New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-06-13
FREEDOM THE SHEklNA OF AMERICA.
AN ADDRESS,
Delivered at the Cooper institute, by the
Hon. OWEN LOVEJOY.

Last evening a large and highly respectable meet
inc Of ladie. and gentlemen was assembled at the
Coooer Institute to hear lecture by the Hon. Owen
Lovejoy Of Illinois.
Ws. G.. BRYANT, ESQ.,, President Of the Emancipa-
ton League under the auspices OF which the lecture
was delivered, occupied the chair. He made bref
address, referring especially to the object oil the
League which had inaugurated the present course
of lectures. He spoke OF tie Hon. Owen Lovejoy us
one of the men who had, during long series OF
wears advocated the inherent right Of the slave 10
Freedom.
Mr.. LovEJoY was then introduced TO the meeting
amid storm Of applause, and spoke as iolIows;
When the shin of State, as now, IL tossed upon
an OCEAN soitaied by conflicting and 0ols'eiCns
xyirds che yisest nay well be difhden', ana we
hnl5i excnsed for heriiation II is therefore, VIII
W. ,rroconee of infalbity Ladies aud Gentlemen,
that stand before yOu this evening TO pre,ent my
views and opinions upon questions ana pom 1es IN
which is Involved the future destlny OF the Amen-
can Republic. Ii ever there was hlgh ana soenin
OCCASION in the history Of nations which demanded
the abncgaton of SELF the giving up Of all nreJu'
dces and preconceiyed opinions, and the oruciNion
cf mere partisan schemes and personal feelings that
occasion is the present hour IL is with an earnest,
though POSSIBLY unsuccessful effort, thus to divest
,uyself that have come 10 the contemplation ana
discussion of the subject matter OF this address.
For a long series of YEAR,, IN private, and IRE
ouently in public life have urged the claims Of the
slave to his freedoms the score of inherent rigot
that IL was h biithright, on the simpie ground OF
his HUMANITY and that the requirements Of Christ an
iy no ess than The theorcic principles of our Gov
eminent. under the Constitution, imperallvely de-
rnsnded that be should have the peaceful enjoyment
of this divine gift. That there are good and suhc-
lent reasons for giving freedom to tue slaves 90 moi
entertain "A Goubt. That justice and humanity alike
4 81, - Tho faff. IL
tied beyoud persdventure. But / propose ON the
present occasion TO urge the emancipation oil the
slave from different sla'd poInt-on other grounds,
and for different class OF ieisons.
Coming now 10 the statement have made, that
e,naurip1iop is a national necessity, il is worthy OF
notice al the outset hgt all the civilized nations OF
modern times have iOund it necessary To abolish
Slavery as destructive Of the puohc peace, lusious
10 The national prosperity, and contrary 20 me moral
sud religious sentiments OF Their own people hud OF
,nonk,nd And the British Yves: Indies stand out
before the world, mol only as al illustration OF TINS
necessity but also as triumph OF CoriFian civiiza-
ton and az living, irrefntsDle PROOF on Tie safety,
policy and benefcenc7 # immediate emancipation
transforming the slave into man, aud the scourted,
nnnaid hoDdman into q voluntary, compensated la
borer l. other nations, with Governments more or
less despotic, have found the removal OF Slavery
necessity how we hope 10 evade thaf nee essity
how can we hope to escape the operation OF those
laws of social religious, and political progress, and
the demands OF an advance gvlHs.ioh, Whlcn
have compelled other nations to adopt TINS iohoy.
Recurring now, Ladies and Gentlemen, 10 the
statement that Slavery the Republic must perish,
beg leave to call your attention 10 the fundamental
theory Of our government. IL is "a time when We
are driven to examine the foundations upon winch
our political structure rests- and gee whether AN
enemy is sapplng those foundations. Whal tbeu
is the theory Of this Republic Whot Is The Cen
trail thought, the nucleus idea around which our
organic political elements crysIallize You koow
that this nucleus thought Is The equality OF mankind
Ttis is tie snu around which our political system
ravolyes All tie parts adapted and adjusted ~
this theory. The Revelation WAS fought on this
idea as opposed to the divine night OF kings and 10
the peseririiye hereditary privileges or DISABLE
tiles Of any class race. Every piece OF mecoan-
ism must have n unity OF design aud OF execution.
IL must have some one central portion 10 Wllcn All
us paris ere adapted aud each must be fitted 10 ana
for each other aud ~ adjusted as to promote the
common design. If THIS Is not the case, then part
will clash WITH part, cog CRATE against cog COLLISION
aud repnlsOl occur, ana deolracuon TO the machine
ensue. So It is with our political machinery Any
foreign or dscordant element or tteOfy introduce
will IF Lot removed, cause friction aud rum.
Slavery is that foreign aud discordsnt element. II
does hot accord win our theory OF Government
IL threw Il out of gear and II not a0stracted WI
break and de- TOY it. Slavery CRATES Ia our poiea
sv,teln like piece of iron between the upper an(
netLer millstone IL must be ground to powder
or the process q grinding be dslufDtd ano the nt
cbinery destroyed. This equality OF the human rae
IL the pivot upon Wblch our up'eihlhen' i0s,s "h'
reyolyes and its practical denial ie the virtual over
throw Of our theory 0! government. l know tha
poor, patfy politicians pandelng TO an unreasoniut
sud Evolutionary preud c, eek 70 pefyert this doc
tIiue Of human equality. Calhoun began his caree
by denying It, and gave apparent paarioilly 10 Una
denial BIZ adrOt, s0pLis zeal PeTverslon OF III
neauiOg. lie mad the hardh pOd u contradict 10
statement Of human equality, affirmed to be sell
evident in our Magma Charta. That denial has 6eer
tie keynote Of Tie advocates ana defenders Of S'aV
cry ever since. IL has resounded from every Demo
cratic tribune or stamp we call II III the West
and been served up 10 a rebasb thousand times on
the floor Of Congress But what is real the equal
iy which zoe founders aii down a. the iuhdame uia
theory Of the Republic! Was it that all men ar,
equal in mental endowment No. Equal in phys
cal proves and strength! No. Equal 10 emotional
power, beauty Of features, symmetry Of form, and
rracefulnees Of motion No. Neither does 1t imply
OF necessity social political eqcality. What, then
Is the import Of this OitquOted and sadly Gle
torted phrarel II mes thst all men, without
regard TO race, OF complexion, or any Incident OF
accident OF birth, equally entitled 10 their lie
liberty, and the fruits OF an honest toll. Calhoun
himself IA said that " lie who digs the wealth out
Of the earth IL entitled 10 II against the world. Nc
one has a night TO tg6e il from him but his
Government, ard il only 20 the extent OF
its legitimate wants" Or as a newly.arrived
contrsband ia the City OF Washington, the other
day. IN REL Is 10 the question what he supposed The
views OF the President Sero in regard TO The slaves,
sid, " Don know, pose De believes thal every
body have q right 20 eat the bread lie earn by the
sweat of hi1 own eve broWs." Mark, now, ii does
not make par ice OF difference It's 70 the injurious
efec which the violation OF principles has upon
the Republic whether these principles are violated
toward the blsck man or toward the viii e man. IL
is The violation which hurts, irrespective OF the We
tins that suffer. IL not tue breaking of promise
MADE to a black man falsebood 2 and does IL not
damage tie character Of The person who makes and
violates it oil the same a. If made TO Of diff