Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-20

eracy that gives color to any such idea as slavery
being the corner stone Of the Government; on
the contrary section tx, article ], clearly repudl
ates it. For, if slavery Is the adopted corner
stone of their Government, common sense sug--
gests that in. their fundamental hw, they would
and should use every effort 70 strengthen and
support il; and yet they forbid in that section ano
article that very policy which would give strength
and permanently TO such a corner stone. mr..
Stevens, however, has made no such DECLARATION,
yet he is quoted everywhere as the source whence
this widespread erroneous apothegm has proceed
ed. 1t may he well to ventilate this matter more
thoroughly.
THE CORNER STONE is THE INEQUALITY OF THE
TWO RACES.
Let us learn what Mr.. Stevens actually did
say. His language is this The foundations OF
our new government are laid, its cornerstone
rests upOn"-whatI slavery? no, ''upon the great
truth that the negro is not equal to the white
man, that slavery"-which he then. defines to be
"subordination to the superior race, ia his
natural and moral condition. This, our new gov
eminent, is the first in the history of the woyld,
based upon this great, physical, philosophical and
moral truth"
This language could not be applied to slavery.
1t would be a strange misapplication of terms to
call slavery a physical, philosophical and moral
truth. He had Just been stating to his hearers
that the ideas prevalent at the time our Constitu-
ton was formed. crested upon the assumption OF
the equality of races" This proposition he de-
clares to be unsound. and that the new govern
ment was founded upon exactly the opposite idea.
The error on one side, which he combats. is the
assumed equality of the races The opposite
truth which he propOunds is the physical, philo.
sophical and moral truth, that the two races are
not equal, and the inference he draws from this
truth is, that this physical difference determines
the status of the inferior race. | confess | can
not see how to escape that conclusion. except by
denying that there is this physical difference be
tween them for il there is this difference, then
one race of necessity is superior. and the other in
ferior; and if the two physically unequal races
are compelled tie live together in the same COM
munity, the superior must govern the Inferior
Can you avoid this conclusion?
PRESIDENT LINCOLN AND Mr.. STEVENS PROCLAIM
THE SAME CORNER STONE.
Perhaps you may think | have adopted South
ern views on this point, and that the inequality
and physical differences of the two races are al
together Southern dogmas. need not cross the
Potomac to find the SANE great truth proclaimed
in a quarter entitled to respect, and by one who
politically outranks the Vice President of the
CoEfederacy, to wit: the President of the United
States.
You will recollect the interview, on August
ID. 1862, between a committee of colored men
and President Lincoln, invited by him to hear
what be had to say to them. His object in sum-
moning them before him was to persuade them
to emigrate, and he bases his argument to them
on the very corner stone declared by Mr.. Stew.
ems, to-wit: the physical difference or inequality
of the two races. President Lincoln's plan was
to separate the two races.
You and we" said he to them, care different
races We have between us a broader difference
than exists between any ether two races. Wheth-
err it is right or wrong | need not discuss, but
this physical difference is a great disadvantage to
us both, as | think. Your race are suffering, in
my judgment, the greatest wrong inflicted on any
people. But even when you cease to be slaves
you are far from being placed on any equality
with the white race. On this broad continent
not a single man of your race is made tho equal
of a single man Of ours. Go where you are
treated the best, and the ban is still upon YOU. l
do not propose to discuss this, but to prevent it
as a fact with which we have to deal. | cannot
alter it if | would. 1t is fact about which we
all feel and think alike, | and you"
THEIR DIFFERENT MODES OF DEALING WITH THE
CORNER STONE.
Thus you perceive that both President Lin
coin and Mr.. Stevens are in perfect accord in
accepting and acting upon the same great truth
President Lincoln accepts the physical inequality
of the two races as completely as Mr.. Stevens,
for where there is a broader difference than
exists between almost any other races it would
be absurd to say they are equal, especially when
the President Justly adds that this difference is
physical; that is, grounded in the original consti
tuition of each race. The only difference between
the President Of the United States and Mr.. Ste
vensi is 4 in the use to which they put this physical.
philosophical. and moral truth-this corner stone.
Mr.. Stevens proposes it in his Savannah speech
as the basis Of the new government. Mr.. Lin
coin adopts it as the basis of his plan of separa-
ting the races. because of his physical difference.
Mr.. Stevens takes the stone. as a whole, upon
which he would construct a government. Mr..
Lincoln would split the stone and drag the parts
assunder. Mr.. Stevens accepts the fact and
adjusts his fabric TO it. Mr.. Lincoln also accepts
the fact, and is so perplexed with inextricate diff
culties in his attempts TO dispose of the two por-
tons of the common corner stone.
THE PRESIDENTS PERPLExITIEs IN DEALING WITH
THE CORNER STONE.
1t is well to notice the perplexities of the Pres
ident's mind, as they are manifested in his sinsu
lar interview with this colored delegation. The
great truth of the physical difference of the two
races is so palpabIe that lie cannot controvert it,
and he frankly declines TO make the attempt; vet
while accepting the fact itself. by raising the sin
gular question of right and wrong upon its exist
ence, and thus mo doubt unconciOusly) impugns
the wisdom of the Creator. for who but God
could ordain a physical difference in the two
races? The raising of the question. therefore.
whether a physical fact is &" right or wrong" as
If there were two sides to such a question, direct
" duplicates the wisdom of the Creator. The
President, too, while declining to discuss this
question of right and wrong, actually decides it
to be wrong, by declaring it to bea disadvantage
to both races, in his opinion. The plain good
sense of most of the remarks of the President in
this interview, and the collision of thought in his
own breast which he d~iscloses. where truths and
doubts come into constant conflict. point to some
great radical disturbing error-not in the Presi
dents mind alone, but prevailing the popular
mind on the subject Of African slavery every
where.
THE GREAT ERROR OF THE WORLD on SLAVERY.
The great fallacy so rife everywhere through
out the world that slavery is the cause of our
national troubles-rests on the almost universal,
persistent closing CT the eyes to this fact of the
physical difference between the two races. Slay
cry is not the cause of the sectional war, but a
blind and mad resistance to a physical condition
which God has ordained, and which man is in
vain attempting to subtert.
Take your stand on this great acknowledged
fact that the African and white races are physi-
cally difTerent-follow out this truth to its logical
results-and the great question Of slavery, or
subordination of the inferior to the superior race.
is clearly solved in all It's phases.
Do you ask how?
First-We must accept as a fixed fact that or
dinance of God which has declared that the two
races are physically different. and not complicate
the fact with any notifications dra wn from the
prevalent visionary. infdel notions of an equality
which has no existence; nor make any vain at
tempt to fix upon the mere relation of superior
and inferior. orof ruler and ruled-moral or reli