Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-09-25

I presume It will not. Why then should
the privilege be SO strongly maintained
in our national councils? Every rational
man will admit that the free states are
more independent, more warlike, and
greater in resources, than the slave
states. On this ground alone, if there
were no other considerations, slavery
ought to be exterminated from the Uni
ted States.
The people of this state have repeat
eddy, by their ballots at the polls, shown
that they will discountcnance slavery
But, fellow citizens, have you done all
you could or ought to do in that respect
Notwithstanding the ordinance of con-
gress Of 1887, for the government of the
Northwestern Territory; notwithstand-
ing the checks and severe restrictions on
slavery which are incorporated in the
constitution of this state, still we have
slaves among us; we ourselves are slave
holders, and we practise that which we
would condemn in others. Wherefore
is all this The slave owner says that he
cannot work and to hire freemen is too
expensive; and therefore he must have
slaves to do his work and his drudgery
Such ideas are abominable in the sight
of God; and human nature shudders at
the depravity. Slavery disgraces man
kind, and ought not to exist.
But it may be asked how can we rene
dy the evil3 Those who have slaves
consider them as their property, and
surely no law can be made to disfran-
chise them.
Under these circumstances we cannot
appeal to courts of justice, for they have
not Jurisdiction in such cases. Never
theless, fellow citizens, there is tribu-
nal to which we may appeal, and which
is all-sufficient to remove this disgrace
from the American people Il mean a
public tribunal There we are our own
judges, and our object will be attained.
One OF the great eXcellencies of re-
publican government, is, that we choose,
from among ourselves, men to make
laws and to rule over us.-And the God
of nature has implanted in mankind a
spirit OF emulation. Let us appeal to
the candor, to the decision of every man,
and at this tribunal what will be the re-
suit +? Are any Of you prepared to say
that you will support men or measures
calculated to continue slavery among
you | trust you are not. Then let us
adopt this principle, that we will not sup
port any candidate for an office of honor
or profit within the gift of the people,
who either advocates the right of slavery
or who is actually STAKEHOLDER. This
course would doubtless, ere many years,
have the effect to abolish slavery alto
gether For where is there man who
thinks he can reap greater honors or
profits from holding in slavery few
blacks, than can be acquired by being
elected to fill an Office of the greatest
honor or profit within our state or gov
ernment?
If we appeal to the pride or to the
ambition of men, there will be no de-
ception in the decision. For these quail
ties exist alike in all men, differing only
in degree and their object. Vain pre-
tensions will not be substituted for facts,
because they have no meaning.
Hereafter, in another essay, l will
show to the people of this state that the
few negroes already in it are destructive
to the interest of their masters.
Seht. nth, 1919.