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Show ~LA V ..b:HY AGl'l.'A'l'lON. laurels, without glory-a self, a suicidal cot1quc t-a conque, t or brothers over brolherH, H,chi cvccl by one over another portion of the desccndan ts of cotn n1on an '<'stors, who nobly pledging their lives, th ·ir fortunes, and their 1-mrrcd honor, had fought and bled, side by side, in many a hard batllc on land and ocean, severed our country from the British Crown, aud eslttblished our IHttional indcpcndenec. 'l'hc inhal>itants of tho slaves SLates nrc sometimes nccused by their Northern brethren with displaying too mneh ra.shncss and sensibility to tho operations and proceed inn-s of Abolitionists. But, before they can bo rightly judged, ~hero should be a reversal of conditions. Let me snppo. e that the people of thr slave States were to form socictic , , uhHitliz; c presses, make large pecuniary contributions, send forth numerous missionaries throughout all their own uordcrR, and enter into machinations to burn tho beautiful capital~, destroy the productive manufactories, and si 11k in tlte ocean the gu11ant ships of theN orthcrn States. Would these inccndary proceeding. be regarded as neighborly and friendly, and consistent with tho fraternal sentiments which should ever be cherished by one portion of the Union towards another? Would they excite no emotion? occasion no manifestations of di satisfaction, nor lead to any acts of retaliatory violence ? But tho supposed case falls fnr short of tho actual one in a most essential circumstance. In 00 c.onL~ngoncy .could those capitals, manufactories, and ships, rise 111 rcbclhon and massacre inhabitants of tho N orthcrn States. I am, Mr. President, no friend of slavery. The Searcher of all IIearts knows that every pulsation of mine beats high and strong in the canse of civil liberty. \Vhcrcvcr it is safe and practicable, I desire to soc every portion of the l~uman family in the enjoyment of it. But I prefer tho hbor.ty of my own country to that of auy other people, aou the hbcrty of my own race to that of any other race. 'J.1he SLAV.l!:l\.Y .. \(; lTA'l'lON". 34.7 liberty of the d('~rc nc1nnt H of Afri<'n. in i11c Uuilct1 tatcs is lncompn.t.ible wit.h th saf ty n11d liherly of the Europt•nu de. ceudn.nts. 'l'hrr<' ~lav< ry fnl'lm; nn cxc·eption-an l'~('t'Jl tion rc:ulting; from a stem nnd lllt'Xorablc n c<·<·~~ity-to the o-cncral lilH~rty in tho 1Jnit etl Ht:\le!-1. 'Vt' di<1not orio·ill'tlC b h • ' nor arc we r spon:iblc for, thiH n<·c ·ssit.y. 'l'l1cir lillerly, if il were possibl ·, could 011ly l>e e:tai>liHhcd l>y violal i11g the incontc ·table powers of Lho 'tales, and subverting tho Union· and. l>onca.Lb the ruinH of tho Union would l>c l>u ric<l ' ' sooner o1· later, the lib •tty of boUt races. But if one dark :poL exists on our pol ilicnl horizon, i~ it noL ol>scured by th · bri g-ht ~tlld t'fl'ulgent and <.:herring light that benms nil aronncl us? 'Vas C\' ·r a people bef"on; :o ble. sed n. we nrc, if true to ours ·lves? ])iLl cr<T any other nation contain wilhi11 it!-! busolll ~o lllany clenlt'llls of prosperity, of grcat n ~f;, a11<l or glory? Our only real <Iunger lies ahead, conspicuous, elevated, an<l visible. l l wus clearly <1i.' ccrn ed at the cotnmen cemcllt, autl disl i11 clly see11 iuroughout our whole career. 'hall we wanto1ily run upon it, and destroy n.ll the glorious nntieipnLions of the high destiny that awaitf:l us ? I bc:cc ·h the Abolitionists th<·msclves solemnly to pause in their macl ancl fatal coun;c. Amid t tho infinite variety of objects of humanity and bencvoleucc which invite the employment of their encrgic:, let them select some one more lmnnless, thnt dol'S not thn:uten to deluge our country in l>loocl. 1 call upon Lhut small portion of the clergy which l1:1s lent itself to these wiltl aml ruinous schemes, not to forget tho holy nature of Lhe divine mission of the fonnucr of our religion, und to profiL by his peaceful example:. I iu treat that portion or my {'Oillltrywomcn who have given their coun tenance to abolition, to remember that they arc cvcL' most loved ancl honored. when moving in their own appropriate an(l delight.ful sphere, ana to rcilcct Llmt the ink which they ~he d in subscribing with thcil' fair ha11ds Abolition petitions, may |
