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Show 28 There are a great many direct antislavery forces. 1. The Conduct of the Slaveholders in the South, and their allies, has awakened the indignation of the North. The Fugitive Slave Bill was an antislavery measure. We said so six years ago; now we know it. Kidnapping is antislavery; it makes antislavery men. The rep~al of t~e Missouri Compromise stirred antislavery sentiment In Northern hearts. The conduct of affairs in Kansas, Judge Kane's wickedness, and the horrible outrage at Cincinnati, -all these turn out antislavery measures. Mr. Douglas stands in his place in the Senate, and turns his face north, and says, "We mean to subdue you." The mass at the North says, " We are not going to be subdued." It is an antislavery resolution. The South repudiates democracy: the "Charleston Mercury" and the "Richmond Examiner" say that the Declaration of Independence is a great mistake when it says all men are by nature equal in their right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,- that there is no greater lie in the world. When the North understands that, it says, "I am antif:lavery at once." The North has not heard it yet thoroughly. One day it will. 2. Then there are the general effects of Education: it enlightens men, so that they can see that slavery is a bad speculation, bad economy. 3. Then there is the progressive Moralization of the North. The North is getting better, more and more Christian and humane. It was never so temperate as to-day, never so just, never so moral, never so humane and philanthropic. To be sure, even now we greatly overlook our black brother: it is because he is not an Anglo- Saxon. But he has Human blood in his veins: by and by we shall see our black brother also. 4. Then the better portion of the Northern Press is on our side. Consider what quantities of books have been written within the last ten years full of antislavery senti· 29 ment, and running over with antislavery ideas. Think of " u nc l e 'I' om ' s c a bw' ," an d t h e host of books, on\ ly inferior to that, which have been published. Then look at the newspapers. I just spoke of the " Evening Post," and " Tribune:" look at the " New-York Independent," with ~w~nty th~usand subscribers, with so much antislavery In It. It does not go the length that I wish it did, and sometimes it does very mean things; for it is not unitary. See what powerful antislavery agents are the "Evenina b Post," the " Independent," the " New-York Times," and the "New-York Tribune," and that whole army of newspapers, some of them in every northern city; not to forget the " National Era," at Washington. Besides these, there are the antislavery newspapers proper, the "Liberator," the '' Standard," and divers others, only second where it is praise to be inferior. 5. Then there is the Antislavery Party proper, with its men, its money, and its immense force in the country. What power of religion it has! I know it has been called anti-religious, anti-Christian, Infidel. Was not Jesus of Nazareth nailed to the cro~s, between two thieves, on the ~h~rge that he blasphemed God? How rich is this party In Its morals, how mighty in its eloquence ! I am sorry its most persuasive lips are not here to-day to speak for themselves and for you, and instead of me. Here is Woman also in the antislavery ranks. I need say nothing of her: ~er own sweet music just now awoke the tune of humanity ~n your hearts, and I saw the antislavery Sentiment spring In tears out of your eyes. One day, from such waterina it will blossom into an antislavery Idea, and fruiten in;~ antislavery Acts. (1.) Here is the merit of this antislavery party. It appeals to the very widest and deepest humanity. It knows no restriction of State or Church. If the State is wron the antislavery party says, " Away with the State!" ~i |