Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1864-02-27
"And yet, and yet, cannot forget
That many brave boys must fall"

That many brave boys must fall"
| But in this examination, let not our feelings
warp our judgment, neither let us decide on
secondary causes, or the mere adjuncts or &C.
compartments of slavery. 'Tis true, the tree
may be known by its fruit, and we know that
to be =" evil, and only evil, and that coutinu-
ally; but let US look at the tree itself-this
Upas tree that poisons the very atmosphere
that surrounds it.
What then are slaves, and what is slavery
The statute books of the South shall help
us to answer. Whceier's Laws ofSlavery,"
a compendium of the statntes on the subject
Of slavery in the United States-a book OF ac-
knowledged authority in all the States. says !:
In most of tho slave States, the language Of
and taken as chattcls- pr, sonal, in the hands
of their owners" A few short, simple
words. But pause and think on them. Pom.
der them WELL Man, immortal man, created
in the image of God, endowed with soul that
shall exist when tho ORD we inhabit, the sun
and moon, and all the countless host of stars
that surround us shall have run their course,
and shall havs vanished forev4r--man, the
offspring of Divinity. whose aspirations and
destiny is the bosom OF Jchoval,--rcduced to
the grade of an ax, harrow, or hoe-hand.c
Goods" chattels," "in the hands of their
owners!'' My head. my hands, my wje, my
c5iha, my sOuL, in the mouth Of slave, n
mere figure of speech Mind, speak not
here of what some softly call the abuses of
slavery; for slavery in itself is one hideous
abuse. l speak not here Of the parting of
husbands and wives; for slavery ignores the
relation. "Slaves." says the statutes OF slave
ry, "can contract no legal marriage what
ever" speak Of tearing children from their
parents; for, says Slavery to tho unhappy
mother, "rhat infant which draws susie.
nance from your breast, brought forth in pain
and nourshed in your agony, you may rot
claim as your child ii is its masters chatel,"
and truth might often add. child too. Again
I say, ponder it we'll You, every one OK on,
reduced to the rank and condition of the oxen
you dive, and the plough you hold. And
cemtort not yourselves with distinctions of
race; il you do, slavery does not. These
eyes have seen men held as slaves, Of as noble
port and white skin as see here, and women
as lovely, with compilations as fair as the
wives We cherish and the daughters we love.
Before we go further let me define few
terms in common use; or at least tell you
what Inean when make use Of them.
by Liberty, mean, t;'ccdom to do mhatcrcr
Is ugAt. Freedom to do what 10 wrong is H.
conse and tho practice of such freedom is
RIGHTEOUSNESS.
by Law, I mean what Blackstone AMI all
writer's on law define it to be ga rule Of ac-
ton commanding what is right, and forbid
ding what is wrong" Enactments by lcgis-
lative bodies or statutes in books, are by no
means always law; they may be, and often
arc very bad; but law is always good and
never bad. Evil enactments are not even bad
laws, but are no laws at all; they ere null
and void from the beginning.
Ry Democracy, mean the rigM and duty
Of governing oursclvcs--thc right, of course,
carrying with it the dutv. The announce
ment may be Of little consequence, but am
Democrat, claiming the right to govern
myself. and performing the duty not any too
well. confess for ignorance and passion
often interfere sadly with our duties. but
nothing can ever impair our rights. Please
bear in mind these definitions; they arc i'm
portant, and know they are correct.
In discussing the subject, let there he no
skinning the surface, or playing with leaves
and twigs, but 1T us dig up the root Of the
whole matter, Slavery being the causc of
the war. it is proper to ask. What right has
any man to hold slaves in our country: To
this question. some reply, sour present
slaves wers born so; their parents being
slaves before thcm," Well, that only re-
moves the question back one peg. How
came their parents, or grandfathcrs, or great
grandparent to b. slaves: History answers.
Slave traders originally stole, or bought Of
there's in Africa-mcn and women, and sold
their right-thc right Of THIEVES, mind you
TO the present holders of their ancestors.
Now it is maxim in law, that no one can
convey better title than he possesses; and
no one can ever become the original posses.
sor Of slave, excepting BY an act of rapine
and robbery. The original title to all men is
in hemsclrcs. every person having a right
derived from their Creator, which right is
absolutely inalicnable. No man can ever sell
himself and thereby become q slave. for he
can receive no equivalent. And it is equal.
ly clear that the law can never make any one
a slave, for rapine and robbery were never
right. and the law only " commands what is
right and forbids what is wrong"
And now, think we have come to the
true answer to our first question. Why are
We at war: and what are we fighting about !:
Because 100000 THIEVES wish for full H.
cense to not only continue their acts of rapine
and robbery over the whole continent, and
have taken up arms to support their claims
And for the proper penalty for their crimes,
l acknowledge the Bible to b. good authority.
Whose sfeateth a man, and selleth him (oR
IF lie BE FOUND IN HIS HANDs,) shall sure.
ly bePxt to death." Yes. slaveholding trail
tors have their rights; the right to be put
to death-and am opposed to Withholding