The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1860-06-28

The pious and sacred John W esiey,
the founder Of Mcthodism, denounced
slavery in the strongest tcrms-he says:
american slavery is the >leSt that
the sun, it constitutes the sum of all >iiIanics.
Now, john Wesley was born in 1903
and ordained in l72j-(5l years before
the Declaration of Independence and
being the most popular preacher Of his
day, his publicly expressed views and
opinions on the subject Of slavery, may
be considered important testimony as to
the state of the public mind at that time.
Nor did Wesley stand alone on that plat
form-two ,f the most celebrated biblical
commentators of the age express similar
views; Thomas Scott says.
"To nun.,,er the persons o, men with beasts. sheep
aud horses, the stock of farm, the cargo of
ship. is doubt, most dctestas and anti Christian
rractcc.''
ADAM CLARKE says:
dealers. whether those WHO carry on the t,nf-
fc in human flesh and blood or those who steal a per
in order to sell him into ho ndaEe. those who
buy such stolen men women. no matter Of what eel
or what country or the nations who l"galize
cOnnve at such traffic all those msn-sfediers and
God classes them with the most hag"us "f mortals' -
Nor were these sentiments and these
views confined to ministers of the gospel,
to Biblical commentators, and professors
of religion. The most learned men, and
great statesmen of that day express the
same sentiments
The celebrated PIrr, Earl Of Catham,} say:
at is injustice to permi, slavery to remain single
hour
His great anita yoniSt aud rival Fox, SAYS:
with regard TO regulation Of slavery, my dct,s-
tation of its existence induces me I" know no such
thing regulation Of robbery and restriction Of
murder. Pc sonal freedom is right Of which he who
deprvcs fellow creature is criminal in hepriving
him. and he wlo wthholds is no less criminal in with
holding"
BURKE says:
Slavery sa state so improper, so degrading and 40
runous to the feelings and of human nature,
that it ought not to lie suffered to exist. -"
MoNTESorIEr says:
Slavery is contrary to the fundamental principles
OF all societies. -
RossEAU vs.:
"The term. Slarery and right, contradict and ex-
cude each other. y
DIR. JOHNSON says:
mo man shy nature the property OF another The
rights of be way forfeit ed before thcy
can justly be taken away"
BLACKsroNE says:
II neither captivity nor contract can ly the plain
law of nature and reduce the parent
of slavery, much less they reduce the offspring"
"The primary aim of society is protect indiydu-
ais in the enjoyment Of their absolute rhts which
vested in them by the immuah laws of Hence
foll"wsthat the first and primary human law
is to maintain th"s absolute rights of indviduals'
could add if time would permit ex
tracts from the writings and speeches of
many other eminent men, who, prior to
the American Revolution, warmly repro
bated the injustice and wrong of Human
Slavery, but will on V mention the names
of Milton, Hampden md Locke, whose
language is fully as strong and energetic
on the bject as that have just quoted
And these were Europeans, living under
Governments where hereditary distinc-
tion prevailed, in Kingdoms where mon
archv was revcrenced, and the aristocrat
ic degrees of rank and title acknowledged
and submitted to with implicit faith.
But let us 60 farther with our tcsti-
mony, and see what were the opinions of
the men of the Revolution, the views Of
our patriotic forefathers who perlled
their all in the glorious contest for ma
tions freedom, for the establishment of a
great Republic upon the basis of equal
rights and the pcrpetuity of liberty
One of the Resolutions passed by the
Continental Congress on the 10th Octo-
Der, 1775 (and which will be found in
American Archicves 4th Series Vol. !,
page 9l4, is as follows:
Resoired. That will neither import nnr purchase
any slaves imported. after the first day Dece emher
slave trade, and viii neither I've concerned in it
selves, nor will we hire vessels, nor sell our
comm ODDITIES or manufactures, to those who con
cerned in it,
And on the next day, the 21st of Oc-
tober l775, an address to the people of
Great Britain was voted of which the
commencement is as follows
"Friends and Fellow Citizens: When a nation
led to greatness hy the hand Of liberty possessed
of all the glory that herosm, magnifcence, and hu-
manity can hesow, desceuds to the migrate task of
forging chains for her friends and children in
stead Of giving support to Freedom turns adrocar
slorery and opprsson, there reason to suspect she
has either ceased to be vir,uous, been extremely
negligent in the appointment of her rulers. -
And in Georgia, land of the sunny
South, mgr one Of the ultra pro-savcry
States, the same anti slavery feeling then
prevailed At a Convention held at
Darien, Georgia, on the 18th January
1775, one of the resolutions adopted was
as follows
g To show this world that are not influenced by
any contracted or interested motives. hut general
philanthropy for all mankind. of whatever climate,
language or complexion. we hereby declare dis
appreciation and adherence of the unnatural practice
of slavery in America, (however the uncultivated
st ate Of country other specious arguments may
plead for practice fou"ded IN nj"ee md cruelty.
andhighiy dangerous 10 hberties (as well lives
dedasing par, of fcio~ be'om mrn. and
rorrupting the rrturs and morals Of the aud is
laying the basis of that liberty contend for (and
which wepray the Almighty to continue the late At
posterty, upon very wrong foundation. We
therefore. resolve at all times to utmost
deavors for the manumssion Of Slaves in this
ny, upon the most safe and equitable footing for the
masters and themselves. ''-yfmericdn .frehires 4th
Series Toi J, page 1876.
The Father of his Country-our own
immortal WASHINGTON, was strongly
opposed to slavery, and on various occa.
sions. in mild yet firm language, express
ed his opposition. In letter to La
fayette, he says:
Marquis, is so conspicuous on all occasions, thai
l never wonder at any fresh proofs of it; hn
your late purchase of an estate in the colony o
Cayenne. with the view OF snian, irating the
slaves on it, is generous and a noble proof o
yOnr humanity. Would to God like spir
might diffuse itself generally into the minds OF
the people of this conntry.'
In another letter to Lafayette, 9TH
April, 1873, he says:
"The srhe me, my dear Marquis, which yo'
propose as a precedent. TO encourage the cman
cipation Of the black people in this country from
the state Of bondage in which they are held, is a
striking instance Of the henevolcnce OF youl
heart. ! shall be happy to join you in so lauda