The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1862-07-17

than it did in 1776. But its apparent
strength is, by no means, real If tho
number of it's victims has increased, the
moral causes and influences which have
been and are, operating for its overthrow,
have increased in far greater ratio
To doubt the ultimate extinction OF
slavery, to admit that it may be per-
petual, is to relinquish our faith in
the moral improvement of our race, in
the prScticability of self government,
aud in the progress Of Christian civil.
ization. So surely as it is true that
! this is an age Of moral and mental i'm.
provement--so surely as it is true, that
"aIl men are created equal'-so surely
as 1t is true that Goods eyes are over
all his works" that which was begun
on the fourth of July, 1776, will 60
on. 1t is in vain that we pass resolu.
tions in our conventions that we will
not "Ogitato" the subject-it is in vain
that we pass stringent laws for the bet.
ter security of the constitution; 1T is
in vain that slavery hedges itself round
about with bayonets: before the con-
centrated moral force Of the world.
without the aid Of any political efforts
or appliances, it mast and toiH 90 doton.
History condemns it, Philosophy con.
demns it, Religion condemns it. Liber.
ty abhors it; and even Sophistry will
scarcely, any longer, undertake its de
fence. It's only defenders and sup
porters now. nre Fraud and Violence
, It is well. These were present at it'
birth; 1t is fitting they should be with
it in the hour and article of its death
t Have I SPOKEN too strongly ON thi,
G subject? Listen to tho words Of Hen
J. ry Clay, himself a STAKEHOLDER
" Those who world rppress all tend
t encies toward liberty and ahin1h
. " emancipation. must 90 hack to thu
" era Of onr liberty and independence
and muzzle the cannon which thun
" ders its annual Joyous return. The
= mnst revive the SIavc.trade with all it,
). :" train Of ntcocities. They must blow
" "out the moral lights around us, nnt
oxtinGuish that greatest torch of oil
: which. America presents to a beniaht
,. " cd world pointing the way to thei
e " rights, their liberties, and thoir hap
"pinesa. And when they havo achiev
"ed all these purposes, their work
. " will yet be incomplete They mus
d "penetrate tho human soul and eradi'
3 " cate the light of reason and the love
" of liberty. Then, and not Till then
when universal darkness and despair
prevail, can you perpetuate slavery
and repress all sympathies, and al
] humane and benevolent efforts
! among froemen, in behalf of the un
G " fortunate portions of our race doomed
"to bondage"
Thus much have | vcntured TO sa,
upon this delicate and dstracting sub
ject. 1t is one which VIC can not If WI
would, avoid. 1t is ghost of Banquc
r, which will not "down" at our bidding
-"that no exorcism can bind" I
, meets US at every turn; it obtrude
, itselfu upon every discussion. do no
think the subject. SINCE it must be dis
6 cussed and is discussed everywhere else
, Inappropriate to this occasion. I hav,
, something more to say on it, I have thu
far spoken of it,as it we're, in the abstrac
: only, not in regard to its political benr
ings and relations; and I have spoker
candidly. With equal caudor, I hav
now something to say upon it as con
nocted with the practical political ques
tions of the day.
The men Of the Revolution-th
men TO whose memories we have thi
day met to do honor found slavery
J. legally established and existing insti
tuition" They recognized it as such
u They left it as they found it. They
l. no doubt, considered it n great evi
y an believed that its abolition would b
5 a great good; but they did not thin
y that good then attGiaaJls. The,
II therefore, contented themselves with Ii
d erection of free government, for fr ce
d men, basing that government, however
y upon principles with which the exis
d tence of slavery is, abstractly consider
u ed, an Inconsistency; and yet they in
o tended to adapt, and they did adap
+ their government 10 the then actua
l. condition of the country with SLAYER
o in it--a legally established "institr
u tion"--an existing fact Let us loo
VI the facts plainly in the face. They di
le NOT attempt to abolish slavery, nor il
J. more its existence; they did recogni'
/ it as legally existing relation; ant
n accordingly, they did adapt their go'
is ernment to that condition of thing
le which the existence of slavery had 81
N perinducod. Say you this is deie'
ut in our government blot, blemish
Of Be it so; have it SO, if you will. Br
70 yet, | do not believe that Wasbingtc
ii was an "old scoundyeI" I"--that jefferson