The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1862-12-05
Of the 31st Ohio,

be observed by thanksgiving and
prayer. 1t is not my promise under
present arrangements, 10 speak oi
the custom adopted by christian ma.
tions oi holding tbese religious oh
servances; yet, cannot occupy the
position | now stand in, without al
least a word in appreciation Of the
custom.
Ninevah tasted end prayed. and
God spared that wicked city. Eng.
land tasted and prayed, and the
tempest rose which scattered the
invincible armada in wrath and ru.
in, and gave permanence to chris
tian liberty throughout the world. -
In 1S40 pestilence covered this land
a christian President proclaimed q
day of fasting and prayer, and the
cholera ceased its ra"ages.
No danger 80 portentious Of evil
has ever threatened our own land -
no destruction so imminent to poll
tical liberty throughout the world
a. that which arises from the civi
war which now desolates our coun.
! try. Well, then, may the nation
humble itself; well, then, may christ
ian men and women lit up theil
hands aud hearts in prayer, thai
God, in the Infinite wisdom OF hi.
providence, will roll back the dAr,
cloud OF war. still the surges of con
tending hosts, and send his angel o
mercy to restore peace to our bleed
ing country.
But, the committee who have
honored me with an invitation ia
address this audience have desired
that | should speak upon the relation
OF African slavery to this war. The
relation is that Of parent and child
Slavery is section al; the rebellion
is sectional. Slavery exists in fif
teen States Of this Union and no
where else. The rebellion exists in
fifteen States OF this Upion and no.
where else; there is a popul and q
geographical p .raIlef between re
bcilion aud slavery mathematica'
~, things which are equal to the
same thing are equal to each other
But why is an armed rebellion Goa.
/ bin, d to the slave States? Before
proceed to answer this question, it i.
proper to admit, though | DO it with
sorrow and shame, that there art
rebels North Of Mason and Dixon't
line, who are doing ss much will
the pen and the tongue to holl ur
the hands OF traitors and strengthen
the rebellion, AS those who have
openly embraced it, sword in hand
but OF these more anon.
1t might not be difficult to asslgr
more than one reason in proof o
the proposition that slavery is th,
parert O. the rebellion. Man. as ;
moral, physical and intellectual be
ing, 10, to a great extent. the crea
ture Of circumstances. The heath
en- taken from his idols and place,
in christian lands becomes christ
ian. The christian child educate,
in India or On ma, ami never taugh
the lessons OF christianity, become
an idolstor. The child who irou
his infancy is surrounded by sucl
circumstances as teach HIM that h,
has moral as well as legal righ
to play The despot, naturally adopt
the opinion and acts the part assign
, ed him. Slavery creates its owl
moral and social atmosphere and il
that atmosphere such lessons ar
taught. The relation between mas
ter ard slave are such as the term
imply-the one is a being possesse
OF power and influence the othe
y il stripped Of both. The child
rem OF slave masters initiate thei
! fathers as other children do; the
: look forward earnestly desiring tn
time to arrive when they to
= may be called masters, and th
distinguished honor is generally cor
ferred at very early age, and til
mere child perhaps initiating the e,
ample OF his father or others aroun
hun, often becomes al inexorabl
despot. The passions, prejudice
and faults OF education grew wit
his growth and strengthen with hi
strength, until ere his manboo
had matured, he is an arbitrary
= hanghty, domineering and opinion
}. ated tyrant. And DOW arises tn
o difficulty common to all despots-
. that OF limiting his dominion to b
! own proper subjects. Ii he is an an
J. bilious man, and Southern men al
4 ambitious, he can but lily brook ii
{ necessity OF confiping his rule to tt
: one, five, ten, fifty, one hundred {
4 five hundred African men, wome
y and children who populate his en
IS pire. All men are ambitious; Il
. ambition to hold nen in slavery
II which some men hsve-or 10 rule
= princes, has never confined itself
caste or color.
. The jews were slaves to Il
T. Egpytians--the Moors and Spa
b lards were in turn slaves to eas
other; and not only the Saxon ser
but the Saxon birOns, were mac
slaves by their Norman conquerer