The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1864-03-16
VOL. 9. NO. 4S.-WHOLE NO. AGA.
The law Of England discour.ses sl.vsr,,;,,

IL toe NuiS OF thSse ls-ands, ,tOUt gives 10 Il an
most unbounded protection in its colonies
The statute lsw Of this country looks q
slaves il the colonies as mere goods and chsit !
- subject 20 mortgages, 6e., and has establishe
courts Of the highest Jurisdiction for csrrvin
3 such provisions into execution"
The case Was this: The owner Of the slav
q Grace took her from antigua, in The West Il
dies, 20 England, Nnore she remained with be
master about a year. and then followed her mas
Ter back 10 Antigua The slave was importe
into the port OF Autigua without the payment q
any duties, OF without AAs~eriuC the chsrg,
which existed by lAw. Tne question arose upoi
the seizure OF ths slave for the payment @
some duty due al the port, being in 4 colon,
where tie local laW declared her 20 be Z slave
sud as 10y that aw she vas treated as slave
she sas regarded as such IN the court OF Al
pesls OF England, 90 which she Vas carried
The whole case showed that a. common law. ir
England, there Is not ard cannot be anv suel
thing rs property iu saves ia other words prop
esty IL man ; while al The same tine the Eugl.st
courts recognized the right OF the colonies
which have legislative powers granted them b,
their charters ~ by al act Of Parliament, 20 e.
tablish aud recognize slavery there; and that Is
all there is OF Ebe case.
ky main proposition remains uushaken, that
4 by tie common lAw OF England there is no such
thing as slavery within the realm OF England -
There Is no such thing slavery in Scotland,
are has not been for, | presume. ahundred wears.
There IA 10 such slIug slavery in France
/ The moment slave brought from the French
colonies ]. landed upon the shores Of France. he
becomes .pso fasto free Sach i also the rule.
behsN, IN every other civilized couutry in
Europe
Now, sig, take this ground, that slavery o1-
ISIS solely AID exclusively by io.ce OF the law Of
the place where It is claimed 10 exist; and that
beyond the limits within which that Law il in
operation the slave becomes by the mere transit
,pGo TGcto free. The constitution OF the United
states takes no cognizance Whatever of those
local laws; aud 80 far as the black man is con
cerned as he owes allegiance 10 the Government
OF the United States, and msy be called upon
Ike a white man 10 defend il by arms. he is. Ia
al respsc.s, when called upon TO render military
service as tree man as you and l. The mo-
mcnt he is mustered into the service Of the
-..y-~- sisO Nu,tiVl
VI another power He il totally emancipated
and set tree from the coLtrol and the viii OF his
former go called master, and passes TO another
dominion. Ii is a necessary legal result una
voidable and indispensable; because the moment
he enters the military sery &c lie becomes, IN
lis capacity OF a soldier, as free you or a.
fsee n anv other soldier, subject 20 obey the
orders Of his superiors, but possessing the rigLt
and the privilege, under the usages of war, to be
elevated even To the highest command OF tile
Army II lie deserves it.
ask any man With proper sense OF justice
in bis bosom, to say nothing Of the principles of
universal public law, how it i possible that this
man, having once taken arms to defend his coun-
try, having been subjected TO military drill aud
dScipllne can be reduced Into the condition OF
slave, mere chattel, thing TO which owner
ship attaches, This, 70 my mind. is impossible.
insist upon ths that when the Government
of the United States calls upon the people of the
United States 10 render their aid in defending
tie country and in wsgng war, tie power It eX-
ercses implies 10 distinction between cOlors. IL
must regard all alike free and equal.
This is the ground upon which put il; that
80 far az the constitution s concerned IN the & car
all the able bodied men in the country TO render
their personal aid in its prosecution, The black
nan Is necessarily to be treated as tree man. as
person, and not as property, whatever NAV
have been the light in which be was viewed in
the State where he happened to be. Believing
this, believe it is but justice in Us give these
black men precisely the same rewards and en-.
cOuragements, be they What they may, that We
extend to white men. | will consent to make
no difference, no distinction between them; be-
cause, without any disparagement 10 the white
race, and without intending TO give any ofiense
70 any individual here, | regard ell men who are
engaged in prosecuting the wars OF the United
States Rs companions ia arms and a. brethren.
Ia this respect it is impossible that the Coustitu-
lion should noI regard all a. equally free
The very nature Of the service is totally incom
tfn
that one man can have property in auOtaer.
l cannot, therefore, vote Tor the amendment Of
tie Senator from Massachusetts,. because il
seeks to make distinction between the soliiers
Of the Republic, exposed TO the same perls and
harlships. the same dangers OF aat,ver descrip-
giou, aad to the Ike DEATH Il proposes 10 make
distinction between them which j. greatly 20
lbe pref OF the mau who happens 70 wear
black skin, bus whose vslor ant usefulness are
'egaTdeI, even by BIN, as equal TO those Of tie
white man.
Thisw one ground upon which opposed The
enrolment oil the other DAY, upon which the
Senator iron Massachusetts, has made some very
earnest, not to say eloquent remarks. | op-
posed thas Dill because IL made. first, this dis
nuction: 1t gave 10 the master the bounty hch
in jus,ice AID in honor belongs 70 the slave
Inc Senator thinks he hs- done enough tor tie
black man when ne has given him h- freedom
en being mustered into the service. ! regard 10
as 10 gift; | look upon it as 10 gratuty 10 the
black 10 give him his freedom. IL becomes.
uuder tue Constitution, ipso Jaeto, Tree tue no
msnt yea put him into tue military service o.
ihe United States. Il is no giit 10 hin Il j.
20 benefit whatever TO him as a man, az =
persou. | know that other Senators fer with
ne on this subject; but these are ny fast and
| think WeilcOnsiGered convictions. You cal
bin 10 aid YOU ia this war your necessities re- nit
him TO the cOLdition In which nature herEelf
placed him. The hand Of robbery becomes psl-
sied. Freedom, hs birIhr GIT, sccrues 10 hiH
as responsible being, and ne again enjoys What
Z was not yours 10 give, and which human force
snd crime have withheld. The Almighty, not
you, restores TO him the gift Of liberty He
owes you nothing for il; no, not even gratitude
There vas another serious objection 70 tie
enrolment Dill TO which have referred. which
the Senator from Massachusetts did not see II,
80 snude to. Il wss this that the money which
to be raised BY Communication in the LOYAL
States is placed in the hands Of the Secretary OF
= ar, 10 be by hin invested in tie purchase-ii
may be allowed the terIo-of the black sol
8iers in the slsVeholding States, while tbos-
States which contribute the money get no credit
Nnagever for the contribution. IE - Il seems
ID NE, a. act Of justice 10 those States; and
vi all possible respect for the Senator
from Massachusetts,. from whom I regret Ve-y
much TO fer, think be, even 10 the Old Bay
State, viii fad some lIsle embarrassment Then
le is called before the people TO account for be-
vote on tia, bill He may possibly succeed (for
Is a. ingenious feiiOE) il satisfying DIS con
stituency Of the propriety Of that vote. Bat
sir. | could not undertake to defend such vote
before nv constituents. They would ask me a.
80, Wa did Won vote fo- q hii. disro-iu., al