Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-11-29

iiy, girdled by a conclaye OF traitors, precipi-
lated prosperous and happy country into all
lhe horrurs Of internscine war, and then retired
under the withering contempt and blasting acorn
Of Injured aud indignant millions.
II Lord Bacon was correct as to the heralds
oi troubles in State, we have surely Ind them |
10 10 abundance. 1t must always be So Where
mere Is wanting respect for authority, and honor
l'r tue supremacy of law, there can be no safety;
we nave no right to look for security in govern.
ment that has little hold upon the reverence of
.he people. II We would preserve our country
from RUN, we must respect and obey the govern.
ment ourselves, and teach our children and
neigoors to do the esame. This is the divine d.
recuon 10 all cilzsns:-" submit yourselves to
every ordinance of man for the Lords sake
whether 1t be to the King MS supreme. or unto
doNernors as unto those who are sent by him for
the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise
ol them that do we'll for 20 ia the will of God
tnat win well-dolBg ye may put to silence the
ignorance of foolish men, Pet. II, 1915.
How careful was the great Apostle to insist
upon TINS doctrine Of obedience to government
" rut tnem IN mind to be subject to prncipali-
ties and powers; to obey magistrates, to be rea.
dy to every good work. Titus Ill, l.
Had the people of this country, both in high
places and low, learned these scripture lessons.
there had now been no threatened destruction Of
this government by fire aud sword Butt is not
too late for us to lay these things to heart. Let
rebellion be put down; rebellion everywhere; in
'he family, the state aud the Nation and let
US henceforth understand that safety in a nation
depends upon the fidelity with which we regard
aud treat the properly constituted authorities
and laws
Ill WE MUST TAKE HIGHER GROUND ON THE
SUBJECT OF LIBERTY. Long has this country
oeen called the asylum OF the oppressed aud the
home Of Liberty We have proudly boosted of
hua pan1 tk
glorious eAultAtiOn and national pride Yet
with all this, our almost entire national history
has been standing inconsistency; for on this
very soil has been growing up system of hu
man vassalage more grieyous and gigantic thnn
has obtained in amy other portion Of the world
Tor centuries. While other nations have been.
one by one, knocking off the shackles and
unloosing the chans, we have seen millions
brought under the oppressor's yoke, and the
unnatural institution daily becoming stronger. ~
We have connyed at the mbBman traffic in hu
man ohattels, and the slave auctioneers hammer
has mingled the sound of its strokes with the
eloquent notes of the orator, as under the very
dome OF our nations Capitol he has proclaimed
this as the
" Land of lhs free,
Aud the no ne Of the brave"
These things, my friends, arc by no means con.
gtuous or beautiful they are not calculated 10
BNo us very Drght and encouraging hopes of
our countrys future Read history how you
will, and you must still confess that no nation
that has protected aud grown up on its soil any
great system of human oppression, depriyine
men Of their natural and " innlienahle riOhts
among which are life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness" Y has long survived the yicissitudes
of time; aud judge that, unless there shall be
a radical change in the divine constitution of
things, none ever will.
Bat il OF er nations have had reasops for tnk
ing nigh ground on the subject of personal
rights, We tar more. For what ask were we
sent into this broad, free and generous land?
orators have sometimes told us it was that we
might here fairly try the experiment Of u free
government Is this gloss, or was il indeed
so3 We incline to think it was even 20; and
that when the great arblter of nations planted
us on TINS continent, far from the example and
antecedents of the old world, he said To- US. ",n
forih IN the strength and noble herosm OF
christian manhood, and build up an Empire 10
conformity TO the principles Of christianity, for
Whlch your lathets 80 learlessly and faithfully
coniended even unto death. See to il that YOU
show TO the oppressOrs of the world how we'll
governed and yet how free men eau live under
the reign of institutions based upon Justice and
Truth, Equality and Humanty' This hetpr
the letter Of our great commission, and such
iair and Liberty -symbolizing country the theatre
Of our work, it i'll becomes us to he larginp far
behind the older nations of the world in tho
matter Of the rights Of man II we would
retain our foothold as united and prosperous
nation upon this continent, we must return from
our Vhgfnholes 10 the original principles for aud
upon which the nation was instituted
No one now thinks of denying that this very
SUBJECT OF human slavery is vitality associated
with the present war for the Union. 1t stands
related as cause to effect; in mauy ways tue con-
necIion 50 subtle, and Of such pro,rncted and
ihsldious growth that it cannot be described or
defined in words; in other respects the connec
ton is more evident This institution has fos
tered radically different system Of education
in the States where it has held sway; hence n
generation has come forward with radically aud
essentially different views of government; Of
the rights of persons and property; of the value
OF human life; of the claims Of society and
public justice, and all the natural relations of
man 10 man. Here is sample of the views of
government into which they have been educated
in the SOuth:-
All government begins by usurpation, and is
continued By force. Nature puts the ruling
elements uppermost and the masses below aud
subJectto these elements. Less than this is not
government, The right 10 gouern resides in n |
veTy small minority; the duty to obey is inherent |
in the great mass Of mankind."D
This is the education of slavery and IL requires
no comment. BY this same educational sys |
TEN, statesmen have been trained to rule or ruin |
The effect of this system has heen EQUALLY dis
aslrous to morals aud manners, as we are ut last |
beginning to see.
Eighty years ago in the debates OIL the Con-
stitution, George Mason, of Virginia, himself an
extensive stakeholder, declared:
"Slavery dscourages arts and manufactures.
The poor despise labor when performed by
slaves. They prevent the emigration of whites,
who really enrich and strengthen country
fba 81 A..
EVERY MASTER or SLAVES IL BORN PETTY
TYnANT. They bring the judgment of Heaven
on u country"
MIR. Jefferson also, says;
"There must be an unhappy influence on the
manners OF our people, produced by the exist
ence OF slavery among us. The whole commerce
between master and slave is a perpetual exer-
oise OF the most hOisierous passions, THE Mosr
uNaENlTTINo DEsroTIsM on the one part and
uegrauihg submissions on the other; our chill
dren see this, and learn to initiate it
Ibeman must be a prodigy oho ran retain his man
ners and morals uldepraped by such circumstances.
And with wbut execrotion should the statesman
be loadcd' who, permitting one half the citizens
thus to trample on the rights of the other trans.
forms those mto dfspots, aud these into enemies,
destroys the morals of the one part, aud the
amor patrio of the other = With the
morals Of the people, their industry also is de-
stroyed"
These were, at least, good judges in their
time. We can judge for ourselves now. ven.
ture to declare that under the influence of no
other institution or system could such an unhal.
lowed, barbarous raid against good government
ever have sprung up. Well did Mr.. Jefferson
put 1.-THE fleet Of slavery is to "destroy the
love Of oonntry" The lion, MIR. spratt of
South Carolina, in writing to Mr.. Preston Of
the same State, then member of the Mont
gomery Convention, declares; "The South il
now forming Slave Republic This is perhaps
not generally admitted But the renl contest is