AND I TS US URP ATI ONS
TH E S L AV E OL I GARC H !
O U T RAGE S
I
N KA N S A S
P O SIT ION
OF
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P ARTI ES
TH E D I F F ERENT P OL I TI C AL
THE R EP U BLICAN PA R T !
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S P EEC H
OF
HO
N CHARL E SUM
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NO
V EMBE R
EUI L
ER
N
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2, 1855,
H AL L , BOS TON
I N FAN
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F ELLO W CITI ! ENS OF B O STON :
Are yo u fo r Fre e do m , or are y o u fo r S lavery ? T hi s i s th e qu e sti on which
Ab ove all oth e r qu esti on s , W h eth er
y o u are to an swer at th e c o m ing el e ctio n
nati o nal o r l ocal , it n ow lifts itself directly in th e path of every voter , and
T h ere i t i s It cannot b e avoi d ed It can
c all s fo r a plai n an d h o nest reply
n ot b e b ani sh ed away I t c ann ot b e sil en ce d F orever s oun ding i n o ur ears ,
i t h as a m oo d for every h ou r— stirring u s at time s as w ith th e blast o f a
trump et—th en vi sitin g u s i n s ol emn tones , like th e b ell w hich calls t o prayer
a n d th e n agai n awaking u s to u nmistakabl e d uty l ike th e s ame b ell , w h en at
m i dnigh t it summ on s all to stay th e ragin g con fl ag r ati o n
An d yet th ere are p ers on s among u s w h o s eek to p ut th i s great qu e sti on
a si de
S om e clamor for finan cial refo rm , an d h ol d u p a tax b ill ; others
c lamo r for a mo difi cation o f th e el ective fran ch i s e an d th ey h ol d u p th e P op e ;
s ome sp eak i n th e n am e of ol d parti es , calling th em s elve s Dem o crats o r Wh igs ;
o th ers i n th e n ame o f a new p arty , wh ich sh al l b e n amele ss at pre s e nt
S urely
th e p e opl e of Massach us etts w ill n o t b e div erte d from th e tru e i ss u e —i n v olv
i ng Fre e do m f or b ro ad territori es an d Fre ed om for th ems el ve s— by h old ing u p
a tax —
b ill or by h o l ding u p th e P op e Th e p e opl e of Mas sach u s etts are i nt e lli
T h ey are n ot bull s , to b e turn e d asi de by sh aking i n th eir
g ent an d hu man e
eyes a bi t o f re d cl oth ; nor are th ey wh al es , to b e stopp e d by a tub Th e
pertina ci o u s an d excl us iv e a dvocacy w ith wh ich , at thi s crisi s o f Free dom
h u mbler m atters an d eve n p ers on al asp i ration s h ave b e en p ress ed in disregar d
o f a s acre d cau s e , fin ds a prototyp e i n an e ff or t of s elfi shn e s s , wh ich , o ccu rring
at th e v ery cris is o f ou r R evoluti o n , w as ch asti se d by th e h umor an d eloqu en c e
T h e story i s familiar O ur smal l army , c onten ding fo r
o f P atri ck H en ry
Fre ed om , wa s re du c e d to th e d epth s o f distre s s—exp o s e d alm o st n ake d to th e
rigors o f a wi nter sky , an d marking th e fro z en grou n d with th e bl o o d of sh o e
“
l es s feet
Wh ere i s th e man , s ai d P atrick H enry , “ w h o woul d n ot h ave
thrown op e n h i s fie l ds , h i s barn s , hi s c ellars , th e d oors o f h i s h ou s e , th e p or
tal s o f h is breast , to receive th e m ean e st s ol die r i n th at littl e fami sh e d b an d ?
Wh ere i s th e man ? T h er e h e stan ds ; b ut wh eth er th e h eart of an American
b eats i n h i s b o s om , yo u are to j u dge
It w as t o J oh n H o ok th at h e p ointed
wh o was th en pressing a v exati o u s clai m for su ppl ie s taken f o r th e u s e of th es e
“
s tarving tr 0 0 p s
Wha t n otes o f dis c ord d o I h ear ? exclaime d th e cr ate r
“
T h ey ar e th e n otes o f J oh n H ook , h o ars ely b rawl ing th rough th e patri ot
An d n ow , am ong u s , th e s elfi sh ne s s of J oh n
camp —B eef ! B eef ! B eef !
Hook i s ren ew e d , an d politician s distu rb th e h ou r , as th ey h o ars ely brawl th ei r
p etty claim s through o u r patri ot c amp B ut ab ove all th es e i s h ear d th e great
qu e sti on , wh ich will n ot b e p o stpon ed , are y ou for Fre ed o m , o r are yo u fo r
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Slave ry
Un d e r
wh ich
ki ng B ez o nian , s peak or die
A re you f o r Fre e
d om , with its pri cel ess bl es sings o r are yo u for Slavery , with its c o u ntl es s
wrongs an d wo es ? A re yo u fo r G o d , o r are yo u f o r th e D evil ?
F ell ow C itiz en s I sp eak pl ainly ; n or can w ords exhib itin g th e en ormity o f
Sl avery b e to o plain , wh eth er it b e r e gar d e d simplyin th e legi sl ati v e an d j u d i
ci al deci sion s by whi ch it i s uph el d o r i n th e un qu estion abl e facts by wh ich i t s
,
ch arac ter i s reveal ed It has b een my fortune latterly to see Slav ery face t o
fac e in its o wn h ome , in th e slave States ; an d I take th is early opp ortunity
to o ff e r my testi m ony t o th e open b arb aris m wh ich it s an cti on s
I h av e s een
a h u man being kn o cke d o ff at auct i on o n t h e step s of a c o u rt h ou s e , an d , as
th e s al e went on , c omp elle d to op en hi s mouth an d sh ow h i s teeth , l ike a
h ors e ; I have b e en d etaine d i n a stage —
c o ach , th at ou r driver might , i n th e
ph ras e o f th e co untry , “ h elp l i ck a nigge r ; an d I h av e b e en co n str ai n e d r at
a p ubl i c tabl e , to witnes s t h e re volting sp ec tacl e of a p oor sl ave , yet a ch ild ,
al mos t fel le d to th e fl o or by a blow o n th e h ead from a clench e d fist S uch
in cid ents w ere n ot cal c ulated t o sh ak e my o riginal c onvicti ons T h e di stant
sl aveh ol der; wh o , in gen ero u s s oli citu d e fo r th at tru th w h ic h make s f or Free
d o m , fe are d that , like a c ertai n D o ctor o f D ivinity , I migh t , u n der th e i n fl u
e nce o f p ers ona l ki ndn e s s , b e h astily sw aye d fro m th es e c o nviction s , may b e
ass u red th at I saw n othin g to c h an ge th e m i n o ne tittl e , b u t to c on firm t h em ,
wh il e I was entirely s atisfi e d th at h ere i n Mas s ach us e tts , w h ere all read , th e
tr u e ch aracter of Slavery i s b etter known th an i n th e sl ave S tate s th ems elves ,
where ign ora nc e and prej u dic e cl os e th e av enu e s o f kn owl edge
A n d n o w , grateful for th e attenti o n wi th wh ich yo u h on o r m e , I ven tu re te
h e p e th at yo u ar e as sembl e d h o n estly to h e ar the truth ; n o t to gratify pr ej u
d i ce , to appea s e pers on al antip athi es , o r t o indulge a morb i d app etite f or
ex ci t em ent ; b ut w ith c an d o r an d yo ur b est di scriminati o n t o w eigh facts and
argume nts , in ord e r to d eter m i n e th e c ou r s e o f du ty 1 ad dress mys elf parti e
f
to
th
e
frien
ds
Fre
e
d
o
o m—th e R ep ubl ic an s —on wh o s e invitati on I
u lar l
y
app ear t o n igh t ; b ut I make b ol d to ask yo u of o th er parti e s , wh o n ow l iste n ,
to d ive st yo urs elve s for the tim e o f p arti sa n c on straint—t o forget for t h e
mo me nt th at yo u are Whigs o r D em ocrats , o r h o w yo u are c all ed , an d t o
re m e mb e r only th at yo u are men , with hearts to fe el with h ead s t o u n d erstand ,
an d with co nsci ence s to gu i de T h en only will yo u b e i n a c ondition to rec eive
“
th e truth
If me n are n o t aware o f th e p ro babl e b ias o f p arty ove r them ,
th e n th ey are s o mu ch th e more li ke ly to b e blin dly gove rne d by it
This is
th e wis e remark of Wilb erforc e ; an d I fe ar th at among u s th ere are to o m any
wh o are u n con s c iou sly governe d by su ch bias Th ere ar e m en , wh o , wh il e
profes s ing c an dor , y et sh ow th at th e bittern es s o f pa r ty h as e ntere d i nto th ei r
wh ol e ch aracter an d li ves —as the bi tt e rne s s o f th e s oil i n S ardin i a i s sai d t o
appear even i n th e h on ey
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At th i s el ecti o n w e d o n ot c h o o se a Pr esi dent of th e U n ite d States , or me m
b e r o f C ongre ss , b ut a G overn or Lieu ten an t G overn or , Attorney Ge n eral an d
o th e r S ta te o ffice rs T o a s up erfi ci al ob s erver , th e o c casi o n se em s to b e rath e r
l o cal than n ati on al ; i t se em s to b e lon g t o St at e a ffairs rath er th an Fe d eral
to Mas s achu sett s rath er th an to th e U n i on An d yet s uch are o u r r e lation s to
th e U ni o n— su ch i s th e sol id arity o f th es e c onfed erate States
are w e all
knit togeth er as a Pl ural U ni t —th at th e great qu estio n wh ich n o w d istu rb s
an d ove rsh ad ow s th e wh ol e c ou ntry , b e co m es at onc e nati on al an d l ocal ,
ad d ress in g its el f al ik e to th e wh ol e R epubl ic an d to eac h c on sti tu en t pa rt
Free do m i n Kan s as , an d o u r o w n F ree dom h ere at h ome are b oth as saile d
Th ey mu st b e d efe n de d T he re are h on orabl e re s po n sibi li ti e s bel ongi n g t o
Mas sach u setts , as an e arly an d con stan t V indic ato r o f Free d o m wh i ch sh e
can n o t re no unce
I f th e t rump et give an u nc ertai n s o und wh o shall pre par e
h i msel f f o r th e battl e ?
T h e d i s tant e m i gran t —th e wh ole co u ntry —await s
t h e v oi ce o f o u r b el ove d C omm o nwe a lth i n answe r to th e qu esti on , A re y ou
fo r Fre ed om , o r are yo u fo r Sl av ery ? S o tran scen d en t s o exclu s iv e , s o all
abs orbing is this que sti o n at t h e pres en t j uncture th at i t i s v ai n to s pe ak of
To be
on th i s i s to b e
t h e po siti on o f cand idate s o n oth e r th ings
e
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1
wrong ; an d to b e wro n g
3
th i s i s to b e wh o l ly wro n g P assi ng stran ge it is,
that h ere i n Massach u s etts , in th i s n in ete enth century , w e sh ou ld b e c on strain
e d t o pu t th is qu estio n
Pas s ing strange , that wh en i t i s pu t, th e re sh ou l d be
any h es itation to an swer i t, by v o i ce an d v ote , i n su ch way as t o sp eak th e
lou de st f er Free do m
A plai n re cital wil l sh ow th e u rgen cy of th i s qu estion At th e p eri o d o f
th e D ecl aration of Indep end en c e , u pwards of ha l f a m illion col ore d p erson s
were h el d as c h attel s i n th e U n ite d S tates Th es e u nhappy p eopl e were origi
n al ly stol e n from Africa , or w ere th e ch il dren of th o s e wh o h ad b e en stolen ,
a n d , th ough d istrib ute d throu gh out th e wh ol e country , were to b e fou n d chi efly
i n the S ou th ern States
T h e Sl avery to wh ich th ey w ere re duce d w as
S imply a c o ntin uati o n o f th e viol en ce by wh ich th ey h a d b e en origin ally r o b
be d o f th eir ri ghts , an d was o f c o urse as in defensible Th e fath ers o f th e
Repu bl i c , leade rs o f th e w ar o f In d epen den ce , w ere struck w ith th e i n con
s i stency of an app e al for th e i r o w n l iberti es , whil e h ol ding in b on dage fell ow
m en , only “ gu ilty o f a skin n o t col ore d like th eir own
T h e sa m e convicti on
animated th e h e arts o f th e p e opl e , w hether at th e North o r th e S outh
Out
o f a m pl e ill u strati on s I sel ect on e wh i ch speci ally reveal s this c onvi cti on , an d
p o ss e ss e s a l o cal i ntere st i n th is c om m un ity I t i s a dee d o f manumi ssion ,
made after ou r stru ggle s h ad b egun , an d p reserve d i n th e Prob ate records of
th e C ounty o f S uffolk H ere it i s :
on
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Kno w
p r e se n t s t h at I JONATH AN JAC KS ON o f Ne w bu r ypo r t i n t h e
c o u n t y o f Esse x
ge n tl e m a n i n co n s i d er a t i o n of th e i m p r op r i e t y I f eel a n d h av e Ici n g f e lt i n
be h o ld é n g a n y p e rso n i n co n st an t bo n d ag e m or e esp eci a l l y a t a ti m e w h e n m y cou n try i s so w arm ly
co n t e n d i n g f br t he li ber t y ev er y m a n o u g h t to e nj oy a nd h av i n g s o me t i m e s i n ce p r o mi se d
m y n e g r o m a n P OM P t h a t I w o u l d g i v e h i m h i s fre e d o m an d i n fu r t h e r co n si d e r at io n o f fiv e
S li lllll l s p ai d m e b
g
y s a i d P OM P I d o h e r e by l i b e r at e m an u m i t an d se t h i m fre e ; an d I d o
h e r e b y re m i se an d re l e as e u n t o s ai d P OM P a ll d e m a n d s o f w h at e v e r n at u re I h av e agai n s t
sa i d P OM P
I n w i t ne ss w h e r e o f I h a v e h e re un t o se t my h a n d and se a l t h i s n i n e t e e n t h J u ne 1 7 6
a ll
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J ONATH A N J AC KS ON
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M
ry C o b u r n
a
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[ S e aL ]
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W i l l i am Noy e s
7
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Such was the gen eral spiri t P ubli c Opini o n fo un d fre e vent i n every chan
n el
By th e l iteratu re of th e time , by th e v oi c e o f th e C hu rch , an d by th e
s olemn j u dgm ent o f th e C oll ege , Slavery was c on demn ed , w hil e all th e gran d
e st n am es o f ou r h istory were arraye d Op enly against it O f the s e , I migh t
d well on many ; b ut I am always pl eas e d to m ention an illu stri ou s triumvirate ,
f ro m wh os e c on curring testimony th ere can b e n o app ea l
T h ere w as W ash
i n gt o n , wh o at on e tim e d eclare d th at “ it was amon g h i s first wi sh es to se e
!
s ome plan ad opted by wh i ch Slave ry might b e ab olis he d by law , an d th e n at
an oth er, that , to th i s e nd , h i s su f frage sh o ul d n ot b e
T h ere als o
!
“
was J e ffers o n , w h o , by e arlya n d preco ci ous e ff orts for total eman cip ati on ,
pl ace d h ims el f forem ost among t he Ab oliti oni sts o f th e lan d—p erp etu ally
d en o uncing Slavery— exp osin g th e p ern ici ou s infl u ence s up o n th e m aster as
well a s th e sl ave —d eclaring th at th e love o f j u stice an d th e l ove of c o untry
“
p l e ade d equ ally for th e slav e , an d th at th e ab olitio n o f d om esti c Slav ery w as
th e greate st obj ect o f d es ire ! T here al so w as th e ven erabl e patri ot , B enj a
min Frankli n , wh o di d n et h esitate to liken th e Am er i can m ast e r o f b lac k
s l av es to th e Algerine co rsai r with h i s wh ite slave s , an d wh o as Presi dent of
,
th e earli est Ab oliti o n S o ciety—th e sam e of whi ch Pas sm ore Willi ams on i s
n ow th e h on ored S ecretary—by s ol emn p etiti on , calle d u p on C ongres s “ to step
to th e very v erg e o f th e p ower vested i n it to d iscou r ag e e very sp e ci e s of tra ffic
!
i n th e p ers on s of o u r fello w men
T hu s c ompletely , by thi s tri u mvi rate of
Fre ed om , was Sl avery con d emn ed , an d: th e p ow er of th e G ov ernme n t i nvoke d
a gain st it
By s uch m en an d i n s uch spirit was th e Nati on al C on stituti o n frame d Th e
e m ph atic words of th e D eclarati o n o f I n d ep en dence , wh ich o u r country t o ok
u p o n its lip s as b apti sma l vows wh en i t claime d a pl ac e am on g the n ati o n s o f
,
th e e arth , w ere n ot fo rgotten T h e preambl e to th e C on stitution renews th em ,
wh en i t d eclare s th e o bj ect o f th e p eo pl e of th e U nite d States to b e , amo n g
“
o th er things ,
to e st abli sh j u st ice , to promo te th e g en er al welfare , an d to secu re
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th e bl essings o f libe r ty to ours e lves an d p osterity ! T hu s , according to u n de
n i ab le words , th e C on stitu tion was ordain ed , no t to establish , sec ure , or san c
t i on , Sl avery—n ot to prom ot e th e special interest of slave —
masters , b o un d
togeth er i n o lig ar ch i cal co m bin ati on—mot to make Slavery n ational i n any
“
way , form , or manner b ut to e stabli sh j u stice , ! whi ch c on demns Sl avery
“
to pro mote th e gen eral
wh ich repu diate s eve ry O ligarchy—an d “ t o
s ecure th e bl ess ings of Lib erty i n wh os e p res enc e h uman b ondage must
c eas e Early i n th e C onventi on , G ou verneu r M orri s b roke forth in th e la nguag e
o f an Ab ol iti on i st : “ H e n e ve r woul d c on cu r in uph ol ding d om esti c Sl avery
I t W as th e cu rs e o f H eaven
It was a n efari ou s in stituti on
I n another
m o o d , an d with m il d j u ri dical p h ras e , Mr Madi so n h im s el f a sl aveh ol der ,
“
th ought i t wrong to admit i n th e C on stitutio n th e i d ea o f property i n man
T h e di screditable w ords , S lave an d S lavery, were n ot al lowe d to fi n d a place in
th e in stru ment , whil e a clau s e was sub sequ ently adde d by way o f ame n d ment
an d t h erefore , acc ordin g to th e rule s of i nterpretati on p articul arly rev ealin g
th e s entiments o f th e fou n ders , wh i ch i s calculate d , l ike th e D ecl aration o f
In de pen den ce , if p ractically ap plie d to carry Freed o m everywh ere with in t h e
s ph er e o f its influ en ce It was specifi cally decl are d th at “ n o p ers on shall b e
deprived of l ife , li ber ty, or p roperty , with ou t d u e p r ocess of law —th at i s w ithou t
du e pres entme nt , i ndi ctment , or oth er formal j u dicial pro ce ed in gs H ere i s an
expres s gu ar d of p ers o nal L ib erty , an d a p rohibiti on of Sl avery e verywhere
withi n th e n ati on al j uri s dictio n
In th i s S pirit w as th e Nation al C onstituti on ad opted
In this s pi rit th e
Nati onal G overnment was fi rs t o rgani z e d u n der Washington A nd h ere th ere
i s a fact of pe culiar signific anc e , w ell worthy o f p erp etu al mem ory A t th e
ti me thi s great ch i ef to ok h i s fi rst oath t o su pp ort th e C onstitution of th e
Uni te d States , th e Nation al Ensig n n owh er e wi th in th e Nation al Ter r ito ry co ver ed
a sing le slave
O n th e s ea , an ex e crabl e p iracy , th e trad e i n slave s , w as s till ,
to th e national scan dal , tol erate d b en eath th e n ati onal fl ag In th e State s , as
a s e cti on al i nstitu ti on , b en eath th e s helte r of l o cal l aws , Slavery , un h appily
fou n d a h ome B ut i n th e o nly T erri torie s at thi s tim e b el ongin g to th e
Natio n—th e b roa d reg i on o f th e Nor th w e st—i t h ad al ready , by th e Ordin anc e
o f Freed om , b e e n mad e i mp o s si ble , e ven b efore th e ad optio n of th e C on st i tu
ti o n T h e D istrict o f C olu mbi a , with its F atal D owry , h ad n o t y et b e en
ac q u ire d
T h e original p ol i cy of th e Rep ubli c , b egu n u n der th e C on fe de rati on , an d
rec ogni se d at th e i niti ati on of th e new Gov ernment , i s cl ear an d u n mistakabl e
C ompen dio usly expre ss e d , i t was n on in ter ven tion by C o ngr ess wi th S lavery i n
Th u s w ere rec oncile d
th e S tates, an d i ts p r o h i bition in all th e n ational d omain
all di s co rd ant fe elings o n th i s s ubj ect S lave masters were left at h ome i n
th ei r resp ective States , w ith out any i nterventi on from C ongres s , to h ug Slavery
u ntil it stung them to c ontriti o n , wh il e th e great m ass opp os e d to th i s
w rong were prop erly exempte d fro m any resp on sib ility fo r i t i n th e n ation al
domai n
Mo st tru e it i s —b eyond all qu es ti o n —th at o ur C onstituti on was frame d by
th e l o v ers of Human Rights ; that i t was animate d by th ei r divin e spirit ; that
th e i n stit u tio n o f Slavery wa s regard ed by th e m w ith avers i on s o that th ough
cov ertly allu de d to , i t was n o t n ame d i n th e in s trument ; th at , acc ordi ng to
th e d eb ate s i n th e C onv ention , th ey refu se d to give i t any “ sanc ti on , o r “ to
admit i nt o th e C onstituti o n th e i dea o f property i n man , wh ile th ey l o oked
forward to th e certai n day w h e n i t woul d b e o bliterate d fro m th e lan d S urely
Fell ow C itiz en s , th ey d i d n o t c ontemplate any oligarchi cal c ombinati on c on
s t i tu t i n g a migh ty Propagand a , s uc h n s wc n ow w itn ess , to u ph ol d an d extend
i t ; n or c an any pe rs on pu t h i s fi nger o n any clau se ph r as e o r w or d w hich
s an cti on s any s u ch Propagan da ; an d , i n m aking th i s asscr tio n , l ch alle nge
c ritic ism and reply
B ut th e original p oli cy o f th e Governm ent d i d n ot l on g prev ail Th e gen
e r o u s s entiments , wh ic h fille d th e e ar ly p atriots , givin g to th em hi storic grand
e u r , an d wh ich stampe d u po n th e Repu bli c as u po n th e c oin w hich it circula
te d , th e ve ry image an d su perscripti on o f L i nnnr v , grad u ally l ost th e ir p owe r
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5
of
Th e bl e s sing s of Fre edom b ei ng a lready s ec u re d to th e mselves , th e freemen
th e lan d b ecame in di ff e rent to th e fre e dom of others T h ey ceas e d to th in k
Th e slave —
masters avail ed th emselves of t h i s in d i ff erence , an d ,
o f th e slaves
th ough f e w i n n umb er, compare d w ith th e n on sl ave ma sters , even i n th e
slav e States , th e y h av e , u n der th e i nflu enc e o f an imagin ed s elf i nte r e st, b y
th e s k illful tactics o f p arty , an d esp eci ally by an unh esitatin g , pers ever i n g
u nio n amon g th ems e lves—swaying by tu rn s b oth th e great p olitical p art i e s
S u cc eeded through a l o n g su cce ssi o n o f years , i n obtaining th e m astery o f th e
National Government , b endi ng it to th eir p urpos e s—comp ell in g i t t o do th e i r
will , an d imposin g up on it a policy off en sive to Free do m, an d directly oppo s e d
t o the s entim e nts o f i ts foun ders ; w hile o n th e foreh ea d o f th e Repu bl i c onc e
b eaming with Lib erty, the y h av e stampe d t h e i mage an d supers cripti on o f
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S L AVER!
Th e act u al
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n umb er of slaveh ol ders i n th e c ou ntry w as f o r a l ong tim e
u n kn o wn , an d on th i s account was n aturally exagge rate d It was often rep
res e n te d to be very gre at O n o n e o ccas ion , a di stingu i sh e d Rep res entative
fro m Mas s ac h u setts , wh o s e n am e will eve r b e ch eri sh e d f o r h i s d evoti o n to
Hum an Rights , the H en Horac e Mann , was ru dely interrupted o n th e fl oor o f
C on gres s by a m embe r fro m Al ab ama , wh o averre d th at th e n um ber o f slave
h old ers w as as many as thre e mil li on s At th a t tim e th ere was n o o ffi ci al
d ocumen t by wh i ch th is as s umpti on co uld be c o rre ct e d B ut at l ast we h av e
it T h e l ate censu s , take n i n 1 8 5 0 , s h o ws t h at th e wh ole n u mb er o f th i s pe cu
l iar class —emb racing me n, women , and ch ildr e n , all to ld , wh o are s o u nf or
an d , o f th i s n umb er , th e large r
t u nat e as to h ol d slaves —was o nly
p art are sm all sl a v eh ol ders , leavi ng on ly
p erson s as th e owners o f th e
great mass o f slaves , an d as th e su bstantial repres entative s of this clas s An d
yet thi s s mal l company —
s ometimes c alle d th e Slave P ower , o r Bl ac k P ower,
bet t e r calle d th e S lave Oligarchy—n o w d omin ates o ver th e Repu bli c , deter
mi nes its n ational p olicy , di sp os es of its o f fi ces , an d sways all to its ab s olute
will ! e s, Fellow Citiz en s , it i s an Oligarchy—o diou s b eyon d prec e d en t ; h eart
le s s , grasp ing , tyrannical ; carel es s o f h umanity , right , or th e
wanting that foun da ti on o f j u stic e wh ich i s the es s ential b as e o f every civili z e d
commun ity ; stuck togeth er only by co nfe deracy in spolia t ion ; an d c on stitutin g
in itself a magnum latr ociniu m ; wh ile it degrad es th e fre e States t o th e c ondi
ti on of a slave plantation , u n der th e las h of a vulgar , desp is e d , an d revoltin g
overse er
Th ere i s n othing in th e Nati onal G overnm ent wh ic h th e Slav e Oligarchy
do es n ot appropriate It entere d into an d p o ss ess e d b oth th e old p oliti cal p ar
ties Whig an d D emo cratic —as w i tn e ss th eir s ervil e resol uti on s at B altim ore
making th em o n e in su b s erviency , th ou gh do ub l e i n fo rm ; an d ren ewi ng in
th em th e mystery o f th e Si ames e
th ou gh s eparate i n b ody an d
di ff eren t in n ame , were c on strain e d by an unnatural l ig amen t to a c ommu nity
o f exerti o n
It n ow h o lds th e k eys o f every o ffic e , from th at of Presi d ent
down t o th e h umble st p ostmaster, comp elling all to d o its b i dding It organ
i z es th e C abi net I t directs th e A rmy an d Navy It man ages eve ry d ep a r t
ment o f p ubl ic b u sin es s It pre sid es o ver th e c en su s It control s th e Smith
so n i an In stitution , fou n de d by th e g en erous ch arity o f a foreigner to p rom ot e
,
th e interests o f kn owl edge It sub si di z es th e nation al p res s , alik e in th e
n ation al capital an d in th e remotes t v ill age of th e North It sits in th e ch air
o f th e Presi den t o f th e S enate an d al s o i n th e ch air o f th e Sp eaker of th e
Hou se It arrange s th e C ommittee s of b oth b odies , pl acing at th eir h ea d only
th e s ervitors o f Sl avery , an d exclu ding th erefrom th e fri en ds o f Fre edom ,
th ough entitl e d to s u ch place s by th eir ch aracter an d th e States th ey r e pr e
s e nt ; a n d thu s i t control s th e l e gi slati on o f th e cou n try
In maintainin g its p ow er , th e Slave O ligarchy h a s appli e d a t est f or office ,
very differen t from th at of Je fie r son—f ‘ Is h e h on est ? Is h e cap abl e ? Is
b e faithful t o th e C onstitu ti on ?
Th es e thi ngs are all forgotten n ow , i n th e
singl e qu estion , “ Is b e faithful to Slavery ?
With arrogant ostracism , it
exclu d es f rom every national o ffi c e all wh o cann ot r esp on d to thi s te st 8 0
c omplete an d irration al has th i s tyranny b ecome , th at at th i s moment , wh il e I
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n ow
sp ea k , c o u ld Washington , or J e ff ers o n , e r Frankli n , on c e m ore des c en d
from th eir S ph ere s ab ove , t o mingl e i n o u r a ff airs an d bl e ss u s with th eir w is
d om , n ot on e o f th em , with hi s recorde d u nr etr acted O pin i on s on Sl ave ry , coul d
receive a nomin ati on for th e Pres i den cy from e ith er o f th e p oli tical p artie s
calling th ems el ves n ational ; n or, stran ger still , c o ul d e ith er o f th es e sai nte d
patri ots , wh os e nam es al on e op en a p erp etu al fou ntai n o f gratitu de i n all you r
h earts , b e c on firmed by th e S enate o f th e Un ite d S t at e s f o r any p o l itical fun c
ti o n wh atever—n o t even fo r th e o ffi c e o f p ostmaste r W h at l n ow say , amid st
you r n atural astonishm ent , I h ave often sai d b efore in addre s sin g th e p eople ,
an d m ore th an o n c e u ttere d from my s e at i n th e S en ate ; an d n o m an th er e
has ma d e answe r , for n o man wh o h as sat i n its s ecret s es si on s , an d th er e l e arn ed
th e te st wh ich i s practically appl i ed , c oul d m a k e an swer ; an d I ask yo u t o
accept th is s tatem en t as my te stimony , d eriv e d from th e exp eri enc e o f fou r
years , wh i ch h as b e en my lot u n der th e c ommis si on wh ich I h ave receiv e d
from o u r h on ore d C ommonw ea lth ! e s, Fel low C itiz en s , h a d th i s te st prevail
e d i n th e e arl ie r days , Wash ington—fir st i n war , fi rst i n pe ace , fi rst i n th e
h earts of h i s c ountrymen —c oul d n ot h av e b e e n cre ate d general issim o o f th e
A m eri can fo rce s ; J e ff ers on c oul d n ot h ave taken h i s pl ac e o n th e C ommi tte e
t o draft th e D ecl arati on of Indep en denc e ; an d Fran k li n c o ul d n o t h ave gon e
forth to Fran c e , w ith th e commi ssi on o f th e i nfant Repu bli c , to s ecure th e
i nval u abl e allian c e of th at an ci ent Kingdo m
A ll tyranny , l ike mu rder , i s fo ul at th e b e st ; b ut th i s i s most fou l, strange ,
an d u nnatural , wh en it i s c on si d ere d th at t h e States , wh i ch are th e h o m e o f
th e Slave Oligarchy , are far in feri or to the free State s , i n p opul ati on , w ealth
e d ucati on , s ch o ols ch urch es , l ib rari e s , m an u factu re s , an d resou rce s o f all
ki n d s
By th e l ast c ensu s , th ere was i n t h e fre e State s a sol id p opul ati on o f
fre emen amou nti ng to u pward s of
whil e i n th e sl ave States th ere
was a l ike p op ulati on o f o nly
In oth er resp ects , imp o rtan t to civil
i z ati o n , th e d isparity was as gre at
An d yet , fro m th e b eginning , th ey h av e
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taken to th em s el ve s th e l i o n s sh are am ong t h e h on o rs an d tru sts of th e Re pu b
l ic B ut , with out e xp o sing th e gam e of p oliti cal “ swe ep stakes , wh ich th e
Sla v e Oligarchy h as p erp etu ally pl aye d —i nteresting as it w oul d b e —I p refe r
to h ol d u p fo r o n e m om ent the as sumpti on s , aggressi on s , an d u su rpati on s by
wh i ch , i n d e fian ce o f th e C on stituti on , it h as made Sl av ery n ati onal , wh en
it i s in re al ity s ecti o nal H ere i s a b rief catal ogu e :
Early i n th is century , wh e n th e D i strict of C ol umb i a w as finally oc cu pi ed
as th e n ati on al c apital , th e Slave Oligarch y su cce e ded , in defianc e of th e
spirit o f th e C on stituti on , an d e v en o f th e e xpres s l etter of on e of its a men d
m ents , i n s ecu rin g f or Sl avery , w ith in th e D istrict , th e c ountenan ce of th e
Nati onal G overnm ent Until th en , S lavery h ad exi sted n owh ere on th e lan d
wi th in th e reach an d exclu sive j uris dictio n o f th i s G overnm ent
T h e Sl av e Oligarchy n ext s e cu re d for Slavery an oth er rec ogn iti on u nd er th e
National G overnment i n th e b ro ad Territory of L ou is i an a , p urch as e d from
Fran c e
T h e Sl ave Oligarchy n ext pl ace d Sl av ery agai n u n d er th e san ction o f th e
Natio n al G o ve rnm ent , in th e T errito ry o f Flori da purchas ed from Spain
T h e Sl ave Ol igarchy , waxing p owerfu l , was able , after a s evere struggl e
to di ctate terms to th e Nation al G overnment i n th e M iss ou ri C ompromi s e
c ompell in g it to rec eive th at S tate into th e Un i on w ith a sl aveh ol din g C on sti
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Th e Slave Ol igarchy i n stigate d an d carrie d on a m os t exten sive w ar i n
Fl orida m ainly to rec ove r fugitive sl aves —th u s d egrading th e army o f t h e
Unite d S tates to b e Sl ave H unters
T h e Sl av e O ligarchy w reste d from Mexi co the Prov inc e o f T exas , an d , tri
umphi ng o ve r al l O ppo sition , fi nally s ecure d its admis si on i nto t h e U n i on , with
a C o nsti tu ti on m aking S lave ry p erpetu al
Th e Sl ave O ligarchy plun ge d th e c oun try i n w ar w ith Mexic o , i n o rd er to
gai n n e w l an d s for Slavery
Th e S lave Oligarchy , with th e mean nes s as well as th e in sol en ce o f tyranny
h as comp ell e d th e N ati on al G overnm en t t o ab stain fr om ack n o u le d g i ng th e
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eighb or Rep ubli cof Hayti , wh er e slave s h ave b ecome fre emen , an d es tabli sh e d
a n i n dep end ent n ati on
Th e Slave Oligar ch yh as c omp ell ed th e National Government to stoop i gno
bly b e fo re th e B ritish Qu een , t o s ecure c ompensation for sl aves wh o i n the
e xerci s e o f th e natu ral r ights of man h ad as s erte d an d achi eve d th eir fre edom
,
o n th e Atl antic O cean and afterwards s ought sh elter i n B ermu da
,
Th e Slave Oli garchy h as comp ell e d th e National G overnment to s eek t o
n egotiate t re ati es for th e surren der o f fu giti v e sl ave s —thu s making o n? Repub
l i c as s ert abroad , i n foreign lan ds , prop erty i n human fl esh
Th e Slav e Oligarchy has j oin e d i n de cl aring th e foreign sl ave trade p ir acy
b ut in si sts o n th e c oastwis e slave trade , un der th e au spicies o f th e Natio nal
Gov e rnment
Th e Slave Oligarchy for s everal years rej e cte d th e petitions to C ongress
a dvers e to Slavery—thu s in order to sh i el d th is wrong , practically denying the
,
r ight o f petiti on
T h e Slave Oligarchy , i n defi an c e o f th e privil ege s s ecure d u n der th e C o n
s ti t u ti on O f th e Unite d States impris on s th e fre e c olore d citi z ens o f M assach u
,
s etts , an d s om etimes s ell s th em into b on dage
T h e Slav e Oligar chy in sulted an d exil e d from C h arl eston an d New O rl e ans
th e h on ore d repres entatives o f Mas sach u s et ts , wh o were sent t o tho s e places
wi th th e c ommi ss i on of th e C ommonw ealth , i n order to th row th e sh iel d of th e
C on stituti on ov er h er c ol ore d citi z en s
T h e Sl av e Oli garchy h as , by th e p en of Mr C alh ou n as Secretary o f State
i n formal d espatch es mad e th e Repu bli c stan d b efore th e n ation s of th e earth
as th e V indi cato r of Sl avery
T h e Sl ave O ligarchy h as put forth th e h i deou s efiron te r y, th at Slavery can
go to all n ewly acquire d territo ri e s , an d e nj oy th e protectio n of th e n ation al
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Th e Sl av e Oligarchy h as imp o se d Up on th e country an act
C ongre ss , for
t h e recovery o f fugiti v e slaves , revoltin g i n its r equ irements , an d many times
u nc on stituti onal —esp ecially o n tw o groun ds : fi rst , as a u su rpation by C on gress
o f p ow ers not grante d by th e C onstitu ti on , an d an infracti on o f rights secured
t o th e S tate s ; an d , seco ndly , as a den ial of Trial by Ju ry , i n a qu estio n of
P ers onal Lib e rty , an d a su it at c omm on law
Th e Slave Obligar ch y, in defianc e of th e declare d purp os e s O f th e Fath ers to
i im it an d discourage Slavery , h as su ccessi vely intro du c ed i nto th e Uni on , Ke n
tu cky , T enne sse e , A l ab ama , Mis si s si ppi , Loui si an a , M i ssou r i , Ar k an sas, and
T ex as , as sl aveh ol ding State s th u s at each stage fo rtifying its p olitical p ower
an d making th e N at i o n al G overnme nt give n ew sancti on to Slavery
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S uch F ell ow C itiz e ns , are s om e Of th e as su mpti on s ag gres si ons and u sur
nt
n s of th e Slave Oligarchy !
By
su
ch
step
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th
e
Nati
onal
G
overnme
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t
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p
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h as b ee n p erverte d from its original p urpo s es , its ch aracter ch an ged an d
i ts p o w ers all s u rren d ered to Sl avery S urely , n o p atriot s o ul can li sten to
t h is re ci tal , wi th out c onfe s sing th at o ur fi rst p olitical du t y i s at all h az ards
an d with ou t c ompromi se t o O pp os e th is Oligarchy , to di sl o dge it fro m th e
Nati on al Government and to b ring th e admini s t rati on b ac k t o that ch aracter
wh i ch it enj oye d wh en first organ iz e d u n der Wash ington h ims elf an A b ol i
ti o n i st , an d s urro un de d by A b ol iti oni sts wh il e th e wh ol e c ountry , by its
C hu rch , its C oll ege s , its Literatu re , an d all its b est voi ces , was unite d agai nst
S lavery , an d th e nati on al fl ag n owh ere withi n th e nati on al t erritory cov ered
a si ngle slave
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Fel l o w C itiz en s I h ave s ai d en ou gh to stir yo u ; b u t thi s h umiliatin g tal e
i s n ot yet fini sh e d _ A n Oligarchy se eking to mai ntain an outrage like Slavery ,
an d d rawing its i nspirati on fro m th is fou ntain o f wic k ednes s , i s n aturally
bas e fals e an d h eedl es s of j u stice It i s vain to exp e c t that m en wh o h ave
s cr e w e d th e m sel v e s to b ec ome th e propagan dis ts o f th is en ormity , will b e
re strain e d by any c omp ro mis e , c ompact b argain , or plighte d faith A s th e
les s is containe d i n th e greater, s o th ere i s n o vilene s s o f di sh on esty , n o d en ial
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8
of h uman rights , th at i s n ot plainly i nvolve d i n th e support o f an enormi
ty, w hich begin s by changing man create d in th e image o f G o d into a c h at ;
t e l, an d sweep s littl e children away to th e au cti o n bloc k
A p ower whi ch
H eav en n ever gave , can b e maintain e d only by mean s which H eav en can n eve r
s ancti on A n d thi s c oncl u s i on o f reas on is confirme d by late exp eri enc e ; an d
h ere I approach th e special qu estion u n der wh i ch th e count ry n ow sh a k e s
from sid e to Side T h e protracte d struggl e O f 1 8 2 0 , kn own as th e Mis so u ri
Question , end e d with the admis si on o f Mi s sou ri as a sl aveh olding State , an d
th e prohib ition o f Slavery i n all th e remain ing territo ry , west o f th e Mi ss i ssipp i
an d n orth of 3 6
H ere was a so lemn act o f legi sl ation , cal le d at t h e
time a c ompromis e , a c o ven ant , a compact , first brou ght forward by th e Slav e
Oligarchy—vin dicate d by it in debate —finally s ancti one d by its v otes , al s o
u ph el d at th e time by a slaveh ol din g Presi dent , J am e s M onro e , an d hi s Cab i
n e t—
Of wh om a maj ority were slaveh olders , incl u din g Mr Calh ou n , him sel f
an d m ad e th e c on ditio n of th e admis si on of Mis s o uri , with ou t wh i ch th at
State cou l d n ot h ave b e en re ceive d i nto th e Union Su ddenly , during th e las t
year—with o ut any n otic e i n th e publ ic pr es s or th e prayer o f a s ingl e p etiti on
after an acqu i escence o f th i rty thre e years , an d th e irreclaimab l e po ss e ssi o n
by th e S lave Oli garchy o f its S p ec ial s hare i n th e p rovisi on s of th i s C ompro
mis e—i n viol ati on of every obligati on o f h onor , c ompact , an d go o d n eighb or
h o od—an d i n contemptu ou s disregard o f th e o u t gu sh ing sentiments o f an
arou s e d North , this time h on ore d Proh ib ition , i n its elf a Lan d mark of Freed o m ,
was overtu rn e d , an d th e vast region , n ow kn own as Kansas an d Nebras k a
was opene d to Sl avery ; an d thi s w as don e u n der th e disgracefu l l e ad o f
North ern p olitici an s , an d with th e un d i sguis e d co m plicity O f a N orth ern Pres i
dent , forgetful Of Free dom , f org etfu l als o of h i s reiterate d pl edge s , that durin g
h i s administrati on th e rep o s e O f th e cou ntry sh ou l d receive n o sh o c k
A n d all th i s w as p erpetrate d u n d er pretenc es of p opul ar righ ts
Fr e ed om
was b etrayed by a k iss In defian c e o f an un i nterrupted pre s cri pti o n dow n
to o u r day—early s u s tai n e d at th e S o u th as w ell as th e North —l e aning at
on c e o n J e ff ers on an d Wash ington—s an ction e d by all th e auth oritative n ame s
O f o u r h i story , an d b eginning w ith th e gre at Ordinanc e by whic h Sl avery w as
prohi bite d i n the N Orth w e st—i t was p reten de d th at th e p eo pl e of th e Un ite d
S tate s , w h o ar e th e proprietors o f th e n ati on al domain , an d wh o , ac cordin g
to th e C on stituti on may “ ma k e al l n ee dful rul es an d regulati ons for i ts
go v ern ment n everth el es s w ere n ot its s o vereign s —th at th ey h ad n o p ower to
i nterdict Sl avery th ere ; b ut th at thi s e min ent d omin io n resi de d i n th e few
s ettl ers , c alle d squ atters , wh om ch anc e or a de sire to b etter th eir fortun es
first h u rri e d into th es e places
T o th i s precari ou s h an dful , S prinkl e d ove r
imm en se S p ace s , it was l eft , with out any c on strai nt from C ongr es s to d ecid e ,
wh eth er into th es e vast un s ettl e d l ands , as into th e v eins of an i n fant , sh ou l d
b e p ou red th e festering p oi s on o f Sl avery , d estin ed , as tim e advanc e s t o sh ow
its el f i n canc ers an d le prou s d i s ease , o r wh eth er th ey s h oul d b e fill e d with all
th e g lowing l ife of F reedom A n d th is great p owe r , tran sferre d from C o n
gres s to the s e few s ettle rs , was h aile d by the n ew fangl e d nam e Of S gaatler
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S over e ign ty
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It was fi t th at th e origin al outrage perpe trate d u n d er s uch preten c es , sh oul d
be foll ow e d by oth er o utrages , p e rpetrate d i n d efianc e o f th es e p retenc e s I n
th e rac e o f emig rati on , th e Free d om l oving f r e e mcn o f th e North pro m is ed to
o btain th e as cen dency an d , i n th e ex erci se of th e c onc ede d s overeignty o f th e
settl ers , to proh ibit Slavery T h e Sl ave O ligarchy wa s aro use d t o oth e r
e fforts O f c o urs e , i t s tu ck at n othing O n t h e d ay of electi on , wh e n thi s
vaun ted popular s ove reignty w as fi rst in voked h i relin gs from Mi ss ou ri h avin g
no h ome i n th e T errito ry , entere d i t i n bands o f fifties an d h u n dreds and
assuming an el ectoral fran chi se to whi ch th ey h ad n o cl aim , tr ampl e d u nd e r
fo ot t h e C on stitution an d l aws V i ol ently , ruthl essly th e p olls w ere po s
s es se d by th e s e in vaders Th e s am e N orth ern P resi dent , w h o d i d n o t sh rin k
fro m u n bl ushin g c ompli ci ty i n th e or i gi n al outrage , n o w as s ume d an othe r
c ompl icity Th ough p rompt to l avi sh t h e T re asu ry t h e A rmy an d th e Navy
o f t h e Re publ ic , i n h un t ing a single slave th rou gh th e s treets o f B o sto n h e
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c oul d s ee th e C onstituti on an d l aws wh i ch h e was sworn to protect , an d th o s e
p opu lar rights wh ich h e had a ff ecte d to promote , all stru ck down i n Ka ns as ,
an d th en give n ew s cop e to th ese invad ers by th e removal o f the faithfu l
G overn or—wh o had b e come ob n oxi ou s to th e Slave O ligarchy b ecaus e h e
woul d n ot b ec ome its to ol —an d th e s ub stituti on o f an oth er , wh o v in d icated
th e di sh on est ch oic e by making haste , on h i s first arrival th ere , t o embrac e
th e partis ans of Slavery Th e L egislature , wh ich was c on s titute d by th e
o verthrow of th e el ectoral fran ch is e proc e ede d to overthrow ev ery sa f egu ar d
o f Free dom
At o n e swo op , it adopte d all th e l egi slati on of Mi ss ouri , inclu din g
its Sl ave C o de ; by an other act it imp o se d u nprece dente d c on diti on s u p o n
th e exercis e of th e el ectoral franch is e , an d by still an oth er act it den oun ce d
th e p u nish ment of d eath n o l e s s th an five ti me s again st as many di ff erent form s
o f interferenc e with th e alleged prop erty i n h uman fl esh whil e all wh o only
wri te o r sp eak again st Slavery are adj udged to b e fel on s ! e s, F ellow Citiz en s ,
sho u l d any p ers o n th ere pre sume to print or ci rcul ate th e sp eech i n w hich I
n o w expres s my ab h orren c e o f Slavery , an d deny its c onstituti on al exi sten c e
anywh ere with i n th e n ational j uris diction , h e wo ul d b ecome liabl e u n der th i s
act as a felon An d th i s overthrow o f al l p opul ar rights i s d one i n th e nam e
S urely its auth ors foll ow w ell th e ex ampl e o f th e
o f Popular S o vereignty
earl ie st Squ att er S overeign —n on e oth e r than S atan —wh o , steal ing into E den ,
was th ere disc overed , by th e c e l estial a ngel s , j ust b egin n ing h i s work ; as
Milto n tells u s ,
hi m t h e re t h e y fo u n d
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l o se
o f Ev e
at t h e e ar
!
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Wo ul d you know th e s ecret o f th i s unprec e dente d en deavor , b eginning w ith
th e repeal o f th e Proh ib ition o f Slave ry , d own to th e l ates t atrocity ? Th e
an swer i s at h an d I t i s n ot m erely t o provid e n ew markets f or slav e s , o r
eve n to guard Sl avery in M iss o uri , b ut to bu il d an oth er s lave State , an d th u s ,
by th e pres enc e o f t wo additi onal slav eh oldin g S en ators , to give i nc reas e d
prep onderan c e oi th e Sl ave Oligarc h y i n th e Nati on al G ov ernmen t As m en
are murd ere d fo r th e sake o f th eir mon ey , s o i s thi s T erritory bl aste d i n p eac e
an d p r ospe r i ty, i n order to wre st i ts p oli tica l in fluen ce t o th e si d e of Sla v ery
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B ut a s ingl e u s u rpati o n i s n ot en ough to e mploy th e rapaci ou s en ergi e s o f
o u r Oligarchy At thi s mo men t , whi le th e cou ntry i s p ain e d by th e h eartl es s
co n spiracy against F re ed om i n Kan sas , we are startl ed by an oth e r e ff o rt ,
wh ic h c ontempl ate s , n ot merely th e politi cal s ubj ugati on o f th e Nati on al G ov
e r n m e n t, b ut th e actual i ntrodu cti o n of Sl avery i nto th e fre e States
Th e
vau nt h as b e en m ade , th at slave s will yet b e co u nte d i n th e sacre d shadow o f
th e mo nument o n Bunker Hill , an d m o re than on e step h as b e en taken towards
thi s e ffrontery A p ers on o f V irgi ni a has as serte d h i s right to h ol d slav e s in
New ! ork o n th e w ay to Tex as ; an d th i s cl aim i s still p en din g b efore th e
h igh est j u dici al tri b unal o f the l an d A si m ilar claim has b e en asserte d i n
P en n sylvani a an d thu s far b een su st ain ed by th e C ou rt A b lam eles s citi z en ,
wh o i n ob e di en ce to h i s gen erou s impul ses , an d in h armony with th e receive d
l aw , merely gave n otic e to a pe rs o n h el d as a sl av e i n a fre e State , th at sh e
w as i n reality free , h as b een th rust into j ail an d n o w , after th e l ap se o f
month s , still l anguish es th ere , th e victim of th is preten si on wh il e—th at n o
exce s s migh t b e wanting in th e madn es s of thi s tyranny—th e great wri t o f
H abeas C amu s, prou dly k no w n as th e writ o f d el iveranc e , h as b een m ad e t h e
ins trume nt of hi s impri s onm ent O utrage treads up o n outrage , an d great
rights p ass away to p eri sh Al as ! th e ne edful to ol f o r s u ch work i s to o e asily
foun d i n pl ace s high an d l ow— i n th e all eys an d cellars of B o sto n—o n th e
b en ch o f th e J udge — i n th e ch ai r of th e Pr es i d ent B ut it i s th e p ower beh in d
wh ich I arraign Th e Sl av e Oligarchy do es it ; th e Slav e Oligarchy do es it all
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To th e prostratio n
th is Ol igarchy yo u are b oun d by a three fol d c or d o f
duty : fi rst as y ou wo ul d s ecure Fre edom for you rselve s ; s ec on dly , as you
woul d uph ol d Freed o m i n di stant Kan sas and th irdly as yo u would p re s erve
th e U nion i n i ts e arly streng th an d integrity Th e pe opl e of Kan s as are m any
of
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o f th em fro m Mas s ach u s etts—b on e o f o u r b on e , fle sh o f our fl esh ; b ut as fe l
l ow citiz en s u n de r the C onstitution , th ey are b ou n d to u s by ti e s which we
c ann ot di s own Nay m ore : by the sub tl e c ord w hich c onn ects th i s emb ryo
s ettlem ent w ith th e R epu bli c , th ey are m ad e a p art o f u s Th e outrage wh ich
t ou ch e s th em , touch e s u s Wh at gall s th em , gall s u s Th e fetter wh ich b i nd s
th e s lave i n Kan s as b in ds every citiz en i n M as sachu s etts Th u s are w e prompt
e d to th eir res c ue , not only to save th em , b u t al s o t o s ave ou rselv e s T h e
tyranny wh ich n o w tre ad s th em d own , h as already tra m pl e d o n u s , an d only
awaits an opp o rtunity t o d o it again I n its c o mpl ete overthr o w i s th e o nly
way o f s afety Inde ed , th i s m u st b e d on e b efo re anyth ing el se can b e don e
In vain yo u s eek ec on omy i n th e G o vernment improvement of ri v ers an d h ar
b ors o r dignity an d p eac e i n ou r forei gn rel ati on s wh il e thi s P ower h ol d s th e
n ation al p urs e an d th e n ati on al sword Pro strate th e S lave Oligarchy , an d
th e d oor will b e w id e open f o r all gen er ou s reforms O h ! th e imaginati o n
l os e s i ts elf in th e vain en de avor to pictu re t h e go o d th at will b e th en aecom
Prostrate th e Slav e Oligarchy , an d Lib erty w ill b ecome th e u niversal
pli sh e d
law of all th e nati on al T erritori es Sl avery w ill c eas e at on ce i n th e n ation al
c apital ; th e s lave trad e will n o lo nger sk u lk al ong o u r c oasts b en eath th e
nati on al flag ; an d th e wi cke dn es s o f th e Fu giti v e Sl av e B il l will b e driven
from th e statute b o ok Prostrate th e Sl av e Oligarchy , an d th e Nation al Gov
e rn me n t will b e at length di vorc e d fr om Sl ave ry an d th e nati on al p olicy wil l
,
b e ch an ge d fro m Slavery to Freed om Prostrat e th e Slave Oli garchy an d th e
North w ill n o l o n ger b e th e vas sal o f th e So u th Pro s trate th e Slave Oligarc h y ,
an d th e North will b e ad m itte d to its j u st share i n th e tru sts and h on ors o f th e
R ep ubli c Pro strate th e Slave Oligarchy , an d yo u w ill p os se s s th e m aster key
with wh i ch t o u nl ock th e wh ol e h ous e of b on d age Pro strate th e Slave Oli
garchy an d th e gate s o f em an cipati on will b e o pe n at th e South
T o th i s w ork , F ell ow C i ti z en s yo u are n ow su m m o ne d By you r v ote s yo u
are to d ecl are , n o t m erely y our pred ile ction for m en , b ut you r d evoti on to prin
ci ple s
Men ar e e rring an d m o rtal Prin cip le s are steadfast an d immortal
F orgettin g al l oth er t h i n gs —
esp eci ally forg etti n g m en —y ou are to cast you r
vote s s o as b e st t o promote F ree d om
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B u t i n th e ch o ice o f m en w e are dri ven to th e o rgani z ati on o f p artie s ; an d
here o ccu rs th e p ractic al qu esti on on whi ch h inges ou r i mm ediate duty , By
what p olitic al p arty can ou r des ire b e ac compl ish e d ? T h ere are i nd ividu al s
in all th e p arti es , eve n th e D emo crati c , wh o h ate Slavery , an d s ay s o ; bu t a
p olitic al p arty can n ot b e j u d ge d by th e private opinio n s of s om e o f its m em
b ers So meth ing el s e more s oli d an d tangibl e mu st app e ar Th e party th at
w e s el ect , to b ear th e burden an d h on or o f ou r great c ontroversy mu st b e
ad apte d t o th e wo rk I t mu st b e a p erfect m ach ine We dd e d to Free dom for
b etter o r for w ors e , an d cl e avin g to i t with a grasp n ever to b e u nlo os ed i t
mu st b e cl ear , op en and un equ ivo cal , i n i ts d ecl aration s an d mu st ad m it n o
oth er qu estion t o di vert its en ergi e s I t mu st b e all i n Fre e dom an d like
Cazsar s w ife , i t mu st b e ab ove s u spi ci on B ut be si de s th i s c h aracter wh i ch i t
mu st s u stai n i n Mas sachu s etts i t mu st b e p repare d to take i ts plac e i n cl o se
ph al a n x wi th th e u nite d mass e s o f the North n o w organ izin g th rou gh all th e
fre e State s , j u n cta q u c ambo n cp h alang cs, fo r th e protection o f Freed om , an d th e
overth row o f th e Sl ave Oligarchy
B e arin g t h es e con d iti on s i n mind , th ere are th ree p arti e s wh ich w e may di s
m is s , o n e by on e as th ey p as s i n review M en d o n ot gath er gr ap e s from
th orn s n o r fi gs from thi stl es ; n o r d o th ey e x p ec t p atrioti sm fro m B en edi ct
Arn old A party w hich su stain s t h e tyran ni e s an d pe r fid i e s of th e S Iav e Oli
garc h y an d i s re pre sente d by th e Pre sident th rou gh wh om h as c o m e s o much
o f al l ou r w o e n ee d n o t o c cu py o u r tim e ; an d such i s th e D em o cratic party
I f th e re b e wi thi n th e s oun d o f my v oic e a singl e p e rson wh o p rofessing sym
pathy w ith Freed o m s till vot es with th i s party to h im I woul d say : Th e
le t it n ot b e a b ulwark o f Sl avery ;
n ame o f D e m ocr a t i s a towe r o f s trength
for th e sak e o f :t n ame d o n o t sac ri fi c e a thi ng ; for th e s ak e of a party , d o n ot
S u rren d e r F ree d o m
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11
Ac c ording to a familiar rul e , h an d e d d own from distant antiqu ity , w e are
t o say nothin g b ut go o d o f th e dead H o w , th en , sh all I speak o f th e l ate po w
on c e
e r f u l Whig party— by w hos e giant contests th e wh ole c ou ntry was
uph ea v ed—b u t which h as n o w c ease d t o exi st , except as th e s hadow of a
nam e Here i n Massachu setts , a f e w , wh o d o n o t yet kn ow that it i s d e ad h av e
met togeth er an d pro ff ere d the ir o ld all egi anc e Th ey are th e Rip V an Win
kl e s o f ou r politi cs
Th is respectabl e ch aracter , falling asl e ep i n t h e m o u n
tains , drowsed un disturb ed th rough ou t th e wh ol e w ar of th e R evolu ti on , and ,
th en retur n in g to h i s n ative village , ign orant o f all th at h a d p ass ed , pr e p os ed
to drink th e h ealth of Kin g G eo rge B ut o ur Whigs are les s tol erant an d
u rb an e th an this aw aken e d D u tchman I n p etul ant an d i rrati on al assu mp
ti on s th ey are like th e u nfo rtunate j udge , w h o , b ei n g arou s ed from h i s sl um
b ers o n th e b e nch by a sud den cras h o f th un der , exclaime d , Mr C ri e r stop
th e n o is e i n C ourt ! Th e th un der w oul d n ot b e h u sh e d ; n or wil l th e voic e of
Fre e dom , n o w reverb eratin g th rou gh o ut th e l an d S om e th ere are am ong
thes e wh o op enly esp ou se th e p ar t of Sl ave r y , wh il e oth ers , by th ei r i n d iff e r
e nce pl ace th em s elve s i n th e same unh appy c omp any If th eir p ositi on at thi s
m o m ent w ere o f s uf fici ent importan c e to j u stify grave r e mar k , t h e y sh o u l d b e
exh ib ite d as kin dre d i n spi rit an d i s ol ati on to th e T o rie s o f ou r R evol uti on ,
o r at l eas t as th e B ou rb on s o f Mass ach u setts —always cl aiming ev eryth ing
l earn ing n oth ing forgettin g n oth in g , an d at last c on d emn e d by an arou s e d
p e opl e for th ei r d isl oyalty to F re e d om L et n o pers on wh o truly love s Fre e
d om j oin thi s company , tempte d by its nam e , its m u s ic , an d its b an ners
Th e re i s still an other party , wh ich claim s you r vote s , b ut p ermit m e to s ay ,
at thi s cris is , with sm al l pretence I am at a lo s s t o determi n e th e n am e by
w h ich i t may b e p roperly call ed It i s s ometimes kn own a s th e Kn ow Noth ing
p arty ; s ometimes as th e A m eri can p arty ; b ut i t ca n n ot b e e n ti tle d t o th e s e
designations —i f th ey b e o f any val ue—f or it d o es n ot claim to b el on g to th e
o rgani zati o n wh ich fi rst assum e d an d s till retain s th em It i s an i s ol ate d
c omb in ation , p eculiar to Mass achu s etts , wh i ch , whil e profes sing certain p ol it
ical s enti ments , i s b oun d togeth er by th e supp ort of o n e of th e can didate s f o r
G overn or At thi s m om ent , this i s i ts c o n trolling i dea It i s th erefore a
p er son al p atty, an d I tru st th at I sh all n o t b e con si d e r e d as d ep ar ti n g from th at
c o urte sy wh ich i s with me a law if I s ay th at , i n th e ab s en ce o f any appro
pr i at e n ame , express ive o f prin cipl e s , it may properly take its design atio n from
th e c an di date it supports
O f c ou rs e , s u c h a party wants th e fi rst ess ential c on diti on of th e organi z ati on
wh ich w e s e ek It i s a p er son al p ar ty, who se c ontrollin g i d ea i s a pre dil ecti o n
for a man , an d n ot a pri ncipl e Wh ateve r m ay b e th e p ri vate s entim ents o f
s om e o f its m emb ers , clearly it i s n ot a p arty w e d d e d to F re e dom for b etter
an d fo r wo r se , an d cleavi n g t o it with a gras p n ever to b e u nl o os e d Wh ile
professing opp o siti on to Slav ery it al s o arrai gn s C ath oli cs an d foreign ers a n d
all ow s th e qu esti on o f th eir privilege s to di sturb i ts en ergi es It i s n o t all in
Fr e edom ; n or i s it , lik e C aesar ’s wife , ab ov e s u spici on B esi d es , even as a
party o f F ree dom , i t is pow erl es s from its i s ol ati on ; for it stand s by its el f, an d
i s i n n o w ay as sociate d with th at great ph alanx n ow rallyi n g thro u gh out th e
North I n th i s con dition , sh oul d it continu e t o exi st , i t will , in th e c omin g
Pres i dential co ntest from natural afli n i tylap s e b ack into th e Ameri can party
o f th e c o untry , wh ich i s ran ge d o n th e s id e o f Slave ry
Of c ou rs e , as a
s ep arate p arty , it i s n ec essarily sh ort live d C ut o fl from th e main b o dy , it
m ay still sh ow a b ri ef vital ity , as th e h ead of a tu rtl e still b ite s f o r s om e d ays
after it i s s e v ere d from th e n eck ; b ut it can h ave n o p erm an ent e x i sten c e
S urely th i s i s n o t th e p arty o f Fre e dom which w e s e ek
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B ut th e i n comp eten cy o f th is party, a s th e organ o f o u r c au s e , i s enh an ce d
by th e un congen ial secrecy i n wh ich it h ad its ori gi n an d yet shroud s its elf
Fo r mys el f l et m e s ay , that o n th e fl o o r o f th e S en ate 1 h ave striven , by v ote
an d s pe ech , i n c o nj u ncti on w it h my di stingui sh e d frien d , Mr C H AS E, f or th e
l imitati on of th e s ecret s es si on s o f th at b ody , Un d er sh elter o f wh ich s o mu ch
o f th e b u sin e s s o f th e n ati on i s t r ansacte d ; and I h av e th e r e pres ente d , as a
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fit m o del for American i n stituti ons , th e exampl e of that an ci en t R oman ,
who b ade h is architect s o to c on struct h i s h o u s e , th at h i s gue sts an d all th at
th ey d i d might b e s e en by th e world What I h ave urge d th ere I n ow u rge
h ere B ut th e sp eci al aims wh ich thi s p arty p roposes s eem to b e i n h armony
with th e darkn e ss i n wh ich it b egin s E ven if j u stifl able o n any groun ds o f
p ubl ic p oli cy , they sh o ul d n ot b e asso ciate d with o u r c au s e ; b ut I am u nwill
i ng to allude to th em with o ut expres sing my frank dis s ent
It i s prop ose d t o attai nt m en for their religion , an d al so for th e ir b i rth I f
this obj ect c an prevail , vain are th e tri u mp hs of C ivil F ree dom i n its many
h ard fought fi el ds vain i s th at religio u s tol erati o n which w e all profess Th e
fi res o f S mi th fl eld , the to rture s o f th e Inqu isiti on , th e pr e scripti ons of n on
c onformists , m ay all be revive d I t was m ai nly to escap e th es e ou trage s ,
d ictate d by a d omin ant religio u s s ect , that our c ou ntry was early s ettle d , i n
o n e place by Q u ak e r s, wh o s et at n aught all form s
i n an oth er by P uritan s ,
wh o disowne d bi sh op s ; i n an oth er by Epi scopa li an s , wh o take th eir n am e
from b i sh ops an d i n yet a noth er by C ath o lic s , w h o lo ok to th e P op e as th ei r
Spiritual Fath er Sl owly among t h e str u gglin g s ects w as evolve d t h e g reat
i de a o f th e E qual ity of all m en b efore th e l aw , with out regard to r eligi o u s
b el ief ; n o r can any party n ow org an i z e a pro scripti on merely for religi ou s
b el ief, with o ut c alling i n qu esti on this unqu esti onab le principle
Bu t C ath o li cs are m ostly foreign ers , an d , on this acc o u nt , are co ndemne d
L et u s see if th ere b e any reas on i n thi s ; an d h ere in dulge m e with on e wor d
o n for eigners
W ith th e an ci ent G reeks a forei gn er was a bar bar i an , an d with th e an ci en t
R oman s h e was an enemy In early m odern tim es , th e au sterity of thi s j u dg
ment was relaxe d ; b ut , u n der th e i nfl u enc e o f feu dalism , th e di ff erent sov e r
ati on s , were kept i n a con diti o n o f i solati on ,
e i gnt i e s wh eth er provi nce s or n
from wh ich th ey h ave be en gra dually p as sing , until n ow , wh en th e pro vi nc es
are m erge d into n ati on s , an d nation s ar e gi vin g s ign s th at th ey to o w il l yet
c omming l e into on e I n o u r c ountry, an oth er exampl e i s al ready displ aye d
F ro m all n ati o ns , p e ople c ommingl e h ere A s in anci ent C orinth , by th e
acci dental fus ion o f all m etal s , accu mulate d i n th e s acre d templ es , a p ec uli ar
metal w as pro du ce d , b etter th an any in divi du a l m etal , ev en silver o r gold ,
s o p erh ap s , i n th e arrangements o f P rovi denc e , by th e fu si on o f all races h ere ,
th e re m ay b e a b etter race th an any i n divi du al race , ev en S ax cm or C elt
O ri gi n ally s ettl e d from Englan d , th e R ep ubl i c has b een stren gth en e d an d
enrich e d by gen ero u s c o ntrib ution s of p opul ati on from Sc otl an d , Irelan d ,
Switz erlan d , Swed en , F rance , an d G ermany ; an d th e cry i s still th ey c om e
At n o tim e sin ce th e di sc o very o f th e New Worl d , h as th e army o f emigrants
pre sse d s o stro ngly in th is directi o n Nearly h alf a millio n are ann ually
l an de d o n our sh ore s T h e m an n er i n which th ey sh all be rece ive d i s on e
o f th e probl ems of o u r nationa l p oli cy
All w ill admit th at any i nfl u en c e wh ich th ey may b ring , h o stil e to o u r
i nstitu tio n s —calculate d to s u bsti tute priestcraft for rel igi on , an d bigotry f or
C h ri sti anity—mu st b e deprecate d an d opp o s ed All will admit , to o , th at
th ere m u st b e s ome ass u ran c e o f th eir p urpo s e to b ec o me n ot m erely c on
s umers of th e fruits o f o u r s o il , b ut u s eful , l oyal , and p erman en t me m b ers o f
o ur c omm unity , u ph old ers o f th e general w el f are W i th th i s si m pl e explana
ti on , I am n ot dis po s e d to place any ch eck u p on th e w e l com e t o foreigners
Th ere are o u r b ro ad l an d s , stretch i n g to w ards th e setting su n ; l et th e m c ome
an d tak e th em O urs elve s the ch ildren o f th e Pilgrim s o f a fo rmer gen era
tion , l et u s n o t tu rn from th e Pilgrims o f th e pre sent L et th e h ome fo und e d
by ou r emigrant fath ers , continu e open in its many man s ions to th e emigrants
o f t o d ay
Th e h isto ry o f o u r c ou ntry , i n its h u mbl e st as well a s its m ost exalte d
Th ei r strong arm s h ave h el pe d
S ph eres te s tifie s to th e m erits o f foreigne rs
furrow ou r b road territory w ith canal s , an d stretch in every d irectio n th e i ron
rail They h av e fill e d o u r w orksh o ps , n avigate d o u r ship s an d even till e d
G o wh ere yo u will among th e h ardy s on s o f to il o n lan d or s ea
o u r fi eld s
an d th ere yo u wil l fin d in d ustri ou s an d faith ful f o reign ers b ending th e ir mu s
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13
cl es to th e work At th e bar an d i n th e high pl aces o f commerce you will fin d
th em E nter th e retreats of l earn in g , an d th ere you w ill fin d th em to o , sh ed
d ing up on o u r c ountry th e gl ory o f s ci en ce
No r c an any refl ecti on b e ca st
u p on foreigners , cl aiming h os pitality n ow , wh ich w ill n ot glan c e at o n ce u p on
th e distingui sh e d living an d the illustri ou s d ead—upo n th e Iri sh Montgomery ,
wh o p eri sh e d f or u s at th e gate s o f Q u eb ec—u p o n Pu laski th e P ol e , wh o
p eri sh e d fo r u s at S avan nah —up on D e Kalb an d Steub en , the gen er ou s G er
m an s , wh o ai de d o u r w eaknes s by th ei r military experi en c e —up on P au l
J on es , t h e Sc otchman , w h o l en t h i s u n su rpas se d co ur age to th e first th und ers
o f o ur Na vy—als o up on th o se g reat Eu rop ean l ib erators , Ko s ciu sko of P 0
l an d , an d Lafayette o f Fran c e , each o f wh om p ai d h i s earl i est v ows to Libe rty
i n o u r cau s e Nor sh oul d th is list b e confin ed t o milit ary characters , s o lon g
as we gratefu lly c heris h th e n am e o f Alexan d er Hamilton , wh o was b orn i n
th e Wes t In di es , an d th e n a m e of Alb ert G allatin , w h o was b orn i n Switz er
land , an d ne v er to th e cl o s e of h i s octogenarian c are er l o s t th e Fren ch
ac cent o f h is b oyh oo d —b oth o f wh om ren dere d c ivi c s ervic e s wh ic h may b e
c omme m orate d among th e victorie s o f p e ac e
No r i s th e e x pe rie nc e of o u r R epubli c peculi ar Wh ere is th e c ou ntry or
p ower which m u st n ot i ns crib e th e n ames o f foreign ers on its hi storic scroll ?
It w as C hri stoph er C olumbu s , o f G en o a , wh o di s clo s e d to Spam th e N ew
Worl d ; i t w as Magellan , of Portugal s ailing i n th e s ervi ce o f Sp ai n , wh o fi rst
p res se d w i th adv entu rou s ke el th ro ugh th os e distant s outh ern straits wh i ch
n ow b ear h is n am e , an d open e d th e way to th e vast Pacifi c s ea ; an d it wa s
C ab o t th e V e n iti an , wh o first c on du cted English enterpri s e to th i s N orth Ame r
i can c on tinent A s in th e tri umph s o f di s c o very , s o a l s o i n oth er fi el ds h ave
fo reign ers excelled w h ile s erving State s to w hi ch th ey were b ou n d by
n o ti e of b i rth T h e D utc h G rotiu s , auth o r o f th e s ublim e work ,
The
La w s of Pe ace an d War an exile fro m h is o wn co un try, b ecam e th e Amb as
sado r o f Sw ed en ; an d in o u r own d ay , th e Emp eror o f R u s sia h as em pl oye d i n
th e mo st exalte d diplomati c trusts the Ital ian P oz z o d i B orgo In th e list of
m o narch s on th e thron e of E nglan d , n o t o n e h as b e en m ore truly Engli sh th an
th e D utc h William In H olland n o ruler h as equ alle d i n r e n ow n th e G erman
I n R uss i a , th e G erm an C atharin e I I takes a pl ac e
\V i lli am , Prin ce o f O range
An d wh o o f th e Swe di sh m onarch s
am ong th e m o st c ommanding sovereign s
was a b etter Swe de than B ern ad otte th e Fren chman ; an d wh at Frenchm an
w as ever fill e d w ith aspi rati on s for Fran c e m o re th an th e Itali an Nap ol e on
B on ap arte
B ut I p as s from th es e th ings wh ic h h av e occupi e d m e to o l o n g A p arty,
w hi ch , b egi nn ing in s ecrecy , i nterfere s w ith reli giou s b el ief, an d fo u n ds a di s
crimin ati o n on th e acc i dent o f b irth , i s n ot th e p arty for u s
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It wa s th e s entim ent of th at great apo s tl e of Fre e dom , B enj ami n Franklin ,
“
h
uttere d d uring t e tri als of th e R evolution , th at Wh ere Li b erty i s , th ere i s
“
my co untry
In simil ar strain , I w o ul d s ay , Wh ere L ib erty i s , th ere i s my
p arty
Su ch an organ iz ation i s no w h appily constitute d h ere i n M assach u
s etts , an d in all th e fre e State s , u n der th e n am e of th e R EP UBL I C AN P ART!
I n assu m ing o u r pl ac e as a di stin ct party , w e s imply give form an d d ire ction ,
i n h armony with th e u sage an d gen iu s o f p o pul ar G overnm ents to a m ovem ent
w hich s tirs th e wh ol e c o u ntry an d d o e s n ot fi n d an adequ ate an d con stan t
o rgan i n ei th er of th e oth e r exi sting p artie s T h e early opp o siti on to Slavery
w as simply a s en timen t , out gu shin g from th e h earts o f th e s e ns itive an d
h umane In th e l aps e o f tim e , i t be came a fixe d princi pl e , in spiri n g large
n umb ers and sh owing its elf fi rst i n an organi z e d en d eavor to re si st th e ann ex
atio n of sl aveh ol ding Texas ; n ext , to proh ibit Slavery in newly acqu ire d terri
torie s an d n ow , alarme d by th e ove rt hrow o f all rights i n Kan sas , an d th e
d ominati o n o f th e S lave O ligarchy through out th e R ep ublic , it i s arou s e d to a
stronger e ff o r t an d a wi der u ni on , i ns p iring yet l arger nu mb ers an d firm er
res olve s —even as th e f ou ntain , fi rst o ut gu sh i n g from th e we eping sid es o f its
p ure m ou ntai n h ome , trickle s into th e rill an d fl ows i nto th e river , ti ll at l ast ,
s w olle n with accumul ated wate rs , traversing states , w ash in g th e fe et o f citi es ,
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14
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pr ou d ly be ari ng a n ation s c ommerc e , it press e s o nwar d , fore v e r
i rresis tibl e b en e fice n t cu rrent , to th e O p en s ea
’
o
n war d , in
.
Parti es are th e n atu ral expre ssi o n o f a strong publ i c s entiment , wh i ch s e ek s
vent A s o ld c ontroversi es s u b si d e , th e p arti e s by wh ich th ey h av e b een con
du cted mu st yield to oth ers , w h ich repre s en t th e actu al life o f th e tim es In o b e
di one e to th is l aw , p olitical p arti e s i n Fran ce an d Englan d—th e only c ountrie s
wh e r e th es e are kn own —h ave u n dergone mutati on s with tim e In Fran ce ,
u n d er th e royalty o f L oui s P hilipp e , th e small b an d of Republi can s , fe ebl e at
fi rst i n n u mbe r s, an d repre sente d in th e L egi slature by a f e w p erson s only ,
b u t strong i n prin cipl e s an d pu rp os e , rallie d togeth er , an d at len gth prevaile d
o ver th e ol d parti es , un ti l all w ere e q u ally sub verte d by L ou is N ap ol e on , an d
th eir pl ac e suppl ie d by th e enforce d u n ity o f d esp oti sm In Englan d , th e m o st
brilliant p opul ar tri umph of h er hi sto ry—th e rep eal o f th e m on op oly o f th e
corn l aw s —was fi nally carri e d by m ean s of a n ewly forme d b ut wi d e spre ad
p olitical organ iz ati on , wh ich c ombin e d m en of all th e o ld p artie s , Whigs ,
To ri es , an d Radical s , an d pu t forw ard th e singl e i d ea o f op po siti o n t o th e c orn
laws as i ts e n d an d ai m
In th e spirit o f the s e exam pl es , th e fri en d s o f Fre e
d om , i n w ell comp acte d ranks , n o w unite t o uph ol d th eir ch eri sh e d p rin ci
ple s , an d by c omb ine d efforts , acc ording to th e cours e of parties , to u rge th em
Upon th e G overnm ent an d th e cou ntry
O ur p arty h as its origin i n th e exigen cie s of th e h o u r V owin g ours elve s
agai n st Sl avery w here ver it exi sts , w h eth er enfor ce d by th e R u ssi an kn ou t ,
th e Tu rki sh b asti n ad o , o r th e lash o f th e C arol in a pl anter , w e d o n ot s e ek to
i nterfere wi th it at P etersb urgh , C o n stantinopl e , o r C h arl eston ; n or d oes any
Ou r p ol itical d uties are prop erly l imite d by
such grave duty rest u p on u s
o u r p oli tic al resp on sibi lities an d w e are i n n o j u st s en se resp on sibl e f o r
th e l o cal l aw o r u sag e by w h ich hu man b on d ag e in th es e pl ace s i s u ph e ld
B u t wh ereve r we are resp on s ibl e fo r th e wron g , th ere ou r duty b egin s
Th e obj ect to w h i ch , as a p arty , w e are pl edged , i s all c onta i n e d i n th e
acc ep tanc e of th e i s su e wh ich th e S lave Oligarchy tend ers T o its rep eal
o f th e Mi ss ou ri C ompromi s e , an d its imp eri o u s d eman d th at Kan sas s h all
b e surren d e re d to Sl ave ry , w e reply , th at Free dom sh all b e m ade th e u n iversal
l aw of all th e nati onal d omain , w ith o u t c ompromi se , an d th at h ereafter n o
sl ave State sh all b e admitted i nto th e Uni on T o its tyrann i c al as su mpti on
o f su premacy i n th e Nation a l Gove rnm en t , w e r eply , th at th e Slave Oligarchy
S uch i s th e practic al pu rp os e o f th e R ep u blican party
shall b e o verthrown
It i s to uph ol d an d advanc e th i s caus e , th at w e have c ome togeth er , l e aving
th e parties to w hi ch w e h ave b e e n resp ectively attach e d Now i n th e cou rs e
of h um an events , it b ecome s o u r du ty to d iss olve th e p olitic al band s wh ic h
b ou nd u s to th e ol d organi z ati on s , an d to as s ume a s ep arate exi stenc e Ou r
D e cl a ra tion of In dep en d en c e h as b een mad e
L et u s , i n th e spi rit o f o u r
Fath e rs pledge o urselve s to s u stai n i t with o u r l ives , o u r fortun es , an d our
sacre d h ono r I n th u s as s o c iating an d h armoniz in g from oppo site qu arters ,
i n o rder to prom ote a c ommo n cau s e , w e h ave le arn e d t o fo rget fo rm er d i fi e p
We h av e l earn e d h ow
e n ce s, an d to app reciate th e m otive s o f eac h oth er
trivi al are th e m atters o n wh ich we may di sagre e , c ompare d with th e G re at
Is s u e on wh ich w e all agre e Ol d prej u di c e s h av e van i sh e d Even th e ran
c o rs o f p ol iti cal antagon i sm h av e b ee n ch an ge d an d di s s ol ved as i n a p o ten t
al embic , by th e n atural , i r r e sistible affinitie s of Freed om I n ou r u ni on , w e
h ave c e as e d to w ear th e badges of eith e r o f th e ol d organi z ati on s We h ave
b ecome a new party , d i stin ct , in depen d en t p ermanent , u nd er a n e w n am e , w ith
Lib e rty as o ur watc h w o rd , an d ou r fl ag in scri be d , “ By th i s sign c on q u er
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O u r obj ect i s reas on abl e con sisten t w ith th e C onsti tuti on and requi red by
j ust s el f defenc e An d y et i t i s as s aile d from opp o site q uarters an d by vari
ou s obj ecti on s
I t is e ve n o bj ected th at th e Republic an Party i s actually i nj u ri o u s to th e v ery
c au s e w e seek to promote ; an d th i s pa ra d oxic al accu sati on w h ic h migh t n atu
rally sh ow i tself among th e r an k w eed s o f th e S ou th , i s ch erish e d h e re on o u r
f re e s oil , by th o s e wh o anxi o usly l o ok fo r an y fi g l e af w ith wh ic h to cov er t h ei r
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15
Th is p eculiar form o f co mpla i nt i s an old d ev i c e!
empl oye d o n other o ccasi o n s u ntil it h as c eas e d
to b e even pl ausibl e Th us , through o ut all tim e , h as every go o d ca u se b e en
enco unter e d Even Wil b erforc e , wh en p re ssin g th e ab ol iti on o f th e sl ave trade ,
was told that th os e e fforts by wh i ch h is name i s n ow con s ecrat ed forever
m or e , ten de d to retard th e c au s e h e s ough t to prom ote , even t o th e extent o f
riveting an ew th e chains o f t h e slav e ; an d , mentionin g thi s gre at example , I
may d ismi ss th e o bj ectio n t o the contempt it de serves
W ith m ore p ertin acity i t is obj e cted , th at ou rs i s a secti onal p ar ty , and th e
s ign i fica t word s o f Was hington are q u oted , to warn th e c o untry again st
p
“
ge ograph ical qu e s tion s T hi s i s a m ere b ugb ear , with wh ich t o di stu rb
ti mi d nerves It i s a p art of th e intolerabl e u surpati on o f th e Sl av e Oli garchy ,
th at th e s ectio nal in stitu ti o n o f Slav ery i s exalte d to b e n ati on al i n it s ch ar
acter , s o th at a Nati onal Whig is simply a Sl avery Whig , an d a N ati onal
D em ocrat i s simply a Slavery D emo crat A ccording to t h e tr u e i nterpr etation
of th e C on stituti on , Fre e dom an d n o t Sl avery i s n ati on al w h il e Slav ery an d
n o t Fre e do m i s s ecti o nal
N ow , if th e Republ ic an p arty prop o s ed any meas
ure s cal cul ate d to O p erate exclu s ively u pon any ge ographi c al s ecti on , o r
i f it s ought to direct th e p ow ers of C ongress up o n Sl avery i n th e S tates , th en
p erhap s it migh t b e obn ox iou s to this charge ; b ut as it s imply acts again st
Slavery un der t h e Natio nal j u ris diction , an d s eeks to di sl o dge th e Sl ave
Oligarc h y from th eir u s u rp e d c ontrol o f th e Nati onal Governm ent i t i s ab su rd
to say th at it i s s ecti onal Ou r aim i s in no resp ect s e cti on al , b ut i n e v ery
respect natio nal It is in n o respect again st th e S outh , bu t again st th e Evi l
S pi ri t at th e S ou th , wh ich h as perverte d ou r n a ti on al p olitics A s well might
it b e s ai d , th at Washi ngton and J e fferson an d Fran k lin w ere s e cti on al an d
agains t th e S ou th T o al l wh o are really against sccti onalzsm , I woul d s ay,
Wh at section ali sm s o dir eful as th at o f Slavery ? T o all w h o profe ss to b e
again st i sms I wo ul d s ay , What ism s o w retch ed as th e i sm o f Sla v ery ? I f yo u
are in earn e st , j oi n th e n ati onal p arty o f Free d om
A gain it i s obj ecte d th at th e Republ ican party i s ag ain st th e Un i on , an d w e
are remin d ed o f th e p ri celes s ble ssings wh i ch come from th i s foun tain H er e
’
is anoth er b u go e ar With u s th e Un i on i s n ot th e obj ect o f m ere lip servi c e ,3
but it i s ch eri sh e d i n simpl e s inc erity—as th e age d L ear Was l ov e d by h i s only
faithful d aughte r “ accord in g t o h er b on d ; n o r mo re n or l es s !
O u r p arty
d o es n oth i n g again st th e Un i on , bu t everyth ing f o r it It st riv es to guard
th os e great prin ciples wh ich th e Union was es tabl i sh e d to s ecu re an d th u s t o
k eep it ever w orthy o f o ur l ove It s e eks to overthrow th at b al eful Oligarchy ,
un d er wh ich t h e Uni on h as b e en ch anged from a v es s el o f h on o r to a v es s e l
of d i sh on or In thi s p atriot w ork it will p ers evere , regardles s o f m en ace from
any qu arte r No t th at I love th e Uni o n le s s , bu t Fre ed om m or e , d o I n ow , i n
p leadi ng th is great cau s e , ins ist that Freed om at all h azard s sh al l b e pre
ser v ed G o d forbid th at , fo r th e sak e o f th e Uni on , we sh o ul d sacri fice t h e
v ery th i ngs for wh i ch th e Uni on was m ade
A n d yet agai n , it is obj ecte d th at ou rs i s a party o f a sing le i d ea T hi s i s a
phras e , an d n oth ing m ore T h e party may n ot re cogni s e certai n me asure s o f
publi c p olicy , d e eme d by som e of sp eci al i mp ort an ce ; b ut it d o es w h at i s
better an d w h at oth er parti es fail to d o
It ackn owl e dges th o s e b e n e fice nt
principles , wh i ch , like th e great central l ight , v ivify all , an d with ou t wh ich
all i s d ark an d steril e T h e m ovin g c au s e an d th e animatin g so ul o f o u r
party i s th e i d e a of Free d om B ut thi s i dea i s man ifold in ch aracter an d i nfl u
enc e It i s th e i dea o f th e D ecl arati on o f In depen dence I t i s th e great i d ea
of the foun de rs of th e Repu bl ic It i s th e i de a wh ich c omb i ne d o u r fath ers o n
th e h eights o f B unk er H il l ; which carri ed Wash ingto n t h rough a s eve n years
war ; wh ich i nspi re d Lafayette ; which to u ch ed with co al s o f fire th e lip s o f
A dams , O ti s an d Patrick Henry
O urs is an i dea which i s at l east n obl e an d
el evati n g ; it i s an id ea wh ich draws i n its trai n virtu e, g o o d ne ss , an d all th e
c harities of l ife —all th at m akes earth a h om e of improvement an d h app in es s —
i n d i ff e r ence o r te rgi ve r sat io n
wh i ch has b ee n i n stinctively
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«
He r
go d d e s s ro v e s ,
( i io ryp u rs u e s a n d g e n e r o u s s h am e
Th e u u co n q t: e r u b ! e w i nd an d Fr e e d o m‘s h o ly flame
t r ac k w
h e re
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e r th e
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v
16
T hu s d o all o bj ection s d isapp ear , e v e n as th e mi sts of m orn i ng b efore th e
s u n rej oi cing l ike a strong man to run h i s rac e
T h e Repu b li ca n party stan d s
v i n d i cate d i n e v ery parti cu lar I t only remain s th at I sh oul d pres s t h e q u es
!
ti on w ith wh ic h I b egan
A re you f o r Free d om , o r are you f or S la v e ry ?
A s i t i s right to b e taught b y th e en emy , l et u s d eri v e in struction from th e
sl a v e masters are always un ite d H en c e
Oligarchy w e opp ose T h e
th ei r strength L ike arrows i n a q ui v er , th ey c ann ot b e b roken T h e f rien d s
T h ey , to o , m u st b e un ite d I n th e
o f Fre e d om h a v e thu s far b e en d i v i d e d
c risi s b e fore u s , i t b ec om es y o u all t o forget anci ent feu d s , an d th os e n ame s
wh ich h a v e b e en th e sign al o f stri fe T h ere i s n o occas i on to reme mb er any
thin g b ut ou r d utie s \Vhe n t h e fir e b ell rings at mi d ni ght , w e d o n o t ask i f
i t b e W higs o r D em ocrats P rote stants or C ath olics , n ati v e s o r forei gn ers , wh o
j oi n o u r efforts to e x ti ngu ish t h e fl ames ; n or d o w e ask any s u ch q u estion i n
s ele cting o u r l ea d e r , th e n M e n o f all p arti e s , W higs an d D em o crat s , o r h ow
e v er n ame d , l et m e call u p on yo u t o c ome forwar d , an d j oin i n a c omm on
c au s e D o no t h e s itat e W h en Free d om i s i n d an ger , all wh o are n ot for
h er are again st h er The p en alty o f in d i fferen c e i n su ch a c au s e , i s ak i n to
th e pen alty o f Opp o sit i on ; as i s well pi cture d b y th e gre at I talian p oet , wh en
amon g th e s a d d est on th e b ank s of A c hero n—ren d ing th e air with o utcri e s of
t orme nt sh riek s of an ger , an d smitin g o f h an d s —h e fin d s th e troop of d reary
s ou ls wh o h ad b ee n cyph ers only i n th e great c on fl i cts o f lif e
M i n g le d w it h w h o m o f t h e i r d i sg ra ce th e p ro o f
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a ng e ls w h o d id no t re b e l
No r k e pt t h e i r f ai t h t o Go d bu t stoo d alo f
C om e
C om e fo rth th en , from th e o ld o rgan i z atio n s ; l et u s range togeth er
fo rth all wh o h a v e sto o d al oof fro m partie s H ere i s an opp ortun ity for
acti on ! o u wh o plac e p rin cipl e s a b o v e m en c om e forwar d ! A ll w h o feel
J o in u s ye lo v ers of Tr u t h
i n an y way th e wrong o f S la v ery ta ke you r s tan d
! ou
A n d le t m e c all esp eci ally up on th e youn g
o f J u s ti ce
o f H uman ity !
a re t h e n at u r al gu ar d ians o f L i b erty I n your fi rm re s ol v e s an d gen erou s
s o ul s s h e will fin d h er su re s t protec tion T h e young man wh o i s n o t wi lling
t o s er v e i n h er ca us e —to su f fer if n ee d b e , for h e r—gi v e s li ttl e promi se o f
th o se q u alities wh ich s ecure an h o n ora b le age
A re th e
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V i le
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n ew party I ts c orn er ston e i s Free d om
T ruth , J us tic e an d H umanity L ik e th e
anci ent Roman C apitol at on ce a T empl e an d a C ita d el , it s h all b e th e fi t
s h rin e fo r th e gen iu s o f A m
eri ca n I nstituti on s
Fe llo w C i tiz en s , w e fo un d n o w a
I ts b roa d , all su stai n ing arc h es ar e
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C I RC UL A T E THE D OC UM ENT S
T h e REP UBL I C AN A S S OC I ATI ON
.
W AS H I NGTON C I T! h a v e pu b l i sh e d in
p amph let form th e fol l ow in g s peech e s ; an d , in o r d er to gi v e th em as gen eral
a ci rculati on as p o ssi b l e , will s en d th em at th e foll owing ch e ap rates :
S peech e s o f W ill i am H S ewar d at A l b any an d Buffal o in o n e p amph let
at $ 2 p er 1 0 0 c opi e s S peech o f W ill iam H S ewar d , at A l b any , i n t h e Ge r
man l an guage $ 2 per 1 0 0 c o pi e s S pe ech o f H on C h arl e s S um n e r , d el i v ere d
i n Faneu il H al l , Bo ston , 2 d No v em b e r , 1 8 5 5 , $ 2 p er 1 0 0 C opi e s
T h e As s oci ati on w il l al s o d i re ct an d mai l th em singly , fre e o f p ostage , to
s u c h n ame s as m ay b e fu rni sh e d , at th e ab o v e rate s ; o r th ey w ill s en d th em
i n p ar /rag es at t h e e x pen s e o f th e p erso n or d e rin g , a t th e v ery l ow p ri c e of
L C L EP H ANE
p cr h u n d re d co l) lC S A d d re s s
S car e/ (1 7 y of (lzc Rep u bli can Asso ci atio n , lVasM nylo n , I ) C
OF
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n u au
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a BL ANC lI ARl) ,
W AS H I NGTON, n
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