Newspaper Page Text
From the Independent.
Degraded Into Liberty.
A anuthfrii getillcninn n route furTexn!,
lirotiulil to Now York emltt HlaveMo lie, shin
ped hence liy one of our ocean lining summ
ers. The bird of lliu uir iulorined tlm
Aliolition'st-iof the (act, nnd it was nothing
before n writ was served upon the, whole
clmltel ifnii, uikI tlicy wero limited up heloro
Judge lVniu, to hIiow ciiiiso whv they should
not Imi dooim.'d lo I'Vecilum. 'ihe cruel in
liosipitalily of New York was never more
manifest. I'heso tiuioi'ciit fi:'.inv-1ii'iti',
blessed hy heinu horn slave, mid not mini-
fully edo.-utcil lir it ns northern southerners)
or, nmiMK unci mi u,o mat, lust mimes
which tiuikt; n Yiruiui.t slave in miicl, liitiir
off thtui n free liietnry i 1 1 in M is.siichiiM'llv,
liuviiiR grown in Hid iiiilnl ,'cnru of lliiiso
hilarious dances, uml in tlm r.-icl i.- of iImiso
voiles w l.icli iiu.ku plantation lite pei I'cctly
tsrudin.iiral, tlicy wet eon ttn-ir way to that
md waving with ntic.:ir imiih nn'd cotton
plnnls, W hot !, In. it in hand, Ihey were lo w hile
ewuy tli In illi,, m ,u nm rt ii, p. i, tic dalliances
With loam mid flay, when Ij! tlicy were
Slllbleiily nrrcslcil.
i'roni lhcu lailit niilicipaiiuns they linvu
been ruthlessly eiuitchc.l, in,. I .hnii'd into
freedom utterly iiiirc'itrc,l ! An; tin ! no
tear in Castle (lardon ? ni;!;t tint in 'u.
ion Coinmiltru lo r; it - n i imiiit'ihing fur n
trillo ofrrupe? I'.iolit unmeet, t II iluw-chat-tela
clningfil into lello.v foiV-t:.' No kind
master hnve llirv now. The l mlcr n laiimi
in mnderrd. Our bereaved in ister mid n.is
tress must depail flav. lerj nod nhiue. Il.iv
ing m en woiKcil lursn luliif, mm Iciiife.l, inn
taken cam of, it is di.nlillid w liclhcr tin y ill
bo olilo to taku euro of lliciiisa lie. now.
Much ns wo Yiiiiiatliii! Willi iIipiii, wo do
Hot consider their nlliieiion a I nil roinparahlu
lo linn ot lilt: late luippy slaves. I hen- poor
creatures nro free, anil wit nro nssurcd in lhi
Iiiulinxt ipimler that no L'reaier evil than thai
call Hull be fu 1 1 the, bl.;Vi) population. They
Imvo ilegruilcd thewsi lur. Tiiey hnvu re
1'usx.cl to hu ' confinf rather.' In nil the noil
they caiimit find n man w ho o.wm them.
They tno now to sncuk t li i i.ii: li lili', like
white men on liing themselves! Thev must
Imvo had come netful inmiK iit I of eoiiiinuii:
tion when the rntivietiuu llasln d upon ihtm
Hint they owned their own hand, trod upon
llicir own U'rt, tit their clolhcss upon their
own shoulder, mid h it that tiling Ihiolil.ing
under Hn ir i il l lie lln ir own heart, t-mne
natural fecliii"S uui.t havo flint lliiou-'h ll.i
miilermd heiut n:i she pressed her own h.iha
to her own hrrai-r, niul ilu pped her uu u Ii iiik
upon its (liit-K v Li i U.
Jiut if fi nery ii lie i hiIiw.ny of Chriii
aniiy lo ll.u Anl.i A,'i ii . in. (ami it ituol !
uiilens ceiires of mini-lei.s liav.t prui.heied
fiilaely,) if they heeomi! ileuradeil hy liheriy,
a poor, mi.'ei'ahli', lav, llilni.-h net, hanji-
iliff on Hie fku l, ol 1 1 i - hy nn ii! Mitl. rai.ei
will he iti I v n humane endeavor lo hiinj
tlirwe liii.'uidi.'d creatine! hack In their lt
tiliM. Could not rouietl ui' he iliinu In opi ii
thuir pycK til tin) Mil of I.Iii'HV nnd Hie l.lr.
inpM of chiverv ? ll.ii the Sunk no liitmlH
ill New in k ? Are there uu leiichern who
Will v'lMt iheyu poor heathen mill I'l.'anoii the
cusu with Ilium ; and peiiuiad.- them lure
aent tlm iudiiiily uhieh Jud'n I'nhiu ha
cfl'ereil ihem, to blu ke I'umIu (iardeii with
tleliht, hy walking hiu k into olaveiy nyain 9
Only ouo woman can hit totitid iniihlul ill
thin enureiiey. 'J'heir liinner mii.li eis alone
baa Appealed lo their eou.ii'ii i.ee, ninl i.ljiireil
them to return lo her! l.eio wi mi ihe
teacher, llio ehaplaiu.', the raKiiii-li, the law
jers, thai u little lime npi ehuke.l I he I'iim
Willi liealitiidi of hlaveiy ? " 1 1 is walehliifli
are lilitul; they lire nil ignorant; ihey are nil
(Imnli dox; bleeping, lung ilnuu, loviiijf lo
lumber. "
In reply lo Mis. I.einmou'ti appeal, the de
luded eliiio woman drew heiself up, mid
prrnsiiiu her child In her luen-t, rni.l ' h i:l
ralhirlitru .'" What! nut value ihe radiant
mereie.i nl lavery mure than dial? The
creature is cn.y. ;;l.nes in ;lu ir senses niu
lilwaj I'onteiiled. They me mere peln.
The l ucle Tun s uf iriuia do null, inn Imi
look idler Ihe children, or hit in unu.y e.ui.ks
nnd Kinnke llieir Muhheil p pi s. The Aunl
l'hillisen nro idway.i fit, rulliekiui; cooki,
bursting with laughter. Nohody is happy
but slaves. The punr master have nil Ihe
care and h'.tidcu, slaves u'.l the Icu uud lei
aurc lint nVntu from tl.co l'cr.oni.l ronsidt i-
Btions, there is a eiave daiiuer iinpeiiilinj:
when our eminent judp'i do not heiuple lo
lirnmiili.'ntu Ihe limM iiil.iiel srlitiuielils. I i
iloeu not llie llihlu leach that Ali ieaim nru to
bo cursed with iieriu tual hnntlav'o fur Hani's
anke? Here in n ' lliuher Law ' which lh
iudire Artfully Iripi'eil over u ilhout even nu
alluioll. lie Imd much In ay iihout Ian s of
nature. ut thin srent law which he win
uIkiiiI lo ftuilnio ! win very ptiideully si
lent nhoiit. 'J'Iih Ilihle nay Ham's posterity
are to u rlaveit luri'Ver; Julian raiue Ntepii
in ninl mil i ifht ol llieinlree! 1 hints re
bi llion or worse. It is Liuxlary on ihe IliL'h
er Law. Jude I'.iiuu has come out n'aiust
that rveilaslm ctirho on Ham which mm
Ntcra Olid laMiien liavo so 1 1 1 1 ' ninl olteii
cimeil over n'.'aiu in justification of slavery.
Are we lo imileislauil, then, lli.it Ham's curse
in to bind the slaves rightfully in the S.inlli ;
but that northern couilscau reverse it, mid
let men who are doomed as n iliune piuiisli
Inent to perM lil d hoiali.e, tin ill into
aiirrcplilioii li'.ieily ? lien 's work iit;hl in
our court rnoms, and hiiioii our judges, thai
demniuls itisluiit niti nlior. It' those whom
it concern do not look si. at ply idler their
J Iain's curse, our iioi thern cnuri. w ill use it
tip In line they me nware i.f it ! It is in vain
to point u to ll color of some
of llu se tight slaves, and to say thai the hluiul
nf Shell) has stolen a march on ihe hlood id
I lam. Thai's itmalamatiiiti. We hope i :f
in not to be pleaded fnvorahle to tho case,
i lint we do not know what will u;t he pleaded
in these wild nnd ui. renin! times. I "r our
own pari, we wish it ilisiincily imdui'slooil
that we wiivli our hands of this husiuess. Ii
In a tlifiulUil ttalu of ihiniin hero in New
York, where we feed upon Colton, and have
our ry living in the smiles nnd liivorof ihu
8oUlls to bo hulling their feelings hy lalkin'
o much uhout hls rty, nnd nil thnl. A few
more slaves sit lice, iihiI the Hnulli will p't
angry acniu ; nml then New Yoik will he in
a world ot liiiuhle, and woollier call will cull
together another Ciisile Garden lull ol'anxious
merehanls ull full of love to the South ; nnd
we ahull linve more sermons, and more news
iiicr ariielea; ami nohody can tell what will
liupien the next time.
In part the Huutli in nt limit. It linn sent
north the wronjj kind of negroe. Those
yho buve run awny, or been judicially ami-
Uuced tJ freedom, or bucu bought, ull these
Unvc loved Witrty. Now won't the South lend
tin some ol another sort some of those mod
el Ml avert that lovo bondage, nod wouldn't
take liheriy if they could get it? Willi a few
apeeimen copies ol sueli, we helievi) that Wn
cnul. I ilo southern institutions groat good in
I1IU .1UI I.I.
From the Nat. A. S. Standard.
Who Killed Cock Robin?
I
Why was General Scott defeated ? This U a
question that ono hrnra mooted everywhere In
conversation and ilLsuuxsod in nil sorts of news
papers. The problem is solved in dilfcrcnt ways
hy different observers, according to the point of
view from which they look nt it. Somo think
that tho country was afraid of trusting its intcg
rity to one who was not sw ifter than Telegraphic
lightning in accepting the Compromise!. Oilier
nine think it win hc.auo ol' his very C mi pro
miing celerity that bo lost the support of the
only part of tho country vvhcio ho had any
strength, S ims nllinn that It was putting hi
trust in Seward that hus br.Might his calamity
upon bitn ; while other anme again aver that
Seuar.li.iu was l.o clement in tho hiisinrsf, but
tho )cn:nrrut were tired of (J dphii.iim, and
llnunnistn, and Cillinsinn, and Law ism, and
1. ihosistn, und wero detertnincd on mnking
clean sweep of tho wholo political board.
1'licfc latter arc the nearest riuht. Nut that
wo w ould accuss tho Democrats of any imu
pcralilo antipathy to any of theso irmi in the
abstract ; but they would, naturally, prefer
thut they should ijnalify proper nouns of the
Democratic declension. Jealousy of public
plunder in tho wrong hands had, no doubt,
largo share in t!in catastrophe of the bungling
party now accidentally in power. Tho loaves
and tho llhcs, thouuji but rive of tho ono and
two (and Ihey unnll) of tho other, were quo
timilrss guilty of a share of this result, but not
of tho nliuie for what nro they among so
many ?
The causo of tho Whig disappointment must
be locked for behind the mere thirst for "spoils.'
Hut a small portion of tho hundred of thou
sands of voters expected that tho change
would bo of any pojunary ndvantago to thciu
selves. Tho great multitudes of men whose
votes decide the issue of these political buttles
arc swayed by motives not strictly personal.
It is on this clement this Icriiuni quid that
politicians out rf power must elej end for htl
that is to bring thcin in, an I thoso in p.iwcr fur
the fuppoit that is to kce; them where Ihey
are. It was on this swaying muss of mind thut
both parties relied for sucecs. It w as this that
elected Harrison and defeated Clay, which
ehnso lii)lorand rejected Scott. The misehiif
was that Uei.crul Sjott, in hi eagerness, and
his liie nd', in their cowardice, did not maim
eo control u tor tncir purpose. Ana w hy whs
this so ) l!ccauo they forgot that for a minor
ity candidate (as Cicncral Scott was, notwith
standing the accidental supremacy of tho Whigs,
just now,) could become a majority one only
hy tho conflict of Ideas. In tho hope of secur
ing Slavcl'olJing help, tliry yielded tho only
point about which an issuo could bo made.
J hey in ado themselves as Democrats without
their names, their watchword or their dicipline,
and thus sulfcrcd tho tattle lo go by default.
They viitually abandoned tho wholo guino in
hope til, it tho holders would blind them over
tho stakes, tVeuiuc they hud throw n up their
cards.
Now w e apprehend that Mr. Seward's plan
of the campaign was very different from this.
lie did not expect (Jcncrul Scott lo bo saluted
Conqueror and decreed tho triumph iu virtue
of having surrundercd at discretion and sub
mitted, miy, hastened, to pass under tho yoke
Ho expected as hard lighting as Ucneral Scott
himself had to pass through beforo ho rode
triumphantly into tho limit Squaro of Mexico.
Ho elid not expect his hero to be carried to the
skies ' on ilowery beds of case." But he
w ished to establish a basis uf operations at Hal
limoro by means of which ho might demolish
the stiongholds of tho enemy and finally sue
cccd. This bais of operations wo upprehend
to h.wo been tho refusal of tho li.ilthnorc Con
vcntiau to uccept tho Compromises as part of
the platform. This would havo ma.lo a tun
bio and visublo dislictiou between tho Whigs
uud the Democrats nnd would have afforded ati
excelle nt "Cry"' to rally tho North and West,
where all tho hopes of tho Whig-Scott purty
lay. Had ho succeeded in doing this, ho could
havo gone into the campaign with a show of
principles and a pretence, at least, of spirit, and
there would have been a gnuino light about
something fungible. Hut having been out-gen
crullcd hy tho Slaveholder uud descried by the
treacherous doughface of Massachusetts, in
hopes ol buying favor for Wobs'er, and of
Northern States, thcro was nothing left to light
about, and thcro was nothing to choose between
except a big (Jcncrul, on tho ono hand, and
I.ittlo one, on tho other'
Mr. Scwtrd U :uj to bo a great political
Manager, ond wo Jaro aay ha is. Wo elo not
think it fair to juJgo of his abilities in thij by
this present failure. Tho odJs against which
ho hud tj contend wcro tremendous, and his
men were raw recruits or un Jiciplicd volunteers,
mostly, and ho could not establish his basis of
operations. Tho enemy broko it broke it up
and left him nothing hut an niinlcss, guerrilla
kind of wurfure, which oould hardly fail to end
in nothing. Seeing this, ho wisely withdrow
from all direction of tho campaign, and, no
doubt, saw llio end from tho beginning. Could
ho havo rostruincd tho pro-slavery proclivity of
his cl.irf, could he havo procured for him an
independent noninntion when ho auw, as ho
must have dono long beforo tho Convoution mot,
what the rosult must be, and havo run him
independently of tho Convcniion, If it lin-istcd
on tho Compromiso Platform, as ait Anti-Corn,
promise candidate, ho would havo produced a
wholsomo storm of agitation, on tho wings of
which Goncral Scott might possibly havo rid
den into power, or, at nny rate, hayo had a
creditable defeat. But it ii only by repeated
failures and disapointmcnts that mon learn wis
doin, politically as well as personally. Terhaps
it liccded this additional lesson to teach North-
cm politicians that their only hope, aipdnst
South cm slaveholders and their natural allies,"
tho greedy Democracy of tno North, is in a
spirit of resoluto resistance to their joint iniquU
ties and not in a contest of subserviency w ith
tho one, to tho other.
Now whoever it was or was not, that killed
Cock Robin, there is this moral to bo deduced
from his futo : That tho saino doom will await
any ono w ho seeks the sair.o end hy tho samo
means. It mny ho that tlie decent and respect
able portion of tho nation is n match for tho
prolligato and baser sort, but it will never tri
umph over them by rolling in the samo kennel
vying with them in their adaptation to dirt. The
trial has never yet been fairly made. Those
that pretended to "all tho decency," and per
Imps had more of a natural leaning that way,
havo never been ablo to attain to tho fuith thut
can alone carry them on to glory. They al
ways had a secret misgiving that tho Devil
was going to be more than a match fr Wocl, at
this particular election. And they havo had,
once or twice, nkind of delusive success which
has thickened their judicial blindness. Tossi
bly, such a hopeless orerthrow no thut they
havo received was necessary to open their eyes
to their truo condition. Now, thero aro de
ments in the nation w hich may go to tho build
ing up of u Now I'.irty, mighty to tho pulling
down of tho present strongholds of political
iniquity. An alio nnd courageous man is
needed to combino these elements into a homo
geneous whole. Tho timo is favorable. Tho
hour is at hand. Hut where is tho Man ? e. q.
A Chance for the Charitable.
Hcv. J. W. Higginson, In a cull for funds to
set a family of slaves nt liberty, gives tho fol
lowing touching history. Wo Und it in the
Worcester (Muss.) Spy:
About thirty years since, n certain man emi
grated from a town In this Stato to Augusta,
(leorgia. I.iko many New Knglaud men, he
soon became a slaveholder; liko many ho took
for his mistress ono cf his slaves. Ho built a
house for her, nnd visited her frequently. She
was an intelligent woman, wn well acquainted
with his businc.-s uffairs, and hud a good deal of
inllucnec over him.
They had four children three daughters nnd
a son. lie supported thcin, nnd treated them
us his children ; the son w as educated for a gun
r m it Ii , nnd besumo quite skilful. Tbeso facts
were generally known in the community w here
they lived, nnd these statements, in f.iet, came
from that quarter. It wus commonly supposed,
however, by thoso who knew tho father, that
he had made a w ill emancipating his children
and their mother, and leaving his property to
them. Tho family declared that ho inlcndcJ
coming North very soon, to live hero with them.
Uut ho died tiuldrnlij, (.liko St. Clair in Uncle
Tom.) So trill irus found.
So far, it is no uncommon series of events,
under tho peouliur institution. Hut now tomes
tho startling point. Tho children nnd their
mother became, of course, tho property of tho
heirs of tho father four distant relatives, re
siding iu Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
The Southern neighbors were touched by the
circumstances of the case, and represented them
to the Northern heirs I The children wercnt
their racrcy. What said those heirs ? Thtj
told the mother and childrcnscparntclj, ut auction,
and divided the proceedi.
Let me, however, bo just to them. Three of
tho heirs once signed a paper liberating the fam
ily. The fourth, who held his sli.no iu right o' '
his wife, premised, by his wife's death bed, to
sign the paper. His wife died, nnd ho thou re
fused. Tho other heirs yielded, lua.lo no at-
tempt to redeem the family, and took their
share of the monej
I havo seen thut man whose nvatico thus sen
tenced to bouduge and wretchedness tho chil-
iron of tho individual w hose property fell thus
strangely into his hands. Ho bore tho outward
aspect of n man, but (Jod had written n tcriihlo
retribution upon hi shamclal lips and donn
castcje. I visited him eighteen months ago,
in company w ith that slavo mother, und I nev
er saw anything more pathetic than tho way
that baso man coword beforo tho just indigna
tion of that wronged woman. It seemed tho
foreshadowing of son.o tcrriblo Day of Judg
mont, when tho black raco shull riso up beforo
tho Anglo-Saxon, und point tho linger of eter
nal reprauch, and say, "Thou urt tho man !"
Fortunately for this wretched family, they
wero all bought t auction by one benevolent
nan ; he liougnt tlicm in hopes Unit the heirs
might redeem them ; or rather, ho bought tho
woman; another man puid $1,200 for the son.
Sinco then, by the noblo cH'orts of tho mother
and daughters, (aided by ono heir, who advan
ced $-300.) tho son has been liberated, and Is
now in California. Uut that mother and those
daughters are still in slavery.
An cll'irt U ut last being mado for tho release
of tbeso women. Of tho four heirs, ono is
poor, andean pay nothing ; another (tho guilli
est) refuses to do anything ; anotlu r promises
$200 ; tho lourth died soino years since, leaving
$100 in tho hands of a trustee, who i now
poor, and utterly unable to pay it though it
mny pouibhj bo recovered from a bondsman.
Tho family have been allowed by their masters
to accumulate $050 towards their freedom.
And thero has been subscribed in the neighbor
hood w hero tho father of these children origina
ted, about $200. This leaves $200 to be raised
in addition, beforo tho wholo sum ol $1,400
can be paid; unless (which is improbable) tho
above bequest bo recovered.
C7Tlie Yermont Legislaluie hug passed
a stringent Muino Luw lo be submitted to
the people in March, and if approved, to go
into operation in Muy next.
l7rllr 1ltttilrt11i1- rittrtlr
VJ.IJC "VUU-UlUCin UUyil..
' 1 " -
SALEM, OHIO, DECEMBER 4, 18.52.
I
!
Executive Committee meets Dcecmbcr 8th
Free Soil—Disunion.
The Presidential struggle is over. The result
is as wo anticipated ; the Dcmoeratio I'arty
victorious, Whiggery vanquished Ingloriously.
To tho friends of Freedom this yiclory and do
feat arc matters of little regard. Ilolh Parties
richly merited dcfcaand the election of either
would hnve answered aliko tho purposes of tho
Slave I'owcr.
The Free Democratic Pnrty, though its yoto
is consideiably smaller than that of '4H, has
mado great advancement. Tho voto given tip-
on the UufTido Platform, Willi Martin Van Uu-
rcn as tho leading candidate, can not bo taken
as an indication of the Anti-Slavcry strength of
the party four years ngo, as tho position then
occupied was de-eided'y low, nnd Ihe Anti-Sla
f ,. .. ., . ,,, .,.:,;., ,!,
very character of the candidate lower still.
Tho Pin! form of tho Free Democratic Purty of
'52 is higher; aid it candidates men who had
distinguished themselves by their advocacy of
freedom, ins'ead nf hnvina n was the cusn with
Martin Van Huron, professed to love liberty
only when tho Slavo power refused longer lo
use l.i.n as tho mean instrument of its usur-
pations,
Thoso who nt tho late election, voted the Free
ticket did so became of Anti-Slave-
ry sentiment and feeling. The caso was widely
four years ago, when the only evidence
uivon of such nrincl.ilc bv a larjo nortion of
thosc who voted with tho Free Soil Parte, was
in tho net of voting ; an act, under tho cir.
cumstunccs, that spoko shamefully little in their
favor. A majority probably of tho Three Hun
dred Thousand who went for Free- Soil in '43,
were in sentiment and feeling below the position
of the Buffalo K-'S)lnti )ns ; but in 'oi wo be
lieve tho masses of tho Frco Democracy aro
nbovo that of tho Pittsburgh Convention. If
this view- bo correct, toero must have been
great progress in tho party, as tho moral tono
of the latter, Is altogether hi-hcr than that of
former.
This much we concede cheerfully to tho Free
Democratic Purty. It has in it much of tho ,
true rpiiit of reform many good and c irnest
aliohtionists, and is iu it way doing efficient i
service ta the C.1U-C of freedom. Yet there is a
higher nnd holier position than that in w hich it
stands a 'r"cr philosophy ef reform thun that
by which its policy is directed. Tho American ,'
and Western Anti tilavcry Societies, if wo mis-!
tuko not, oe-cupy that position and are governed f
in their operations by that philosophy.
Wo know that many voting Abolitionists j
censure thoso w ho consider it their duty to stay
away from tho polls. Considcrublo clfort was
forth in this region, and probably elsew here,
we havo no doubt to induce Lis- I
unionists to vote fur Halo and Julian. With
what success thoso cITorts have met, wo nro not
able to .ay ; though it is probublo that but few ,
of thoso who huvo been actively engaged in
promulgating tho distinctive fculurcs of our
will be found to hnve so fur depnrt- i
cd from tho course thut fidelity to their piin- j
ciplcs required, ns to become' willing partners .
n a government winch uthj shield and sua-
port of Slavery
Wc do not hopo to bo nblo to satisfy thoso
who have no higher Idea, of Anti-Sluvrry i
progress, than 1 seen in tho scramble, of poli- I
ticinns for office, of the correctness, or efficiency !
of our cause; but beforo thaso whoso hcurts aro !
imbued with tho spiiit of Freedom, and w ho yet j
think we violuto an important duty in stunding ',
uloof from tho Frco Dcmoeratio movement, I
weuro willing to viudicato our conduct anil I
justify our position.
All ugrec thut the public sentiment of tho na
tion must bo changed lh.it the conscience of
the masses must bo reached and nrouscd to
activity, befora tho cuuso of Freedom can bo
essciitiully advanced, politically or nthcrw ise.
To get hold upon tho consciences and hearts of
tho peoplo we must occupy n truo moral posi
tion, and bo governed by tho highest expedien
cy. In this truo moral consistency wo maintain
tho Frco Democracy aro wanting, and thut our.
is tho only consistent course.
Wc know our claim to truer consistency nnd
higher principle, is disputed by many cf our
Free Democratic friends. Wo do not complain
of their censures, fur wo have felt it our duy
to condemn, nnd censuro them. Uut how
stand the case ? I'hcy asked us to join them ,
upon tho Uufl'.ilo Flutforin, and that too, many
of thcin, on the ground that they wero in ad-
vanco of us ! Yet tho Uulfalo resolutions wero ',
not opposed to Shivery in the States, but merely
to Slavery extension, and tho usurpation of tho
Slavo power. They udmitted nuy declared I
tho Purty adopting them believed Slavery
be conslitulionul iu llio Slates, and disclaim- ,
ull disposition to intcifcro w ith the inhuman ;
system w hero it existed by state luw. Y'ct w ith
a platform so bnd as this, und a candidate still
worse, they called upon us to join them, and
seemed to think us behind tho age utmost when
wo refused thcin, and denounced their position !
Wo earnestly pursued our courso however, des
pite their protestations and prayers, condemning
all compromiso with Slavory, all union with
Slaveholders.
In tho Pittsburgh Convention, a higher Plat
form of principle, was erected. Tho party
hesitated not to speak out directly in condem
nation of Slavery, It declared Slavery to be a
" Sin against God, and a crimo against man
which no law or usage can make right that
liberty i. the right of all men, a light of which
none can bo deprived hy valid legislation, ex
cept for crime." Tho party refused to plcdgo
itself directly at least that it would do noth
ing against the existence of Slavery in tho
State, and in every respect took bighor ground,
than tho Convention of '48, It. candidate.
I
i-1"1'0" tot tho extradition of Fugitive Slaves
U l,lc,r Why such declaration.? Is
SUvcry ,cw a" ou,rilS". K''t man and a sin
against Ood, hy being con lined to tho States?
I ' tho nreu"F(1 ) '"'"' he less horrible for be
Democratic J '"g ",cil",n1 " """ Slave States! why
not By "laT0 S,"tc'' U UvcrJr n,or0 c
different ' duri'tjl0 wllp,c "' hundred years of legislation
, hay nctioncd and almost .anctiflcd itr"-
against all legislation for sending men und wo
tho men back into Shivery. This was tho position
f Oerrit Smith ; this is our position, and the
convention tuko the ground advocated by Oer
put r,t Smith Ho argued that not only the Fugi
honestly, t've Sluvo bill, but all enactments Stuio or N-
tionol, "Sectional" or geneinl, should ho held
form, of law less pitacy; that they should be
" (rumpled upon, and that tho vilent of all
criminuls, the tuecholder should be treated just
as though no attempt had lieeu mado lo snnc
movement, '"" iniquity by tho form, of law. Did the
convention deny the tiuth of this position,
morally ? Such a. did .o, hnvo never been
I'" Slavery extension bo indeed so bad, it i.
because of tho intrinsic wickedness of slavery
itself. It is tho inherent enormity of tho sys
ihut tc,u llat mukes its spread a pcstilenco nnd ,i ro
to t"r'1 ,0 'ts borrow worso thun death to the Hy
cd '"B luvc. Wo at k then, in the name of all thut
i consistent, how a truo abolitionist can pledge
himself against attacking sluvcry as it now cx-
w'ero men whose principles hnd been tried, and
Uno, ,uhcrcnce to them in future, no one
doubted. And attain, with better candidates
and a higher plat form, they culled upon us to
join them, declaring that w hatever might havo
been truo of the pnrty four years ago, they had
nois attained a position to which wo could have
no reasonable objection, so little did it differ
from our own.
By raitinj their platform then, they brought
it nearer to the level of ours I How could this
be, if they beforo occupied a higher position i
Wo stand w here wo did four years ago, they
have progressed and have conio nearer to us.
They must then havo been bohind us in '49,
must be behind us yet, or at least, not so far Iu
advance of us as they then wcro In tho rear.
Uut tho position of tho Frco Democracy
cannot be in advance of ours, because- it is lower
! tl"1" lni,n' of ,ho most enlightened member of
U, I""1 "IT"1, and tho objections which
T'1 m,,,' 10 r0 f"r M h,r Ire, iscly
tlie samo as aro mado hy us. Tho Pittsburgh
Kcsolutions d'Hdaro that tho " wholo question
rf Slavery and tho extradition of Fugilivo
slaves, should bo left to tho States"; That
Slavery is Sectional " while freedom is " Nu
tonal." No mure Slave States, no Slavo territo
ry no ua'.ionnlUc i Ma ery, and no national
! V" nntio"al legislation for sending men Into
lionclnge! Is it worse for tho nation to hunt
men for slavery, than to make it tho duty of tho
States to lend themselves to such infamy ?
Why, we ask, did not tho Pittsburgh conven
tion adopt the resolutions contained in the mi
nority report presented by Oerrit Smith ? This
would havo pledged tho Party, to an against
Slavery ittnj xhtei as .gainst other forms of
piracy and murelcr, to go not merely against
new Slave States, but alt Slavo States, ond
adoption of such sent imcnts would havo been
nccorduucc w ith the view ef many of the
best men iu tho Free Dcinoe r.i'ii Party,
In refusing to take this position, tho Frco
Democracy stopped short of us, oud c cannot
go tack to them, though it ho true, us soino of
"lcln 3)' tlicy havo sinco "4M, eomo hnlf way to
meet us. Why should wo join them, when
cvcn l''cir own highest conceptions of right aro
ngainst them their truest and Lest men tho
lca,t Sl"i,'"liJ "cii position?
Onco more we ask why did not tho Pittsburgh
converted to anti-slnvcrv. Ho who would
claim for tho perpetrator of tho crime of cnsla
ving and iinbiutiug a fellow man, any leniency,
Rny countenance, any toleration, any enmmu.
nion tl,llt he would not nlso accord to tho samo
cxtcnt 'he pirate und the murderer, need to
t0 v,or'c to loam w hat ho has never yet been
,IMIs',fi l"3 .implest duty to hi enslaved
countrymen. Tho people nssemble-d in tho
P'tt.burgh convcniion, felt nil this. Why did
'hey not nay it ? Wu know well enough tho
rcuson. rhe,j know it. Though tlicy agreed
with Cicrrit Smith a. to what moral duty ro- j
quired, they did not ngree with him, tint tho 1
constitution of tho United Slates tlio nlaiform I
of the nathn, would .ustain such principles, and
action iu accordance with them.
Tho Free Democratic Party repudiated tho
Fugitivo Sluvc law, because, it believed it to ho
unconttitutional- It opposes tho admission of
now Slave States, because the constitution oZows
uch opposition. Uut the party refuses to go '
against tho old slave states, or shivery in them '
, ..... .
l)ccuu, i' believes the constitution forbids such
nct-on
-ow wo submit in candor and wo ask every
voting abolitionist to answer for himself tho
question, whether it is not his duty a. a moral
BEp"t to labor not merely to prevent Slavery
extension, but for the abolition of Ulareri itself,
iu every way that can bo morally used to put
own any other form of crimo nnd outrage.-
ists, for the poor privilego of luboring politically
against it oxtcusioii ? I
Wo claim that hero Is tho deep moral dclin- '
queney of tho Freo Democracy, as it w as of
tho Freo Soil Party, nnd hero their short sight- '
cd and superficial philosophy of reform. They
consent passively if nut actively to tho contin-
ued existenco of Slavery, crushing as it doc. it. '
million, of victim., over a territory larger thun
wa. ever beforo cursed w ith so tcrriblo a form
of crime; and justify themselves by the cormid- ;
oration that this act, give, them .trcngth to
opposo tho hateful system torno where cUe, and
at somo future time 1 And with .uch conccs- !
ion. on their lip., their action, corresponding '
with them, thoy como to ut who publicly do- 1
elare and act out our opposition to slavory eve
ry where and at all timo without concession or
eoniDromiso. and ask us to rnm .... i,.i I
' - " T uu.,
them?
Weconccdo to the Free Democracy that they
too feel opposed to slavery every where and
would g'adiy labor for it. overthrow, were it not
that their hands aro tied. But who tied them ?
Nono but themselves. They cling to their alle
giance with a constitution which they admit
prevents them from such action. Bo far from
being an excuse, their connection with tho
government, voluntary a. It is, but add. to their
condemnation. It 1. bad enough to .tand by
inactive, and co a fellow being subjected to the
worst of nil outrages tho sum of all tilsnies,
but it is worso to go systematically to work ami
pledge one. .elf constantly to .uch passive n
courngemcnt of crimo nnd outrage. '
We know that Free Soilcra attempt lo justify
themselves, by saying that In acting under tho
constitution they incur no responsibility that
they nro not required atiirthj to do any wicked
act. We arc tired nf this argument if such it
can be culled. The government of this nation
is, or ought to bo a govt rnuicnt of "the peoplo of
the United States," formed to provido for the
common defense uud minute tho general wel
fare. This is tho only giouud upon which a
(rue man can give it Lis ullcianee; the consti
tution itself opens with tho declaration that the
Government is to l.o such. Is this declaration
u falsehood, or is it truth? Wc euro not now to
settle this question. Tho three million, of
Slaves held in this country aio either a part
of "tho people" or they aro not. Thi. much
at least is true i tho individual who enter, into,
or would voluntarily support .uch a govern
ment, with a knowledge that million, of men
and women exist In the heart of the nation,
held ns chattels by their fellow, w ho are, to
form no part of the sovereign people to have
no defence from tho government and whose
protection, wclfure.rights and interests are to ro
m.ii i wli illy un irovi b.l lor ho wo assert w ho
docs this becomes thereby a conuivcr at, and a
partaker in crimo and outrage). It is useless to
attempt a defence of such n connection. Any
argument offered iu defence of an alliunco .0
unholy, li but a defence nf piracy and murder.
If on the other hand tho United State Gov
ernment, is a Government of the trho.'v people,
requiring tho protection nad defence of alt
against wrong u:i l oiitr.e-, what becomes of
tho position of tlie individual or party who
w ithout even nself imposed obligation to do so.
relu-is to net ni;aiil slavery in tho Slates?
Alike in either view of the case the Freo Do
Itinerary stand iu a r.-'.:'.o: utteil ineiq al io of
defense. '
Now wo believe with fieri it Smith that no
enac tment hether cvn.'-titutioiul e.r not that
no law whether 'secti mul' or 'iKilieuul,' howe
ver clothed with legal vcTo'iagc orsanutionod by,
ancient usage can impose the slightest obliga
tion upon any human being, to uphold, or sane-1
tion or countenance tho ei shivemcnt of men In'
States or Territories, old or new; and wobe
Pcvo w ith the Free Democracy, that in the Uni-,
ted States Constitution an attempt is made to
imposo upon its supporters an obligation tosus-'
tain, or at leust submit to the crimo of slave
holding. Of course the Constitution though it
attempts It, cannot imposo any such obligation
as a duty, a y more than any other plcdgo to .
supporter tolerate pirue y, make such .untiort
or toleration u duty. ,
Uut while we believe this, wo think it crimlJ
nnl to pledge ourselves to sanction or tolerate In
r.tum wi iiiuiou lara'K jnfaeif. it llie e;onstilu
tion of the United Siulc is what wo and the
FrcoDcmoe.ntiu Purty believe it to be, to give
iv uu, o.u'ijiiiin, m w uni;, iiu p.aij. Vt c can
no morodo this, than w c could sustain the plat- '
forms of tho Whig or D.-tnoeratiu Party. Nor
could tho Freo Democracy, it' consistent with
their own highest elcJar.iiiniis. The Whig and
Democratic Platforms pledge tho parties to sus
tain tho Fugitive Slave L.iw jnd tolerate with
out opposition the extension of slavery. Tho
Constitution the P'.all" rni i,r tho nution, and
ol all the three puiU i, re piircs the states to re
turn the fugitive slave, or (opcrmit Lis return
and demands of its supporter toleration with
out opposition, to shivery iu tho States. Hale
and Julian nro pledged to sustain this national
platform, just ns much as Scott and Pierce were
pledged In thoso of their rcapectivo parties.
And thcro is no consistent argument, that can
justify thuso whosuatain the former candidate.,
w iihout nlo sanctioning, in omo measure, the :
act of voting for tho latter, the difference, so far
as any exist i, being, not in tho character of tho
action, but in tho extent of tho wrong done.
The Free Dcmoeratio platform is as bad as the .
Constitution which ullow. Shivery iu tho States.
Tho Whig and Dcmocrutio Plutformi are vortt
than the Constitution, ns they tolcrato tho ay.,
tern, not only in tho States, but In ome coses
beyond their limits. Ccituinly tho latter ate
more infamous, but ia the former high enough .
foi tho truo fi lends of the slavo to stund upon r
We think not. Wo Lclicvj thut the "sober sec
ond thought," of iniiny w ho huvo given their
vote for llido and Julian, will accord with our '
view of the mutter.
Uut it iscluiincd thut under the Constitution
tho extension of Slavery tuny nt least bo pro
vented, nnd tho sjsteiu itself crippled and dis
couruged, if not abolished hence the Free
Democracy refuse to repiuliato llio Constitution.
Tho instrument furnishes thcin w ith tho moans '
of preventing evil iu ouo diiection, though it '
requires them to sustain tho tamo or greater "
evil in another. 8o tho party mrkc. a com
promiso with Sluvcry. Gives one hand to .la.
very in Carolina, that with the other it max
prevent it. introduction, if it can, in New Mexi
co, Utah and California. Thus principle is
acrillcod, and the moral influence of the party
proportionally weakened. Now as no impor
tant advantage can bo gained, politically oven
over slavery, until the conscience of the nation '
i moro fully reached, and as an uncompro-
.-iiid anu consiuiie opposition to slavery,
w hich shall ropudiuto as far as possiblo all com- '
promise with. tho hateful system, is undeniably
the best means of arousing this national con
scienco, we must bo permitted to think the
Freo Democratic Tarty ns much behind as In,
