The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1861-02-26

@ reference to n higher law in your sublin
Declaration Of Independence, that immorti
= bill of rights, which will live rs lorg as on
+ language lives, in the words "these States ars
: aud of RIGHT ought TO be, free and in lcper
V dent States, and may do what indcppnd-n
, States ny Of RIGHT lo?"-not Of WRONG
: but may Of eight do. No. si; the father
Of the Republic never would have made thci
CONSTITUTIONS; they never would have born
sacred ark Of liberty Though seven years
p war, if they had not believed in a higher Inv
in the eternal veti'ies of truth and Justice
> That law is of perpetual aud of universal ob
, agaton. 1t is obligatory alike upon individ
ual and collective man; upon the citizen am
! upon the State. II reveals 10 US, as it re
> vealc3 10 our fathers, the right and the wron.
) IN human conduct. 1t cnjoius upon us, rs i
enioined upon them, human duty as duty. -
II dscloscs TO us, as il disclosed to tlcm, lh'
beautiful form Of goodness and that virtue
which rises from the depths of truths mystic
rious bosom, and sis beloved bee use It's vir
tue" 1t teaches us, as it taught them, that
the performance of duty-tLat highest word
revealed by God to man--is the sure.t and
nobest defense Of men and nations. Fol
.
amendments.
But, sir, | would oppose the admission of
New Mexico as n State on the further ground
that she is not fit to be admitted into the
Union as State until she repeats her unjust
legislation. She has to-day upon her statute
book two slave codes, which would bring
bushes to the check Of Caligua. She pro.
vdes by law that all free white laboring men
and women, contracting to do service, incud.
ing shepherds and agents sent on journeys.
sIall be subjected, when their days work is
done, to the insolent lash Of the tasS-maslcr.
and shall have 10 redress for the insult aud
wong in courts of justice Is this the reward
which is TO be rocDcd out by American law to
honest white men and womcnl Is HAT the
Just reward Of honest toll. Why, sir,
'hought that, in this land of ours, work was
TO be held sacred. | thought the boasted
maxim among the American people was "a
fair days wages for day. work" thought
that long ago our cope had learned "that all
- - -, ,ha' ,hnrn Is divineness
IN 1t, from sweat OF the face up To sweat Of
tn" brain and sweat Of heart, which last in
cIudes all REPRESENTATION all Newton
mcdltatiOns, all acted and suffered heroisms
sweat which all men have called divine" |
have read, sir, in Holy Writ "thou sha, not
muzzc the OK that tread~th out the corn. -
have inferred and believe that We may not
and should not tetter the hand of honest toll
that wings from the earth It's increase, and
feeds and clothes and shelters nations. Never,
sir, will | consent to the admission of that
State until she repesls that infamous enact
mcnt.
But more than that. She has upon her
staiute-bock black code, which provides that
any person may arrest any slave escaping
from lis master, though be came from the rc
NOTES ends OF the carlh--from Guinea or Al.
giers, from Cuba or Braz-and, with ut q
hearing before agsttale commit him tc an
American ja,ior, who's" duty it shall be, at
your cost. sr, and mine, to mpri,ou him sX
months, and advertise him, at t, e cost Of the
American people, for a master and if no
master comes, to take it for giant,d that he
ought to have a astor, aud lmprjSon him for
Fix months longer. without hearing; AID at
the end Of twelve months imprisonment. sell
him at the door Of your American court. house
at the altar Of American uslice-to the
highest bidder IN cash. This infamous stat.
ute further provides that the sheriff, bill of
sale shall vest in the purchaser good aud
inGefeasibIe title against all persons whatever,
even including the mans tight 10 bis own
soul, recognize no bill of sale for n human
soul, unless it bears the seal Of God Almighty.
That this statute might want no feature Of
a,rocitv, it is further provided that tho man
thus wrougcd and sod like a beast slal never
e.
ice. The statute first rohs he man of his lib
ortv, and then seal, his lips in pcrpe uaI 81
lencc. Let these infamous statu as he repeal
ed before New Mexico comes into the Union.
The bill for their repeal is now in the Seua'c.
1t has passed this House. Let it fist become
q law.
What OF cr compromise is offered, in order
to ,avo the Uuioni Why, an amendment to
the fugitive slave law can only stop 20 say
here, touching that law, that the amendment
proposed does not remove the objections, ~
my mind insurmouplabe, to its adoption hy
an American Congress. 1t does not relieve
tho American people from the unjust ohiica
tions imposed upon them bv the act of $50,
are compelled Join in the huni--lo MAX,
nue ana cry On thc tlaCk on n iugl NO save .
woman who is fleeing, with her babe la>'e1
uIon her breast, from the house Of bordagc
| will not perform that service, aud ask any
man on that side whether he will?
As | said before, | stand hy the Consi,u
ton as it is. | ask YOU to con der whether,
if the people of the United States will not
rally 10 tbc support AMI maintenance Of tie
Constitute rs it il, with all It's : cred tradi
tons, they viii de- SO after you shall have
mo'rrA an! umglrl 1t with PRO slavery
amendmtrts.
Mr.. Speaker, ask the people a d the pco
pies Representatives TO maintain tho Constr
tuition in its integrity. Let us pass the laws
which will enable tie Executive TO summon
the people, the loval people, not 20 the con. .
quest Of our countrymen, tn, 10 the defense Of
or Constitution. Let the Constitution l."
saved from violence and cycilhiow: it Is filed
with the wisdom and goodness Of its great
founders; it is the carved work Of their poured
out spirits. Maintain it maintain it iuvlolate
until it fulilIs its sublime mission. until is
goodly heritage Of ours, slumbe'ng betv cen
two great oceans that cugirGle hc world shall
be ilcd with free Commonwealths, in every
one of which, without violence to any human
l,piup mr. any human hnlitation pypty unjust