The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1860-03-22

evil; to believe with Henry, that "a tlme
would come to abolish this lomentabe G.
vil" and, With jefferson. that nothing
is more certainly written in the book oi
fate than that this people shall be free,
brought neither prescription from power,
nor indignities from the people; now these
sentiments bring upon the publics man the
prescriptions Of power, the redicule aud
reproach of presses in the interest of pow
er, and subject the American citizens,
whose rights are guarded by constitution
al guarantees, in the slave States, to the
insults aud degrading indignities Of law
less and brutal mobs, maddeDed by the
fanaticism of slavery, to arrests, imprison-
nents, fines, and banishment. Then, the
people of America confined their new
government to the guardianship and guild
ance of statesmen known by their acts
aud recorded opinions to be unalterably
opposed to the slave trade, to the perpo-
tuity of slavery, to its expansion into the
vast empire of the northwest; now, the
public men of America who inherit the
sentiments and opinions of Washington,
Jefferson, Madison, Adams, Jay, Hapil-
ton, and their illustrious compeers, who
would coRsecrate the territorial posses
sions of the republic to free Institutions
for all, are admonished in these Cham-
bers, that they will not be permitted, in
the slave States, to avow their sentiments,
or advocate the election to the Presiden-
cy, in 1860, Of a candidate representing
their policy; aye. that the election of such
a candidate will be cause for the dissolu-
ton Of the Union.
The slave power now compels public
men, Durtured and reared amidst the in
fuences of free institutions, to hasten
with alacrity to disavow past sentiments
and opinions, to accept the dogmas of the
slave 9ropagands, and to join in bunting
down old comrades. That power has es-
tablshcd in the slave States a relentless
despotism over the freedom of speech,
and of the press and of correspon-
dence through the mails. That power
will not permit Americat citizens to
entertain, utter. print, or circulate SEN
tiuents and opinions concerning slavery.
which were avowed by Jefferson, Henry.
Mason, aud the great men of Virginia OF
the Revolutionary era, or even by Nc
Dowell, Summers, and Randolph, in the
Convention Of 1890. The American cit.
izen, living under constitution which
guarantees free speech, holds that right
subject to arbitrary laws, or to the law
less acts Of brutal mobs. George Fitz-
hugh, one of the apostles of slavery, the
author of work on 1.-THE Failure of Free
Society" in which he avows the doctrine
that slavery, black or white. is right and
necessary" now declares, with regard to
the right of private judgement, freedom
Of speech, freedom of the press, and free
dom of religion, that the South takes care
to trammel these sterner rights $50 called
quite as efficiently. by an austere public
opinion, as Louis Napoleon does by law, or
by mere volition; that we epropose to deter
men from applying the AK to the root oi
our Soothern institutions, (that is, by dis
cussious, or recurring to fundamental
principles,) first, by moral suasion, OF
moni,ion. next, by tar and feathers, and
that failing, by the halter
Sir, what humiiating spectacle does
the Republic now present to the gaze OF
% snkind! I speak of the deeds of law
lessness and inhumanity against free A
meriean Citizens-deeds which shock ev
cry manly bosom. The mails daily bring
US intelligence of the laWless deeds Of
brutal mobs-of the ipdignities perpetra
ted upon freemen, guilty of no crime, un.
less it be crime, in 1860, to cling to the
opinions of the fathers of the Republic
The Post Office Department, the Post
master General tells US, "pervades every
channel Of commerce and every theatel
of human enterprise; and, while visiting
as it does kindly, every freside, mingle:
with the throbbings of almost every hear
in the land. In the amplitude of its be
nefcence, it ministers to all climes anC
creeds and pursuits with the same eager
readiness and with equal fullness Of 6del
ity." This POST Office Department, il
nearly half the States, is at the mercy Of
the stupidity or prejudice of postmaster ;
maddened by slavery fansticism, and tb'
correspondence OF the people and the pub
lie journals may be examined, seized, ant
destroyed, by these censors of despotism
and this may be and is done under the o
pen sanction of the Administrations
Fanilies are banisbed from their hearth
and homes. Free colored men are foroet
to break the holy ties of kindred, seel
homes among strangers, or be doomed tt
perpetual slavery, by laws which "pro
pose" in the words of Judge Catron, o
the Supreme Court, "to commit an out
rage-to perpetuate an oppression ant
cruelty" Surely there is no country il
Christendom-no, not one-where th'
freemcn of the United States are expose'
to such insults-such indignities
lawiess oppressions--as in the slaVehold
ing States of this democratic Republic
The President calls our attention to tn
outrages perpetrated upon American cit
izens in Mexico. There is. sir, more sc
curity for the citizens of Massachusetts,
for the eighteen million people of tn