C. Edwards Lester, Life and public services of Charles Sumner: Born Jan. 6, 1811. Died March 11, 1874.

[206] venerable patriot, Benjamin Franklin, who did not hesitate to liken the American master of black Slaves to the Algerine corsair with his white Slaves, and who, as President of the earliest Abolition Society——the same of which Passmore Williamson is now the honored Secretary——by solemn petition, called upon Congress ‘to step to the very verge of the power vested in it to discourage every species of traffic in the persons of our fellow-men.’ Thus completely, by this triumvirate of Freedom, was Slavery condemned, and the power of the Government invoked against it.

By such men, and in such spirit, was the National Constitution framed.

The emphatic words of the Declaration of Independence, which our country took upon its lips as baptismal vows, when it claimed a place among the nations of the earth, were not forgotten. The preamble to the Constitution renews them, when it declares the object of the people of the United States to be, among other things, ‘to establish justice, to promote the general welfare, and to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and posterity.’ Thus, according to undeniable words, the Constitution was ordained, not to establish, secure or sanction slavery —not to promote the special interest of slave-masters, bound together in oligarchical combination—not to make Slavery national in any way, form or manner; but to ‘establish justice,’ which condemns Slavery— ‘to promote the general welfare,’ which repudiates every Oligarchy— and ‘to secure the blessings of liberty,’ in whose presence human bondage must cease. Early in the Convention, Gouverneur Morris broke forth in the language of an Abolitionist: ‘He never would concur in upholding domestic Slavery. It was a nefarious institution. It was the curse of Heaven.’ In another mood, and with mild juridical phrase, Mr. Madison, himself a slaveholder, ‘thought it wrong to admit in the Constitution the idea of property in man.’ The discreditable words, Slave and Slavery, were not allowed to find a place in the instrument, while a clause was subsequently added by way of amendment, —and, therefore, according to the rules of interpretation, particularly revealing the sentiments of the founders,—which is calculated, like the Declaration of Independence, if practically applied, to carry Freedom everywhere within the sphere of its influence. It was specifically declared that ‘no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property, without due process of law,’ that is, without due presentment, indictment or other formal judicial proceedings. Here is an express guard of personal Liberty, and a prohibition of Slavery everywhere within the national jurisdiction.