New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-09-05

national deviation began. we nave o""."I
ever aimee the divergent course then 30 lhcon,
vid.ro,ely entered until at last we have reached
q point where amid confuson, DeWhaermene
and mutual TecriminatioDs, ~ seems auho hnPYs
sible 10 20 forward or 70 return We nb.e a'ueu
territory after territory and region er region, WIN
,be customary holiness of eebly resisted couquerors
not merely neglectDg 70 keep Slavery out OF our ne"
possessions but actnsly removing all the barriers
against it which found standing at the times OF con-
ouest In doing this we have defied the moral opin
IONS of mankind overturned the laws and systems of
our fathers and dshonored their memories by declar
ing that the unequaed and glorious Constitution which
they gave carries with it, as it attends our eagles,
not Freedom and personal rights to the oppressed but
Slavery and hateful and baefll commerce in slaves,
wherever we win conquest by sea or land over the
whole habable globe.
While we must now in Difference 20 history, excuse
the first divergence, 1t is manifest that our subsequent
persistence in the has been entirely I'M
necessary and uDjustitiable. New-Brunswick, Nova
Scotia and Canada what remains of Mexico, all the
West Indies and Central America, are doubtless very
desirable, but have patiently waited for them ana
are now likely TO wait until they be acquired WIFI
ont receiving Slavery with them, extending II over
them Nay, all the resistance we have ever met III
adding Spanish American territories 10 our hepuoHoi
has resulted from wiful and peryerse purpose VI
subvertng freedom there 10 blight the falres poruoh
of the earth when we found il free, by extendpgoVeI
it our only national agency Of desoation. we may
doubtless persist still further. We may ADA eonques
10 conquest, for resistance to our amohloh u So,
and apparent strength the greatest empires oil ancient
or modern times all the while eniargng the area OF
African bondage; but after our already ample expert
ence think no one viii be bold enough 70 deny Una.
,e equally increase the evils of discomfort ana The
dangers of domestic faction -, Il,
Fellow. citizens while lament the national DIVER
oence have thus described, do not confess II 70 be
sItogetber nexcusable Much lees do blame any one
or more of our politicians or parties while exempog
others All are in different degrees perhaps respon-
sbe alike and all have abundant II not altogether ade-
quate Deviation once begun, without reanz-
ING the immediate presence of danger, was easer 70
continue on than 10 return. The country has all the
time been growing richer and more prosperous ana
populous. Ii not unnatural that we should dlsre-
gard warnings Of what we were assnren by mgh
though interested authorities always were distant lm-
probable and even visionary dangers. IL cannot De
denied that the African races among us are ablec al
though their condition and even their presence mere
are due not TO their will or fault but TO our oW ana
that they have q direct interest IN the question OF
Slavery. How natural has it been TO assume that the
motive of those who have protested against the extern
sion of Slavery was an unnatural sympathy win the
oegro instead of what it always has really 6een-eon'
Germ for the welfare Of the white man. Ihere are lew,
indeed, who ever realize that the whole human race
suffers somewhat in the siconp and calamities which
befa the humbest and most despised of it's members
The argument, though demanding the most dlepas-
sionate camness and kindness has TOO often been con-
ducted with anger and broken out into violence
Moreover alarms of dsuDion were sounded, and
strange political inventions ike the floating re-shlps
cent down tie St. Lawrence by the 6esleged In Qae-
bec 10 terrify the army of Wolfe the Island of St.
Louie appeared suddenly before rs whenever we pro-
posed to consider in good earnest the subject OF Fed
eral Slavery.
We love and ought to love the fellowship of our
sleyeholdDg brethren How natural therefore, has II
been TO make the concessions necessary 10 silence
their complaints, rather than by seeming Impractical
blity in what was thought matter OF indifference, 10
lose such genial cOmpanonship Again, at least, pres
ent peace and safety together with partial guar
antics and concessions of freedom were from time TO
time obtained by compromises. Who had the right, or
who the presumption TO say with the certainty of being
held responsible for casting imputations OF bad iath
upon our Southern brethren, that these compromises
would when their interests should demand 1t, be DIS
ayowed and broken
Other nations we have assumed, are Jealous OF onr
growing greatness They have Censured us, perhaps
with unjust asperity, for apostscy in favor of
Slavery. How natural and even patriotic has II been
on part to manifest by persistence our contempt
and defiance Of such interested and hostile animadver-
sons. Besides though Slavery is indeed now prae-
tcaly local and peculiar institution OF the South
was not long ago the habit and practice of the whole
American people. 1t is only twenty-five years since
our British brethren abolished Slavery in their colonies,
and only half century since any European ma
ton nterdicted the African Slave trade. Scarcely
three generations have passed away since the subject
of the wrODguluess of Slavery first engaged the con-
si6eration of mankind.
You and indeed understand now very WELL how it
is that Slavery in the Territories of the United States
is left open by the Constitution TO utmost peaceful
opIosition while within the Slave States it is en-
trenched behind local constitutions beyond the reach OF
external legislation. But the subject is complex one
and the great masses of the people TO whom 1t has
only been recently presented, and doubtlessy often
presented under unfavorabe circumstances, might
well desire time for its careful and deliberate exanna
ton.
1t seems bold suggestion to say that great nation
ought to reconsider practice of forty years duration
but forty years of nations life are equivalent TO only
one year the life of All individual The thought s al
least consistent with political philosophy, for it is not
more true that personal persistence in leads inev
itably to run than it is that every nation exists by
obedience TO the moral laws which direct indvid
ual life that they written in its original constitu
tion and it must continually reform itself according to
the spirit of those laws, or perish.
NV humble advice, then, felowcitizens, is that we
return and reGsabsh the original policy OF the nation,
and henceforth hold as we did in the beginning that
Slavery is and must be only purely local, tempo
rsry and exceptional institution, confined within the
Slave States where il already exists while Freedom ia
the general. normal enduring and permanent condition
OF society within the jurisdiction and under the author
ity of the Constitution Of the United States.
] counsel thus for simple reason incapable of iiu-
mination Slavery however i may be at any time or
in any place excused is at all times and everywhere
unjust 6nd inhuman in its very nature: while Free
dom, however il may be al any time or in any place
neglected Denied abused is in ts nature right Just
and bepefcent. il never under any circumstances
be wise persevere voluntarily in extending or fort
tying institution that is nrinslcay wrong or cruel
IL can never be unwise wherever il s possible 70 de-
fend and forfy existing institution that is founded
on tie rights of Human Nature. Insomuch opiD-
ions are go materially and yet uDcoDscously affect
ed and modified by time, place, and circumstances,
may hold these great truths firmly, without mpcaching
the convictions the motives Of those who deny them
10 argument or in practice
/ counsel thus for another quite simple
the frat. knowledge, emulation, and independence
among the members OF social state are the chief ele-
meDts Of national wealth, strength, and power. lgno-
rance, Incidence, and bondage of individuals
always sources of national imbeclity and decline. All
nations in their tnrns have practiced Slavery Most
of them have abolished il. The world over, the
wealthes and most powerful nations have been those