The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1860-02-16
February 18th, 1850. h's

risen far above them. II dlsdains 10 justify
itself with petty plesdings; 1t spurns diplo
matte equivocation; IL places the claim 70 IN
dependence upon the broad basis of eternal
rights. as selt-evidens as the sun. as broad rs
the world, as common as the air of heaven
The struggle of the colonies against the
usurping Government of Great Britain hiss
risen to the proud dimensions of q struggle
of man for liberty and equality. Behold,
Ave men are advancing towards the table OF
the President. First, Thomas jefferson,
whose philosophical spirit grasps the gener-
ality of things and events; then Benjamin
Franklin, the grea. apostle OF common sense,
the clear wisdom of real life beaming in his
serene eve: then the undaunted John Ad-
ans, and two others. Now Jefferson reads
the Declaration of Independence. and loudly
proclaims the fundamental principle upon
which it rests: "Al men are created free
and equall' 1t is said history tells you
what it meant. The secptre Of ROYALTY IS
flung back across the ocean; the pFerogatlves
of nobility are trodden into the dust every
man a king, every man baron; IN seven oil
the original colonies the shackles OF the
black man struck off; almost everywhere the
way prepared for gradual emancipation
"'No recognition of the right of property IN
mani" SAYS Madison. "Let slavery be abol-
{
the supremacy Of Old England is to be sha-
ken off, but a new organization of society is
to be built up, on the basis of liberty and
equality. That is the Declaration OF
Independence! That is the American
Revolution All men free aud equal
Not even the broad desert of the Atlantic
ocean stops the triumphant shout. Behold.
the nations of the Old World are rushing to
arms. Bastiles are blown into the dust as
bv the trumpets of Jerrico, and, like pillar
Of fire by night and pillar of cloud by day,
the great watchword of the American Revo-
luton shows forever the way to struggling
humanity. Long continued applause. l.
A II men are created free and equal. Whence
the supernatural power IN these seven wordsI
Turn your eyes away from tile sublime
spectacle of 1875, from that glorious galaxy
of men whose hearts were large enough tor
all mankind, and let me recall you t" the So
Der year of 1857 There is Springfield. the
capital of Illinois. one of those States which
owe their greatness to ordinance orig nal
" framed by the same man whose hand
wrote the Declaration Of Independence. En-
the Hall of the Assembly there stands Mr..
Douglas, who initiates an eager crowd into
the mysteries OF popular sovereignty tie
will tell you what it meant, when the men oi
1916 said that "all men are created tree aud
equal He says:
mo man can yindicate the character, the
motives, and the conduct of the signers OF
the Declaration of Independence, except
upon the hypothesis that they referred to
the white race alone, and not to the African,
when they declared ali men to have been
created free and equal-that they acere speak
ing ot British subjects on his continent be-
'mg equal to British subjects born and ress-
- - ,hof tlax- ami
tiled to the same inalieuable rights aud amo ng
them were enumerated life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness. The Declaration ot
Independence was adopted merely for the
purpose Of justifying the colonists in the
.eyes of the civilized world in withdrawing
.iheir allegiance from the British Crown. and
'dissolving their connection with the mother
country
What? Is that all? Is that little heap o
quick sand the whole substructure on which
new organization of society was to be
built? The whole foundation upon which
the proud and ponderous edifce OF the Uni
ted States rests? They did. then, not mean
all men, when they said all men. They in
tended, perhaps. even to disfranchise those
free blacks who in the five of the origina
thirteen colonies enjoyed the right of voting;
They mesnt but the white race. Oh. no, by
no means, the phole white race; not the
German, not the French. no; the Scandina
visns; they meant but British subjects
british subjects this continent being
equal TO British subjects born and residing
.on the other side of the great water,"-
ILanghter and applause
There is your Declaration OF Independence
diplomatic dodge, adopted merely for The
purpose of excusing the rebellious colonies II
=
Declaration of Independence, no longer the
sacred code of the rights of man, but ar
hypocriical piece Of special pleading drawr
up by batch of artful pettiioggers, who
when speaking OF the rights Of man, meant
but the privileges of a set of aristocrati,
Shareholders, but styled it .'the rights 0
man." in order to throw dust into he eyes .
the world. and to iuvegle noble hearted fool
into lending them aid and assistance. Ap
pIause.l These are your boosted Revolution
ary sires, no longer heroes and sases. but &C
CON plished humbuggers and hypocrises. wins
said one thing and meant another, tho pass
ed counterfeit sentiments as genuine, ans
obtained arms and money and assistance an:
sympathy on false pretenses! Tnere is you
great American Revolution, no longer th'
great champion of universal principles bu
mean Yankee trick-[bursts OF applaus
and laughter "a wooden nutmeg rene "
ed cheers l-the most irnpudent imposition
ever pracsiced upon the whole world! Zap
plause-l
That il the way Mr. Douglas wants you /
read and understand the proudest pages Q
American history That is the kind Of MS
tory with which he finds it necessary to pro-
his mongrel doctrine OF popular sovereignty y
That is what he calls vindieating the ckarac
avl IL II
ers of the Declaration Of Independence.
Thus he did no, blush TO SANDER Jefferson
who. when speaking of his country, mean
the wo.M. and. when speaking OF his fellow
citizens, meant mankind; and Franklin. il
zhassa clear haad thaorx and z,-zo..aa -