Page:The Collected Works of Theodore Parker Slavery volume 5 .djvu/307

Rh of the voters would say No. The people are right, though, alas, not very earnest. There are a few politicians, also, who hate slavery. There are noble ministers of all sects save the Catholic, true to their high calling, honouring the great Philanthropist they worship, who hate American slavery, and preach against it in spite of the Pharisee, the Sadducee, and the hypocrite, who thereupon tighten against the minister the strings of the parish purse. I have no words to tell how much I honour such men! True ministers of Christ, they put the churches of commerce to continual shame. I never knew of a Catholic priest who favoured freedom in America; a slave himself, the mediaeval theocracy eats the heart out from the celibate monk! Slavery is one great enemy of America, but there is one other foe—corrupt politicians fillibustering for the Presidency, defending slavery out of the New Testament, volunteering to shoulder their musket and shoot down men claiming their unalienable rights; politicians who deny God^s higher law, who call upon us to conquer our preju- dices against wickedness, inaugurating Atheism as the first principle of government. In 1788, they put slavery into the Constitution; in 1850, they enacted iniquity into law; and in 1854, they are about their old work "saving the Union." Shall such men always prevail? the mediaeval Catholic against the free minister of piety! the corrupt politician fillibustering for office against the people—the American idea in their heads, and humanity in their hearts! Even the Catholic shall learn.

Slavery must die. See how monarchy withdrew in front of White Hall in 1648 ! How slavery disappeared from St Domingo in 1790! Shall American slavery end after that sort, or as it ended in New England; as Old England put it down in Jamaica? Down it must. God does not forget. His justice is wrought into the world's great heart. See what changes perplex the monarchs of the world—with what strides mankind goes forward! The fourth tyrant must follow to the same tomb with the rest. It is for you and me to slay him!

Half a million immigrants annually find a shelter on our shores. "Westward the course of empire takes its way." Ay, it will come eastward—and Asia already be-