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Show 76 the oppressed and degraded negro. Now, he contents himself with standing where 'Vashington mHl ,J elfcrson stood, and exerting himself to imbue tho national government with their spirit. A noble object, and worthy a. generous struggle ! Dut all truth is progressive, and we arc much mistaken in our estimate of Mr. Sumner, if he does not yet show tho nation that they only arc truly noble sons who usc the Bllirit of their fathers merely as a stepping stone to something nobler and higher than their fathers achieved. It is tho duty of each gencrntion to make a real advance-not to rest satisfied with merely retaking a. position which was attained tv·;O generations before. Many of the Fathers of tho !Wpublic were noble men, and their constitution contains many noble provisions ; but they also inserted in that instrument several clauses with the design of favoring Slavery. Mr. Sumner himself admits this.• Some •lUJ Ianguago h, " It is tn1o tba.t tbero were oompromlsel•t tllt fonnaUon of the Constitution.'' • • • 11 There was another corn- LlilEltTY, SECTIONAf,. SLA Y.Eln", NA'ff0NAL. 77 o. f tbe framers of tho Constitution • d oubtless, 1. ma"- med that the abolition of tl Af. o • 10 rtcan Slave Trade Ill 180~, w.o uld put an end t o Sla vei-y .I tself, .a nd, thereby rclJcvo tho Con8litution of aU p. S! taint. 1'hc opinion sc IO- avery ems to us strange, still it Cwa s hon.e stly held . Tl Jus m. tho .Massachusetts o. m·cnhon, l\Ir. Dawes snid th'a t SI twcry bad " rc- CCived a mortal wound, and would a· f sumption." Such Jo o a con- . was, however, by no means the umversal opinion . Tl ms m. tho same Convention Gen. ITeath said, " Whether thoso in SinYcry in, |