Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1860-12-08
How Slavery was Regarded by the Fathers
of tho Republic.
OPINION OF WASHINGTON.

tnan 40 10 see some plan adopted Tor
the abolition of slavery; and this, as
far as my suffrage will 60, shall not be
wanting."-Le to Robert Morris.
"Your late purchase of an estate in
the colony of Cyenne, with view of
emancipating the slaves is generous
and noble proof of your humanity.
Would to God a like spirit might diff
fuse itself generally into the minds of
the people Of this country. But l de-
spair of seeing it. Some petitions were
presented to the Assembly at its late
session for the abolition of slavery; but
they could scarcely obtain hearing"
1Letter Of Lafayette.
OPINOIN OF JEFFERSON.
eff slave can have country in this
worlp, it must be any other in prefer
cncc to that in which he is born to live
and labor for another. And
can the liberties of nation be thought
secure, when we have removed their
only firm basis; conviction in the
minds of the people that these liberties
are the gifts Of God, that they are not
to be violated but with his wrath. In
deed tremble for my country when l
reflect that God is just. But we must
wait with patience the workings of an
overruling Providence, and hope that
he is preparing the dcliverancc of these
our suffering brethren. When the
measure of their tears shall be full,
doubtless God of Justice will awaken
to their distress, and by ditfusing light
and libcrality among their oppressors,
or, at length, by his exterminating
thunder, manifest his attention to things
of this world. Notes OH Virginia.
OPINION OF PATRICK HENRY.
"Would any one believe that am
master Of slaves by my own purchase !!
l will not, Icannot justify it. believe
Il time will come when an opportunity
will be offered to abolish this lamcnta-
bic evil. Let us transmit to our de-
sccndents, together with ourselves, Il
pity for their unhappy lot, and our alb
horrence forslavery. ."-[Letterto Robt.
Peasants.
OPINION OF MONROE.
"Wc have found that this evil [slave-
ry] has preycd upon the very vitals of
the Union, and has been prcjudicial to
all the States in which it has existed" :"
lSpccch in Virginia Convention.
OPINION OF WILLIAM PINKNEy.
External inf.my awaits the aban-
dOncd miscreant whose selfish souls
could ever prompt them to rob unhap-
py Africa of her sons and frei ght them
hither by thousands, to poison the fair
Eden of ofliberty with the rank weeds of
bondage. Survey the counties, Sir,
where the hand of Freedom conducts
the plowshare, and compare their pro-
duce with yours. Your grainarics, in
this view, appear like the stOrehouse of
cmmcts, though not supplied with equal
industry. The cause and the effect arc
too obvious to escape observation. =
[Speech in Maryland House of Dele
gates.
OPINION OF JOHN RANDOLPH.
"Avaricc alone could have produced
the slave trade-avaricca alone can drive
and does drive this internal traffic. AM
bition has its cOver-sluts in the pride,
pomp, and circumstances Of glorious
war; but the trophies Of avarice, the
hand cuff, the manacle and blood
stained cow-hidc. dc."-[Southern Litera-
ry Messenger.
"Virginia is SO much impoverished
by the system of slavery that the tables
will, sooner or later, be turned, and the
slaves will advertise for runaway mas
ters." "Sir, l neither envy
the head nor the heart Of that man from
the North who rises here to defend
slavery upon principle. = Rebuke of
Edward Everett in Congress.
OPINION OF HENRY CLAY.
"What would they who thus reproach
us have done? II they would rcpress
all tendencies towards liberty and ulti-
mate emancipation, they must do more
than put down the benevolent efforts
of this Society. They must 60 back to
the era of our independence, and muz-
zlc the canon which thunders its annu-
al joyous return. They must revive
the slave trade with all its train of
atrocities. They must pen
ctrate the human soul anderadicate the
light of reason and the love of liberty.
Then, and not till then, when universal
darkness and despair prevail, can you
slavery, and repress all SYM
patlies, and all human and benevolent
efforts among freemen, in behalf OF the
unhappy portion OF our race who are
doomed to bondage. "-[Speech OF Mr..
Clay in Congress on tho Emancipation
Society.