The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-10-24
Let ur Be Just.

IL is the object Of a good government
to secure o'every man within its limits
the wages of his labor, and protect him
in their enjoyment. This high obligation
is universal, and is as binding upon a
government as personal honesty is upon
an individual. II lie not modified or di-
unfinished by the stature, complexion,
wealth, social rank, lineage, race, talent,
or political privileges of the citizen.
The duty Of the government is &, see
that no human being is defrAudsd OF i'm
posed upon. Therefore, in the very ma
iture Of things, there can be no law, pre-
cedent, or decision, which can authorize
one man to own another, and live upon
the fruits of his labor, without paying
him for it, and against his will. 1t is an
outrage upon common sense, and our natu
raj IDEAS Of right and wrong, to argue that
itisright to hold slavss,Or that the govern,
ment should protect or tolerate slavery.
The rights of all property are sacred,
and should be protected by the govern
meBt; but the right which men have to
themselves, to the possession Of their o'On
SOILS and b0aiss, is UNNECESSARILY more
sacred and valuable than rights to the
possession Of brute beasts, of lands and
houses, ndlshould be guarded with more
vigilance and industry than all others.
All men feel this instinctiyely, irrespec-
tive of birth or education. If A meets
B in the streets, and reads an elaborate
argument, fortified with much evidence,
TO prove that the latter ought to work
for him twelve months without receiving
anything for it, will B be convinced
although A plead with the elo-
quence of Plato and reason like
Bacon himself There are some
things which cannot be established
by proof because the proof cannot posi-
bly, exist Black cannot be proved to be
white circle cannot be proved to be
square two cannot be proved to be q
hundred, nor right to be wrorg &. ThebAre
statement of the proposition is its refuta.
ton To this class of propositions belongs
is the one that Slavery Is righ. No precsd-
ent can establish il, The concurrent voice
of all mankind in its favor from the
creation to the present day, would still
be met by. an emphatic No in the mouth
Of every man whom il might be proposed
TO reduce TO slavery. Yet politicians
quote State laws and national laws,
and decisions of the various courts
of the country, to prove that
slavery should be protected, when the
golden rule, and conscience, and our in
nate sense of justice applied to our own
case are all arrayed against system of
force, exAotiOn, and oppression, which is
at once the disgrAee, and soourge of
American civilization. The more earn
estly We endeAyOr to prove the right
of this stupendOus wrong to be pro iected
and sustained by law, the more flAgrAnt
does its enOrmity appear. In vain do
we fortify it by acts of Congress, and
legislative resolutions, and Presidential
messages, and compromises, and State
codes for one touch Of the IthureAl spear.
OF truth causes the ENHANCEMENT to
crumble into dust. ~
What then is the great duty
Of the government at the pres
ent hour, when we stand as Il
were on trial in the grand court
of nations, with the people of all christ.
endom gazing intently upon us, and
closely scanning every movement we
make and every position we assume
Shall we still bear the iniquity Of slave
ry, or shall we wash our hands Of its in
famous pollution, by proclaiming that
human freedom is a national prin-
ciple with us, and that no slave can
breathe within tho dominions, and no
human being, unoonvicted Of the viola
ton of law shall wear chains upon the
soil Of this Republic Talk of law and
precedent for human slavery 1t lie pre-
posterous, IL is monstrous, it is absurd.
There can be no law, no precedent which
can justify the retention of any man or
woman in bondage, who has not viola
ted the rights Of others, Let us be just