before, how cursed and doubly accursed a thing is slavery--making men
forget all that is holiest and sacredest, quenching all their
inspirations of patriotism, and leading them to sell body and soul for
mad ambition. How true, alas! is the poet's word: 'How like a mounting
devil in the heart rules the unreined ambition!'

We _must_, therefore, put an end to slavery. In its whole essence and
substance, it militates against the perpetuity of our national Union. To
think of preserving both it and the Union is to shut our eyes wilfully
to the facts of the last half century, and the culminating condemnation
of slavery in the rebellion. A Southern journal (_The Nashville Times_)
has lately said, with great truth and force: 'Slavery can no more
violate the law of its existence and become loyal and law-abiding than a
stagnant pool can freshen and grow sweet in its own corruption.' Discard
all other considerations; say, if we please, that slavery has nothing to
do with the origin of the war; yet we must recognize the fact of a
confederacy avowedly basing itself on the system of slavery, and which
is in the interest of slaveholders, and is fostered by the minions of
despotism all over the world. Then, if we can, let us come to any other
conclusion than the one suggested in the proposed amendment.

This confederacy in the interest of slaveholders threatens the life of
the nation. There is a limit to the powers of the Constitution, and we
may not pass beyond it. But shall we deny that there is a higher law
back of the Constitution, back of all constitutions--namely, that
'safety of the people,' which is 'the supreme law'? If we say that there
is no such thing as moral government in the world; that a beneficent God
does not sit in the heavens, holding all nations as in the hollow of His
hand; yet we cannot deny this law of self-preservation. This law, this
higher law of human society, the law political, in the very nature of
things, demands the amendment.

Above all, let us not ignore the lessons of the war. The million graves
of the heroes fallen in defence of our liberties and laws, are so many
million wounds in the bleeding body of the nation, whose poor, dumb
mouths, if they had voice, would cry out to Heaven against the system
which has moved this foul treason against those liberties and laws. Let
us, then, in the white heat of this terrible crisis, adopt the
amendment, and stamp on the forefront of the nation, as its motto,