The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1865-05-03

the Constitution and in preserving the
Constitution we shall save the Union; aud
ia saving the Union, we save this, the
greatest Government on earih.
81 thank the Senate for their kind alien
ton"
EEGsoE Es NOT INCLUDED IN THE DECLARATION
OF INDEPENDENCE.
From Johnson's Speech OF Dec IL, 1882
s'In the discussion on Thursday last, the
Senator from Illinois attempted TO lay down
the doctrine of the Republican party and TO
give his construction OF that doctrine.-
Ia dong so he called our attention 10 their
platform, which, be says is a mere reiera-
tion of the Declaration of Independence
Cat least, that is his idea), as ii was formed
by our fathers. To make myself inteligi-
gble and distinctly understood, will read
that portion OF the platform which he quot
ed -
" RESOLVED, That, with our republican
fathers, we hold il 10 be self-evideni truth
that all men are endowed with The inalien-
able righ, OF lie, liberty and the pursuit OF
happiness, and that The primary object and
Interior design of our Federal Government
is 10 grant these rights to all persons under
its excellent jurisdiction
"As the discussion progressed, drawing
deductions from this part of the platform,
they were embracing the doctrines laid
down by Mr.. Jefferson, and showing tha;
be really meant to include persons of color
in the Declaration, and that such was the
understanding OF our revolutionary fathers.
and changes have been rung on it, .h al Mr..
Jefferson, the apostle of Democracy and of
liberty. laid down the doctrine that all men
were created equal, that they had certain
inalienabls rights, tha, among these were
life, liberty, and the pursuit OF happiness
Now, il sesms 10 me, that partg, ar in
telligeni party that understands all the doc
trines and principles OF our Government, IN
this does great injustice TO that instrument
and 10 he trainers of the Constitution of
the Uuited States. When we take the Dec
Iaraiion OF Independence and connect il
with the circumstances under which il was
written, is there a man throughout the
length and breadth OF This broad Re puol:c
who believes for one instant that Mr. Ieffer-
son, when he penned it, had the segro pop
ulalion in his mind Notwithstanding, he
says that all men are created equal, and
that they are by ;heir Creator endowed with
certain isalienabie rights, that among these
are life, liberty, and the pursuit OF happi-
ness ia there an Intelligent man through
out the whole codnlTy, is there a Senator,
when he has stripped himself of all party
prejudice, who will come forward and say
that he believes that Mr.. Jefferson, when he
pen6ed that paragraph oil the Declaration
of independence, intenjed il 10 embrace
the African population Is there gentle
man in the Senate who believes any such
thing is there any one who will stake his
reputation on the assertion that that is the
correct Interpretation Of the Declaration Of
Independe nee There is not a man of re-
spectacle intelligence who will hazard his
reputation upon such an assertion. Why
sion Why try TO delude and deceive the
great mass of the people by intimaliUg that
MIR. Jefferson meant Africans or the African
race ? How were we stualed when MIR.
jefferson penned the Declaration OF Inds-
pendence Did he not own slaves! Did
rot mos; of the persons in The Congress
which adopted the Declaration own slaves,
aud, after the Declaration was adopted, by
way of giving correct Interpretation 10 ii,
what DO we fad incorporated 10 the Con-
siiluiioa of The United States! Were be-
eroes then considered the persons who
were embraced in ths Declaration Of Inde
pendence Were they not considered as
properly In fixing The representation,
slaves were regarded as property, aud only
three-filths of them were 10 be counted
clearly recognizing that they were one oI
the forms Of property, and not persons in
tended TO be embraced in the Declaration oi
ndependence, as conlended by some. i
think it is clear.
"Whai more was provided in the Con
slitulion of the United States, by way o.
giving a clear construction 10 the Declara-
lion of Independence 1t was provided
that fugilives from labor shoulc be restored
10 ihe States from which they escaped, up
on demand eeiug made. Does that look
as il this description of persons were en-
braced iG the Declaration of Independence,
and were considered equal TO the white
race ? It is evident to my mind, AID il
must be so TO every body else, that Mr.
LETTERS on meant the white race, and not the
African race. The Constitution gives il
that.interpretaiion. And his own scts, and
those of his associates, when they were
framing the Declaration OF independence,
owning slaves, and afterwards passing laws
and making wills which provided for their