the writings-2-第46节
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particular to keep out of that instrument the word 〃slave;〃 the
reason being that slavery would ultimately come to an end; and
they did not wish to have any reminder that in this free country
human beings were ever prostituted to slavery。 'Applause。' Nor
is it any argument that we are superior and the negro inferior
that he has but one talent while we have ten。 Let the negro
possess the little he has in independence; if he has but one
talent; he should be permitted to keep the little he has。
'Applause:' But slavery will endure no test of reason or logic;
and yet its advocates; like Douglas; use a sort of bastard logic;
or noisy assumption it might better be termed; like the above; in
order to prepare the mind for the gradual; but none the less
certain; encroachments of the Moloch of slavery upon the fair
domain of freedom。 But however much you may argue upon it; or
smother it in soft phrase; slavery can only be maintained by
forceby violence。 The repeal of the Missouri Compromise was by
violence。 It was a violation of both law and the sacred
obligations of honor; to overthrow and trample under foot a
solemn compromise; obtained by the fearful loss to freedom of one
of the fairest of our Western domains。 Congress violated the
will and confidence of its constituents in voting for the bill;
and while public sentiment; as shown by the elections of 1854;
demanded the restoration of this compromise; Congress violated
its trust by refusing simply because it had the force of numbers
to hold on to it。 And murderous violence is being used now; in
order to force slavery on to Kansas; for it cannot be done in any
other way。 'Sensation。'
The necessary result was to establish the rule of violence
force; instead of the rule of law and reason; to perpetuate and
spread slavery; and in time to make it general。 We see it at
both ends of the line。 In Washington; on the very spot where the
outrage was started; the fearless Sumner is beaten to
insensibility; and is now slowly dying; while senators who claim
to be gentlemen and Christians stood by; countenancing the act;
and even applauding it afterward in their places in the Senate。
Even Douglas; our man; saw it all and was within helping
distance; yet let the murderous blows fall unopposed。 Then; at
the other end of the line; at the very time Sumner was being
murdered; Lawrence was being destroyed for the crime of freedom。
It was the most prominent stronghold of liberty in Kansas; and
must give way to the all…dominating power of slavery。 Only two
days ago; Judge Trumbull found it necessary to propose a bill in
the Senate to prevent a general civil war and to restore peace in
Kansas。
We live in the midst of alarms; anxiety beclouds the future; we
expect some new disaster with each newspaper we read。 Are we in
a healthful political state? Are not the tendencies plain? Do
not the signs of the times point plainly the way in which we are
going? 'Sensation。'
In the early days of the Constitution slavery was recognized; by
South and North alike; as an evil; and the division of sentiment
about it was not controlled by geographical lines or
considerations of climate; but by moral and philanthropic views。
Petitions for the abolition of slavery were presented to the very
first Congress by Virginia and Massachusetts alike。 To show the
harmony which prevailed; I will state that a fugitive slave law
was passed in 1793; with no dissenting voice in the Senate; and
but seven dissenting votes in the House。 It was; however; a wise
law; moderate; and; under the Constitution; a just one。 Twenty…
five years later; a more stringent law was proposed and defeated;
and thirty…five years after that; the present law; drafted by
Mason of Virginia; was passed by Northern votes。 I am not; just
now; complaining of this law; but I am trying to show how the
current sets; for the proposed law of 1817 was far less offensive
than the present one。 In 1774 the Continental Congress pledged
itself; without a dissenting vote; to wholly discontinue the
slave trade; and to neither purchase nor import any slave; and
less than three months before the passage of the Declaration of
Independence; the same Congress which adopted that declaration
unanimously resolved 〃that no slave be imported into any of the
thirteen United Colonies。〃 'Great applause。'
On the second day of July; 1776; the draft of a Declaration of
Independence was reported to Congress by the committee; and in it
the slave trade was characterized as 〃an execrable commerce;〃 as
〃a piratical warfare;〃 as the 〃opprobrium of infidel powers;〃 and
as 〃a cruel war against human nature。 'Applause。' All agreed on
this except South Carolina and Georgia; and in order to preserve
harmony; and from the necessity of the case; these expressions
were omitted。 Indeed; abolition societies existed as far south
as Virginia; and it is a well…known fact that Washington;
Jefferson; Madison; Lee; Henry; Mason; and Pendleton were
qualified abolitionists; and much more radical on that subject
than we of the Whig and Democratic parties claim to be to…day。
On March 1; 1784; Virginia ceded to the confederation all its
lands lying northwest of the Ohio River。 Jefferson; Chase of
Maryland; and Howell of Rhode Island; as a committee on that and
territory thereafter to be ceded; reported that no slavery should
exist after the year 1800。 Had this report been adopted; not
only the Northwest; but Kentucky; Tennessee; Alabama; and
Mississippi also would have been free; but it required the assent
of nine States to ratify it。 North Carolina was divided; and
thus its vote was lost; and Delaware; Georgia; and New Jersey
refused to vote。 In point of fact; as it was; it was assented to
by six States。 Three years later on a square vote to exclude
slavery from the Northwest; only one vote; and that from New
York; was against it。 And yet; thirty…seven years later; five
thousand citizens of Illinois; out of a voting mass of less than
twelve thousand; deliberately; after a long and heated contest;
voted to introduce slavery in Illinois; and; to…day; a large
party in the free State of Illinois are willing to vote to fasten
the shackles of slavery on the fair domain of Kansas;
notwithstanding it received the dowry of freedom long before its
birth as a political community。 I repeat; therefore; the
question: Is it not plain in what direction we are tending?
'Sensation。' In the colonial time; Mason; Pendleton; and
Jefferson were as hostile to slavery in Virginia as Otis; Ames;
and the Adamses were in Massachusetts; and Virginia made as
earnest an effort to get rid of it as old Massachusetts did。 But
circumstances were against them and they failed; but not that the
good will of its leading men was lacking。 Yet within less than
fifty years Virginia changed its tune; and made negro…breeding
for the cotton and sugar States one of its leading industries。
'Laughter and applause。'
In the Constitutional Convention; George Mason of Virginia made a
more violent abolition speech than my friends Lovejoy or Codding
would desire to make here to…daya speech which could not be
safely repeated anywhere on Southern soil in this enlightened
year。 But; while there were some differences of opinion on this
subject even then; discussion was allowed; but as you see by the
Kansas slave code; which; as you know; is the Missouri slave
code; merely ferried across the river; it is a felony to even
express an opinion hostile to that foul blot in the land of
Washington and the Declaration of Independence。 'Sensation。'
In Kentuckymy Statein 1849; on a test vote; the mighty
influence of Henry Clay and many other good then there could not
get a symptom of expression in favor of gradual emancipation on a
plain issue of marching toward the light of civilization with
Ohio and Illinois; but the State of Boone and Hardin and Henry
Clay; with a nigger under each arm; took the black trail toward
the deadly swamps of barbarism。 Is therecan there beany
doubt about this thing? And is there any doubt that we must all
lay aside our prejudices and march; shoulder to shoulder; in the
great army of Freedom? 'Applause。'
Every Fourth of July our young orators all proclaim this to be
〃the land of the free and the home of the brave!〃 Well; now; when
you orators get that off next year; and; may be; this very year;
how would you like some old grizzled farmer to get up in the
grove and deny it? 'Laughter。' How would you like that? But
suppose Kansas comes in as a slave State; and all the 〃border
ruffians〃 have barbecues about it; and free…State men come
trailing back to the dishonored North; like whipped dogs with
their tails between their legs; it isain't it ?evident that
this is no more the 〃land of the free〃; and if we let it go so;
we won't dare to say 〃home of the brave〃 out loud。 'Sensation
and confus