To The Voters Of The State Of Michigan, Who Are Friendly To ...

My Bretlicren, yon are aware of the great burden of sin wilh which the ïiaiion is kden, on iccount of' the iniquitous system of slnvory ihat exigís within its borders, and which Ls tulcmted by law. - As chnsthns, you are aware that it is your duty lo rebuke ihis pin. - " Thou fchult in nny wisc rebuke thy neighbor and nol suffer sin upon hini," Lev. xix.17. - Them that sin, rebuke before all, that others also may foar. 1. Titn. v. L0. Aod where shnll we fin 1 a greater sin? where shall we find a Fin of equal magnitude and of eqtial extent with that of Americnn slavery? Where can we find a sin out of which growe so many evil practices; where man who ia "niafe in the image oí God" is converted to a chattel; and is subjecled to be sold and bought and drove under the lash like oxen-where he is deprived of himself and and of all his privileges as a free man - who endures the nearest earthly ties broken - who is deprived, at the will of the masler, of the privilege of wor■fihipping Ihat God in whoee image he is made;and is obüged to bend in nbjact submission, i entirely to tho will of bis despotic master.- I Mud) more roight bo said exprcssive of the 1 complicated wrongs that he endures-but I i forbcar; as it is not my design to portray the svfferingsoT the but epecially to I citeyour attention to tbe subject; that you 1 mayexert yourselfm his behalf, nnd use the means in ycur power for his relief. But some of yon sincerely suy "I am opposto slavery in every sha pa and form, but am i not sotisfied as to the course best to take, for its abolition:" nnd wiother 1 hear soy, "If I was satisfied it was best to go to the Polls with it, I would do it immediately." (That ñ:ems noble in any oro, to manifest a willingness to come lo the help of the Lord against the miglity. Jutlgcs v. 23.) Now how aro you to know, my friendo, whether it ie best togo to the polls with it or nol, or what courde is best to take, if you do not look closely at it; and endcavor to inform yourselves on that subject. But therc is one tbing I apprehend you already know; and that is, that Congress has exclusive Legislation over the District ofCoIumbia- agreeableto Article 1 , Sec. 8, oftheConstitution of the United States; which snys, "Congress ehall have power to exerci.se exclusive lcpislation, in all cases wliatever, over sucli district (not exreeding ten miles square) as mny, by cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congres?, becoine theseat of governnient of the Unit?d States." Ai'd Congres (wcll knowing rtfl power) have enacted laws allowing the people of eaid District ,to hold elaves; i, e. to htld their fellow beinss as transferable property. - An.l sucl hns been the consequence of these law?, tlmt Ihe District ofCoIumbia is called by some, and I think j'istly, the "Slave Market of America'" - where, standing advertiscments are seen, offering Cash fir JYrgroes-" nnd that too whe.re the banner of liberty is proudly waving in mockery over the bond man' chnins! A flag of liberty- a Congress of free men; making laws for the people who boast of tiicir repubücan govrnment, and their free institulions - the first on carth andelaves! and slavewhips, and chains and liandcuffö, ond slavea prison, and coffles of slaves inoving to and f ro. Is Üiere any con_ gruity in such a inolloy combination? To me the sound is very ('.scordaut. Bnt to return to the Iaws- are they right? yoti answer - certainly not.' Henee the qnestion arisca - what tlien mus-t be done? - Why the remedy is obvious - Bepeal those laics. Hut wbö are to repeal them?and make botter ones for usl Will t-laveholders, or of daveholding principies do it? No verily, they ncver will do it, until they "love thoir ncighbor as thcmselves ' It must be done by men whose principie i?, "universa Hberty" who 'hold these truths to be self evident, (not inerely in tooid bul in practióe llmt all men nre created equal, that they ar endowed by their Crea tor with certain inalien ablcns; thnt amono these are lite, liberty, and the pnrsuii. ofhappiness." Wen who are firm, unflincliing, unwavering1 and uucompro in principie - men who cannot be bribed nor bought with gola. But you may say where are such men to be found? Look aronnd you; you mny find moretbai7 you think, who have not bovved to Uuj 'Baal' oi'slavery. I am very nmcli mistaken if we liave not men in ourown State, who will "stand tha test of near approacli and etrict exaniination."- Try them once, and see. Besides other liberty candidatos for office, we are crowned, above our sister States with James G. Birney as candidato for the Presr dency; and also for Governor of this State, who, ifhehas not been misrepresented, lias proved to íhe world, that he is very worthy of that tnist; and also the confidence of all the ! uprio-htmon of thenation. Shall we notr o lier put sucli men n office, to preside and linke laws for ns, tlian one wliose name and lature are bolk Clayt- Who will make him■c( intoany thing or nothing, jtist ne suits his ntercst. First a duellist, and tiien a pretendïd friend tojthe nonfighting quakers, (which prctence I consider a groat inult.) At one time snying 'slavery is a sin, a curse both to the mastcr nnd the slave' - and at another time snying that 'the Colonization Society' (of which he is a nemher) 'has not iñ the smallest degree, the object of emnncipntion, ei' her gradual or ímmediate' - which plainly shows he wants to perpetúate the sin and the curse. When I think of Henry Clay as being President ot the United States, I cannot help thinking of the wise kíné's words, 'when the wickcd bear rule, the people mourn.' But some of you seem to think ihe subject of abo lition onghl not be carried jnto politics - that moral suapion only ovght to be resorted to. - Moral suasion is very good, 1 admit, as far as itwilf go; and we will suppose you are ol! preachers or editors, that some of you send papers while others go and preach to the slaveholders, of the District of Columbia, admonishing them to let their slaves go free, because it is a very greit sin to hold them,Sc. and they 6hould turn to you and say, in the Unguage of the apostle, 'sin is the transgression of the kw,' thereforo you inay cease to 6end papers and preachers tb ur, bytiornl Buasion, to give up our tlaves, for we mvo not broken a einglfc law of our land, in loldiog our fellow beings in bondnge. VVhat vould you tlunk best to do, in such a case! Vould you conclnde because tliey haVe law o justify them.you could do no more? If the bw allowing slavery is ajust law, wby not omniend them for walking so uprightly as iot to brenk it? But if it is an unjust law - vhat then? Again I sny, nnd you will also iay with rae, repeal it. Henee to the polls - fes, to the polls you most go with it, if ever pou expect efieclually to putyour hands to the ivork, of peaceably letting the oppressed go