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BONDAGE AND FREEDOM

come before the northern people with propositions of such undisguised
contempt for the moral sentiment and the religious ideas of that people.
They virtually asked them to unite in a war upon free speech, and upon conscience, and to drive the Almighty presence from the councils of the nation.
Resting their platforms upon the fugitive slave bill, they boldly asked the
people for political power to execute the horrible and hell-black provisions
of that bill. The history of that election reveals, with great clearness, the extent to which slavery has shot its leprous distillment through the life-blood
of the nation. The party most thoroughly opposed to the cause of justice and
humanity, triumphed; while the party suspected of a leaning toward liberty.
was overwhelmingly defeated, some say annihilated.

But here is a still more important fact, illustrating the designs of the
slave power. It is a fact full of meaning, that no sooner did the democratic
slavery party come into power, than a system of legislation was presented
to the legislatures of the northern states, designed to put the states in harmony with the fugitive slave law, and the malignant bearing of the national
government toward the colored inhabitants of the country. This whole
movement on the part of the states, bears the evidence of having one origin,
emanating from one head, and urged forward by one power. It was simultaneous, uniform, and general, and looked to one end. It was intended to put
thorns under feet already bleeding; to crush a people already bowed down;
to enslave a people already but half free; in a word, it was intended to discourage, dishearten, and drive the free colored people out of the country. In
looking at the recent black law of Illinois, one is struck dumb with its enormity. It would seem that the men who enacted that law, had not only banished from their minds all sense of justice, but all sense of shame. It coolly
proposes to sell the bodies and souls of the black to increase the intelligence
and refinement of the whites; to rob every black stranger who ventures
among them, to increase their literary fund.

While this is going on in the states. a pro-slavery, political board of
health is established at Washington. Senators Hale, Chase, and Sumner are
robbed of a part of their senatorial dignity and consequence as representing
sovereign states, because they have refused to be inoculated with the slavery virus. Among the services which a senator is expected by his state to
perform, are many that can only be done efficiently on committees; and. in
saying to these honorable senators, you shall not serve on the committees of
this body, the slavery party took the responsibility of robbing and insulting
the states that sent them. It is an attempt at Washington to decide for the
states who shall be sent to the senate. Sir, it strikes me that this aggression