in bcada sc, our Federal
Union mi ght be preserved; but ii 80 holding them
in bondage be a thing forbidden by God and Ma
ture, we cannot lawfully 50 hold them, and the
Union must perish.
This is the inevitable result Of that conflict
which has now reached Its climax.
Among us at the North, the sole question for re-
Election, study and friendly interchange 81 thought
should be--ls negro slavery unjust! The ration.
al and dispassionate inquirer will find no difficult
ty in arriving al my conclusion. II is fit and
proper It is, IN its own nature as an institution
beneficial to both races; and the elect Of this as
sertion is not diminished by cur admitting that
many faults are pr'cticed under it, Is not such
the fact n respect to all human laws and ins!tu.
tlons
| an, gentlemen, with great respect,
Yours truly,
CHARLES O'G0NNOR.