The Evansville daily journal., 1862-03-29

passed laws abolishine slavery soon after
Independence was declared, and some, at
least, did 80 from different motive alto
gether from that which is generally attrfbu-
ted to them by the slavery propagandists
In these early days of the Republic, people
had a different idea of liberty from what
they have in these latter days. They fully
appreciated it, and were grateful for the in
estimabIe blessing. Pennsylvania passed a
law abolishing slavery in 1880, and the
| following preamble to that law states, in
nnmistakable language, the cause that
prompted them to perform SO noble and
worthy an act-worthy the Apostles of
Liberty and patriots of 1776:
When we contemplate our abhorance of
that condition towhich the arms and " rauny
of Great Britain were exerted to reduce us;
when we look back upon the variety of
dangers 70 which we have been exposed,
and how miraculously our wants in many
Instances have been supplied and our de-
liverance wrought when oeFen hope and
human fortitude- -have-h -heeams uaequal to
the conflict, we are unavoidably led to a
serious and grateful sense of the manifold
blessings which are nndeservedly received
from the hand of that Being from whom
every good and perfect gift cometh. I'M
pressed with these ideas, we conceive that
It is our duty, and we rejoice that it is in
our power, TO extend portion of that free
dom TO others which has been extended to
us. and release from that state of thraldom,
to which we ourselves were tyranically
doomed, and from which we have now
every prospect of being delivered.P p
1t is not for US to inquire why, in the
creation of mankind, the inhabitants of the
several parts Of the earth were distin-
gnished by differeace in features or COM
plexion. 1t is sufficient to know that all
are the work of an Almighty hand. a
y ffs8a - sH5E 80 - saf -
We esteem it q peculiar blessing granted
to as, that we are enabled this day to add
one more step TO universal colonization, by
renewing, as much as possible, the SORROWS
OF those who have lived in undeserved bon
dage, aud from which, by the assumed au-
thority of the Kings Of Great Britain, no
effeetual, legal relief conld be obtained.
Weaned by long course of experience,
from those narrow prejudices and partlali-
ties we dad imbibed, we find our hearts en-
larged with Kindness and beneyolence to-
wards men Of all conditions aud nations
and we conceive ourselves at this particular
period, extraordinarily called upon by the
blessings which we have received, to mani
fest the sincerity of our profession, and to
give 8 substantial proof OF our gratitude
These are the reasons alleged by the
Pennsy ylvania legislators for abolishing
slavery. Gratitude for the blessings of lib
erty which they had just obtained by sue
cess of their arms over Great Britain for
having escaped the tyranny and bondage
which Great Britain sought to entail upon
them. Would it not be a glorious act for
Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, Virginia,
and Missouri to render their gratitude to |
Providence for having saved them from the
tyranny and oppression of seeeasianism, by
enactment of similar laws in their States z
The abolition of slavery in Pennsylvania,
as we'll as in all other States that abolished
it, was gradual, and consequently without
pecuniary loss to the slave holder and in
jury to the slave. The Philadelphia Bull
letin says:
In all the States which have abolished |
slavery since the adoption of the Declara-
ton of Independence, the act has been |
blessed of heaven Prosperity, education,
religion, refinement, and every opulent gift |
OF the Almighty have been showered upon |
them. They have gone on in such gigan-
tic race of power and wealth as the world |
never saw, while below Mason l. Dixon's |
line nearly every commonwealth has Jagged
behind.p d8sH 1891 M 8sszi1a- a
People prate of Aboli.ionism as if 1t were
worse than parricide or sacrilege, and yet |
the North owes its strength to-day to the /
fact that it abolished unequivocally and |
squarely the institution Of slavery. Were
the North not free people, this constitu-
tional, republican liberty would not have
spot on earth on which to rest the sole of |
It's foot, nor would any lover of freedom on
the globe dare to gaze with exultation
acroses the Atlantic, confident that there
every shaekle viii fall from his wrists, and
be will stand redeemed, regenerated, and
!" beneath the shadow of the
Stars and Stripes. B.