The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1864-04-20
CONSTITUTIONAL PRoHIBrlIox no
SLAVERY
BY Henry " ~rd Beeehsr


o. ana OF every Christian, 20 exert his whoie m
dGence 10 make slavery uncoustiru,ion.l .n, =,
put iI oesonud tne po~er Of caprice. of int.rest
of oi political tergis ersaiiOn. slavery shouis 10
cast out When the States we're prouos,n, "a
form Union, they divested themselv,s "A ,,,.,
: aNu another element of sovereignty. aud nnt
( 'hTm together IN one national sOvrreisuty One
ihey passed over. That VAS the risht of tbe
states 10 have slavery. And Il has been shown
tat this Is a right which should elonc 10 n,
c'Aie That Is 70 say, it is wrong thst thirty
states should be poisoned by the right OF one
>t'e-ai one Slave State is enough TO poison
~"v'e nation. One slave ~ a nation l. Ike
one dead rat IN cistern. IL Is a dangerous
tnlng to have about YOU Anvvhere Aud tn.re.
lore The ime has come. IN NV Judgment whe,
this nation, by it, plenary power. should ensct
and establish ~ IL fundamental charter add con-
s'nuton that henceiorth slavery shall NOT he in
any State or Territory Of this Union The Dec
iaration oi Independence and the Constitut,o,
should a. last be permitted 20 embrace each
other ana KISS each other They have heret =.
lore been a. variance. one saving A MAJ. . a
created equal, and are endowed by their C,,s-or
with CERTAIN inaiienahle rght-, among - bich .,e
lie, liberty, and the pursuit OF happiness. snd
'he other making unques:ionable provision for
slavery. implying Tot only its existenc. nm, -
In "a.
changed no~, While you can change IA - th.t
slavery shall be an impossible thing in this ,s-
ton OF free men, aud this nation that i nroud of
'ts doctrine OF liberty.
know that many persons think this is need-
less IL Is said that slavery is dead Even Mr.
Brooks, OF The Expre"-who never saws things
mat are not tue-deciares that slavery i dad
II had thought It vas before should he surs
It was not nov. Roger sherman had a reputs-
non Tor extraordinary integrity and good iuss.
/ ment: and lt ls related that a member ot c,o-
gress said that when he came into the House
ind vote VAS being taken on measure with
The merits OF which he was not familiar. and he
"ished 20 vote upon il, he looked TO see which
"ay Roger sherman voted, and voted with him
and vas always sure TO be right With a shybt
snange' think | may, say respecting Mr..
Brooks, see which way he goes. aud 20 the
other. and YOU will be right
Many Others also. saying. oh. slavery i
lead-sltvery - dead Tney know IL is NOT
For my own self, wish I could fe.l that ~.r
had already destroyed il, and that W. could AZ
iofd 10 leave it uoS as the woodman of the
western forest afford TO leave the tree th.,
has been grdled by the axe, resting ass.,ed
hat. though It will hold It's leaves ior the re.
naiuder OF the season, il will die when the n..t
spring comes. But cannot feel 40. Are those
motives IRON which slavery spring dead In the
southern bosomg l. there no more lust' Is
'hefe no more avaricey l. there no more lszi.
ness These are ;he three feet on which Slavery
stands Inst, avarice, and lazness; and they are
as strong Ia the Southern mud to-dav a. the,
ever were The causes which led men IN ,r.
press their fellow men, aud make them slaves
exist as much as they did before the war
Ii Is SAID, There l. change in the condi.
tiou OF the community" But what does il
amount to? lt is said. "The system Of slavery
u 80 entirely sorganized that IL never can be
run again But there are three millions of
slaves al this time OF war aud famine. aud suff-
efing, within the the lines OF the Southern ar
me a." So "''sh' ~ kna~ 81 f.r from haing
disturbed IN the extremity OF military afT,irs
hey are yet dOcile aud manageable No,v lt
the war Cease, and let the authority Of the stats
over slavery within their borders b.. restored 10
them aud do you suppose that u der more IA.
Vorable circumstances they will not be able m
carry on the system' Will not slave lador rs,se
sugar and Cotton az much II d,d ten wears ae.s
do not think five years would pa-s before sla.
very would b. again almost a. great a u industri.
cal elene OF The South ever n nothing more
should be done than has been done
An t ~ sad, the poiIical pOEer OF slave
~ = certainly desto,d. IL vii never IN its
head again There is not man that i. a d-bh.
crate opponent OF the Government to-d., ubo
Eould not cOllude with slave holders II bi. n.r.
" should come INTO ascendency al Washington
regard that imrnse party that IL nov rising no
- being willing at ONCE 10 barter our liberty tor
political po~er. Do you tell me that the Tohtic.
al power of slavery Il dead, Let the South be
once more established la the Union With LA
very Standing intact. aud let them bid saving.
We will - as unit through eli the southern
arV Tat xrtl1
do you suppose there has be- II Any such penta-
costal revival In the North that there ~ould he
10 party found here 10 20 with them tell YOU
iere are men sittirg before me that would be-
l"ng TO the partyl tell you, out Of every
twenty men, viii not ssy how manv. but TOO
large msJOrity, would take tue biDei We
should have men hunting again for text. in
favor OF slavery. And il would not be ten Years
before we should have the desolation aud Abomi.
nation Of infdehty again in the pulpit
will not trust. do not believe it is dead.
Slavery has IA Il an Internal tenacty Of lie aud
- long as it may be used as an instrument of
power aud passion. so long will il fud men 20 re-
instate II aud give II place sgain. Aud no~,
while Ve are in the sscendency; now. while
we have the sympathy and the ear Of TIE great
people. now while men feel that utter destruction
- not an improper vengancetO b. visited on the
cause Of national disasters-Dow, # ever. j. our
time and our duty 10 make slavery impo-sible
One thing IS certain that, II YOU can change
the Constitution by the stitg tiOual PROVISION
t~o thirds OF the States legislatures demanding
a Convention Tor the purpose, 90 thatthe article
prohibiting slavery f0TeVerm0re N THIS nation
shall become part and parcel Of the original doc
ument, the qscssiOn Will be eett~d for ever
and there viii BE- LO more dispute about the
rights ei slavery 10 more veKing Controversies
about jurisdiction no more conflict between
Northern and Southern interests Making that
change 10 the Constitution will be Ike taking
away the iron ship which is causing the nee
die Of the compass 10 fy this Wsy and that IL
viii settle to the North star, aud navigation viii
be easy and simple. That Is the most direct
and the most feasible plan; and it j. worth our
while TO labor for it, Contamination.
Let the papers instruct the people and let
preachers and teachers instruct the people.
Neanw while, et,us delsge onr Constituents ia Con-
gre-s ~ith petitions tns. steps preparatory to this
be taken, that this nation may not only be
ceansed. but that il may be 50 cieansed that IL
shall not be aspersed again.
Cut wasp IN tEo. aud ns bead will creep of;
but that is OF no account, it will 0eser 10 siy
hurt But You put your finger a. the other ED
II yOa dare You NAV cut slavery in two wih
the s~ord but il will still have q venomous sting
With which it can inject the body polite ~itn
poison. There Is Que Nay 70 kali q wasp, and
that is 70 raash him. 70 that when you take your
foot OF YOU cannot tell which i ground AID
which is wasp And | advise you not % under
take q cut slavery in tEo with the sword,
aud then say There is 10 further danger"
but to grind il TO powder. Let that most potent
wheel OF any mil, the Constitution, Degin 70 re-
volve, and let the the s;triton take place