The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-10-11

'' '''iNIH, ilIicdSiilS III NOiulne ana power,
and to spread itsef abroad. We can well
see by this work what it has already done,
how 1t lrrigates ard must continue to irri.
gate this whole continent; how every good
and vlrtuous plant lives and brcaths by its
support. We see the magical fertility
which results from its presence, because il
is around us and before us.
We son ctimes, fellow citizens, hear an ar
gument for former proposition made in this
form One offers to take a thing to be
done by the job Let us imagine for mo-
ment that there could be one man bold
enough, great enough, AMI wise enough to
take "by the job" the work of establishing
civilization overthis broad continent of North
Amerca. He would, ofcourse, want to do
1t in the shortest time, at the cheapest ex.
pen 'e, and in the best manner Now, would
such a man ever dream of importing African
barbarians: or of taking their children OF
decendants in this country to build up and
people great free States all over this land,
from the Allegheny Mountains to the Pacific
Oceans? Would he not, on the contrary, ac-
cept, as the rightful, natural healthful, and
best possible agency which he could select,
the free labor Of free men; the minds, the
thoughts, the wills, the purposes, the ambi-
tons ofeulightcned free men, such as we
claim ourselves to be; would he not receive
all who claimed to aid in services as these,
whether they were born on this soil, or were
Graded in foreign lands?
! care not, fellow citizens, what rockies
men may sty in the heat of debate, or under
the influence interest passion or prejudice; il
Is matter of Indifference whether slavery
shall pcrvade the whole land, or a part of the
land, and freedom the residue that freedom
and slavery may take their chances --who
don't care whether slavery is voted up or
voted down. There il no man who has an
enlightened conscience who is Indifferent on
the subject of human bondage. Applause.
There is no man who is enlightened and hon
est, who would not abate some considerable
part of all his worldly wealth, if he could
thereby convert this land from land ours
ed in whole or in part with slavery, into a
land of equal and impartial liberty; cheers
and will tell you how knw this | know
t, because every man demands freedom for
himself, and refuses to be slave. No free
man, who is man, would consent to be a
slave; no slave who has any manhood in him
does not desire to be Free no man who has
an unpcrverted reason does not lament, con
demn and deplore the idea of commerce in
man; the executioner is always odious,
even though Lis task is necessary to the ad-
ministration of justice. But we turn with
horor and disgust from him who wields the
axe. So the slav holder turns with disgust
from the auctioneer who sells the men and
women who he has reared and held in slavery
although he receives the profits Of the sale
into his own Golfers
know this national idea Of ours is Just
and right for another reason; it is that in
the whole history Of society, human nature
has never, never honored one man who re.
duced another man to bondage The world
is full of monuments in honor of men who
have delivered their fellox men from slavery
Since this idea is self evidently Just, and
is of itself, pure pcaceabla, easy to be en-
treated and full Of good works. VIII you
tell me why it is that it'has not been accepted
by the common people? Alas! that il
should be so. Perhaps can throw light on
th't by asking another question: Is not
Christianity pure, peaccabic, gentle, easy tc
be entIcated, and full of good works? and
yet is not the church of Jesus Christ still a
church militant? Alas that it should be
so. Christianity explains for herself how il
is that she is rejected Of men. She says il
is because men love darkness rather than
light, because their deeds are evil. | shall
not say this in regard to the subject of free
dom. | know better; know that my coun.
trymcn love light--n5 darkness. They are
even in the state and disposition Of the Ro-
man Governor, ''almost thou pursuadest me
to be christian" and almost the American
people are persuaded to be Republican,
[Cheers and laughter. Why, then, are they
not altogether persuaded The answer can
not be given without some reflection 1t in,
wolves an examination Of our national con-
luct and life.
The reason why the country is only almost
and not altogether persuaded TO be Repub,
lican, is because the national sense is perver.
ted-the national sense and Judgment has
been perverted. We inherited slavery il
is organized into our national life--into our
forms of government. 1t exists among Us,
unsuSpected in its evils. because we have be,
come accustomed, out ofnational habit. to en-
during and toleratng slavery. The effect o
this habit arising from the presence OF
slavery, is to produce want of moral cour
age among the people and an indsposition tc
u.
not. however, the fault of the people This
lack Of moral courage is chiefly the fault o
the political represen,ativeSofthe people. lr
every district in the United States, and fol
every seat in Congress, the people might sci
ect men apparently as brave as truthful, a.
less and as firm as Owen Lovejoy. App
lause
You may fill the halls of Congress with
men from all the free States who scem to be
as reliable as Owen Lovejoy; but on The
clangor of the slavery buge in the hall they
begin to waver and fail. They suffer them
selves to be demoraized; and they return tc
demoralize the people. Slavery never hes,
itates to raise the clangor Of the trumpets tc
terrify the timid
Slavery has, too, another argument f,r the
tiInid than terror it is power The concen
tration ofslavery gives it fearful political
power. You know how long it has been tho
controlling power in the executive depart
ments''of the Government. Slavery uses thai
power, as might be expected-to punish those
who oppose it, to reward those who serve it
All representatives are naturally ambitious
all representatives like fame If they do not
like pecuniary rewards they like the distinc
tons of place. They like to be popular
When the people are demoralized he who i.
constant becomes offensive and obnoxious
he loses position and the party chooses som,
other representative who will be less obnox
ious. These denoralized Representatives
inculcate among the people promiscuous les
sons and sustain themselves by adopting con
promises. They compromise so far, ifpossi
BILE, as to save place and show ofprinciple
they save themselves first and let freedom
take what remains.
A community thus demoralized by il
renresentatiyes is fearful of cnnsinnrinrr tl,,