Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-05-20

An8 NNnlGf oN Na0NFH NlolNAANoH 30 Nub i
Anlerfcnn PeepIel-A Sermon, by Rev. J, |
e. G.. FermnB, OF AttOu, III. cow "a |
Preached to the Church Of the Redeemer,
O., May u, 1861. rs'na,'.i,
r,Tbou tnswest ret the time of thy visltatidn."-
Lake xix, ----------------.---.-- |
In the history Of nations and Of men there
are times Of visitation from God for their |
guidance, their correction and Instruction Ia |
Some of the instdnces Of sHch |
a pf,itdtigYil 70 lhe American pscPle the man
Rer n teAich hty haze been neglected or ini. |
pToVtd and fke instraetion and dWty, Of The !
pressnt crisis, will constitute the subject Of
this discoursel 11d 4gaJ % f'rragliI1yaas
Il AS the Hebrew nation was once a favored
and chosen people. through whom God COM
municated instruction 70 mankind, and pre-
pared the way for the Christian dispensation,
70 believe the American people have been
chosen of God 10 work out a higher and
more Christian civilization on this continent
thsn exists in any other part Of the world.
The founders Of our civil institutions were
men who believed in God and the supremacy
Of his law, and they made liberal provision
for his worship, and the education of the
people, while they built the State on. the
rights of man, and made free and Intelligent
labor the foundation of their prosperity.
Having hed from religious persecution in
the old world, they became the heroes Of a
new civilization. There was providence in
the fact that this mighty continent was re
served until the human race was prepared,
by its experience, for better, more en-
lightened, and more liberal forms of govern
ment, in which the rights of human nature
should be fully recognized, giving ample
scope for the highest development Of hu.
manly. Separated BY a great ocean from
the deSpotisms of Europe, there was greater
security for long and tranquil periods of
national growth and prosperity, and thus the
best providential opportunities were afforded
to make great advancement in wealth, educa-
ton, art, religion, government, aud all the
means of happiness.
=, While, in many respects, the American
people have greatly improved these grand,
proyidential opportunities, in others they
have fallen short of their true glory and Cles-
tiny. Unfortunately, in the early history of
this country the institution of African slavery
was planted among us, encouraged by the
King of Great Britain, and adopted by the
colonists. r When the spirit of the American
Revolution broke out, in the general dis
cussion of human rights, and Of the founda-
tions of just government, it was plainly per-
ceiyed by the leading patriots and statesmen
of the time that the buying and holding of
human beings, as slaves, was a violation of
divine law, and inconsistent with the priuci-
pies upon which we advocated our own rights
to independence and liberty.
In New England, slavery was condemned
by the general religious sentiment of the
people, and passed away under the decision
of the Courts In, the Middle States, systems
of gradual emancipation were adopted, and
slavery was abolished, without detriment to
private property, and with manifold bless
ipgs TO the people of those States who sup
planted it by their own free labor, aud with
the enterprise and industry which character
ize free institutions, New York and Penn
sylvania have become the weslthiest and
most populous States in the Union. $50
But in the Southern States, the people
clung to the systemof involuntary servitude,
compelling the African lsborer to work
without wages, holding his person as prem.
erty, and selling his children, the same as
they sold the increase of their locks and
herds. Their soil, climate and productions
were better adapted to make slave-laborlprof-
table; they had given less attention TO the
establishment of common schools; they had
.broughtwi them, from Europe, more aris-
tccIatie notions, and more of the spirit of
feudaliem and they were less jealous in
their espousal of Republican principles than
the more enterprisiDg States of the North.
Hence it was, that, in the Revolutionary
war, South Carolina and Georgia were a
source of weakness, instead of strength, and
gave aid and comfort to the enemies of lib
erty.
In Virginia different spirit prevailed.
Her great statesmen, by their superior cul-
ture and sympathy with the best thought of
England and America, were the warm and
generous advocates of human rights, and
espoused with enthusiasm the cause Of Amer
lean liberty. Her immortal Jefferson drafted
the Declaration of Independence, which as.
serted the same human rights as the inalien-
able Inheritance of all mankind not even ex-
cluding the African race, for, in the original
draft, he accused the Kipg of Great Britain
OF violating the rights of human nature, in
the persons Of an unoffending people, in
making them the victims of the horrid slave
trade. When the Federal Constitution was
formed, we find her great civilian, James
Madison. obiecting to the insertion OF the
word "slave,g' because ''he was not willing
it should contain recognition of the princi.
Pile that man could hold property in mau."
Whea the Government ,of the United
States had become established, and Wash
ington saw the institution of slavery disap-
pesfing from New York and Pennsylvania,
under their sy stems of gradual emancipa.
,tion,- he expressed in his, correspondenee
With Lafayette, and other leading men of
the time. his earnest desireA to see such q
system adopted in Virginia. ,.-n,,l
Jefferson, also, wrote strongly against
African slavery; showed its malign influence
on the morals and manners of THE people,
and it, injury to The State, and asserted that
nothing was more clearly written in the
book OF Tate than that this people are des.
tined to be Free" In exhibiting Its essential
wickedness, and its inconsistency with Re-
publicanism, he said nbe 1trembled for his
country when he remembered that God was
just.H 'ha o" : & u ~ .l'i ~ w ~
am aware how familiar these facts are to
yout and Isi introduce them, not for the pur-
,poseso imparting any new information, or
5or any Political object hut to show that
God"was,a at that time, moving upon the
hearts of the American people, and visiting
them CHS spirit, that they might be per,
suaded to choose the right path-the path of
wisdom and equity, which would have
proved the path of safety and peace. That
day of trial aud discussion was q time of
visitation from God, whe, through many
wise and deyont men, in the political and
religious world, had instructed US in the
principles Of human liberty, and who was
then admonishing us by the best lights of
the age, to get rid Of the inieuity,of slavery
which now threatens to involve US in o
common ruin. i1l-Ei ~ Fhaa1 A ia
Let US now look at the manner in which
lthese early Visitations were improved or me-
elected. In the Eastern and Middle States
: The people were Obedient to the voice of God
in their history, They emancipated their
slaves and elevated them fFOm the condition
OF chattels to their proper rank of human
beings, entitled to-thsir personal liberty, to
receive wagesfor their service, and 10 enjoy
|! sneh means Of happiness and improvement
as were within their reach. 0beyIpg the die
tates Of Ohristianity, they removed the dan
ger6us inSthqtiOn from their aidst; they
made It the interest of every man 70 obey
the Governments, BY projecting bis person
and property; and, on the basis Of free labor,
intelligent industry, education, freedom Of
religion and eplightened commerce, the free
States of America have extended from ocean
ItoFOcean, occupying the central portions of
the contineDt 4 With millions OF fiee, educated,
induslIiops apd happy people. III gt
BGt what = me present con- dtioP Of those