Year: 1860

that this pledge exists. But the North does aud
hence her only wise and christian course is to en-
treat the South to lberate her from it either by
consenting to change the Constitution at this polo;
or by consenting to let her, the North, go out Of
tho Union. Surely the people Of the South
will not insist that We shall continue tC
trample upon our consciences and kill our souls
by contributing to uphold system. which, how
ever innocent it may be in their eyes, is in our
own morl full Of injustice to man and dishonor to
God than any other on earth. Let the South dc
to the North in an exchange Of circumstances
she would have tAe North do the South. What il
the Northern States should adopt the policy of en-
shaving her light haired people, and the South
should then be holding as she does now, in com.
mon with the North, to the doctrine Of the abso-


uto right Of State, against the national gov.
ernment. to do what she will with her people =
she would, of course, regard herself as constitu-
tonally bound to uphold this policy. How deep


y desirous therefore goud she be to be released
from all responsibility fer it For she would be-
leve it TO be exceedingly wicked policy. Yet,
what moro wicked is it to ensllve people because
Of their light hair than because Of their dark
skin?


believe the Constitution to DO anti.slavory.
believe, that it imposes no obligation upon me to
uphold and fight for murder in Maryland or for


the worse crime of slavery in Kentucky. But
Constitution or no Constitution, would have the
North vote slavery to death. The North however
believes the Constitution to be prc-savery, and
that whilst it remains unchanged such voting
would be wrong. Again. would have every slave
run away from his master, and would afford him
every facility for his peaceful escape. l would
tell him, as have been telling him these twenty
years. to take the horse, the boat, the food, the
clothing and to believe in no right Of property
any where in the South as against his necds-nor
indeed in the North either, so long as it contiu-
ues to be to him 'enemy's country Let him
take what he will, human life alone excepted. But
the North interpreting the right Of the STAKEHOLDER
to his slave to be Constitutional right aud hold
ing every Constitutional right to be sacredy nvo-
liable and paramount to every other right whether
in earth or heaven, cannot consistently put forth
its hand in any way to deliver the slave.


l repeat then that she North taking her at her
own view of her obligations, has no other alterna.
tive than to cast herself upon the good feeling of
the South, and petition for change in tie Con-
s:itu;on or peaceabe release frum the Union.
The right Of such release be it the release Of the
North or the South, the East or the West-I argued
in my speech in Congress on the Mexican Treaty
That right hold to now and that right bolie9e
the South is just and generous enough to acknowl-
edge. As yOu are aware, l am as ready to look
South rs North for justice, generosity and manli-
ness Do you say that the South is greatly cor.
rupted by slavery? She is but not more than
the North, Slavery is upheld at the South in ac-
cordance with education. At the North in the
face of education. The South believes it to be
morally right to demand the return of fugitive
slaves. The North believes it to be morally wrong
-Constitutionally right but morally wrong-to re
turn them and yet returns them. Is not the
North then the more wicked-tho more corrupted
OF the two2 Certain is it to my own mind, that
the North bears more corrupting relation to sla-
very than does the South.


Charles Sumner that pure and brave and strong
and learned man. docs, in his speech of day before
yesterday in New York, distinctly convey the idea
that the American Union is no more responsible
for slavery in Charleston than in Constanlnople.
How otherwise could he put himself in liLe with
the Republican party Respectfully after having
shot so far ahead of it in his mastery speech
in Congress But, it is impossible for my noble
friend to bring himself into harmony with that
party There is not room enough within its ex-
coedingly narrow limits for soul so grest-so os-
panied by the love Of truth-as is his Even
were there ground for his comparison be-
tween Charleston and Constantiuope, he noverthe-
less could not be of that party. But there is not
the slightest ground for it. Tho Union is not
bound to maintain any sort of government in Con.
stantinople. But it is bound to maintain "a rerub-
lican form of government in Charleston. II is not
bound 20 put down instructions inConstantinOple.
But it is bound to put them down in Charleston.
Is slavery incompatible with republicansn, then
the Union must put down slavery every where
within the Union land so must it do if slavery
has been or is sure to be the source of insurrec-
ton in any of the States 1t must not permit the
safety of State, and. through State, the safety
Of the Union 70 be thus endangered by the exist
ence Of slavery.


Does Mr.. Sumner admit the Constitution toeg'
ates slavery in the States2-Then does he virtually
admit that the whole nation is bound to defend it
aye. in certain contingencies, to fight 70. it. Or
does he deny that it is in the contemplation of
the Constitution, that State may so outrage all
just conceptions Of "a republican form Of govern
ment,' as to set up or continue slavery or may
furnish those frightful materials for domestic vo'
ence in which slavery abounds, then also does he
virtually admit that the whole nation is RESPONSE
Bile for it--as responsible under the Constitution
to abolish it, in the former case it was respon
sible under the Constitution to maintain it.


Would that my dear friend might disemblrrass
himself of the few remaining hindrances in his
glorious service of the cause of freedom. and has
ten to plant himself by the side of William Good
ell Lysander Spooner and those other radical abo'


tionists, who hold that the whole nation is bound
to shut out slavery from the whole nation because
the Constitution does so


l have spoken Of the duty Of the North in the
light of the convictions and admissions Of the
North. hardly need say that shall myself con.
tnue to 90 to the polls with vote for men, who