Page:The landmark of freedom.djvu/49

Rh signed to the Declaration of Independence, gave added importance even to that great instrument, and then again signed to the Constitution of the United States, filled it with the charm of wisdom—in whom more than in any other man, the true spirit of American Institutions, at once practical and humane, was embodied—who knew intimately the purposes and aspirations of the founders—this veteran statesman, then eighty-four years of age, appeared at the bar of that Congress, whose powers he had helped to define and establish, and by the last political act of his long life, solemnly entreated "that it would be pleased to countenance the restoration of liberty to those unhappy men, who alone in this land of freedom, are degraded into perpetual bondage," and "that it would step to the very verge of the power vested in it for every species of traffic in the persons of our fellow men." Only a short time after uttering this prayer, the patriot sage descended to the tomb; but he seems still to call upon Congress, in memorable words, to step to the very verge of the powers vested in it to discourage slavery; and this prayer, now sounding from the tomb of Franklin, proclaims the true national policy of the Fathers. Not encouragement, but discouragement of slavery, not its nationalization, but its denationalization, was their rule.

The memorial of Franklin, with other memorials of a similar character, was referred to a committee,