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diff --git a/old/44761.txt b/old/44761.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b64d27b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/44761.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1464 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Way to Abolish Slavery, by Charles Stearns + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license + + +Title: The Way to Abolish Slavery + +Author: Charles Stearns + +Release Date: January 26, 2014 [EBook #44761] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WAY TO ABOLISH SLAVERY *** + + + + +Produced by Charlene Taylor, Martin Pettit and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + +THE WAY TO ABOLISH SLAVERY. + +BY CHARLES STEARNS, + +AUTHOR OF + +"FACTS IN THE LIFE OF GEN. TAYLOR, &C.," "TAYLOR, +CASS AND VAN BUREN COMPARED," AND "ENCROACHMENTS +OF THE SLAVE-POWER UPON THE RIGHTS +OF THE NORTH." + +BOSTON: +PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR. +1849. + +FOR SALE BY BELA MARSH, NO. 25 CORNHILL. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +After the flood of light respecting the evils of the execrable system of +chattel Slavery, thrown upon the minds of the community by eighteen +years of Anti-Slavery preaching; it would seem almost a work of +supererogation to attempt to cast any more light upon the subject; +therefore in this work, nothing will be said in reference to this part +of the subject; but every effort will be made to convince the reader of +the efficacy of the remedy here proposed. + +It will be necessary to say at the commencement of this work, that the +author is no politician, and does not write for party purposes; neither +is he the agent, or the organ of any Anti-Slavery society, but writes on +his own authority, and that of truth; being responsible to no man for +what he shall assert. + +My object is to present to the public mind, what I deem to be the only +true and effectual remedy for the terrible disease of Slavery. If in +doing this, you are condemned, reader, judge not hastily that I am +wrong; but give me a candid and impartial hearing. In the language of +the apostle, "prove all things, and hold fast that which is good." + +I am not a disunionist, from any wish to see anarchy casting its direful +shade over our land; but from a sincere desire to prevent "confusion +worse confounded" from reigning in our midst, as most assuredly will be +the case if Slavery exists many years longer. Let us then "give the +pull, the long pull, and the pull altogether," and drag this terrific +monster from his hiding place between the walls of the sanctuary, and +the halls of legislation, giving him no rest, until he flees from earth, +back to perdition from whence he sprang. + +THE AUTHOR. + + + + +THE WAY TO ABOLISH SLAVERY. + + +Slavery is the medium through which the corrupt passions of men flow +with resistless power. Beneath its influence every plant of virtue +sickens and dies. Its putrid form taints the air which we breathe, and +exhales all manner of foul odors, which render it so obnoxious to truth +and purity, that these angels would speedily end its existence, if it +were not for the support it derives from other sources than itself. +Although coarse and brawny in its outward appearance, yet it is within +full of disease; and nothing but continual doses of medicine enable it +to present the appearance of life. It is said that a celebrated +magnetiser, once preserved a dead body from putrefaction for a long +time, by the power of magnetism. At length he withdrew the magnetising +power, and the body instantly crumbled to atoms. Thus with Slavery; +withdraw the enchantments from it, which priests, politicians, and +speculators have thrown around it, and it expires of its own corruption. +It lives only by this outward support, just as the virtue of some men is +caused only by their being paid or praised for it. Apply, then, the +finger of truth to its gigantic form; let but the mighty arm of +righteousness lay hold of these sustaining influences, and sweep them +from it; and it will fall as quickly as a huge statue would, if the +pedestal on which it stands should be removed from under it. + +Slavery, to be sure, reaches mountain high, towering over all other +eminences in this nation; far above the highest steeple, or State-house +cupola, (church and State;) yet tall and commanding as it is, it shall +be laid lowly in the dust, if but truth can reach the props and guards +which keep it alive. Herculean though it may be in strength, it shall +then become powerless and impotent; the life that is in it being like +the light of the moon, not its own, but derived from a source +independent of itself. + +What then are the props of Slavery? They may be divided into two +classes, political, and religious ones; or in other words, both church +and state may be regarded as sustaining the dreadful system. It is +recorded in history, that at one entrance to a certain island there was +stationed an immense brazen statue astride the water which lay before +the island; and that there was no ingress to the city, except by sailing +betwixt the legs of this statue, each foot of which rested on a +promontory of the island. Imagine, then, the great giant Slavery +standing with one foot on the American Church, and the other on the +Union, requiring all wishing to enter the port of popularity and renown, +to run this gauntlet, and you have a faint idea of Slavery. It plants +its right foot firmly on the government of the United States, and +receives its principal support from that; but to make its foothold firm +and sure, it extends its left foot to the Church, and there finds +additional support. Without these two props, it cannot exist a moment. + +But let us see if it is true that it exists by the power of these two +institutions. 1st. Does the church give it any support? We would bring +no railing accusations against the church; all we wish to know is, does +it render any support to Slavery? It will not be questioned, that in the +slave-holding States Slavery is sanctioned by the church. Every one +knows that slave-holding is no disqualification for church membership, +throughout the entire South. Very few ministers refuse to hold Slaves, +and neither ministers nor church members are ever censured for the act. +The author has resided several years in two Slave States, and knows this +to be the fact. He travelled and preached constantly, and was therefore +in the families of a large number of religious people; and he never knew +of a case where slave-holding was spoken of as rendering a man unfit for +church membership. He was at many revivals of religion, and never knew a +word said to any of the converts about giving up their Slaves, except +what he said himself. Slave-holding was considered no more inconsistent +with Christianity, than hiring servants is at the North. No man dreamed +of giving up his Slaves because of his conversion. Slave-holders were +the most prominent men in the churches; elders, deacons, class-leaders, +stewards, and ministers. Of course if the church consider it right, the +people generally will; for who ever heard of a purer public sentiment, +than what the church approves of. Streams never rise higher than their +fountains; and, of course, as the fountain of morals in any community is +always its religion, never than the religion of that country. It is idle +to expect the community to be better than its religious teachers; +therefore such teachers are always regarded as more pure than the mass +of the people. And the very idea of a church, is a company of people +professing more purity than others; of course whatever sin is practised +in accordance with the will of the church, will be by the rest of the +community. If adultery was considered no disqualification for church +membership, how long would it be before the land would be full of +adulterers? It is plain that whatever sin takes refuge in the bosom of +the church, will be practised by the world; therefore all attempts to +correct any great evil are useless, as long as the church upholds them, +and at the same time possesses any power. Take, for instance, +intemperance. What a mighty argument it was in opposition to temperance, +that church members made, sold and drank rum? And if this practice was +followed universally by church members now, as it once was, what hope +would there be of the progress of the temperance enterprise? As Christ +says, "if the light that is in the world be darkness, how great is that +darkness." The church lays claim to being the representation of +Christianity, the embodiment of virtue. It says, "we are holy and +inspired; if you speak against us you blaspheme God, for we are his +children." + +Then, of course, if it upholds Slavery, it says that it is a good and +divine institution; perfectly adapted to promote the welfare of mankind. +If the church forbade the practice of slave-holding, as it does those of +drunkenness, adultery, theft and murder, and excommunicated those +practising it, as it does those guilty of the above sins, the case would +be far different, even if its members were in the habit secretly of +practising it. If it even preached against Slavery, it would be a +different matter; but instead of that, we have ministers justifying it +from the Bible, and exhorting Slaves to obey their masters, because God +requires it, and threatening them with hell, if they disobey them. Then +we have the spectacle of a large church at the South, seceding from its +northern brethren, because the latter did not like to have a bishop hold +Slaves! They would not remain in connection with a church at all opposed +to Slavery. + +But all this you may say does not apply to the northern churches. Well, +if the northern churches countenance the southern in slave-holding, it +certainly does. If they recognize them as Christian churches, receive +their ministers as Christian ministers, and forbear reproving them for +their sins, then is the northern church guilty of upholding Slavery. And +it gives a double sanction to it; for it says we believe Slavery is not +incompatible with Christian character; and we have been brought up away +from its influence. It does more to support the vile system, than even +southern churches themselves; for southerners expect those brought up +under the influence of Slavery, will think it lawful; but when they see +churches living away from its place of existence, countenancing it and +fellowshipping it, they conclude at once it cannot be wrong. Why the +churches of the North should countenance it, what motive they have in so +doing, is not for us to say now. The great and appalling fact stands out +before the world, that there is scarcely a church throughout the whole +of the free North, but what is in some way in fellowship with Slavery. +If they do not fellowship southern churches, they do northern churches, +which give the right hand of fellowship to southern ones. And where is +the church at the North, the members of which are all out-spoken +Abolitionists? Is there scarcely a church where "no union with +slave-holders" is made a test of admission? We have never heard of but +one, and that the church of the Covenanters in Pennsylvania. To be sure, +the Wesleyans will not recognise the southern churches, as Christians; +but they will fellowship those that do; exchange with their ministers, +and receive their members, and more than all, allow their members to +vote for slave-holders, even for Gen. Taylor! Certainly, no church can +be Anti-Slavery which has members who voted for that king of southern +slave-holders! That this is true, witness the case of Seth Sprague, of +Duxbury, who is a Wesleyan, and made almost the first speech in favor of +Gen. Taylor made in the State. But all our churches contain such men, +and certainly are upholding Slavery. Witness the great number of +ministers in this State, who voted for Gen. Taylor. Drs. of Divinity, as +well as those less honorable; and some illuminated their houses in honor +of his election, as in the case of Dr. E., of Salem. Others preached +sermons in favor of the act, as in the case of Dr. S., of North +Brookfield. Probably there is scarcely a church throughout New England, +all the members of which, who voted at all, voted against the extension +of Slavery. + +Before proceeding to comment upon the guilt of the church, in this +respect, let us for one moment consider the terrible situation of the +poor Slave, as hurried from his family, he is transferred to the +chain-gang of a negro driver, to be transported to California, or New +Mexico. "Husband, where are you going?" plaintively enquires the +sorrow-stricken wife, as he is knocked off upon the auction block to the +highest bidder, and returns to bid farewell to his companion. "Wife, I +know not! Farewell! farewell!" responds the sobbing husband; and away he +is hurried from her presence, and perhaps beaten for speaking to his +wife. An eye witness of these scenes, and one who has himself been +separated from his mother, says he has known the driver beat with sticks +the husband and wife as they clung around each other's necks, just +before parting. The author at one time, while travelling in Kentucky, +met a Slave who seemed very much dejected. He stopped and asked him what +the matter was. "Oh," said he, "I have been to take leave of my wife, +who has just been sent off to Missouri to live with my young mistress, +lately married, and I never expect to see her again, as long as I live!" + +What must be the humanity of these persons who cannot feel for the poor +Slave in such conditions as these? No one denies that these things +continually happen at the South; and yet but little sympathy is excited +in consequence. The hearts of the people have become as hard as adamant. +Their sensibilities are totally blunted. They are destitute of all +feeling. + +What a picture has just been presented before this nation! A new +territory, free from Slavery, demands protection from its awful curse. A +large majority of all the people in the United States, treat this prayer +with contempt, and virtually say it shall not be granted by voting for +candidates for the presidency, known to be in favor of its admission +there. Here the mangled victims of Slavery, have these 50 years, lain +bleeding upon the plantations of the South, loudly calling upon our +government to desist from protecting their cruel masters; but their +cries have been stifled by the clamor of noisy politicians, who have +talked of the necessity of preserving our glorious Union, at whatever +expense to the crushed and manacled Slave. + +A new era seemed about to commence. The question is obtruded upon the +whole country, and becomes the pivot upon which the presidential +election is made to turn. Shall these cries of three millions of Slaves +be made louder and more acute, or shall a barrier be interposed between +them, and all increase of their sufferings? Shall Mexico be the slough +of despondency, into whose terrible mire shall be cast the gasping +Slave, and a new mart be opened for the gratification of men who examine +the bodies of their victims, as a man does a horse he is about to +purchase, and women as well as men; or shall a sword of cherubic power, +guard all entrance to this country, as the angel's sword protected the +garden of Eden? + +This was the question brought before the people of this country at the +last election, and how was it decided? Let history shrink back +astonished as she pens the degrading fact, that the whole country was +rocked with emotion, and reeled with the mighty efforts put forth, to +place a man in the presidential chair known to be in favor of this +extension. It needs no argument to prove the turpitude of such a people. +Their guilt is self-evident, their hypocrisy glaring. It stares all the +world in its face, like the lurid flames of hell, ascending from their +subterranean enclosure. Guilt, did we say? There are no terms in the +English language sufficiently strong to describe the wickedness of this +transaction; and yet the _church participated in it_. No warning voice +was heard from her public bodies arousing her members to opposition to +this direful deed. On the contrary, many of her ministers volunteered to +help forward the accursed transaction. The piety of Gen. Taylor was +vouched for by reverend fathers in God; and saints of the most high, +were found bowing in reverential adoration before this Juggernaut. Few +and far between were the voices of single ministers, in opposition to +this course; and now that the deed is done, who exclaims against it? Who +comes out from the churches where these guilty men rule? Who refuses to +hear ministers preach or pray who voted for Gen. Taylor? What society +has yet dismissed its minister for so doing? What church has passed +resolutions in opposition to the recognition of such men as Christian +ministers? Why, a highway robber has as good a claim to the character of +a Christian minister, as one has who voted for Gen. Taylor. + +We have yet to learn of the first church ejecting a member for this +flagitious transaction; and yet voting for Taylor is as much worse than +common stealing, as a man is of more value than a beast or a dollar. By +voting for a slave-holding warrior, you say that Slavery is right, +reputable, and worthy of praise. Instead of frowning upon the +slave-holder, as you would upon the horse-thief, you elevate him to the +highest office in your gift; thus doing all in your power to render +slave-holding honorable. It is just as great a crime to aid in elevating +a slave-holder to the presidency, as it is to hold Slaves. It does +_more_ to uphold Slavery; for it says we will heap the highest honors of +society upon slave-holders. We will place them where all their influence +can be used to strengthen the system; and it serves to shut the mouths +of Anti-Slavery men; for it will not do to cry out against slave-holders +as robbers, when our President is a slave-holder. + +Besides this, a very large portion of the church cast their votes for a +man pledged to go for the extension of Slavery, although not nominally a +slave-holder. Gen. Cass justified the extension of Slavery, and argued +in favor of the unconstitutionality of prohibiting its extension; and +thousands of votes were cast for him, by church members. To their praise +be it said, many church members and ministers refused to vote for either +of these men; but what action have they taken in their churches in +reference to those who did? If such acts as these are to be passed +over, in silence, then is the _sanction of the church_ given to +_slave-holding_, and the _extension of Slavery_. Recollect that the +question was not, should Slavery exist at all? On that question there +_might_ have been some excuse for inaction; but it was should it be +_extended_ over a territory nearly half as large as the whole of the +United States? It would seem as if Christians could not have hesitated a +moment on this point; as if the whole host of God's elect, as the church +claims to be, would have been marshalled in battle array against the +myrmidons of the slave-power. But no, a death like silence pervades the +entire church upon this point. It matters not to her whether Slavery +"covers the earth, as the waters cover the sea," or not. Her "mission is +to let it alone." To cry out against gambling, whoredom, Sabbath +breaking, and such unpopular sins, is her duty; but to advance before +public opinion, and create a purer one, is no part of her work. She is +so engaged in saving souls, she has no time to attend to the bodies of +the people. But seriously, is it not a terrible state of things when the +churches of our land are asleep over such a dreadful evil? When the +voice of the watchman is but faintly heard, if at all, in rebuke of the +most heaven daring of crimes? We appeal to all who are in the habit of +attending church. Does your minister every Sunday, exclaim against the +horrid enormities of extending Slavery, to say nothing of it where it +now is? Do you hear from his lips as severe denunciations of those +engaged in this wicked business, as fell from the lips of Jesus Christ, +as he reproved the oppressors of his day? No, you do not, only +occasionally. It is considered a rare instance of courage if a minister +dares to rebuke his people for having voted for Gen. Taylor? + +What, then, is to be done in the matter? That the church at the North +upholds Slavery can no longer be denied, for she goes farther, and +upholds its extension; yea, farther yet, she countenances _fighting_ +for its increased power, murdering men, women and children, that it may +exist, where it could not without this fighting. O, shame on a church +having in its folds a single member who cast a vote for that most wicked +of men--Gen. Zachary Taylor! But declamation will avail nothing without +action. We propose a remedy for all this wickedness. We call upon all +true friends of the Slave to leave those churches where ministers or +members voted for Taylor or Cass. Further, we invite you all to make a +critical examination of your relations to Southern slave-holding +churches, and see if your associations, your conferences, or your +conventions, are not in league with slave-holders, or with those who are +allied with them. If you belong to a church not having a single member +in it who voted for Taylor or Cass; yet if your church fellowships those +churches having such members, are you not a pro-slavery church? To +fellowship the churches who retain pro-slavery voters, is to say that +such voting is not wrong. But if you cut loose from all such relations, +do you not fellowship northern churches, who have slave-holders +themselves in their bounds; for instance the northern Methodist Church, +having still slave-holding members? + +But if you are clear from all such connections, there is still another +point we beg leave to submit to your serious consideration, which brings +us to the second great pillar the statue of Slavery stands upon. You +have seen the influence given to the system by the church; now look at +the power given to it by the _Government_. This is the principal +foothold of the dreadful system. Destroy this prop, and Slavery falls; +but before advancing to this position in our argument, let us see for a +moment how Slavery is acknowledged by law; for it is in this relation we +are about to contemplate it. + +The Government of the United States creates no Slaves; it only +recognises as lawful the Slavery existing in the several States, or to +use the words of the Constitution, "held to service or labor, under the +laws thereof." The _laws_ of the several slave-holding States are made +the standard for the general government's action upon this subject. No +quibble can possibly evade this, for it is not necessary to prove that a +runaway Slave justly owes service to his master, but only if he does, +under the _the laws of his master_. The master has made certain laws, +claiming his Slaves as absolute property; the Constitution says, +"persons owing service under these laws," shall be returned, thus making +the most complete provision for the support of the system. The laws of +the State in which the claimant lives, are the rule to go by, not the +feelings of the judge, respecting the abstract question of the +possibility of one human being owing compulsory service to another. It +is just as much a violation of his oath, for a judge to refuse to +deliver a Slave proved to be such, under the laws of the State, without +"a bill of sale from the Almighty," as the Vermont judge did, as it +would be to refuse to deliver the Slave _with_ the bill of sale from the +Almighty. If it is the bond that we contend for so strictly, as the Jew +did for the pound of flesh, we must abide by the bond, which says, not +if the _Almighty_ furnishes a bill of sale, shall the Slave be delivered +up; but if the _laws of the State_ say he is a Slave. The recent +decision of judge Edmonds in behalf of Belt, the most favorable one on +record, fully recognises this principle; and Belt owes his liberty not +so much to the humanity of the judge, as to the absence of positive +proof that the laws of Maryland uphold Slavery. A copy of the Slave laws +of Maryland was produced, but it only said published by authority, and +not by the authority of the legislature, therefore Belt was allowed to +go free. The omission of one word in a book, saved Belt from the jaws of +Slavery, more than any other thing. To be sure, it was proved that the +master did not take legal steps after the seizure of Belt, and therefore +had no right to him; but the main reason for his discharge was, not the +wrongfulness of delivering him up, not because God had given Lee no +_bill of sale_, but because a lawyer could not swear that a certain +book was the laws of Maryland! + +From this decision there is no appeal, until a higher authority has +decided differently. All that a slave-hunter has to do, is merely to +bring an attested copy of the laws of the State, in which he lives, and +prove that in such a State he held the person claimed as his Slave, and +there is no redress for the panting fugitive. He _must be_ returned to +his former bondage, without any power to protect him from the punishment +his master may choose to inflict upon him in consequence of his escape. +Thus is Slavery legalized by our laws; and if we cannot expect a higher +standard of morality than what the church upholds, certainly we cannot +expect practices to cease, which the government pronounces lawful. +People are not generally so much in advance of their laws and religion, +as to refuse to perpetrate what those laws and that religion justify, +and pronounce honorable. Thus the whole influence of jurisprudence, and +church action, is thrown around Slavery. Is it any wonder, that it +exists in so much power, and now seeks to extend its sway over new +territory? What then is necessary to be done to remove this prop from +under the colossal statue of Slavery? Plainly, to repeal all laws +recognising its existence. Do this, and refuse to obey any of the claims +of the South in reference to this matter, and Slavery ceases as soon as +the earth would cease to turn upon its axis, if the Almighty should +remove his hand from the crank of the mighty wheel. Or to drop all +figure, as soon as the Slaves should arise and assert their liberty; +which would be almost instantly, if it were not for the North. We are so +hemmed in now by compromises and promises, that even in the act of +voting not to extend Slavery, we unconsciously pledge ourselves to +sustain it where it now exists. + +But let us examine another point a few moments. What gives 250,000 +slave-holders power to hold 3,000,000 of Slaves in bondage? Not the +power of non-slave-holders at the South, for they could not be relied +on, in case of an insurrection. They suffer so much now in consequence +of the degradation Slavery attaches to labor, and are so impoverished by +its influence, that few and faint would be the blows they would strike +in behalf of slave-holders; as a body they are envious of the +slave-holders, and would like to see him deprived of all his Slaves. +They gain nothing by the existence of Slavery, but on the contrary +suffer much; for the labor of Slaves is so cheap, that their services +are not demanded; and they are not respected as a general thing, except +in those sections of country where but a few slave-holders reside. What +motive have they to put down a Slave insurrection? There is not a man of +them but would be more independent than the present slave-holders, if +Slavery was abolished; for there is so much land lying idle at the +South, that the Slaves after emancipation would be under no necessity of +working for their former masters. It would not be with them as it is +with the free laborer of the North; for their power would be so great, +that they could take possession of the best plantations, and leave their +masters to look out for themselves; and the latter being unused to labor +would be miserably off, which would reduce them to a worse condition, +than that of the poor whites, who would immediately become the +aristocracy of the South. In fact, if an insurrection of the Slaves +should take place, there is not much doubt but it would be encouraged by +the non-slave-holders of the South. Who, then, give the 250,000 +slave-holders of the South their power? Let the winds of heaven answer, +as they blow across the fertile fields of the South, and waft the scent +of the cotton, rice and sugar plantations, to the nostrils of the +money-loving northerners. Let the cargoes of bleached cottons and +handsome prints, slave-tools, hats, boots and shoes, whiskey, and all +other northern goods, as they sail into southern ports, testify. Let the +ships freighted with produce from one southern port to another, the +great carrying trade, for which our fathers bartered their virtue, +loudly respond. There goes not a vessel from the North to Savannah, +Charleston or New Orleans, but it carries within its timbers and on its +decks, proof to the slave-holder of northern readiness to sustain him in +his foul business. In proof of this, let me ask who voted for Taylor at +the recent election more than the great merchants of the North? Did not +capitalists universally cry out, "Great is Zachary Taylor!" Was not +Abbott Lawrence, the prince of northern manufacturers, loudest in his +professions of zeal for "Old Zach?" Go throughout our country, up and +down all its cities and villages, and enquire who in those places voted +for Taylor, and you will be told that the great manufacturers, the rich +merchants of those towns and cities did. That they poured out their +ill-gotten gains in behalf of Gen. Taylor's election; that the South +might be pleased, and northern industry protected! Perish the word +industry from the vocabulary of man, if this is the basis upon which it +rests. What! northern industry only protected by electing the greatest +of idlers to the presidential chair? Who feels less sympathy for +northern workingmen than the man who drives three hundred laborers to +their daily toil, with the crack of the whip sounding in their ears, and +who robs them of nearly all their earnings, and forces them to live in a +state of prostitution? Is such a man a friend to the rights of northern +laborers? + +But it is these pretended friends of home industry, which means any +thing but their own industry, who stand pledged to support the South. It +is they who are so anxious to see Slavery extended, because they can +sell as, they think, a few more goods for the use of the newly imported +Slaves! Yes, they are ready, as one friend of the Slave has remarked, +"to annex themselves to perdition, if by so doing, they could sell +cotton cloth to its inhabitants for six cents a yard." They are +unwilling to have Slavery abolished, for that would open one of the +finest countries in the world, to the ingress of free laborers, who +could manufacture their own goods, and would not purchase so many of +Abbott Lawrence & Co., as they at present send to the South. But they +are short sighted even in this; for the abolition of Slavery would open +a market for many more goods than could be manufactured South, which +would enrich the North much more than her present losing trade with the +South does. They do not comprehend this problem, for if they did, the +Couriers, Daily Advertisers, and Atlases, would be filled to overflowing +with denunciations of Slavery, just as they were of the Mexican War, +when political capital could be made out of such denunciations. Then the +tariff must be upheld, or the North will go to ruin, and they hope to +obtain the aid of the South in this matter, by assisting them to sustain +Slavery. The great body of northern manufacturers, care as little for +the existence of Slavery, as they do for the sufferings of men perishing +on the scaffold, for crimes against law and order. + +They are almost wholly selfish, as is evinced by the character of the +men they set up for office. They care not whether 3,000,000 of Slaves +clank their chains in their hearing or not, so long as the busy hum of +their cotton-mills at Lowell and Manchester, and the noise of their +trip-hammers in Pennsylvania, are heard to resound above these cries. +The music of silver dollars rattling in their vaults, as drawer after +drawer is deposited by their cashiers, is sufficiently beautiful to +them, to operate as an offset against the shrieks and wailings of the +Slaves. What though the Lord of Sabbaoth lends a listening ear to the +sobs of the bondmen, it matters not to them, as long as the gold clinks +in their chests. All heaven may cease its songs of joy, to listen to the +shrieks of the Slave; but worlds of Slaves might shriek and groan, until +the noise shook old earth from its foundations, and sounded in the ears +of saints like the sound of "many waters" to the apostle John; and +these men would not turn from the dull music of their water-wheels, or +the clatter of their spinning-jennies. Indeed, it is a question, whether +they would turn from their tables of discount, and their columns of bank +stock, if God himself should speak from heaven, and request sympathy +from them. Sympathy! they have none! Their hearts are made of silver and +gold, polished to an icy coldness. If the blood of the slave-driver's +lash should increase until it flowed over the entire South, and turned +to red the color of the element upon which their ships sailed; it would +not mar the harmony between them and the South, until it rusted the +bottom of their vessels, and rendered them unfit for the carrying trade. + +To be sure all the people who vote aid these cotton lords in sustaining +Slavery; but let them pursue a different course; let the leaders of the +two great political parties of the North, adopt another principle than +that of subserviency to the slave-power, and the people would not long +object. The result of the last election has fully shown the willingness +of the people to adopt the watch-word of their party, whatever it may +be, and it would be arguing a great amount of villany on their part to +suppose, that they would refuse to follow them in the paths of +righteousness, when they clung so closely to them, as they took the most +conspicuous part of the broad road. Certainly the great body of the +Whigs and Democrats, would not refuse to travel towards heaven, if their +leaders should say so, when they have sprung with such alacrity to join +them in the road to hell. How it would be with the rank and file of the +Free Soil party we know not. As they have shown a readiness to burst +party bonds, these would not operate upon them so much; but charity +prompts us to believe, that if the leaders of this party were to propose +the measure of a secession from the Union, the Anti-Slavery feeling of +their followers would willingly respond to the call. It is then to the +leaders of both church and state, that the rebuke of Nathan to David +applies, "thou art the man." It is the prominent men in all parties who +are to blame for the existence of Slavery. + +A word now respecting the abolition of the laws which uphold Slavery; or +in other words in regard to the amendment of the Constitution. If this +can be carried out without dissolving the Union, we should like to know +it; but how can it? What is it to alter the Constitution, but in fact to +dissolve the Union? The Constitution is the _bond_ of Union; the +instrument which binds the North and South together. How, then, can you +change it, in its important features, without, for the time being, +dissolving the Union between the North and South? Let us see. A proposal +is made to Congress for an alteration of the Constitution, in respect to +Slavery. That is, the North is tired of the bargain she made through her +fathers with the South, and wishes a new one. Of course, if this new +bargain is made, the old one must be declared no longer binding; and we +have virtually a dissolution of the Union, although a _re_-union may +have followed. This shows that the dissolution of the Union will not +necessarily create civil war, any more than the passage of any other law +by Congress. + +The great question is, how shall this alteration of the Constitution be +brought about? Of course, as long as we assert that it is good enough +already, we shall not wish to change it; therefore we must first be +convinced of its wicked character, which we hope all our readers are +convinced of by this time; but as some of them may not be, we will dwell +awhile on this point. No intelligent man will deny that it was the +intention of our fathers to sustain Slavery. Mr. Lysander Spooner +himself admits it. Sufficient proof exists of this fact to satisfy every +reasonable mind. Almost all politicians admit it, certainly all honest +ones. No one doubts that our fathers meant to uphold Slavery, when they +adopted the Constitution; and the question now with us is, not so much +the technical meaning of the Constitution, as its real import. We know +that honesty always leads us to decide upon the meaning of an author, by +understanding the circumstances under which he wrote. For instance, if +an editor speaks of "fighting earnestly" in the approaching campaign; he +would be deemed a very dishonest man, who should assert from the +authority of this language, that the editor recommended physical +fighting, and was in favor of bloodshed; but he would be no more so, it +seems to us, than one who knowing what our fathers were debating about, +should contend that they did not mean Slaves, because they said "persons +held to service." Of course, being partners in the guilt of the +transaction, they did not wish to brand themselves with infamy, by +inserting the word Slaves, any more than the duellist is willing to term +himself a murderer, instead of "a gentleman of honor;" or a lewd woman a +harlot, instead of "a lady of pleasure." + +Intoxication is alluded to, by its victims, in various genteel terms, +instead of the plain one--drunkenness; and robbing and stealing on the +ocean in time of war is termed by the mild name of privateering. So with +all villany. Robbers are only lightening the pockets of their victims; +thieves only picking up the crumbs of the rich; and slave-holders are +only masters; Slaves, "persons held to service," or "other persons," or +something else, to hide the shame of the guilty ones. Go to the South, +and you will never hear the word Slave spoken; but it is "my people," +"my boy," "my girl," &c. If you go so strictly by names, you might never +know by living at the South, that they consider their servants Slaves. + +What, then, did our fathers mean, by "other persons?" The clause reads +as follows: + + + "Representatives and direct taxes, shall be apportioned * * by + adding to the whole number of _free_ persons, including those bound + to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, + three-fifths of all _other persons_." + + +Our enquiry is not what the Constitution can be made to mean, but what +is the natural and fair import of its language? Of course, we can +pervert the meaning of any instrument, and by false reasoning and wordy +controversy, make black appear white, and _vice versa_. When I say +"John, come to dinner," to a fair, impartial listener, my meaning would +appear plain; but to a technical quibbler, I might be made to be a great +tyrant. For instance, I assert authority. I utter a command. I do not +ask John to come to dinner, but I require him to come, and a long +argument might be entered into to prove my tyrannical nature, such as +that I was forcing John to eat whether he wished to or not; that I +required him to eat a good deal, a dinner, instead of a little, and +above all, that I was disposed to force him to _obey me_. By such +reasoning, the kindest of parents might be proved to be severe and +hardhearted. On the contrary, if I say "dinner is ready, John," the same +quibbler might accuse me of indifference to my child's welfare, that I +did not care whether he came or not, and so on. + +Now in all these cases, that sterling quality, common sense, is to be +brought into requisition. When I promise to carry my friend to ride +to-morrow, unforeseen accidents are of course considered as an excuse +for the non-fulfilment of my promise; but Mr. Lysander Spooner, in +behalf of my friend, might enter an action in law against me; for there +are my words in writing, "I will take you to ride to-morrow;" but common +sense would excuse me, if my horse should be sick, or my carriage be +stolen. Mr. Spooner argues like an earnest man, to prove that these +expressions do not mean Slaves, because they cannot be proved to have +reference to such a class, by the exact meaning of the words. "The word +free is not the correlative of Slavery; for a variety of reasons," he +says. He thinks "all persons" mean aliens. Now, what an absurdity. Who +ever heard of three-fifths of the aliens in each State being added to +the naturalized citizens in making out the apportionment of +representatives? How many representatives have seats in Congress, in +consequence of aliens residing in their districts? Not one, and yet +twenty-five men are seated there, in consequence of Slaves residing in +their districts. It is a burning shame for a man to prostitute such +noble powers of thought as Mr. Spooner possesses, to such a silly and +contemptible mode of reasoning. Why, if his arguments are correct, all +poetry and figures of speech are wrong; all metaphorical language, and +personifications in writing are out of place; and nothing is left us but +plain, straight forward words, which have a precise meaning, and can +mean nothing else. If I say "the wind blows," I lie, for wind is an +action of something else, and, of course, it is absurd to talk of its +blowing. If I say "I am in pain," it is not true, for the pain is in me; +and if I talk of God's moving the world by his arm, it is false, for he +has no arm. If I say "the giant of Slavery stalks abroad, over our +land," it is false, for there is no such moving thing as Slavery, for +Slavery is merely the term applied to a particular act of a man; but who +accuses me of falsehood in speaking of these things? To put the +strictest literal construction upon every word of the Constitution, +would involve us in some of J. C. Calhoun's criticisms, such as _men_ +not being born, and not being born _equal_, &c. + +Let us follow Mr. Spooner's idea a little, in relation to free persons, +meaning naturalized citizens. Mr. Spooner says that all the State +Constitutions, at the time of the adoption of the U. S. Constitution, +used this word in no other sense than the one signified in the English +law, and of course that the U. S. Constitution used the word in that +sense only. This argument, if it proves anything, proves too much; and +we apprehend will operate fully as much against Mr. S.'s idea, as in +favor of it. According to this law, the word _free_, Mr. S. assures us, +means "persons possessing citizenship, or some other franchise or +peculiar privilege, as distinguished from aliens, and persons not +possessed of such franchise or privilege." Then the word free in this +instance, must mean only the opposite of aliens. Aliens are those not +entitled to vote, or to hold office. These are, I believe, the only +privileges which they are debarred from. Then as the word free, means +those possessing the privileges which aliens do not possess, it cannot +mean either women or children, for they do not possess either of these +privileges. + +Thus, according to this definition, free persons are only voters and +apprentices, and "all other persons," are foreigners not naturalized, +and women and children. But Slaves do not possess, and never have +possessed these "peculiar privileges," always having been debarred from +the right of voting and holding office, and surely cannot rank as the +opposites of aliens, any more than women and children, and therefore +come under the head of "all other persons." If free persons are the +opposite of aliens, and aliens are those deprived of peculiar +privileges, then none can be free persons who do not possess these +privileges. But Slaves never have been known to possess them, therefore +they cannot be free persons. Free persons, Mr. Spooner says, are those +possessing some franchise or privilege which aliens do not. Now, in the +name of common sense, we ask what privileges have Slaves ever possessed, +which aliens do not? Let their scarred backs, gaping wounds, and broken +limbs answer. Slaves possessing privileges! and yet this is the +definition Mr. Spooner chooses to give to the word _free_: "Persons +possessing citizenship, or some other franchise or privilege, _not +possessed by aliens_." + +But a few words from the original adopters of the Constitution will +settle this whole difficulty. Says Alexander Hamilton in the New York +convention: + + + "The first thing objected to, is that clause which allows a + representation for three-fifths of the negroes. * * Without this + indulgence no union could possibly have been formed." + + +In Virginia, Mr. Madison said: + + + "Another clause secures to us that property which we now possess. + At present, if any Slave elopes to any of those States where Slaves + are free, he becomes emancipated by their laws. For the laws of the + States are uncharitable to one another in this respect. But in this + Constitution, 'no person held to service or labor in one State, + under the laws thereof, escaping into another, shall in consequence + of any law or regulation therein, be discharged from such service, + or labor; but shall be delivered up on claim of the party to whom + such service or labor may be due.' This _clause was expressly + inserted to enable owners of Slaves to reclaim them_. This is a + better security than any that now exists." + + +Gen. Pinkney in the South Carolina convention, observed: + + + "We have obtained a right to recover our Slaves in whatever part of + America they may take refuge, which is a right we had not before." + + +But the great question after all, is not what the Constitution says in +words, but what use is made of it? If it is a suitable one for a free +nation, it could not be capable of such an awful perversion as has been +made of it by the legislation of the country ever since its adoption, +Mr. Spooner's idea being correct. If it is Anti-Slavery, it is the first +Anti-Slavery document, and the only one, Calhoun &. Co. were ever known +to cherish and swear by. How remarkably keen-sighted must these wily +southerners be, not to detect the Anti-Slavery spirit of the +Constitution; and be hugging an abolition monster, when they fancy they +are pressing to their bosoms their own bill of rights to hold Slaves. +The southerners are not generally duped this way, and it is strange they +should be so much so, in this case. For our own part, the very fact that +the Constitution is valued so highly by the South, casts a shadow of +suspicion over it, and induces us to reject it as an Anti-Slavery +instrument. The South excludes even Sunday school books, tainted with +Anti-Slavery, and poems alluding to freedom, are hardly allowed a +circulation there; how strange then, that this great _magna charta_ of +human liberty should be so eulogised by them. The fact is, it suits them +well. They never have complained of its not being pro-slavery enough, +but have always rested satisfied with it, as their supporter and guide; +and yet northern Anti-Slavery men will talk of its being an Anti-Slavery +instrument. As well might the robber press to his bosom the precepts of +Jesus Christ, or the gambler and drunkard, works on morality, as the +slave-holder the Constitution, if he believed it Anti-Slavery. + +We are aware of all that can be said in favor of independence of mind; +we would by no means wish to bind any man down to the opinions of the +past, or to say to any bold departure from established usages and +opinions, "You are wrong, because you differ from great and learned +men;" but still we would ask, if the Constitution is as Anti-Slavery as +Mr. Spooner asserts it to be, how happens it that such egregious +mistakes have been made concerning it? Can a real Anti-Slavery document +be so misconstrued, as to satisfy slave-holders, who dread the least +appearance of Anti-Slavery, as Satan does the truth of God? We will +grant for the sake of argument, that it does not directly sanction +Slavery; still we assert that it is a pro-slavery document for the +following reason. Anti-Slavery is a bold, outspoken, and unmistakable +thing. It is "known and read of all men, a living epistle," and can be +no more mistaken for pro-slavery, than the shining of the sun, for total +darkness. The difference between the two is so great, that they can +never be mistaken, the one for the other; or at least genuine +Anti-Slavery can never be regarded as pro-slavery to the full +satisfaction of slave-holders. We cast our eyes over the history of our +country, and from the commencement of its political existence until the +present time, we see Slavery justified by the Constitution. From the +President seated in the chair of State, to the representative of the +smallest village in the most insignificant State of the Union; from the +Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, to the petty +lawyer and esquire of the country village; from the wisest statesman, +to the most ignorant politician; from all who ever filled the +presidential chair, down to him who hopes to fill it soon; from +politicians of all parties, to men who abjure politics; we hear but one +voice respecting the character of the Constitution, excepting a few +persons like our friend Spooner, who seem to be disposed, for want of +better employment, to test the power of their minds in arguing its +Anti-Slavery character; as the philosophers of olden times, polished +their logical weapons in discussing such questions, as "Whether God +loved a possible unexisting angel, better than an existing insect;" or +"whether an angel in travelling from point to point, passed through the +intermediate points;" and "whether more than one can exist in the same +space, at the same moment." Those mighty enquiries were the intellectual +jousts and tournaments of the age of chivalry and knight errantry. Happy +will it be for us, if a moral Don Quixotism does not intrude itself into +our efforts for true reform. There is to us a great similarity between +that celebrated genius's battle with the wind-mill, and our friend's +long and laborious fight, to prove the Anti-Slavery character of the +Constitution; for after he has made good his arguments, and proved, to +the demonstration of all, that technically the Constitution does not +uphold Slavery, what good has he accomplished? He has indeed fought the +letter, and perhaps come off victorious; but does he invalidate its +_spirit_? He rests like the knight of olden time, upon the field of +chivalric combat, with a deep sense of having been engaged in mortal +warfare; he has fought hard and valiantly; but alas, his foe still +stands as powerful as ever, and not at all disposed to yield the field. + +If the Constitution, as we sail across the waters of political life, +affords us no sure and certain guide, but is like a chart, which has +always misled the mariner, and instead of pointing the way to a city of +civilization and virtue, has directed him to the rocky shores of some +cannibal island, of what earthly use is it to us? We are sailing over a +troublesome ocean. Dark and ominous clouds hang over our vessel. The sky +begins to gather blackness. The red lightning shoots its lurid flashes +before our eyes. The thunder utters its dismal groan in our ears. The +waves begin to lash and foam against each other. Our course is +uncertain; but amid the gathering darkness, we discern a light-house, +dimly visible in the distance. We look upon our chart, not knowing where +we are. That describes our past route, and asserts that a light-house is +erected at the entrance of the harbor we wish to enter. We consult our +compass. It indeed agrees not with the delineations of the chart; but a +lawyer stands at our side and proves the correctness of the chart. We +accordingly steer our vessel towards the light, but to our dismay find +that it is but a false one, held out by miserable wreckers. Our chart +was wrong. It had misled us. We tacked about and escaped the snare. We +were not quite wrecked. Other seamen have experienced the same danger, +but we still cling to the chart. We refuse to cast it from us, and even +hearken to the suggestions of one who would tell us, that the _chart_ is +right enough. It is only our wrong way of reading it that has led us +into danger. We resume our voyage, confident that we shall this time +avoid all harm, for we now know what our chart means. Accordingly we +hoist all our sails, and proceed in confidence to our destined haven. +But a blacker cloud than before casts its dismal shadow over our vessel. +We can hardly discern the words of our chart. The efforts to correct its +false interpretations, have so marred its surface, that we can get no +light from it. At one moment it seems to direct us as we are now +sailing, then immediately in an almost totally opposite course, so that +bewildered and confused, we drop it entirely. We then look to the +unerring needle of our compass, and by its undeviating direction to the +star of hope to the mariner, as well as to the fugitive Slave, we are +able to keep from destruction, until a correct chart is procured--one +which admits of no evasion, nor contradiction, and by which we are able +to steer our course, until we reach the haven desired. + +Thus with the Constitution. It has misled us until we were well nigh +wrecked on the shores of southern oppression. We now are not able to +discover what it does mean. Its literal meaning conflicts with its real +one. Shall we continue to trust the safety of the ship of State to such +a Constitution; one which has misdirected us long, and the meaning of +which all its interpreters have decided erroneously; or shall we abandon +it, and trust temporarily to the northern star of hope; to the light +which gleams from the hearts of those Anti-Slavery men, who are living +Anti-Slavery epistles, and true apostles of liberty; to the faithful +pointing of the needle of principle, as it ever inclines in an opposite +direction from the South, and thus preserve our liberties until a true +and safe Constitution can be adopted? Shall we trust to the dubious and +contradictory readings of a bit of parchment, composed by men like +ourselves; or shall we cut loose from all connexion with the dangerous +islands of human oppression lying southward, surrendering our profitable +trade with worse than cannibals; and launch our vessel upon the high sea +of freedom and liberty, away from the rocky shores of these islands of +death, steering with an undeviating course for some northern harbor, +where we may moor our vessel, and safely land our passengers? What is +there in the Constitution, after all, so much in favor of liberty, as to +satisfy the sons of freemen? It may, indeed, do for such freemen as +could fight for themselves, and yet bind chains upon their brethren; but +for those who wish to abjure all oppression it will not answer. The +constitutions of the true sons of liberty must be like their hearts, +polished brightly; and free from the _dust_ of pro-slavery, as well as +from its grosser filth. + +But Constitution or no Constitution, it is human liberty we are +contending for. We cannot stop in our labors for the oppressed, to +prove the truthfulness of our enemies' weapons. We cannot step aside +amid the heat and dust of the conflict between light and darkness, to +read lessons upon legal technicalities. The cries of the bleeding +bondman sound too loudly in our ears, to allow us to deviate from our +course so much as to descend to arguing for the sanctity of human +constitutions. As we hear the noise of the wailings of the Slave, and +every breeze wafted from the South is laden with the cries of 3,000,000 +of stricken ones, how can we care whether constitutions or churches, are +in the way of their emancipation, any more than a mother would care for +the flames around her, while endeavoring to rescue her child from a +burning dwelling? The fires of Slavery, tended by northern priests, and +fed by northern politicians, have burnt fiercely these many years, +scorching and blistering even those who stood by and watched over them; +the Slave's form has become almost a blackened corpse; the little ones +of a fond mother's love, are already gasping in the agonies of death; +and the shrieks of the living are reaching heaven, while the glaring +flames, have illuminated the firmament, like the flames of burning +Moscow; and shall we turn the streams of the water of life away from +these terrible flames, because forsooth sacred idols block the wheels of +our engines? No, let us rather flood them all, Slavery, pro-slavery, +churches and constitutions, with such a deluge of celestial waters, as +shall as effectually sweep from the land all these supporters of +Slavery, as Noah's flood, removed from the earth the sinners of his day. +If we would abolish Slavery, we must be destructionists. The word has +gone forth from the mouth of the Almighty, that Slavery shall be +destroyed. The advancing spirit of the age in which we live, has decreed +its overthrow; its fate is even now registered on the scroll of destiny, +which contains the end of all oppression, and we cannot thwart this +inevitable tendency. Reform has commenced to ride triumphantly across +our earth. Error is fleeing to its native dwellings, in the rocks and +caves of the earth; and truth with her holiday dress, is ascending the +throne of the hearts of mankind. Truth, too long hidden in the +fastnesses of the forests, almost afraid to exhibit its face, although +thickly veiled, is removing her garb of concealment; is stepping from +her wilderness retreat, and is boldly disputing the reign of the earth, +with the monsters who have so long ruled it, but to curse it, and reign +over it, but to mar its life. Henceforward, although many a long and +bloody battle is to be fought, between the enemies of God and man; yet +truth shall conquer. Man is arousing himself to noble deeds. Slavery, +that giant of despair, so long planted in the road pursued by the +pilgrims of truth, like Bunyan's gloomy giant of Doubting Castle, is +retreating from all its former strongholds. There is scarcely a country +within the bounds of this green earth, upon which the warm sun of heaven +sheds its benignant rays, but what is delivering itself from this foul +blot, _America only excepted_! Britons and French, Danes and Norwegians, +Russians and Turks, Seminole Indians and Mexicans, Algerines and +Tunisites, themselves, are all casting the execrable system from them, +as a reproach to their fair names; but young America, loudest in her +boasts of purity, freedom and piety, is lagging behind. She only, of all +the nations of the earth, seems unwilling to let the captive go free. +She who fought for her own liberty, the greatest of tyrants, almost the +only Pharoah of the earth! + +But thanks to a few in her borders, even her proud heart begins to grow +faint; her limbs tremble slightly, and like the mariners in a storm, who +rush to the bottle to drink their fill for the last time, she is growing +desperate, and drinking more deeply than ever of the cup of Slavery, as +the last draught she can obtain from its noisome fountain. + +Courage, friends of your race! Let the breath of the Almighty inspire +you, let his fiat strengthen you! Clothe yourselves in the panoply of +truth afresh; gird on the gospel armor anew, and make a bolder attack +than ever upon the Bastile of Slavery. This gloomy castle, which has so +long frowned upon our liberties, shall be razed to the ground, and its +pining inmates set free, to breathe the pure air of liberty. + +Onward, friends of reform! Remember that "the battle is not to the +strong, nor the race to the swift only, but that stronger is the armor +of the Almighty, than all the weapons of your enemies." Gird on, not the +clumsy armor of King Saul, but the "breastplate of righteousness, the +helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit," the weapons which are +not "carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down the strong +holds of Satan." + +One enquiry more remains for us to answer, which is, how shall we +dissolve the Union? It was asserted that if the Constitution could be +altered without dissolution, such a step would be unnecessary; but be it +remembered, that this event can never take place, until the South is +partly Anti-Slavery. The consent of the legislatures of three-fourths of +the several States, is necessary to accomplish this, and we leave it to +all candid persons to judge whether there is any hope of such consent +ever being given. The only remedy plainly is for us to abjure the +Constitution, proclaim ourselves free and independent of the South, and +organize a new and separate government at the North. + +The steps necessary are briefly these. Let a convention of the people of +the Free States in favor of this movement be called; let the +legislatures of the several States withdraw their Representatives and +Senators from Congress, and let them meet together, and send delegates +to this general convention, as our fathers did to the convention where +the Declaration of Independence was adopted. Let them meet, and adopt a +Constitution, fix upon some conspicuous place for a seat of government, +Buffalo for instance, send home the constitution to be ratified by the +several northern States, and having thus formed their own government, +let them withdraw their portion of the Army and Navy from the South, +refuse to pay duties to the general government, and send a minister to +the southern government for the adjustment of all claims between the +two. Of course the South would be too busy in settling their own affairs +to disturb us for awhile; and if war come at last, it is easy to see who +would be victorious; the North with all her resources, or the South with +her 3,000,000 of Slaves in her borders. The whole territory north of +Mason and Dixon's line would then be open to the fleeing fugitive. No +Slave hunter would dare to venture on our soil, to recover his lost +victim. Thus Slave property would be useless in Virginia, Maryland, +Kentucky and Missouri, and probably those States would soon knock at our +doors for admission to our union. That would destroy the value of Slaves +still farther South, and eventually the whole country would become free. +But there is another view of it. The Slaves could then arise and demand +their freedom, and nought could prevent them from attaining it. "At the +first tap of the drum, there are 10,000 northern bayonets, ready to be +thrust into the bosoms of the Slaves, should they attempt an +insurrection," says Mr. Underwood of Kentucky, on the floor of Congress. +This danger would have vanished. No northern foe could then be ready to +strike down the Slave fighting for liberty, but millions would +sympathize with and assist him. Of course the people of the North must +be converted before this change can take place, but come it must. It is +the only remedy for Slavery that we have any confidence in, and there is +no time to be lost. + +Come it must, did we say? It has already come in one sense. The people, +the bone and sinew of the country, are nearly ready for the change. The +workingmen of the North can perceive the disadvantage Slavery is to +them; how it degrades labor, and prevents the exaltation of the laborer; +but their leaders are wily, and will endeavor to persuade them, that +the Union is of more consequence than the abolition of Slavery. There +can be no question, if it were not for the leaders in church and state, +that a dissolution of the Union would be speedily brought about; but +these men, always the curses of society, stand in the way of all +improvement in this respect. If the people had been allowed to act +according to their own impulses, would Zachary Taylor have been elected +President of this nation? Witness the mighty gathering of freedom's +hosts at Buffalo; and see to what a pitch popular feeling arose, when +the nomination of men known to be thoroughly opposed to slavery +extension was made known! The noise of acclamation, arising from nearly +50,000 hearts, sounded throughout this nation, like a thunder-clap in +the ears of selfish and unprincipled leaders. No event ever produced +such a change in the policy of corrupt men, as this demonstration of the +first fruits of the spirit of freedom. Politicians as corrupt as +putridity itself, trembled and cried aloud for help. A universal howl of +despair went up from the hell of Slavery; but the faces of the sons of +freedom every where grew bright, as the countenance of the mother is lit +up with joy when she beholds her first-born child lying in her arms. If +such a mighty change took place as the result of this, the morning light +of freedom, what will be the howlings of the wicked, and the rejoicings +of the good, when the sun of emancipation, shall shine in all the +brightness of its meridian splendor, upon the dark and gloomy caverns of +Slavery, as will be the case when a similar convention shall nominate a +man for the presidency of the _Northern Union_? + +If the faces of the southerners and their allies were elongated then, +what will be their length when the news of such a convention shall reach +their ears? We repeat it, the people are nearly ready for this change; +and only need the word of command from their leaders, to adopt as their +watchword, "No more union with slave-holders." But unprincipled leaders +never will be converted only by the people advancing before them; +therefore our work lies with the people. + +Men and women of America, descendants of those pioneers of freedom, who +braved the vicissitudes of fortune in a new and wilderness land, that +liberty might be bestowed upon their children; sons and daughters of the +warriors of Lexington and Bunker Hill; children of the patriots of the +revolution; is there none of that spirit of liberty which actuated your +fathers, remaining within your hearts? Have the fires of freedom become +so nearly extinct in your breasts, as to leave no spark of liberty +there, which can be made to ignite the hearts of cotton which surround +you? Burns there no flame of indignation in your souls, at the +remembrance of the insults you have received at the hands of the South? +Say, ye children of proud and tyranny-hating parents, are ye sunk in +such abject submission to your oppressors, that no trampling under foot +your own and the Slave's rights, can arouse ye from your stupor? O, is +there no portion of that hatred of tyranny, which prompted your fathers +to say, "resistance to tyrants is obedience to God," left within your +bosoms? Then, indeed, are you recreant to the principles your fathers +struggled with adversity's power to establish, the base and degenerate +sons of noble and energetic sires. + +One word more, and our task is finished. What is the South, that ye +should cling so closely to her? Is she not a polluting harlot, deceiving +you by her gay attire, and attempting to seduce you from the path of +virtue by her blandishments? Yea, has she not already beguiled your +simple hearts, and now that she has bewitched you, and obtained power +over you, seeking but to insult and cast contempt upon you? O, let us +break away from her polluting embraces, and return to virtue and +integrity. "Come out from her, my people, and be not partakers of her +sins, that ye receive not of her plagues." + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Way to Abolish Slavery, by Charles Stearns + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WAY TO ABOLISH SLAVERY *** + +***** This file should be named 44761.txt or 44761.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/7/6/44761/ + +Produced by Charlene Taylor, Martin Pettit and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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