#slave

But assuming the same premises, to wit, that all men are equal by the law of nature and of nations, the right of property in slaves falls to the ground; for one who is equal to another cannot be the owner or property of that other. ↗

— William H. Seward

#assuming #cannot #equal #falls #ground

But you answer, that the Constitution recognizes property in slaves. It would be sufficient, then, to reply, that this constitutional recognition must be void, because it is repugnant to the law of nature and of nations. ↗

— William H. Seward

#because #constitution #constitutional #law #must

If slavery, limited as it yet is, now threatens to subvert the Constitution, how can we as wise and prudent statesmen, enlarge its boundaries and increase its influence, and thus increase already impending dangers? ↗

— William H. Seward

#boundaries #constitution #dangers #enlarge #how

I mean to say that Congress can hereafter decide whether any states, slave or free, can be framed out of Texas. If they should never be framed out of Texas, they never could be admitted. ↗

— William H. Seward

#any #congress #could #decide #framed

It is the maintenance of slavery by law in a state, not parallels of latitude, that makes its a southern state; and the absence of this, that makes it a northern state. ↗

— William H. Seward

#latitude #law #maintenance #makes #northern

Sir, there is no Christian nation, thus free to choose as we are, which would establish slavery. ↗

— William H. Seward

#christian #christian nation #establish #free #nation

The right to have a slave implies the right in some one to make the slave; that right must be equal and mutual, and this would resolve society into a state of perpetual war. ↗

— William H. Seward

#implies #into #make #must #mutual

There is not only no free state which would now establish it, but there is no slave state, which, if it had had the free alternative as we now have, would have founded slavery. ↗

— William H. Seward

#establish #founded #free #free state #had

Every emancipation has in it the seeds of a new slavery, and every truth easily becomes a lie. ↗

— I. F. Stone

#easily #emancipation #every #lie #new

For in reason, all government without the consent of the governed is the very definition of slavery. ↗

— Jonathan Swift

#consent #definition #governed #reason #slavery