Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1864-10-28
Edward Everett on sorvi.e Insured
tton,

.
ttoR.
In his early Congressional career, Ed
ward Everett delivered speech, from
which We make the extracts appended be-
low. A Northern man has but little Diff
Guilty in reconciiiog these views with those
of Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation
Ii is refreshing Incidence of the past:
If there are any members il this House
Of that class Of politicians to whom TIE gem
tleinan from North Carolina (Mr. saun-
'ders) alluded, as having the disposition.
though not the power, to disturb the COM
premise contained in the Constitution on
this point, (the three hfths representative
principle,) ! am not OF the number. Meth
er am one Of those citizens of the North
to whom another honorable member lately
erred, in publication to which his name
was subscribed, who would think it inmor-
al and irrellglous to join in putting down a
servile instruction at the South.
an no soldier, SIR my habits and edu-
| cation are unniitary; but there is no cause
IN which would sooner buckle KNAPP
sack to my back, and put a musket on my
shoulder, than that would cede the whole
continent to any one who would take it
to England, to France, to SPAIN would
see it sunk to the bottom Of the ocean be
fore would see any part Of this fine Amer
lea converted into continental Il; !,
that awful process Of bloodshed and desola-
ton by which alone such a catastrophe
could be brought on. The great relation
to servitude in some form or other. with
greater or less departures from the theoret-
~ equaliiy Of man, is.iaseperable from our
nation. | know Of no other way by which
the form of this servitude shall be fixed but
by political institution. Domestic slavery,
though confers MT that form of seryitude
which seems to be the most beneficial to the
master certainly that which is most bene-
flclaI to the slaye--is not: 10 my judgement
to be set down as an immoral and irrelig-
lous relation.
/ cannot admit that religion has but one
voice to the slave. and that this voice is
rise against your MASTER No, sir; the
New Testament says-'slaves obey your
master and though know full well. that
N re benignent operation of Christianity
ll3hicA tbercd master and slave. around
the 8 S3' Communion table this unfortunate
institution disappeared in Europe; yet
cannot admit that while it subsists, and
where it subsists, its duties are not pre-
supposed and sanctioned by religion. And
though certainly am not called upon to
meet the charges brought against this in
stitution, yet truth obliges me TO say word
more on the subject.
know the condition OF working elias ses
in otherc suntries am Intimately acquain-
ted with it in some other countries and I
have no hesitation in saying that f believe
the slaves are better clothed and fed and less
hardly worked than the peasantry of some
of the most prosperous States of the conti-
nent of Europe. TO consider the checks
on population, read Malthns. What keeps
population down? Poverty, want, starva-
ton, disease and the ills of life it is these
that check population all over the world.
Now, the slave population in the United
States increase faster than the white, masters
included.
What is the inferance as to the physical
condition of the two classes of society
These are opinions | have long entertained,
and long since publicly protested on this
subject, and which | here repeat in answer
to the intimation to which | have already
alluded. But sir when slavery comes te
enter into the Constitution as political
element when it comes to affect tie distri
button Of power among the States of the
Union. that is a matter Of agreement. L
make an agreement on this subject, vii
adhere to it like man; but will profess
against any inferance being made from it 0
the kind which was made by the honorable
mover Of these resolutions,