Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-05-29

general legislation, what will be the re-
suit when it is spread through your
widely extended domain Its present
threatening aspect, and the violence Of
its supporters, so far from inducing me
to yield to its progress, prompt me to
resist it's march. Now is the time. 1t
must be met, and the extension of the
evil must now be prevented, or the oc-
casion is irrecoverably lost, and the evil
can never be contracted.
Sir, extend your view across the Mis-
sissippi, over your newly acquired ter
ritory territory SO far surprising, in
extent, the limits of your present coun-
try, that that country which gave birth
to your nation, which achieved your rev.
olution, consolidated your union, formed
your constitution, and has subsequently
acquired so much glory, hangs but an
appendage to the extended empire over
which your republican government is
now called to bear sway. Look down
the long vista of futurity; see your en-
pire, in extent unequalled; in adyanta-
geous situation without parallel, and
occupying all the valuable part of our
continent. Behold this extended empire,
inhabited by the hardy sons of American
freemen, knowing their rights, and in
heriting the will to protect them: owners
of the soil on which they live, and in
terested in the institutions which they
labor to defend; with two oceans LAYING
your shores, and tributary to your pur-
poses; bearing on their bosoms the
commerce of your people: compared
to yours, the governments OF Europe
dwindle into nsignificance, and the whole
world is without a parallel. But, sir,
reverse this scene; people this fair do
minion with the slaves Of your planters;
extend SLAVERY, this bane of man, this
abomination of heaven, over your ex-
tended empire, and you prepare its dis
solution; you turn its accumulated
strength into positive weakness; you
cherish a canker in your breast; you
put poison in your bosom; you place a
vulture on your heart--nay, you whet the
dagger and place it in the hands of
portion OF your population, stimulated
to use it, by every tie, human and divine.
The envious contrast between your hap
piness, and their misery; between your
liberty, and their slavery, must constant
ly prompt them to accomplish your de-
struction. Your enemies will learn the
source and the cause of your weakness.
AS often as external dangers shallthreat-
en-, or internal connections await you,
you will then realize, that, by your own
procurement, you have placed amidst
your families, and in the bosom of your
country, population producing at once
the greatest cause of individual danger,
and of national weakness. With this
defect, your government must crumble
to pieces, and your people become the
scott of the world.
Sir, we have been told, with apparent
confidence, that we have no right TO an
mex conditions to state, on its admis-
sion into the union; and it has been urged
that the proposed amendment, prohibit
ing the further introduction Of slavery, is
unconstitutional. This position, assert
ed with so much confidence, remains
unsupported by any argument, or by any
authority derived from the constitution
itself. The constitution strongly indi-
Gates an opposite conclusion, and seems
to contemplate difference between the
old and the new states. The practice of
the government has sanctioned this diff
ference Ill many respects.
| The third section of the fourth article
of the constitution says, =" .Nezv states
may be admitted by tie congress into this
union," and it is silent as to the terms
and conditions upon which the new states
may be so admitted. The fair inference
from this silence is, that the Congress
which might admit, should prescribe the
| time and the terms of such admission
The 10th section of the first article OF
the constitution says, +" The migration
or imhortation Of such persons as any
Of the states NOW EXISTING shall think
lhroher to admit, shall not be prohibited
by the congress prior to the year 1905
The words 6 now eristing" clearly shew
the distinction for which we contend.-
The word siave is no where mentioned
in the constitution; but this section has
always been considered as applicable to
them; and unquestionably reserved the
| right to prevent their importation into
any ne4v state before the year 1903.
Congress therefore have power over
the subject, probably as matter OF le-
gislation, but more certainly as right
to prescribe the time and the condition
upon which any new state may be admit
ted into the family of the union. Sir,