Extract of an Address of William Lloyd Garrison, Esq., from "THE LONDON PATRIOT," of August, 1833; and republished in "THE COLONIZATION HERALD"
of this City, May 16th, 1838.
"I know that there is much declamation about the sacredness of the compact which was formed between the free and the slave states, on the adoption of the national const.i.tution. A sacred compact, forsooth! I p.r.o.nounce it the most b.l.o.o.d.y and heaven-daring arrangement ever made by man, for the continuance and protection of a system of the most atrocious villany ever exhibited on earth. Yes--I recognize the compact, but with feelings of shame and indignation; and it will be held in everlasting infamy by the friends of justice and humanity throughout the world. It was a contract framed at the sacrifice of the bodies and souls of millions of our race, for the sake of achieving a political epoch--an unblushing and monstrous coalition to do evil that good might come. Such a compact was, in the nature of things, and according to the law of G.o.d, null and void from the beginning. No body of men ever had the right to guarantee the holding of human beings in bondage. Who or what were the framers of the American government, that they should dare to confirm and authorise such a high handed villany--such a flagrant robbery of the inalienable rights of man--such a glaring violation of all the precepts and injunctions of the Gospel--such a savage war upon the sixth part of their own population? They were men like ourselves--as fallible, as sinful, as weak as ourselves. By the infamous bargain which they made between themselves, they virtually dethroned the Most High G.o.d, and trampled beneath their feet their own solemn and heaven-attested declaration, that all men are created equal, and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. They had no lawful power to bind themselves, or their posterity, for one hour--for one moment--by such an unholy alliance. It was not valid then--it is not valid now. Still they persist in maintaining it--and still do their successors, the people of New England, and of the twelve free states, persist in maintaining it. A sacred compact! a sacred compact! What is wicked and ignominious?
(Signed) WM. LLOYD GARRISON, Agent for the New-England Anti-Slavery Society."
CONCLUSION.
As it is not improbable that the partisans of Mr. William Lloyd Garrison, following the example he set them last week in Pennsylvania Hall, (page 19), will ask what right has this "_foreign adventurer_" to interfere in this question? The simple reply of the Author is, that as he will yield precedency to no man on earth, in subjection and faithfulness to the laws of that country in which it pleases the providence of G.o.d to place him, so he considers it his duty to serve it to the utmost of his power, in obedience to the command of "HIM who is higher than the highest." Rom. xiii. 1.
NOTICE.
It is hoped that the short time consumed in writing the preceding pages will be received by the public as a sufficient apology for any errors; eight days only having elapsed since the first line of it was written, to the completion of the stereotyping of the whole work.
FOOTNOTES:
[11:A] See Appendix A.
[18:A] Extract of Address of William Lloyd Garrison, Esq., published in the London Patriot of August 1833. See _Appendix_ B.
[30:A] That this is the kind of conduct pursued by thousands of slave-holders, we shall, in another part of this treatise, incontrovertibly prove.
[33:A] See page 12.
[39:A] This is described in popular, not professional, language.
[45:A] The Abolition Champions, by means of their addresses, rob (I suppose there is no difference between "_robbing_" and "_stealing_") the Southerner of his _legal_ property! See their exhortations, &c. to the slaves.
[67:A] Mathew Carey, Esq.
[89:A]
_Letter from W. Rawle, Esq. (formerly President of the Anti-Slavery Society) to ----, Esq._
"My dear Sir--
"The conduct and proceedings of the General Anti-Slavery Society have not met with my entire approbation. The members appear to me to be actuated by a blind and injudicious zeal, productive of measures, the effect of which will be to awaken alarm, create a determined opposition among the slave-holders, and delay the progress of conscientious emanc.i.p.ation.
"That day--the day of general emanc.i.p.ation--will, I trust and believe, hereafter arrive: but I fear it will be delayed by the inst.i.tution of societies so warm and so imprudent.
"June 27, 1834."
_The opinion of Henry Clay, Esq.--March, 1837._
"I regret extremely the agitation of the question of immediate abolition. Without impugning the motives of those who are concerned in it--indeed with great respect for some of them, I must say in all sincerity, that I do believe it is attended with unmixed mischief. It does no good, but harm to the slave; it engenders bad feelings and prejudices between different parts of the Union, and it injures the very cause which it professes to espouse. Instead of advancing, I believe that it has thrown back to an indefinite time the cause of gradual emanc.i.p.ation--the only mode of getting rid of slavery that has been ever thought to be safe, prudent or wise in any of the States in which slavery now exists.
"Hoping that you will excuse the delay which has occurred in my transmission of an answer to your letter, I am gentlemen,
With great respect, your ob"t servant, HENRY CLAY."