Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-01-26
8radford geporter.
TOwanda, Thursday, January 26, 1865.
THE PROGRESS OF FREEDOM.

We had barely time in our last to call at
tention to the new position of the States of
Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee, on the
subject of Slavery. The acts of these
States, with what has taken place in Mary
land, Delaware, Louisiana, Arkansas, Col
orado and Nebraska, are immensely signif-
cant, and are promising a proud future for
our government. No one, the least convers-
ant with the indications which are coming
up around US, can fail to see, that ere long,
African Slavery the bane of the master,
the curse of the State the clog upon Ameri-
can progression, and the only discordant
element which has ever threatened the exis-
tence Of our Government, will be among
the things that have been And what we'll
wlsher of his country, what patriot, can re-
fuse to rejoice over this bright prospect of
future peace, prosperity, and greatness to
our beloved land Or, are the democrats
of the present day, so blind to the past
teachings of the fathers of the party, so
lost to all that is grand and noble in our
history, as to be Indifferent to that which
magnifies our greatness, and insures the
tranquility, the public and private virtue
and honor which no nation before us has
enjoyed? In earlier times, when to be a
democrat, was to be a patriot, democrats
did not make it duty to cultivate animos-
ity to the poor negro, and go about the
country impiously declaiming that he was
the white mans Inferior and made to be his
slave, for the reason that to assume to know
what God meant by the creation of the Af-
rican, was impious and overwise in the
first place, and, in the second place, dis
placed an absence OF humanity altogether
unbecoming true manhood For, supposing
it to be true, that the black is the white
mans inferior, is that any reason why he
should impose upon him? Has he not, on
the other hand, and for this cause, claim
upon his protection ! Is the man consider
ed humane, honorable, right, in any sense of
the term, who takes advantage Of the weak,
! innocent, and ignorant? Surely not When
democrats allowed negroes to vote in old
! Virginia, and the democratic legislature of
all the free States passed resolutions against
Slavery, the doctrines and practices limited
at, were considered peurile depravity But
! the distinctions, and animosity, the adverse
interests, and ordinations, which Slavery
has begOtten in late years, are to be buri-
ed forever. The man Of the South is to
stand on a free labor basis with the man of
the North The Southern States are to have
the benefits which the growth, the wealth,
the morality, the honor, the glory, of free
labor confers on society The Southern
man will no longer be charged with bring
/ ing dishonor on the land, and idleness and
poverty on himself and he will no longer
claim superior social distinction, and the
right to rnle, because he was born mas
ter. He will no longer grow arrogant, dom
| ineering, and quarrelsome. He need no
longer send his cotton to the free States to
! be manufactured into cloth for his Slaves.
The dilapidated villages, and exhausted
lands Of the South will hcnceforth feel the
plastic manipulations of free labor and
thrift beauty and gladness will follow
Rivalry, jealousy and envy will no longer
grow into national characteristics. The
Church South, will greet the Church North,
on common ground. And then, what shall
happen to the poor down trodden slave ?
Only this, that he shall not be longer lash
ed at every caprice of ill-natured men and
women That lie shall not be driven to
darker and more despotic bondage, further
South. That he may work, live and grow
higher and better Only this, that he may
enjoy, in his own way the wages of his
labor That he may own himself, his wife,
his children, houses, and lands, if he will
Only this, that humanity is no longer out
ragged in abuse of an ignorant, helpless
race, VINO claim our pity, and have done
nothing to deserve barbarity. And when
all these sources of animosity, of antagon-
ism, Of wrong and complaint, are dried up
between the people of the North. and the
South, what is to hinder the cultivation OF
/ harmony, amity, and fraternity?