Now who was the writer from whom he had quoted?--His friend Mr.
Breckinridge. This was his final reason. If Mr. Breckinridge's
argument survived these reasons, it would have a life like that of a
cat, which is said to have nine lives; for they were nine fatal
thrusts at his position, that slavery in America was not American
slavery. Mr. B. admits the existence of slavery, but lays no blame
either in this quarter or in that; he does not lay it on the states,
nor on the General Government. Slavery does exist in America,
but--interminably; but, but--coming as these buts did from a
temperance country, he wondered much that they had escaped being
staved. Slavery exists in America, but it is not a national question!
There are upwards of two millions and a half of slaves in the United
States of America, and of these, at least one hundred thousand changed
hands annually, thus sundering, without remorse, the tenderest ties of
human nature; at whose door, then, lay the guilt of this sin? To whom
were the people of this country to address their warnings--over whose
transgressions were they to mourn--whose hearts were they to endeavor
to humanize and mollify--where were the responsible and guilty parties
to be found--how are we to get access to their consciences on behalf
of the slave? Mr. Breckinridge says the system is one of 'clear
robbery,' 'universal concubinage,'--'unmitigated wickedness'--and yet
it is not to be immediately abolished! If it be clear robbery--if it
be universal concubinage--if it be unmitigated wickedness--let the
horrid system immediately, and totally, and eternally cease--a worse
system it was impossible to have if these were the evils it entailed.
Mr. B. triumphantly makes out my case for immediate and complete
emancipation. The duty is plain and indispensable. Mr. Breckinridge
says the abolitionists are the most despicable and odious men on the
face of the earth. Those who love liberty are always odious in the
eyes of tyrants. The lovers of things as they are, of corruption of
despotism--men who look at every thing from beneath the aprons of
their grandmothers, invariably regard as insufferably odious all who
are lovers of reformation and liberty. This always has been, and
always will be the case. As it was said in the service of the church
of England, it might be said on this subject, 'As it was in the
beginning, is now, and ever shall be' if not 'world without end,' at
least to the end of this world. On the 6th day of January, 1831, Mr.
Breckinridge delivered in Frankfort, Kentucky, an able address in
favor of the Colonization Society. In that address, Mr. B. stated that
the Society was established on the 21st day of Dec. 1816, and was of
course, at the time of his speech, fourteen years and sixteen days
old. Mr. Breckinridge said the legislatures of eleven states of the
Union had recommended this Society to Congress; that the
ecclesiastical tribunals of all the leading sects of Christians in
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