Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1860-06-20

topples and tumblcs 10 ltS IaIl' IA0S0
were his very words, uttered in debate hero;
and his colleague, (AIr. Mason,) who has
never hesitatcd where Slavery was in ques-
ton, has proclaimed that it is ''ennobling
to both master and slave "a word which,
so far as the slave was concerned, he chang
ed, on subsequent day, to ''elevating,
assuming still that it is ''ennobling' to the
master-which is simply new version OF
an old assumption, by Mr.. McDufhe, Of
South Carolina, that Slavery supersedes
the necessity of an order of nobility.
sCAD-CANKER-BARE-
On former occasions | have discussed
Slavery only incidentally; as, in unfolding
the principle that Slavery is sectional and
Freedom national; in exposing the uncOn-
stitutionality of the Fugitive Slave bill; in
vindicating the prohibition of Slavery in
the Missouri Territory; in exhibiting the
imbecility throughout the Revolution of the
Slave States and especially of South Caro-
lima; and lastly, in unmasking the crime
against Kansas. On all these occasions,
where have spoken at length, have said
too little of the character of Slavery, partly
because other topics were presented, and
partly from a strong disinclinatiOn which |
have always felt to press the argument
against those whom knew to have all the
sensitiveness OF a sick man. But God be
praised, this time has passed, and the de-
bate is now lifted from details to princi-
PIES Grander debate has not occurred in
our history; nor can this debate close or
subsidc EXCEPT with the triumph of Free
dom.
1t was the often quoted remark of John
Wesley, who knew well how to use words,
as also how to touch hearts, that Slavery
was "the sum of all villainies" The phrase
is puneent; but it would be rash in any of
us to criticise the testimony of that illus
trious founder of Methodism, whose ample
experience of Slavery in Georgia and the
Carolinas, seems to have been all eondens-
cd in this sententious judgment Lam
guage is feeble to express all the enormity
Of this institution. which is now vauntcd as
! in itself form of civilization, "cnnobling'
at least to the mastar, if not the slave
LOOK at it in whatever light you will, and
/ it is always the scab. the canker, the "bare-
bones" and the shame of the country;
wrong. not merely in the abstract, as is Of
ten admitted by its apologists, but wrong
in the concrete also, and possessing no SIN
gle element of right. Lcok at it in the
light of principles, and it is nothing less
than huge insurrection against the eter-
nal law of God, involving in its pretensions
the denial of all human rights, and also tic
denial of the divine law in which God him.
self is manifest thus being practically the
grossest lie and the grossest Atheism
Founded in violence, sustained only by
violence, such wrong must by sure law
of compensation blast the masters as vel
as the slave; blast the lands on which they
live; blast the community of which they arr
part; blast the Government which doe:
not forbid the outrage; and the longer il
exists, and the more completely it prevails
must its blasting influences penetrate tht
whole social system. Barbarous in origin
barbarous in its laws; barbarous in all it
pretensions; barbarous in the instrument
it employs; barbarous in consequences
barbarous in spirit; barbarous wherever i
shows itself, Slavery must breed barbarians
: while it developes everywhere alike iu tn
individual, and in the society ef which h
forms a part, the essential clements of bar
barisn. In this character it is now con
spicuous before the world. In undcrtak
ing now to cxpose the barbarism of Slave
~, the whole broad field is open bcfor