Year: 1859




The question of slavery is OF vast extent, and
exceedingly com plicated in its bearings the in'
terests Of humanity, civilization, and the material
fate of nations. 1t is, indeed, "a vexed question:"
and although the maxim of the aboltionsts is,
'et justice be done, though the heavens fall" al
though they always proclaim that "honesty is the
best policy" and insist tina; such gigantic and
obstinate defiance OF the divine law as the main
tenance of the slave system must be inevitably
followed by adequate and terrible retrbution,
the number of those who take these things to heart
is very few in any part of the world.


No nation is so Immediately implicated in the
slave system as the United States. 10 the Slave
States, as we have mentioned times without num-
Der, the shareholders through the promptings of
self interest. the non Shareholders through habit
prejudice, and the pride os race, regard slavery
as the apple of their eye, ard, to maintain the
system intact, paddock the press, forbid fee
speech, ostracse literature, condemn their land to
barbarism, sluth and sterility, aud punish offend
ers against their idol with banishment, loss Of
property, liberty, and even life. The actual slave
holders having little to do except to expend the
produce of their bondsmens IS unpaid abour, have
plenty of leisure, which they employ in gathering
into their hands the reins of the national gov
ernment, so that although their wealth and mum.
bers are trifing when impaired with those of the
Free States, they act with such harmony, unan.
unity, and singleness of purpose, that for at least
the last thirty years they have been the real rul
ers Of the Urion. On their own soil a tyrannic
al and overwhelming olgarchy, they proclaim on
the national platform democratic theories ram


II.
masses in the northern towns and cities are easily
deceived by them, and make difficulty OF ac
cepting as political allies and acting in the
interests of the most cruel, demoralizcd and un
scrupuous conspiracy of tyrants the world has
over seen.


As 20 the richer and more educated portion Of
the northern population, those who have stake
in the country and have something to lose, they
view with apprehension every thing in the nature
Of organic change. They do not love slavery for
its own sake, but they regard the maintenance Of
the Union with idolatrous reverence; and hav
ing always been taught that the institution of slae
cry in the the Slave States has been guaranteed by
the Consttution-al opinion which all the recent
conduct and decisions Of the Supreme Court Of TIE
United States have tended to confrm-they are
exceedingly averse to all efforts which aim at its
abolition. Hence they look upon the abolition
ists as fanatical ultra, unpatriotic unconstitu
tional, and intolerabo. Wherefore the course of
those who labour openly and in good faith eoT the
overthrow and eradication OF the slave system and
the slave power, is besct with discOuragement
mptation, and difficulty. As they cannot take
part in a government which is based upon and in
every way mixed up with slavery, (even its hum
blest Offices requiring oath of allegiance to the
proslavery Constitution of the United States) they
are shut out from that participation in political in
fuence upon which the people OF that country Pc
culiarly pride themselves aud thus none but
those in whom the idea of duty has attained pre-
dominance persevere in path Of such pain
full SELF denial 1t is no wonder that the number
Of active, working giving a5olltionsts is smal
but the more witness what they have done, the
greater is our amazement at their faith, hope, and
energy under circumstances Of such appalling
discouragemens. "llepe on. hope ever" What
can be done without hope? Without hope, there
could be no American abolitonists They live by
faith in the ultimate triumph of great principles,
and in the hope that their victory is at hand
When, to the outward eye and in the hearts of
the desponding, all is dull and gloomy, they be
hold the flashes of golden light that herald the
coming of better day. We view with something
of envy in the letters of our American cores
pondents the manifestations of this strong san
gune spirit which looks only to the bright side
under circumstances which to less ardent spirits
would be fraught with depressing omens. 1t has
over been so since the Pioneer of the Anti Slavery
enterprise commenced his single handed contest
thirty years ago. The Shareholders and their le-
gions of parasites have repeatedly raised song
of triumph, and have proclaimed that now at
length the antislavery cause was at an end that
thc aboliiionists were senced and that nothing
more would be heard of those pestilent fanatics
When, 10 and behold the words were no sooner
out of their foolish mouths. than straightway,
through some absurd 5lunder of their own, fresh
fuel was thrown upon the immortal fire of aboi:
itionism, and the friends of God and man who
minister in it's service came forth armed for the
Hght. stronger, fresher, braver, and more irwin.
Icble than ever. Yet, notwithstanding all the
grounds for hope which presented last month
jim the letter from our Boston correspondent, our
admiration is ever new at the stubborn boldness
and unquenchable energy which distinguish the
small antislsvery host


But quite apart from the motives which inau.
sDce the Shareholders and their northern allies, it
must bs admitted that the sbolitionists have i'm.
msps0 n ateral difficulties to contend with. 1t is
trus that the prevalent sentiment of England is
opposed to the slave system. However it may
have been in Liverpool and Bristol the CONNER.
cial, social, and religious system of England has
never been mirod up with the interests of slave.
traders and Shareholders as in the Uuitod States.
In England the progress Of public morality has
been forward, not backward. The tendency has
not been to a reckless, lawless, tyrannical rufiau.
ism, claiming unlimited license for the worst part
Of the community, and delighting in the prosla.
nation Of DECISIONS that "the coored man has no