Viii.
And now after glancing briefly at his public course in reference to the atrocities of the
Fugitive Slave Law—at his argument proving Freedom to be national, and Slavery sectional—his efforts to prevent the extension of slavery over new Territories—the vindication of Freedom in
Kansas—the tyrannical usurpations of the
Slave Oligarchy; and more particularly the way in which he had dragged the barbarism of slavery into the light of public gaze, he said to the
Worcester Convention: ‘These are topics no longer of practical interest; they are not of to-day.
Let us,’ he said, ‘rejoice that so much has been gained, and from the extent of the present triumph, take hope and courage for the future.
Providence will be with the good cause in times to come,
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as in times past.
Others may despair; I do not. Others may see gloom; I cannot.
Others may hesitate; I will not. Already is the nation saved.’
He could not withhold the expression of his thanks to Almighty God that Emancipation had already begun to count its victories.
‘The Slave Oligarchy,’ he continued, in one of his cumulative bursts of volcanic argument, ‘which, according to the vaunt of a slaveholding
Senator, has ruled the
Republic for more than fifty years;—which has stamped its degrading character upon the national forehead—which has entered into, and possessed, not only the politics, but the literature, and even the religion of the land—which has embroiled us at home, and given us a bad name abroad—which has wielded at will,
President,
Cabinet, and even judicial tribunals—which has superseded public opinion by substituting its own immoral behests—which has appropriated to itself the offices and honors of the
Republic—which has established Slavery as the single test and shibboleth of favor,—which, after opening all our Territories to this wrong, was already promising to renew the Slave-trade and its unutterable woes,—nay, more, which in the instinct of that tyranny through which it ruled, was beating down all safe-guards of human rights, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, security of person, and delivering the whole country to a sway whose vulgarity was second only to its madness —this domineering Slave Oligarchy is dislodged from the
National Government, never more to return.
Thus far at least has Emancipation prevailed.
The greatest slave of all is free. Pillars greater than those of
Hercules might fitly mark this progress.’