, 1862-07-09
THE ROOT OF THE TREE

ihefc need uc no error IN accounting for
This rebellion and its consequences. The
cause OF ii Is patent-cannot be mistaken
by any student Of our country's history.
We announce it in brief as the rccreancy
OF our people in this matter Of human
liberty generally, and their apostacy from
the belief ofthc founders Of the government
tile Revolutionary Patterson this thing.
African slavery, in the American States.
Our people have becI untrue to the great
trusts reposed in the Republic. The Rc7o-
luton eenfdcd 10 their hands the keeping
and defence of the precious principles
which were the origin of that wonderful
movement; and they have permitted the
love Of material 1hings-of dollars and
Town lots, farms, stocks, merchandise, and
spinning jcnnics-tle representatives Of
dollars-to override their duty to Col and
mankind. The flthcrs were not only de-
voices Of liberty as principle Of human
government, but labored to carry tho bles-
sings Of that liberty to every one of the
race; to impress that principle upon So
ciety everywhere, and upon i'll men, white
and black Washington was an Abolition
ist, Jefferson lated aud loathcd slavery as
the negation Of Tie humane theories 10 the
propagation Of which lis life was devoted,
Madison was his con>pecr anl co-laborer.
Adams, Hancock and Hamilton We'd with
each other in their detcstation Of the in
14uity. Their policy always ayowed and,
whenever practicable, Woycn into the lcgis-
laion Of the period, was to make every zaan
free. They died in the full belief that the
doctrines which they had maintained
through I seven years struggle with Great
Britain, would root slavery out Of this land,
and leave the country without its stain.
The caslier legislation Of the States
and Of Congress, was the out
growth Of the legacy which these men
left. AL parties were anti,slavery parties.
The men who most loathcd the buying and
selling Of other men were accounted most
patriotic. To be an abolitionist was pro-
clamation that he 50 called was d ineal de-
scendant Of revolutionary stock, the einher;-
tor OF the philosophy, the practiscr Of the
christianity which gave the revolution its
tone ard insured It's triumphant success.
Under the influence Of the revolutionary
impulse, q large number Of the States got
rid Of the curse, and everybody believed
that it would have disappeared. But with
prosperity came carclessness With tue lapse
Of time, forgetfulness stole upon the body
polite. Wealth bcgot desire Of donlina-
" lessons Of tic good old
Of that time were svoutvu, ane
men reasoned themselves into belief tia.
they could buy and sell, whip, brand auc
bum millions ofthcir kind and 90 unpuu
1shed.. Parties answered the demands q
cupidity and tyranny. Able statesmen il
rented theories that compulsory labor 70,
black men was no curse. Solemn di7iucs
twisted and tortured scripture texts into
some sort Of accord with the man stealing
demands Of their time. And after a little
the moral sense of the nation obscured bv
the fog which false craftsmanship anG
bogus Christianity had raised, grew dull
and the selling Of men was not only tolcr
ated but justified and approved Tier
came the denial Of the right Of petition
denial OF tree speech, violence 10 persona
liberty, abominable fugitive slave laws
loose and careless admission Of more
slave states, iniquitous acquisitions O
more territory for the uses and
purposes Of the nan-scllers, mean AMI
bnse trucking to tue slayc-holdine inf1u.
ence now strong in party and in church
and able to reward friends and punish enc.
mics As the influence Of the principles
upon which the Government was founded
EroW less, the denominations of slaYe-hoid.
ing legislation for tile States and for the
Union grew more abominable still, cul-
zn1natiDg at last in the Dred Scott Decis.
aon-than which nothing more despotic
cycr came from Naples or Austria. The
na&ims and the examples Of Washington,
jefferson and the noblest army Of patriots
TO which thy belonged, were wholly for
gotten. Despotlsm set up shrine in the
capital Of tie Republic and al men wor-
shipped thcreat. The policy and frame work
Of the Government were changed: and in
the change slarelolding somehow got mar
TALLY deifed, and those who practiced it
assumed the airs and exercised the proro.
cations Of q superior race. But
checked finally, in their long offences
against the principles Of the Re
yolution, and against the laws O
God and man, they 1ebelled. And thu.
our readers sec the Upas tree, the shade O.
which has poisoned the land.
The return IS not easy, but return ws
must to the principles upon which ths
fathers built, If We would have peace Up
on nothing else have ne the smallest guar
=anty of national existence. There mayno
LH instant emancipation /; but the natior