The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1863-06-06
1)ublir AIoirs.
Slavery or the Government.

"a the
SPEECH OF HON. MONTGOMERY BLAIR
Detirercd Before Ike Delegates If the Loyai
National League at Clcreand, Ohio, May 70,
lS63
FELLow-CITIzESs My heart re-
spends warul y 10 the feeling which in
duces your kind reception. | could not
forego the opportunity offered by the
invl a ion 20 be present on this occasion,
to meet so many earnest men in the
cause of our country, and to unite in
your efforts to carry OH the struggle and
crown it with success.
SLAVERY OR THE GOVERNMENT.
A reaction against Free Government
in tho United S ates and in this age,
bears upon its front the marks Of insan-
ity. The father of the conspiracy, of
which the CONFUSION which now fills the
country with suffering and dismay is The
offspring, wore on his face, as was re-
marked by many observers, when his
last words and dying imprecations against
the principles of our Constitution were
read in the Senate, the CHASTITY aspect of
monomaniac. His conspiracy prolong-
ed through thirty yelrs' CESSATION had
even then a vitality to make itself pain
fully felt, and now the monstrous birth
is stamped with his frenzied features.
But neither the mysterious workings
of oathbound societies, nor the public
agita ion contrived by intrigue, in Con-
gross, in State Legislatures and cleo
In
fury, prepared the country to expect
and meet the shock it has received
The progress of the Government had
been so easy, prosperous, and glorious,
it had attained such high rank with
States of greatest strength and renown,
that scarcely any sound mind supposed
it possible that an assassin attempt
sudden blow, as if its fire were as frail
as that of an individual. There is no
parallel in the history of the world of a
similar assault on a vast, benefcent,
beloved popular Government, without
even an alleged ac, of oppression on its
part to provoke it, and while it was
&C ually admins cred and its advan ages
enjoyed by the very men who aimed the
stroke for its DIES ructlon.
But while prosperity made us insensl
bic to the danger, the wise and patriotic
men who founded our Government saw
in Slavery, mine by which frenzy and
selfish ambition might lay their work in
ruin The slavery of one race they fell
was not compatible with the freedom of
another. They hoped the superior race,
influenced by the benign tenderness of
the Government they managed and en-
joyed. would ul ina ely extend the
blessing of liberty to dependent peo-
pie, and effcc ually remove their disa-
bilitcs on a new scene Of useful and in
dependent exertion. These considera-
tons induced the sages on founding the
Republic, not to disturb that poisonous
element which they believed the vigor
of the Constitution would work out of
the system in lime. They lived to see
their fond hopes proved delusions. The
noxious plant of barbarous African
growth, taking root in the accumulations
of averce, worked by the energy of a
great race, optstript all the sweet shoe S
of harmonzing culture given to our Con-
stitution by tie benevolcn: philosophy
of our forefathers. In plain truth,
Slavery has propagatcd in its region in
prodigious strength all that is evil in the
nature of our coun,rymen, and $ flied all
the virtues in which our glorious Gov
eminent had its origin. How strikingly
this is demonstrated by the fact, that
while there was not man in the South
who contributed to establish the free
institutions among US who did not de-
nounce Slavery as curse from which
the country must somehow be redeemed,
now there is not one of that slave breed
ing and governing class who does not
proclaim 1t is the all-essentia blessing
for which life itself must be sacrificed. -,
The process by which this melancholy
change has been accomplished is Illus
trated by the druhkard's career. This
unhappy class of reproba'es once felt
that decency, sobrety, industry, and
purity, were the true sources of happi-
ness. But long indulgence in intoxicat-
ing drauehts renders existence bur-
den, unless stimulated INFO extravagant
feeling wild hilarity or censual indo-
lence then becomes their only good
Negro Slavery is that black opium, drug
in the South which excites it into defiri-
Gus frenzy, or sinks it into that sad
lcthargy, both alike fatal to its pros