The southern aegis, and Harford County intelligencer. (Bel Air, Md.) 1862-1864, 1863-11-06

L !
are. created equal. Now, as an. abstract
principle, there is 20 doubt of the truth
of that declaration and it is desirable in
the original constitution of society, and
its organized societies, to keep It in view,
as a great fundamental principle, But,
then, | apprehend that in no society that
ever did exist, or ever shall be found, was
or can the equality asserted among the
members of the human race, be practically
enforced and carried out, There are por-
tions Of it, large portions, women, minors,
insane, culprits, transient sojourners, that
will always probably remain subjects to
the government Of another portion Of the
community. .,.,.F ..,.... .u9u
That declaration, whatever may be the,
extent of its import, was made by the
delegations of tho Thirteen States, In
the most of them slavery existed, and was
established by law. 1t was introduced
and forced upon the Colonies by para.
mount law Of England. Do you believe,
that in making that declaration, the
States that concurred in it intended that
it should be tortured into virtual eman-
cpation of all the slaves within. their linn
its Would Virginia and the other
Southern States have ever united in de-
claratiop which was to be interpreted Into
an abolition of slavery among them ?
Did any one of the Thirteen States enter
tain such a design or expectation ? To
impute such secret and unavoWed pur.
pose, would be to charge political fraud
upon the noblest band of Patriots that
ever assembled in council, fraud upon
the confederacy of the Revolution, fraud
upon the Union of these States, whose
Constitution not only recognized the law
fulness Of slavery, but permitted the i'm
portaton of slaves from Africa, until the,
year 1908. And | am bold to say that
if the doctrines of modern ultra political
abolitionists had been seriously promul-
gated at the epoch of our Revolution,
our glorious Independence would never
have been achieved. Never! Never !
i [Great applause; aud many voices
echo.ng "Never.'1 ,.' - ......
| know the predominant sentiment in
the free States is adverse to slavery, but
happy in their own exemption from what
ever evils may attend it, the great mass
of our fellow-citizens there do not seek
to violate the Constitution or to disturb
the harmony of these States. desire no
concealment Of my opinions in regard to
the institution of slavery. | look upon it.
as a great evil, and deeply lament that
i we have derived it from the parent gov
ernment and from our ancestors | wish
.Ievery slave in the United States was in
the country of his ancestors. But here
they are, and the question is, how can
! they be best dealt with !? If a state of
nature existed, ard We were about to lay
the foundations of society, no man would
be more strongly opposed than | shopld
be to incorporate the institution Of slave
ry among its elements, But there is an
incalculable difference between the origi-
nal form of society, with long existing
orgauized society, With its ancient laws,
institutions and establishments. Now,
great as l acknowledge, in my opinion
the evils Of slavery are, they are nothing,
absolutely nothing, in comparison with
the far greater evils which would iuevita--
bly, flow from sudden, general and in
discriminate emancipation. In some
States, the number, of slaves approximate
towards an equality with that Of the
whites in one or two they .surpass them,
What would be the condition Of the, two
races in those States upon the superstition
Of. an immediate emancipation? Does
any man suppose they would become
blended into one Homogeneous! mass E
Does any man recommend amalsamatiop
j THAT revolving admixture, alike offensive
to God and man For those whom He,
| by their physical properties, has made
unlike and put asunder, we may, without
presumptuousness, suppose were never ln l
tended to be joined together in one OF the
hottest rites, And let me tell you, if you
do not already know it, that such are the
feelings -prejudices, if you. please, (and
what man claiming, 70 be Statesman will
overlook 81, disregard the deep-seeated and
f upcopquerable9 pref ddices. Of the lpeople,)
in the, slave States, that No human Law
could enforce union between the two
!, races a;e4I .atf..sx4 y ,t.,sll4teit. III
u ,3 What then would certainly happen n
a struggle for political ascepdency the
blacks seeking to acquire and the whites
Ito lnaiptain possession Of the government
n Upon the superstition Of . general imme-
ldiate emancipation, in those States where
I. the blacks ogtnpmber the whites, they
!, would have nothing to do but to insist