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BONDAGE AND FREEDOM

Of the existence and power of the anti-slavery movement, as a fact, you
need no evidence. The nation has seen its face, and felt the controlling pressure of its hand. You have seen it moving in all directions, and in all weathers, and in all places, appearing most where desired least, and pressing
hardest where most resisted. No place is exempt. The quiet prayer meeting,
and the stormy halls of national debate, share its presence alike. It is a common intruder, and of course has the name of being ungentlemanly. Brethren
who had long sung, in the most affectionate fervor, and with the greatest
sense of security,

'Together let us sweetly live--together let us die."

have been suddenly and violently separated by it, and ranged in hostile attitude toward each other. The Methodist, one of the most powerful religious organizations of this country, has been rent asunder, and its strongest
bolts of denominational brotherhood started at a single surge. It has
changed the tone of the northern pulpit, and modified that of the press. A
celebrated divine, who, four years ago. was for flinging his own mother, or
brother, into the remorseless jaws of the monster slavery, lest he should
swallow up the Union, now recognizes anti-slavery as a characteristic of
future civilization. Signs and wonders follow this movement; and the fact
just stated is one of them. Party ties are loosened by it; and men arc compelled to take sides for or against it, whether they will or not. Come from
where he may, or come for what he may, he is compelled to show his hand .
What is this mighty force? What is its history? and what is its destiny? Is it
ancient or modern, transient or permanent? Has it turned aside, like a
stranger and a sojourner, to tarry for a night? or has it come to rest with us
forever? Excellent chances are here for speculation; and some of them arc
quite profound. We might, for instance, proceed to inquire not only into
the philosophy of the anti-slavery move ment. but into the philosophy of
the law, in obedience to which that movement started into existence. We
might demand to know what is that law or power which, at different times.
disposes the minds of men to this or that particular object--now for peace,
and now for war--now for freedom, and now for slavery; but this profound question I leave to the abolitionists of the superior class to answer.
The speculations which must precede such answer, would afford, perhaps,
about the same satisfaction as the learned theories which have rained
down upon the world, from time to time, as to the origin of evil. I shall,
therefore, avoid water in which I cannot swim, and deal with anti-slavery
as a fact, like any other fact in the history of mankind, capable of being de-