Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1860-05-31
Extracts from John Bells Speech in the
Senate, 1850.

or frantic priests, or more learned or ration
al divines may preach, whatever they may
affirm Of Christian precepts, of moral and
religious duties and responsibilities; what
ever Interpretation of the law Of nature or
of Almighty Ged they may announce; what
ever doctrines or theories Of the equality OF
human rights and Of the various races OF
mankind, diversified as they are by COM
plexion, to physical formation and mental
deyelopement, the disciples Of transcend
entail creed of any kind may bold or teach;
however they may dognatize upon this by
po,hesIs, and declare it 10 be violation
of the law by any one race, with
whatever superiority of mental or physical
faculties they may be endued, to subjugate
those of an inferior race, and make them in
struments ofimprovement and ameliorstion
in their own condition, and that OF their
masters and conquerers, in carrying forward
the great work Of civilization-until we
shall be enlightened by revelation from a
higher source than themselves, must claim
the privilege Of interpreting the law of ma
nature By what see revealed in the histo-
~ Of mankind from the earliest period OF
recorded time. uncontradicted by Divine
authority. Unjust interpret that law &C.
cerding 10 the prominent facts connected
with this subjsct, as they have stood out in
the past, and as they stand out before us
this day. Looking through the eyes Of
history, have seen slavery or involuntary
servituds the instrument and hand maid OF
Hihdoo, Egyptian. Assyrian, Jewish, Greek
and Roman civilization. | have seen the
institution recognized by the theocratic gov
eminent Of the Jews. the chosen deposita-
riss of the Word Of Life; by democratic A
theDs and republican Rome. have seen,
upon the overthrow Of Roman civilization
by the savage hordes of the North, that
these new masters Of Western Europe, and
their SUCCESSORS, adopted and continued to
uphold the same institution, under various
notifications adapted 10 the changing con-
ditien Of both slave and master, and still I'M
der an advancing civilization until CON-
paratively recent period. l see the same
institution tolerated snd maintained in Eas-
tern Europe at this day. see the native
race OF all British India at this moment
bowling the neck under system Of quasi
slavery. But, above all, have seen here
on this continent, and these United States,
the original lords Of the soil subdued, some
Of them reduced TO slavery, others expelled
driven out, and the remnant still in suhor-
dination, and all this under an Interpretation
Of the law Of nature which holds good al
this day among cur northern brethren; and
have yet in reserve that great fact te
which have alluded-three million of The
Africsn race, whose labor is subject 10 the
will Of masters, under such circumstance,
that their condition cannot be changed
though their masters should will it, without
obstruction alike 10 the interests and well
fare Of both master and slave. These are
the lights by which l read and understand
the law Of nature
"Sir, making all due allowance for A.
Insrican enterprise and tbs energies OF free
lsber under such system OF free govern.
uent as we enjoy, doubt whether the pow
er and resources Of the country would have
attained more than half their present extra
ordinary proportion but for this SO much
reviIed institution of slavery. Sir, your
rich and varied commerce, external and in.
ternal; your navigation; your commercial
marine The nursery Of the military, your
ample revenues; the public credit; your
rich, popuous and splendid cities-sll may
to this institution, as TO their wellspring
their present gigantic proportion nourisheC
and built up tc their present amazing heigh
and grandeur by The great staples of The
Ssulh-the products of slave labor.
yet slavery, in every form in which il
has existed from the primitive period OF or.
ganized society-from its earliest and pa
triarchal form 10 this time, in every quar-.
Ter Of the giobe--and all its results, even
the magnificent results Of African slavery
in the United States, are declared 10 be a.
galnst the law Of nature. Though contrib
uting in q hundred various forms
and modes, through period of thousands Of
years, 10 the ameli'ration of the condition
OF mankind generally; though sometimes g.
bused, as all human institutions, even those
OF religion are still contributing 10 advance
the cause of civilization; though if you
please, having its origin in individual Gu
pldity; still working out general good,
yet slavery and all Its bsnefcient results
are pronounced against the will Of God BY
those who claim a superior illumination up
on the subject. This may be SO; but |
must say that this conclusion, SO confidently
announced, is not arrived al in accordance
with the Bsconian method of reasoning, by
which we are taught that from great many
particular and we'll established facts in ply
sIcal economy we may safely deduce gen.
eral law Of physical nature, and SO of NOR
ais and government. Itseens to my weak
faculties that it is rather an arrogant and
presumptous arraignment of the ways of
Providence, mysterious as we know Them
70 be, for feeble man to declare that that
which has been permitted to exist and pros.
per from the beginning among man and na-
lions is contrary TO his will.
EThe democracy have been recruiting
until they have got too strong. They took
in oil applicants, without reference to their
principles, and the new recruits have crowd.
ed the old sachems out Of their wigwam.-
Listen al the Jefferson Examiner:
In the DAYS Of jackson, and during a &c.