We are told our measures are an _invasion of the rights of property_. This objection assumes, what nature denies, that _man_ may be _rightfully_ held as property. Blackstone maintains in his Commentaries, that man cannot be reduced by any just process to a state of absolute Slavery; that he cannot be born in that state, nor sell himself into it, nor be placed there when taken captive in war, without flagrant injustice. We also hold it to be _self-evident_, that all men are _born free and equal_, and entitled to certain _inalienable_ rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Slave owns himself by grant of his Creator. _Slavery_ is, therefore, an invasion of his rights of property. It is the slave-master who makes an aggression on the property of others, not we, who exhort him to relinquish that property. The Slaves being the rightful owners of themselves, the abolition of Slavery is merely an act declarative of this indisputable title. Nor do we seek the destruction of Slavery, except through the constitutional authorities. Even were the slaves the _property_ of their masters, it would be lawful for us to _persuade_ them to part with it. Would it not? The Legislatures of the several states have a right to abolish Slavery. Have they not? It has hitherto been conceded, that the law making power of every slave-holding country has this right. May we not then persuade the states to exercise it, by convincing them of the moral wrong and frightful impolicy of Slavery? Should it be said that the government encouraged its citizens to invest property under the protection of the slave code, and therefore ought not to abolish Slavery without indemnifying them, our answer is, that mankind are under a paramount obligation not to invest property under the protection of _immoral_ laws; that all such laws are in their nature null and void from the beginning; that governments have always exercised the power of correcting abuses; and there is no greater abuse than Slavery; none more unjust and oppressive; none more pernicious and perilous to our national interests.