The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1863-04-17
JOSIAH QUINCY on the Rebellion.


The venerable patriot, Josiah Quincy, now
in his 92d year, delivered on the 27th March
tho following patriotic and eloquent address
before the members of tho Union Club OF
Boston;
"Mr. President and Gentlcmen:, Your
wish and an irresistible sense of duty have
placed me in this connection with this socic-
ty. y.J-rn. f.tq s-fsf 30 lo .fli. .a.i
81 was induced to become ono of your nun.
Der at a period of life when It may justly be
deemed presumption to join such n society;
but / regard tho war in which the United
States are now engaged as involving crisis
in the condition OF tho whole human race,
from which no human being has right to
shrink, or Of success in 1t to despair.
1.-The point now at issue is, not whether
human beings may bo held to slavery through
power. but whether they may DO made slaves
by right. Hitherto slavery has been per.
mittcd by the natous of the earth as pow.
cr-that those who could get slave, by
whatever mea,s. had anuired power with
which other nations had no authority to. in
terfcre. II is now, for the first time in the
history of man, by the leaders Of this rebel.
lion, annouced as n principle OF right, and
avowedly made the corner stone ofthcir Con.
ledcracy.
ain the convention in which the constitu.
tion of that Confederacy was formed, A. Ii.
Stephens, the Vice President OF that con-
vention, publicly declared, that tho object OF
that association was to put an end, forever,
to the agtating question concerning African
slavery that It placed the African in his
proper status in civilization; that II was not
founded on the principle that all men were
born free and equal, but upon exactly the
opposite idea. that its foundations are laid /,
its corner stone rests, upon the great truth
that the African il not the equal of the white
man; that slavery, that subordination to tho
superior race, is his natural and moral con-
dition. This our new government Vice.
President Stephens adds, is the first in the
history of the world based upon this great
physical, philosophical and moral truth
"Such was the open, publicly ayowed dec
laration of one of the great leaders Of this re-
bellion: which was received by shouts and
acclamaton within doors, and by vast null
titudc congregated without doors, who could
not. for want OF space, be admitted within
them.
"Tlerc is now no possible doubt concern.
ing tho object and nature of tho constitution
of this Confedcracy, that it is to establish
among the whole human race new form Of
civilization. In conformity with its princi.
pies, the founders Of it givc public notice to
the nations of tho earth that the old form Of
civilization has been by them abrogated;
leaving no loophole or pretence for any ma
ton or individual to escape from tho dilcm.
ma, or from the duty of either abandoning
the old or resisting the new form of civiliza-
tion. The cnslaving of Africans is, on the
principle ofthis Confederacy, no longera nero
power to be exercised when an individual
could be bought. inherited or stolen, but is
founded on an immutable principle OF as
sumption, that tho African race have been
constituted by God and nature unequal to tho
Caucasion: including, not the duty Of tho
latter to aid them in rising in the scale Of
civilization, but tho right of reducing them to
a state or forced seryitude, and depriving
them of all social and moral rights; ofliberty,
property, and even life; having no property
in themselves, their wives, nor their offspring
all being holden at the will and subject to
the control of the Caucasian master. To
this condition tho constitution Of this Con-
fcderacy reduces the whole African race; and,
while declaring these to be its principles, their
founders claim the privilege Of being admit.
ted into tho society OF the nations o! the earth!
Principles worthy only OF being conceived
and promulgated by tho inmates of tho infer.
nal regions, and fit constitution fer con-
fcdcracy in pandemonium!
"Now, as soon Us the nature of this con.
stitution is truly explained and understood,
is it possible that the nations of the Garth
can admit such Confedcracy into their so.
ciety? Can any nation, calling itself civil.
lied, associate with any sense Of selfrespcct,
with nation avowing and practising such
principles? Will not every civilized nation.
whom the nature of this Confcderacy is un-
derstood, come to the side Of the United
States, and refuse all association with them.
as, in truth. they are, hostes humane generis?
For the African is rs much entitled to be
protected in the rights of humanity as any
other portion Of tho human race.
"As to Great Britain, her course is, IN tho
nature of things, already fixed and immuta-
ble. She must, sooner or later, join the
United States. in this war, or be disgraced
throughout all future time, for the princi.
ple of that civilization which this Confcde.
racy repudiates was by her-to her great
glory and with unparalleled sacrifces-intro-
duced into the code OF civilization; and sbc
will prove herself recrcant, If she fails to
maintain It."