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Whig And Democratic Abolitionists

Whig And Democratic Abolitionists image
Parent Issue
Day
25
Month
August
Year
1841
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Araong the supporters of the Whig and Democratie nominations at the last election, were not a few individúala in different parta of this State, who had previously been known in community as abolilionists. They had advocated the cause thrpugh perils and through evil report. They were fuund ai ihe.anti-slavery meetings - their namjwere ■bblished in all the papers as identified with Rat blessed cause - they were koown frequently to pray tor the slave, and to contribute of their funds to 6ustain the then existin" anti-slavery organization. And now, they no longer meet with us. They have not thought best to endeavor to do good to the slave in tho way that we have chosen, and we naturally look after thein to see what course they are taking, by whích they can con6istently in their way, hasten the day of universal liberty. And what do we find? 1 . The very considerable body of abolitiunists who have not supported separate nominations, have no organization whatever to cairy out any measures for the good of the slave. So far as we know, they meet to ge th er neither in Cunventions nor in Societiea. They publtsh no paper by which their voice or their views may be heard. Neither ire they hetend throiigh the political pressof Lhis State. These papers speak only of party objucts, or of subjects foreign, to a great , extent, to the interests of etnancipation. - [t appears, then, that during the past year, ihis class of abolitioniats havu not been known to the public, as such, by any public doings of theirs. They have neither written, printed or lectured for the slave; or if such instances have occasionally taken place, they are generally unknown to the public. 1. They have not only not been organized as abolitionists, but they have been identitíed with the organization of the paities opposed to the emancipation of the slave. Ceasing to beconie known publicly as abolitionists, they have been recognized umong pro-slavery partizans. They have voted with ihem, acted wilh thetn, and are now, every day, counted among them.Wil l it be saiíl tliat this language s tou etrotiíi - that the Whig or Democratie parties are not VRO-slavery 1 We usk, are they AüTi-slavery ? One or the o! her they must be. There is no neutral gruund in this war. Have the Whigs ulected au anti-elavery President - or Speaker of tlie Huusel Have they shown théir anti-sluvery feeling by 1gpriying lhe naüon of the right of petilion - a thing nevcr accomplislied bcfore by any administration, in any nation? Or have they eslablished tbe point by making sutli a drötribution of the public money that lhe slaveholderö draw oul of the public treasury for their slavcs $364,000 per year - by which it comes to pass, that each free inhabitant of Michigan receives 18 3 4 cents, while eaeli free inhabitant in South Carolina receives 32 cents? What Whig member has moved to übolish the human shambles in the Federal District? Upon examination, we finí many proofs that the present administration is not only not anti slavery, but that it leaus heavily towards lhe side of the oppressor. The same inay be said of the National Democratie party. So far as it lias acted at all, it has acted in support of slavery. Abolitionists who have supported either party during the past yrar, have supported a pre slavery orgauization. 3. We would respectfully inqnire of thie cl.iss of abolitionistSjhow much tht-y are now accornplishing towards bringing over the parties to anti-slavery ground, and how eoon, as prospects now are, slavery will be abolished by the action of one or olher of tlie parties, and vvhi'ther they themselves, in ceasing all connection vvith anti. slavery organizaron, and being recognized among the avowed enemies of abolilion, have not ceased also to act eificiently for the slave. Is it not boI 4. Most of the abolitionists of every sect or party, are praying men. We ould inquire of them how they can consistently ask God to deliv&r the oppressed, and to bless tbeir own endeavors to accomplisb the same result, and Uien vote for a slaveholder, or a defender or supporter of the right of property in man? To..us, it looks higbly inconsistent.5. Th ere is reason to believe that all truehearted abolitionists will yet come into the measu re of antislavery nominations, and that speedily. We do not ask tliem to talie our word for it, but to examine for thcmselves. We have not been forward to come out from the parties with which we have for merly acled - we have, as it were, been driven in'o it, by the pro-slavery policy of both parties. We could not act for the slave with those parties, while they acted against trim. Many thousands are now coming out from them, and fully sustaining a separate nornination, and of those who thus come out, few, ïf any, will return to their origina] parties. We ask them to consider what they are doing for the slave, and what they expect to do. Many of them aro truly devoted to the cause of liberty, and would rejoice to see it prosper, and to e.tend through the whole earth. We would respectfully remind such that there are those, and the numbor is nowncreasing by tliousands, wfiO expecl, wlüle life shall remain, lo vote, as well as to pray, and talk, and writo in favor of universal liberty. While they live, the cause of freedora and equal rights, will be remembered at the polls, and if it should grievo the hearts of any th&t its supporters are so few in nuraber, let them also be counted among its advocates, and its influence will be incroased, its nurabers enlarged, and its objects more uearly consuramated.