Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-10-15
[cosrrsunD PROM FIRST PAGE ]

lance for the nation in its moment Of peril I"
transfer our allegiance from the present union
70 new Union not growing out Of II, but es-
tRoiahed in spite Of it, and on its ruins, wonli
be to convert US into foreigners in our own
ciuplry IL would wound in its most sensitive
part the patriotism OF the people, and obhtera'e
ffom their hearts all sentiments Of national hohpl
and loyalty, and therefore the very condition ol
the existence and durability Of the nation, anh
consequently of the reconstructed Union.
2. A nation to be great, to be strong. aad WIN,
the true patriot desires it, must have soid
foundation in truth and virtue, and aim at some
thing higher, nobler, more spiritual. than mere
material conquest, or material wealth ana pros
perity. Whatever Southern shareholders or
Northern merchints aud manufacturers may
think, there is a moral governor of this worli,
and the nation that constilutiOnally aud habit
ually violates the great law of right aud wrong
and c0ntemplates only material grandeur mud
material goods, either will not long subsist, cr
subsst only as the scourEe of the nations. We
want not that paganzed Republic of which the
Southern leaders dream and with which they
seek to allure us to union with them, even were
it to become as great, as powerful, aud as mng-
nl6cent as was ancient Rome, once the haughly
mistress Of the world. Such Republic would
contribute nothing to modern civilization moth
lug to the intelligence, the virtue, or the happi-
ness OF mankind II would he ut war with all
Christian principles nnl tendencies, and could
only prepare the world for a return Of heather
darkness and barbarism, Ii would be anachro-
nous. II would be out Of place in modern socie-
ty, and out Of time in The progress Of civilization.
Itwonld be a retrograde movement, and, ..theie-
fore, movement against the laws OF Providence,
rs we'll as against the true interest Of mankind.
3. There are some among us who still retain
a conscience, and are foolish enough, If you will
to believe that all men are created equal, and
have certain inalienahe rights, of which civil
society cannot divest them, except in punish
mcnt for crime. There are people who believe
in the praciicahility of republican institutions,
which, though not securing to all men equality
OF rank or condition, shall yet secure to all their
hallVc and inherent rights as men. Such peO-
pie are honestly opposed to Slavery, aud can
never, without the last struggle, submit to the
formation Of an aristocfatic State with Slavery
for its cornerstone. 1t might have been wise
ana prudent to aequiesce in the institution of
Slavery as local institution in some Of the
States Of the Union, where it existed prior to
the Union itself, or had since been suffered to
acquire a legal, or qnasilegal existence, so long
as It could not be reached without doing yio-
lence to The Constitution but 1t ould be souc-
tling very different to consent TO the reconstruc
uon Of the Union on the basis of Slavery, anL
to give it, through the Constitution, legal status
slavery, say what We will of II, is u great moral
s'cial, and political wroOg, and that, too, what
ever be the complexion of the slave. II ther
be any truth in Christianity, if there be an
truth in the teachings Of the great Fathers an
Doctors of the Church, God never gave to ma
the dominion of man aud hence ST. Augustin,
ST. Gregory the Great and others, tell us tha
the FIRST rulers Of mankind we're called i,astors Z
shepherds, not lords or dOmiRators; and that Go
gave to mankind dominion over the irratiopt
creation, but not over the rational The Churc
mas tolerated Slavery, where she lacked iii
power to abolish it, but her whole histor
proves that she sets her face against il, and us,
ali the means at her disposal without shocki,
tue public peace or creating tumults and di
oFder to prepare the slave for freedom, and
secure his ultimate emancipation. The negro
man-is human being-.a member of the I'm
man race and whether naturally inferior or n,
T. the hoasted Caucasian variety he has III
same natural and inherent right 10 liberty tbf
mas the white man, and the wrong Of enslayin
MIN IS Just as great as il would be if he wet
White. The laboring man, whether white I
oiack, may be a poor man, but God has give
MN the right to be IL free man, to be his ow
man, not anothers,
as to the the argument Of our Southern slave
holders, and apologists for slavery, that the slav
is better cared for better fed. and better clotha
than our poor laborers at the North. thew weig
nothing with us; because they relate only to ii
human animal, and not 10 the man. If the slav
were mere animal, had 30 rational soul or ma
raj nature, if hc were ind, ed an OK, a horse. or
uog, we should not complain of his condition. o
ouer any objection to slavery. We believe tim
tue animal in the slave is often better provide
iVr 'nhh the animal IN the poor white laborinl
man; but the man is and must be NEGLECTED.. i
is the man that is wronged and outraged tb,
man that Is debased and enslaVed; and the slave
holders know very well that, in order to keer
thelr slaves in subjection, they must close t.
them, as far as possible, oil the avenues TO in
telligence, debar them from all intellectual an,
moral culture, and keep them as near the leve
OF brutes as they are able; they must stiAe i,
them the man, and prevent the DEVELOPMENT il
them OF that image and likeness Of God II
winch they were created II is this that zen.
ders Slavery an outrage upon humanity. and ba,
excited against it the indignation of the Who'll
Christian world.
we cannot, therefore, consent to the recon
struction Of the Union on the basis of Shaver,
we believe in the rights OF man; we believe /
hnetyi we would secure to all others that liber
ty which we demand for ourselves; and We he
heVe slavery great wrong, sin against hu
manity, which is sure, sooner or later, 10 brn
down the vengeance of God upon every peopl
that adopts and insists on perpetuating H. IN
nations OF antiquity had Slaves; where ara tbns
nations now? Pagan Greece and Rome ba
their slaves; and where are Greece and Rofn
to-day! The Oitomaus have had their slaVcs
and the Ottoman empire a now in its aponv.-
SPAN became great slave power through lie
ool9n,es' MOST OF those colonies has she lost
and she herself has fallen from the frat nn,vs,
below the rank of second class nowe, S'ts, IF En
rope. The same may bo said of Portugal. Onl,
those nations IN Europe which have emapoinai
cd their slaves, freed, or are freeing their ssrfs
show any signs of longevity. Let the fate az nj
slaveholding nations be warning 10 ali thos
weak, eowardly, or traitorous men nj the Nortl
VINO would consent to the reconstruction of iii
Union on the basis OF Slavery Let them reAec
that "tne wicked shall be turned into hell. nm
all i'le nations that forget Cod" and every slavp
bSlding nation whatever its spasmodic piety. n
its hypoortical professions, does forget God
who never refuses to hear and ultimately 4
aYenge the slave.
4. Finally, passing over all thus far adduoed
we cannot consent to such reconstructed I'm.
ion, because it would contain in it no element a
strength and durability, but the seeds OF its owl
dissolution. 1t would be based not only OF
slavery as It's corner stone, but on the right ol
any or every State, TO secede, whenever il shoud
choose, without the other States having anv
right to call il to an account for its secession
rms recognized right of secession may work mn
great harm to-day, while the Confederate STATE
are united in grand struggle for separate ex
ls'ence' or national reconstruction; but the mo
men' that struggle is over and peace is restored
u would begin to operate, and render the Cor,
Iouera'e bond mere rope of suni. State zeal.
ousles would spring up, and new secession.
"ouiu Commences the Union would hardly he
reconstructed before it would be redissolyei ina
l.s original elements and there may be as many
separate and independent governments as thero
,'is individual States. We tried confederation
lore constructing the Union, and found Tint il
any defect, is in the fact that il leaves tbe F.ia'
RAJ power too weak for an effective central power
OF 70 constitute the people OF the several Stntss
Iea.'y anu practically one political people. Tho
Guuipdepnnsr al I.