of Great Britain, said:

"When a nation, led to greatness by the hand of liberty, and possessed
of all the glory that heroism, munificence, and humanity, can bestow,
descends to the ungrateful task of forging chains for her friends and
children, and, instead of giving support to freedom, turns advocate for
slavery and oppression, there is reason to suspect that she has either
ceased to be virtuous, or is extremely negligent in the appointment of
her rulers."

Is not this the situation and condition of this country now? Is not a
great party now engaged in the ungrateful task of forging chains for a
large portion of the people of this country? Instead of supporting
freedom, does it not advocate slavery and oppression? Have we not reason
to suspect that too many of our countrymen have ceased to be virtuous?

By the Darien committee, Georgia, January, 1775, it was declared:

"To show the world that we are not influenced by any contracted and
interested motives, but a general philanthropy for all mankind, of
whatever language or complexion, we hereby declare our disapprobation
and abhorrence of the unnatural practice of slavery in America--a
practice founded in injustice and cruelty, and highly dangerous to our
liberties."

I cannot quote at greater length from the proceedings of this committee.
Their philanthropy was without regard to complexion; they abhorred
slavery, as based on injustice and cruelty; and more, as dangerous to
our liberties. If it were founded in injustice and cruelty in 1775, it
is the same in 1860. It was dangerous to liberty _then_; no man _now_
apprehends any danger to liberty, unless from the same source. It is
daily threatened by men who are interested in slavery. Liberty cannot be
very secure where four million human beings are held in hopeless
bondage--where human blood, bone, muscle, and, I might almost say,
immortal souls, are articles of merchandise.

The historical quotations I have made bring me to the Revolution. I will
cite the opinions of some of the great actors in that great drama.
George Washington said, in his will:

"Upon the decease of my wife, it is my desire that the slaves whom I
hold _in my own right_ should receive their freedom."

Again, he said:

"I never mean, unless some particular circumstance should compel me, to
possess another slave by purchase, it being my first wish to see some
plan adopted by which slavery in this country may be abolished by law."

La Faye