Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-02-18

greatest number-wouli be defsatrd.
But farther-did sny sane man ever coaisnd
that the States could not abolish elnvery with or
xllhout the consent OF the owners 1t was done
" England, in the West indies, in all tue
original States OF the uniOu. which are uoN free.
Even the Drei Scott deesion-that julical
bominAtion-though declaring slAyery the nlr
ma condition OF territories under a free consii.
miiJn which does not "a INIT the idea OF ps1-
perty 10 man, does not declare that a Stat
cannot sbolish slavery when 1t pleases. Neither
YOU nor any other mau ever heard it intimAted
tlat the S.aiss had not the power to control and
direct their own domestic institutions SLAVERY
bei.g the subject Of local aw-the creature Of
p.slfire auncydi Law, and by no means pro-
perry under aairtFsai Of nliigHif law, is not re-
sognizei by tue Constitution OF the Unittd
Siates else. that being supreme. no State could
deny to 8 citizen the right Of holding slaves
Bat it is recognized only 10 Stale law, which
may be repealed or amended whenever a ma
ioriiy snail so determine. And it is perfectly
legal that private property may with eompensa
ti0D, be appropriated to public uss aud in the
ease Of the right of State to abolish slavery,
What is BY the State law declared to be properly
may be legally taken and appropriated riihoui
eompeaSlaoH.
Nobody, say again, denies the right Of a
State to abolish slavery Immediately with q
without the consent Of the owners. Even c. S.
L. in declaring this bill, aud the system ol
emancipaton-for his objection gots 10 the sys.
m-uneonst.tutionAl in that il deprives ih,
owner Of his property without due process o.
law, does not mean to say that the consent Q
the owner is necessary before a State car
abolish slavery. II he does be is incons stem
With himself; for ho afterwards proposes 40,
advocates what he calls the 'only seund an,
safe policy, to wit gradual emaucipation--h,
cares not how sDS-dy ignoring all cons leraiian
either Of the consent Of the owner or u compen
sation to him. For be suggests MS the chic
benefit Of bis plan that the State would imme
! iiately btcome free State, without the cost 0
single dollar. lie only desires that The 10,
( should be prospective that no injustice lie dou
/ 10 the slave owners Mea iHiHy. As IT the alege
! right Of property or the title 10 the properly II
self determined by the death Of its presen
owner His plan is different simply ia detail
not in principle, from the present bill, aud
jgsl as open to the objection oi nnconstitutiola
ity So that he must seize one horn Of the l
lemma either that his objection Is wlthou
foundation, or that his own plan is unconsiiiu
tonAl
But 60 to higher ground Let US see il
continuance Of this system does not violate th
constitution II deprises man Of bis lihert
further and declares that it man is "nigger
he is rot citizen and has no staf4s in til
Courts. lie cannot sue for, he cannot claim hi
liberty bot bis master can, under the fngltiy
slave law, claim bis siarsrY. Ii takes away u
the products Of a mans labOr-al his right
procure bis own substantial happiness-his pei
syna liberty ii loc1moton, action and though
his domestic liberty by seyering, at ts caprc,
his tenlefcst relationships ntel,ectuAl libert
By derriying him hf eduoation-hs a1r.iaalr
by selling him as chatte-his manhood ty 81
tinguishng every spark Of desire for freedom
the instinct second only to the love OF life
looks upon men as domestic chdNti, So far
regards them as property. But, mark. whe
the slave commits crime he is amenable 10 III
laws-when his master kills him, the master
guilty OF murder-when the people come to l.
represented the slave is one y. the people ever
five Of them, whether adults or infants, count
lug TIRE riHf msH when ii comes 10 tectin
Presidents, slaves, regarded as men, are entite
u twenty electoral votes. So far, it beins con
yenieut, the system Of slavery regards mel
chattel= as 0sa. So that properly in slaves ex
lists, under state law, upon basis diiferer
from al other property. 1t is qual!fed, by 4
means an dls9iat right 1t has restrictions in
posed upon it, There is nut the same right
alienation that is incident to all other propert,
slave cannot be sold out Of this State
taken to free State by the master he is IL.
teeto freeman; or if treated inhum4ny he ha
redress-that IS. ehe'e ne spirH Of siapery dg.
not deny q 10 huw.
But there Is higher law, over mud above Ii
constitutions Of human government, which ga'
no dominion 10 mau over man-Hhch makes VI
law Of liberty depend not upon complexion
whose author created master aud slave of ii
same dust redeemed them with the same blot
and has prepared them for the same home al
+ that shows what lie thinks Of such distinction
There is humanity 10 that noble Judgment
Mansfield that the "Ar Of England is too pu
for a slave to breathe" There is justice-the
is divine law in that Of Vermont Judge wi
would not give up a man until the claima
showed hit title by exhibiting "Liil OF sale iro
the Almighty" And il is only slavery,
The earthbefn eyelops feest Of the giant brood,
that could 50 abase men, that a Court Of Ia
would declare that trover would lie for neg
boy ." 5seaase negroes ere hedMens."--l Lo
Raymond, l47 Aud that is the sum and su
stance Of the foundation Of this right OF proper
iu man.
Q. The authority Of Congress to SO appropr
ate money, II is not an undue interference
Congress apprupriates money to be used in Il
States i5r iorthcations Tor rivers and harhol
for lighthouses. 1t furnishes arms to the Sta
governments II regulates the naturalz4t
and bankrupt nws. The Constitution denies
the States certain powers. And il the Sta
dyr'ss 10 receive this appropriation, thus wai
ing any objection il may have to its pretend
uncOns stituiionality, it surrenders SO far to Il
general government The right thus To interfere.
But to the features Of the bill. G s. l. object
: l. That il would reDips the slavery agitato
This could not be 1t could not make tie agit
ton more general than il is now 1t would
, more likely to end agitation by ending its eaus
have not, confess, the fear Of agitation,
chrome with conservatives. | think il has 10
gOod--tbat it has convinced majority Of t
Amer.can people that slavery is an evil, NOR
ly ami economically, and must he abnlishe'
. aud il y now educating us up to what we mt
at last declare, that since slavery was the eau
, oi this rebellion, it must cease io exist brfo
this war ends
,. That Congress, unler the terms Of III
bill, wouil he giving too much for the slave
All have to say 10 that is that the 6ain
, myht gu toWlfds hierHdl mprofrmsDfs inste
Of legAliang lotteries therefor.
I" The precedent and the expense No
4 Congress Is 10 appropriate bouds which are
u he sold and the payment is to be in ten yea
y instnlmcnts, ~ that it will not he felt. 0ul
5. /. g own estimate $3.50 900 ought to bc sl
iicient. Nor need it be precedent for the be
der States. 1t would not do much harm ii
did, AT the rate Of $500 for each slave
Il could have rd ourselves OF every slave in Il
. border States hy expending for that purpo
what this war has already cost us-and I thii
= the outlay would have been profitable Even
r heavy debt would be an acceptable exchange +
Y this terrible mcpJus Of slayery--this old man
. the sea Tor some dssPer place. that is asIridc o
necks riding Us 10 destruction.