The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-04-25
EMANCIPATION IN THE DISTRICT
Remarks of NEE. Rid
die. of Ohio.
In the U. 8, House Of Representatives,
... April II, 1859.

uui" 70 "ehkcoeu OV "nat mon call oluUida
tion. Illustration obscuos IL; logic and ar
eument compromise il; and domoHSsratio,
brings it to doubt, He who permits him
self to be put on it's defensive. is. a veal
men or a coward. A great truth is never Sc
strong as when left TO stand on its simpl,
assertion.
Tho thing right remains right. under al
possible circumstances and conditions ia
all tiinos, places and scasons. Nor can /,
be changed at ALL Not all power. nor the
combination of all power, no matter how
employed or applied, can change il in the
loast. 1t matters not in tho least how men
call it-thoueh the unanimous world con.
spire to call it i'll, and tag il out with all yilc
epithots; though all obscene mouths make
1t common, and icwd tongues toss il into
sewers, and delicate and refined ears NAV
not hear tit ia Dowise changed No mat
ter what i'll happens to it; though cast out
oXilod, banished and outlawed. marked and
forever banned, made leprous with contulne
y and reproach though imprisoned. tried
condemned and executed, and its body, lik,
carrion. cast to vulturcs, it stll lives. is still
right holds its old place and old scepier.-
Nor can any man, oJ any power, under any
circumstances. for anything, bo absolyeC
from tho allegiance he owes ii.
So, too, its great opposite. wrong, must
forever DO wrong, and not right. No mat
ter, though taken from its native hell and
enttroned crowned king; though uni
verso bow to il, and cry "all hail !" though
constitutions be written to sustain il thouk b
laws be enacted in its name. and crmined
judges wrench the maxim's Of "wisdom's
gray fathers" for its support; though jurors
be sworn by it, and oil magistrates bound to
enforce its DEGREES though it's name be
written in all holy places. and graved on all
shrnes. and its maxiuns mingled in the rites
of holy ministration and its sanciifed hands
only can bless and curse, join and put asun.
der; though II reign till hoarv prescription
grows up and surrounds il with wall of
custom and habit and use, that existed
time whereof tho memory of man runneth
not to the contrary !" still it is wrong, and
not right, It's roign is an usurpation, its
laws an outrage. against which rebellion is
righteous; and tho immunities aud priv.
leges it confers are tho fruits of robbery,
murder and ravishment.
No man can rightfuliy do a wrong ; nor
can one man authorize another to do the
wrong nor can ten, ave hundred or five
mo UUattBf Win
what formality or solemnity the powor is
Sought to be conferred. whether BY common
consent or by the legislative forms of state
or nation. the power Of attorney is invalid
and tho thing done pursuant to its scope is
u crimo. A thousand years OF growth can
not change wrong to right.
The prOposiio ion am to consider asserts
a great truth, broadly and clearly. will
listen to no argument against it, nor will
detract from its force by being put upon its
defonse.
This measure is indeed worthy of an
American Congress. Look through our
huge, tumid volumes of statutes. and mark
on cvery page our everlasting legislation for
the material interests of property, and not
a solitary enactment for truth, humanity
and justice. Everything astute and shrewd
and sagacious. TO foster. cherish and build
up tho privileges and interests of those
strong enough, in the absence of law, to
protect themselves; and not a single section
or clause to liit tho crushing weight Of two
hundred years OF killing oppression from
the weakest and poorest elements of hu-
manity, our subjects though thcy are.-
Nay, that poverty and weakness arc tho sole
pretexts for the wrong and oppression. We
have now before us bill that proposes di.
rectly to dethrone and annihiate a hugo
hoary wrong. and recall and re. enthlonc
the banished right.
With me, to argue, declaim or inveigh
against this measure, is the idlcst waste OF
the most useless breath that the most indo.
lent tritling can ulge in. ! turn to :he
great rules Of right, and SEQ that you have
razed out Tho decalogue of Omnipotence
and have daubed and smeared over the
eternal adamant with the black code OF
Slavery; and know that it is all a huge
lie. without semblance or seeming of truth
IL is idle to establish TO me the inferiority
of that sinless race-I SOC that they are
men; useless, by curious physiological and
chronological disqusition, TO affirm a differ
ence between the African and Caucasian
tribes-for l know that God created both.
IL is, to me, blasphemy to attempt to show
that the Creator intended this race for
slaves, for the very elements OF our common
nature, which is the common basis upon
which God planted the races, givo that
dogma the lie. If was to base an esti-
mate upon the practical givings-out of this
House on a recent memorable occasion,
should suppose that these, my views, wore
not those of majority of this body. So
low in tho ranks of humanity do these
boudmen stand, that they were doomed the
proper subjects of tsxaiion. Tho proprlo,
tary interest of the master in the slave pre-.
dominates over the human interest Of a
man 10 himself; and, had the selfishness OF
the masters and their allies permitted them
to unto with the large body of gentlemen
who voted to tax slaves, tho tax would have
been laid. Nay, so unhuman we're they
practically held that they could not he the
subjects of capitation tax even; for, as q
capitation tax, the scheme was conceded to
be unconstitutional. do not stop here to
combat that low dogma, that that is prop
erty which tho law OF the place makes prop
erty. only assert that property is the
only universal basis of taxation and, where
a given subject is assessed with tax, that
that is practical recognition of such sub
jeot as property. 1t is idle to seek confu.
sion of ideas in confusion of words. and SO
escape; of what avail to call this rels-
ton, and then say you license the relation
In that form. the property Is just as obnox-
ious TO me; would permit. for no millions,
such relation, nor would l. under any
form, derive money from 1t for any pur.
pose. would as soon think of filling the
excbequer with the gains of prostitution. n
As men, a oapitation tax may be 80 laid as
to fall on these persons. Every other pos
sible form reduces them to things, and in
no other way can they be taxed. M
Slavery is q bideous snacronism, coming
to us out of tho barbarism and old, dead