Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 06 (of 20)Sumner, Charles
History
Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 06 (of 20)
Sumner, Charles
Slavery -- United States; Speeches, addresses, etc., American
And, finally, we shall help expel the Slave Oligarchy from all its
seats of National power, driving it back within the States. This alone
is worthy of every effort; for, until this is done, nothing else can
be completely done. In vain you seek economy or purity in the National
Government, in vain you seek improvement of rivers and harbors, in
vain you seek homesteads on the public lands for actual settlers, in
vain you seek reform in administration, in vain you seek dignity and
peace in our foreign relations, with just sympathy for struggling
Freedom everywhere, while this selfish and corrupt power holds the
National purse and the National sword. Prostrate the Slave Oligarchy,
and the door will be open to all generous principles. Prostrate the
Slave Oligarchy, and the wickedness of the Fugitive Slave Bill will
be expelled from the statute-book. Prostrate the Slave Oligarchy,
and Slavery will cease at once in the National Capital. Prostrate
the Slave Oligarchy, and the Slave-Trade will no longer skulk along
our coasts beneath the National flag. Prostrate the Slave Oligarchy,
and Liberty will become, in fact, as in law, the normal condition of
all the National Territories. Prostrate the Slave Oligarchy, and the
National Government will be at length divorced from Slavery. Prostrate
the Slave Oligarchy, and the National star will be changed from Slavery
to Freedom. Prostrate the Slave Oligarchy, and the North will be no
longer the vassal of the South. Prostrate the Slave Oligarchy, and the
North will be admitted to its just share in the trusts and honors of
the Republic. Prostrate the Slave Oligarchy, and a mighty victory of
Peace will be won, whose influence on the Future of our country and of
mankind no imagination can paint.
Prostrated, exposed, and permanently expelled from ill-gotten power,
the Oligarchy will cease to exist as a political combination. Its final
doom may be postponed, but it is certain. Languishing, it may live yet
longer; but it will surely die. Yes, fellow-citizens, surely it will
die, when, disappointed in purpose, driven back within the States, and
constrained within these limits, it can no longer rule the Republic as
a plantation of slaves at home, can no longer menace the Territories
with five-headed device to compel _Labor without Wages_, can no longer
fasten upon the Constitution an interpretation which makes merchandise
of men and gives disgraceful immunity to brokers of human souls and
butchers of human hearts, and can no longer grind flesh and blood, with
groans and sighs, tears of mothers and cries of children, into the
cement of a barbarous political power. Surely, then, in its retreat,
smarting under the indignation of an aroused people and the concurring
judgment of the civilized world, it must die,--it may be as a poisoned
rat dies of rage in its hole.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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