The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-05-30


the same time place in ssiking contrast this
modern Democracy as it bows down before
the Moloch of human bondage.
The men Of 1776 tell US. to use their
own language. that the people were struck
with the inconsistency of an appeal for their
own liberties, while holding in bondage
their fellow.men, guilty only of skin not
colored like their own )" and the citizens
of Georgia. in 1875, sent forth to the world
the following manifesto
"To show the world that We are not inhu.
enced by any contracted or interested motives,
but by a general philanthropy for all mankind,
of whatever climate, language, or complexion,
we hereby declare our disapprobation and abhor-
renee of the unnatural practice Of slavery, as
(however the unculsivated state OF the country
or other specious arguments may plead for III a
practice founded in injustice and cruelty, and
highly dangerous to our liberties as well as lives,
debasing part of our fellow creatures below men,
and corrupting the virtue and morals of the
rest"
Mr.. Chairman, if any Georgian to-day
should stand over the graves of the men
who placed this sentiment upon record, and
repeat it as his own earnest conviction, he
would be driven by the Democracy from
his house and his hearthstone as traitor to
his party, or lynched as felon and an
outlaw.
George Washington was President Of
the Convention which framed the Consti-
tuition. and he was surrounded by men who
were fresh from the councils and contests
of the Revolutionary struggle; they had
drank in the spirit of the contest. and they
came together. as they expressed it. to
secure to themselves and children the bles
sings of liberty" while they spared no oc-
casion to denounce the evil, the wrong, and
the curse. of human bondage.
Washington said his vote never would
be wanting for the passage Of law to abol-
ish slavery" He writes to John F. Mer-
Ger:
81 never mean, unless some particular cir
cumstances should compel me to it, to possess
another slave by purchase, it being among my
first wishes TO see some plan adopted by which
slavery in this country may be abolished by
law"
Mr.. Jefferson declared, in IVA:
"The abolition of domestic slavery is the
greatest object of desire in these colonies, where
it was unhappily introduced in their infant
state"
And at later period of his life, as the
result of more mature experience, he says ::
"Nothing s more certainly written in the
book of fate, than that the people the negroes
to be free nor is it less certain that the two
races, equally free, cannot live in the same Gov
ernment. Nature, habit, opinion, have drawn
indelble lines of distinction between them. 1t
is still in power to direct the process of
cipation and deportation, and in such slow de-
grees as that the evil will wear off insensibly,
and their place be, pari passu, filed up by free
white labOrers. If on the contrary, it is left to
the prospect held up"
Patrick Henry adds his testimony, in a
letter dated January Is. 1893:
Il believe - u..U viii "h~.. UppO.t tu'
nifty will be offered to abolish this lamsntabe
evil. Everything We can do is to improve it, il
it happens in our day if not, let US transmit to
our descendants, together with our slaves, a pity
for their unhappy lot, and an adherence for
slavery. If We cannot reduce this wished-for
reformation to practice, let US treat the unhappy
victims with lenity. 1t is the furthest advance
We can make toward justice. 1t is debt We
owe to the purity of our religion, to show it is al
variance with that law which warrants slavery
And another eloquent and eccentric
son Of the Old Dominion John Randolph,
says:
~ give to my slaves their freedom, to which
my conscience tells me they are justly entitled
1t has long time been matter Of the deepes
regret to me, that the circumstances under
which l inherited them and the obstacles thrown
in the way by the laws of the land, have pre-
vented my emancipating them in my lifetime
which it is my full intention to do in case Cal
accomplish it,"
And, now. where would these men O
the olden time stand. if they we're onc'
more in the land they loved. and for whicl
they labored? What fellowship woul'
our modern Democracy hold with Thoma
Jefferson? Where is the Democrat VIII
dare announce as bis political creed tn
sentiments Of Washington Who in tn
ranks of that organization dare repeat tn
old republican doctrines of a Madison,
Henry, and Randolph? What Democra,
ic Convention will enunciate in its platforI
the great truths that our fathers blazone
forth in the Declaration of Independence
MIR. Chairman, none dare do it, except ;
the sacrifice of his party standing. Th
man who stands up and avows his bell,
and concurrence in the blood. baptized do
trines Of our fathers, will very speedily fin
himself outside Of this Democratic organ
za,ion. That party spurns the teaching
Of sages and statesmen, heresies and abstra
{ tions, and calls the Declaration of Ind
, pendence "a string of gli;tering general
, ties" New lights guide their footstep:
new counsels govern their votes
l have quoted the Democratic doctrir
I as expounded by Virginians of the o.
/ school. Now. BY way Of contrast, let n
! quote the doctrine Of modern Virginia d
). mocracy. On the 18th of January la:
gentleman Mr.. Smith who once file
the Executive chair in the Old Dominic
0 and who is now. as for years past, an inf
. entail Democrat, on this floor, was ask,
!. whether he repudiated the sentiments
!. the Revolutionary fathers on the subjec.
r African slavery. His reply was:
e 81 will say, however, in the outset, that I
n gentleman refers to the sentiments of the dist
guished Revolutionary men, and asks me if
. pudiate them. Sir, many Of those sentiments
course repudiase. Derisve laughter from ,
: Republicans. Many Of those sentiments Z