Page:The Natick resolution, or, resistance to slaveholders.djvu/20

18 introduced Mr. Wright, who read the resolution and commented on it some forty minutes, and gave way. You (if I mistake not, by name) were invited, with others, to give your views for or against it, as your reason and conscience should dictate. You declined, as was your right and duty, if your own reason so decided. Though all would have gladly heard you, none hlamed you for your silence.

It was urged in that meeting, that it was the right and duty of the slaves, and of the North, to embody their resistance to slaveholders in every department of life, wherever they deemed it right to live—in domestic, social, ecclesiastical, political and commercial life; and that it was the right of the slaves to defend themselves against the lusts, the thefts, robbery and rapine of their masters, by arms and blood, in the same sense that it is the right of the masters to defend themselves against like outrages on the part of the slaves.

As to military resistance, Mr. Wright denied that it was ever right or expedient. At the same time, he said, if ever it was right to resist tyrants by arms, it was the right and duty of the slaves, and of the North, to resist slaveholders; that if ever one human being deserved death at the hand of another, (which Mr. Wright denied,) every slaveholder deserved it at the hand of the slave; and that, according to the religion, the government, the popular opinion and universal history of the nation, John Brown had done right, and only his duty to God and Humanity, in resolving to run off slaves, and to shoot down all who should oppose him in his God-appointed work.

Three things were distinctly urged in that meeting, as taught by the ministers, legislators, judges, presidents and governors of the entire nation. (1) The right of slaves to run away; (2) their right to defend themselves against all who shall attempt to molest them; (3) their right to call on the people of the North to aid them, and the duty of the North to incite them to run away, and to defend them against all, whether governmental officials or not, who shall oppose their exodus.

It was urged upon Henry Wilson, Charles Sumner, William H. Seward, John P. Hale, and all Northern Senators and Representatives, in and out of Congress, as a duty, to