The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1870-08-04
ADDRESS or HON. d. r. LOWE,

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Mr. Pr-sidcst, Ladies end centsenen:
rejoice in the occasion that calls us this
day together. I rejoice in the coming of the
event that has contaminated the enfranchise-
mcat of four millions of American citizens.
/ rejoice in the new realization of the truth
of the Declaration of Independence, and in
that revolution of events which has relieved
that great charter of right from the aspersion
Of constituting only a proclamation Of gilt
tering eeneralities. 1t l. most proper to
honor this great event. This nation, SO long
the partaker in great wrong, has at Last
done justice TO its loyal citizens-has done;
Justice to itself 1t is meet that for a day We.
lay aside the avocations Of industrial life,
that we come up from Office and from field
and join in thankfulness for great good. i
see here before me to-day, whose hearts
unite in this sentiment, members Of both
races mingling in common fraternity. /
zee executive officers and the chief magis-
trate Of o1r Ps4ninies State, swhose hiApsy Is
- nearly Allied 50, the struggle thAtigh
which we have passed. zee members of
our Legislature, whose ratification of the
act which gave it force as the supreme law Of
the land. see some of the brave officers
and soldiers Of that great host of
freemen. who. went forth to fight
for liberty and the Constitution
against a rebellion inaugurated in the in
terests OF slavery. ! see some of that noble
band OF original Abolitionists who thirty
wears ago amidst obloquy and reproacll,
lal
science and heart Of the nation in behalf of
the oppressed. see here the ministers Of
our holy religion bringing the sanction of a
true faith to the establishment Of civil JUS
tice and equal rights. Let the shouts of
gladness arise from every heart, let hosannas
be sung by all the people, for liberty has
been proclaimed throughout all the land
unto all the inhabitants thereof
In the PRONUNCIATION of the Fifteenth
Amendment to the Constitution of these
United States we realize the direct culniina-
ton Of the labors Of the moral heroes of the
world for the last century. The history Of
mankind discloses the fact that peoples Of
all nations and of all ages have been but too
ready to adopt and act upon the doctrine Of
Cain in his reply to God when inquired OF as
u his murdered brother Abel-.!A my
brothers Keeper The fraternity OF the
human race is a doctrine which mankind
have been slow TO adopt, while they have
been swift i'm violence to advance themselves
at the cost and to the injury of each other.
II was once the doctrine of nations deemed
civilized that captives in war were the legiti-
mate property and slaves Oithe captors-that
tho-e who had been defeated in battle, to-
scther with their wives and children, their
L 81, Iaxsf nj
sion of the victor.
The bondage of the Israelites in Egypt, the
lIelo;isim of Greece, the serfdom of Europe,
the enslavement Of the African race are illus
trations of the piracies of the nations against
executed in the name Of ciyiiiza-
ton and sanctioned by corrupt religions.
For centuries the African race was the spoil
and prev of the commercial nations of Eu-
rope and America. Spain and Portugal, At
ter having baptized and murdered by ma
lions the native inhabitants of their conquer
ID territories in America, plundered the vii
ages aid hamlets of Africa and through the
horrors of the middle passage repeopled
heir colonies with slaves. England, that
natural compound of brutality and hui |
nanity, carried on the traffic of blood and |
Quilted her cupidity by crowding her colo
lies with slaves. For the gains of slavery |
was dcsccratcd, the ordinances Of |
pligion were defiled, natural law was denied |
md the institutions of God were Ostracised |
rom the affairs of men, But this race, part |
# the common family of man, though |
vronged in its every person, though robbed
# its every right was not to be forgotten of
iod forever 1t had been proclaimed in
holy writ that God had made of one blood |
Ill nations of men to dwell on all the face of
he earth. The prayers of these millions
It length began to be heard and philanthropy |
md religion began to put forth intelligent
md concerted efforts to the end that justice |
night be done. The sentiment of hostility /
o the system of personal slavery never
ntirely dormant since the Christian
IA, attained form and consistence
md was stimulated into aggressive
,ctivity when towards the |
.lose Of the last century, by the efforts Of |
larkson, Sharp, Wilberforce, Buxton and |
,thers, societies were formed for the suppress
ION of the slave trade, followed by direct |
,fiorts for universal emancipation throughout |
he British Empire. Although Lord Holt |
lad decided, in the beginning of the 18th |
century, and Chief Justice Mansfield after |
rar's, in l172, that slavery could not exist l
n England, it was fostered and maintained
in all her colonial possessions, both in Asia
md America. But, by the efforts of British /
the moral sense of England was |
aroused, societies were formed, Parliament |
was petitiOned, the throne was besieged. Ar
rayed against them at first were all the COM
nercial activities Of the Empire. The aris- |
ocracy and nobility, the allies everywhere
Of despOtism, were against them. The
unwilling to he disturbed in their |
concurred with the ruling senti- |
ment against emancipation. But, although |
its advocates were everywhere derided as
of the peace and denounced in
Parliament as fanatics and hypocritics, they
not in their labOrs until the masses
Of England were aroused, and demonstrated /
their determination to carry the measure /
against every opposition. After half a CEN
tury Of toll and agitation, and after frequent
and repeated defeats in Parliament, an act
for the abolition of slavery became the Law
of the land, taking effect on the first day of |
August, 1884. ,r ...-r.
To-day is the Seth anniversary Of that
event, and while We here celebrate our own
great act of REIMBURSEMENT, the day is most
alspsciOusly selected in which we may also
JOIN our voices Of acclaim and gratitude With
the millions who commemorate the great
triumph of another land in behalf of thu |
same great cause.
But while the discussion of this subject in
England had thus reached successful con.
clt<ion, the. inaitut1oRe slavery, Whic}kas
colonies we had inherited from her, vas ex-
banding in our nominally free republic, en-
trenching itself in power and place, and conf
trolling the destinies Of the nation i'm its in!
tereSts. When our fathers were amidst the
Sinai of revolution, and entering into th@
and lightnings Of its battle field,
they had announced the great selfevident
truth that all men are created free and equal,
and endowed with the inalienzble rights 81
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
But when the Storm Of successful revolution
was over; when victory had settled upon
their banner and they sat down in council I'd
form a more perfect government for themI
selves and their pOstcritv, with that strange
which 20 often attends imperfect
and from what they regarded as {
necessary expediency, they recognized the
institution Of slavery in the fundamental
law, and gave it such guarantees and privil!
eyes as secured its safe protection and it,
sure growth. The bitter harvest thus
sown was not long in being reapsd!
The institution rapidly expanded from the
Atlantic States westward and the fairest por!
tons Of the continent were subjected to it'd
blight. 1t crossed the father of waters, teri
ritory was acquired for it from foreign powi
ers, wars were wagey1 and treaties negotiated
in its behalf. Its yotaries became priv!
legged aristocracy. They filed all places Of