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Editorial
November 18, 1859
Muscatine Weekly Journal
Muscatine, Muscatine County, Iowa
What is this article about?
Editorial quotes Thomas Jefferson's anti-slavery passage from 'Notes on Virginia' to critique 'Africanized Democracy' followers who claim his political legacy but would label him a traitor in 1859 for opposing slavery.
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Full Text
The 'Irrepressible Conflict.'—Jefferson, the great apostle of Democracy, in his 'Notes on Virginia,' gave utterance to sentiments which, if delivered in the year 1859, would stamp him among the Africanized Democracy as a traitor to his country. And yet these same men claim to belong to the Jeffersonian school of politics! We ask a careful perusal of the language of Jefferson:
'The whole commerce between master and slave is a continual exercise of the most unremitting despotism on the one part, and degrading submission on the other. With what execration should the statesman be loaded who, permitting one half of the citizens to trample on the rights of the other, transforms those into despots and these into enemies; destroys the morals of one part, and the amor patriae of the other! Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis—a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God; that they are violated but by his wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and that his justice cannot sleep forever.'
'The whole commerce between master and slave is a continual exercise of the most unremitting despotism on the one part, and degrading submission on the other. With what execration should the statesman be loaded who, permitting one half of the citizens to trample on the rights of the other, transforms those into despots and these into enemies; destroys the morals of one part, and the amor patriae of the other! Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis—a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God; that they are violated but by his wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and that his justice cannot sleep forever.'
What sub-type of article is it?
Slavery Abolition
Moral Or Religious
Partisan Politics
What keywords are associated?
Irrepressible Conflict
Jefferson
Slavery
Democracy
Notes On Virginia
Despotism
Gods Justice
What entities or persons were involved?
Jefferson
Africanized Democracy
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
Jefferson's Condemnation Of Slavery Versus Democratic Claims
Stance / Tone
Anti Slavery Critique Of Democrats
Key Figures
Jefferson
Africanized Democracy
Key Arguments
Slavery Involves Unremitting Despotism And Degrading Submission.
Statesmen Permitting Slavery Become Despots And Destroy Morals And Patriotism.
National Liberties Insecure Without Conviction That They Are God's Gift.
Tremble For Country As God's Justice Cannot Sleep Forever.