Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-05-25
OUR FOUNTAIN OF INIQUITY.

Some twelve months ago, an intelligent for.
eigner who had carefully observed every sec
ton of the United States, said to us in con-
versation What grand nation this would
be if your institution of chattel slavery could
be exterminated !" He saw, plainly, what has
long been visible, that slavery was hostile TO
free institutions, that it depraved our politics,
trampled under loot democratic ideas, hunted
down our old faith in freedom with a sentence
of outlawry, and filled the administration of
our government with startling atrocities. Its
eucroachment on free principles was gradual,
but it proceeded steadily under the shelter
OF party feeling and discipline, until it
finally assumed at Washington, and in
all the departments of the federal gov
ernment tile right TO rule as despol
What an infinite curse that institution has
been TO this republic Without it we should
be the most civilized, the most harmonious,
the strongest, freest, and grandest nation be-
low the sun. 1t is at the bottom of our great
trouble.
Slavery is not the direct occasion of the
present attempt to destroy the federal Union;
but all the agencies, ugly ideas, and unha-
lowed ambitions concerned in this atrocious
business were born of it. Slavery bred the
men in whom treason now revels, and it Gre
ated that barbarous state of thought and feel
ing in the south, without which they could
not have. gained prominence or influence.
Slavery has worked in this republic like
deadly pesience, poisoning that great love,
of freedom which gave it existence, blighting
the enthusiasm for free principles, and filling
public sentiment with that foul miasma which
= breeds the plaques Of anarchy and despotism.
We have allowed it to steal forth from the 10.
calities where it was harbored and spread its
influence into our national politics, until it f.
nally claimed to be dictator and master of the
government. If we have sinned in not pre-
serving the tone and policy Of our fathers in
regard to this institution, we are now suffering
grievous retribution. But the spell of its in.
6uence is broken, and can never be restored.
Tie heart OF our people is still alive with the
old deas,-still true to the old flag and to all
it signifies and although we have taken up
arms, not TO extermnate slavery, but to de-
fend the government, yet we may be sure that
the providence Of God will not allow the ma
lgnant cause Of our calamity to come out of
the contest unframed.
There are many very earnest persons who
think that one purpose of the present war
against conspiracy and treason should be a
complete overthrow of the institution of
slavery. They would let loose upon il every
agency of destruction and show it no mercy
under any circumstances. And the men we
hear talk in this way are moi only some Of the
old aboIitionists, but also some of those who
have here :ofore been considered hardshell pro
slavery hunkers, men who could scarcely toll
crate an abolitionist while there was hope of
pacifying the arrogant conspirators who have
spoken in the name Of slavery. They hold
that slavery and free institutions can not live
together peacably anywhere on this continent,
and that if slavery is not extinguished free in
situations will be. Therefore they think we
stESd at once dismiss all ts ss anu sS ii
afoi Lun1 enuiyocation andSslc Teacher, No. i! IL
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