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

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rum, nor insult tie dignity oil this house,
by attempting to argue in tbs place, as
an abstract proposition, the moral right
of slavery. How gladly would the "le-
rjtimate8 Of Eurote cdaekie' 10 ind an
American Congress in debate on such a
question!
As an evil brought upon us without
our own fault, before the formation OF
our government, and as one OF the sins Of
that nation from which wchaye reyolted,
we must of necessity legislate upon this
subject. 1t is our business SO TO legis-
late, as never to encourage, but always
to control this evil; and, while we strive
to eradicate it, VIC ought to Tx its limits,
aud render it subordinate to the safety of
the white population, and the good order
ofcivil society.
Sir, on this subjcct the eyes OF Europe
are turned upon you. You boast of the
freedom Of your constitution and your
laws; you have proclaimed, in the Decla-
ration of Independence, "iHat all men
are created equal, thai they are eHdo7ved
BIZ Mrir Creator 7uith certain Anaiiena-
bic r5ght8--that amongst these are life,
liberty, and the Pursuit Of hahfineSS y
and yet YOU have slaves in your country.
The enemies of your government, and
the legitimates of Europe, point to your
Inconsistencies, and blazon yss'r sup
posed defects. If you allow slavery to
pass into territories where you have the
lawful power to exclude it, you will just
" take upon yourself all the charges of
Inconsistency; bot, conhne it to the origi-
nal slave holding states, where you found
it at the formation Of your government
and you stand acquitted OF all imputation.
Sir, this is a subject upon which have
great feeling for the honor OF my coun-
try. In former debate upon the Hi
n9is constitution, | mentioned that our
enemies had drawn a picture otour coun-
try, as holding in one hand the Deolara-
ton Of independence, and with the other
brandishing whip over our ahrighted
sl-ves. | then made it my boast that we
could cast back upon England tie accu-
sation, and that she had committed the
original sin of bringing slaves into our
country. Sir, | have since received,
through the post office, letter, post
marked in South Carolina, and signed
81 Native IF EnYiand," desiring that,
when l again had occasion to repeat my
boast against Englan1, would also state
that she had atoncd for her original sin,
BY establishing in her slave colonies a
system of humane laws, ameliorating
their. condition, and providing for their
safety; while America had committed
the secondary sin of disregarding their
condition, and had even provided laws
by which it was not murder to kill
slave. Sir, felt the severity OF the re-
proof; and felt for my country. | have
inquired on the subject, and find such
were formerly the laws in some of the
slave holding states; ard that even now
in the state of South Carolina. by law,
the penalty Of death is provided for
stealing slave, while the murder Of a
slave IS punished bya trivial fue. Such,
Sir, is he contrast and tAe relative value
which IS placed, in the opinion OF slave
holding state, between the property Of
the master and the life Of slave.
Sir, gentlemen have undertaken to dis
crimrnate and to draw odious contrasts
between different sections four country.
] shall not combat such arguments |
have made no pretence to exclusive mo-
rality on this sub lect, either for myself
or my constituents; nor have [ cast any
imputations on others. On the contra
~, | hold, that mankind under like cir
cnmstances are alike, the world over.
The vicious and the unprincipled are
confined to no district of country; and it
is for this portion of the community we
are bound to legislate. When honora-
BILE gentlemen inform us we overrate the
cruelty and the dangers Of slavery, and
tell us that their slaves are happy and
eontented, and would even contribute to
their fcty, they tell us but very little:
? they DO not tell us, that, while their
slaves are happy, the slaves Of some de-
PRAYED and cruel wretch, in their neigh
borhood, may not be stimulated to re-
venge, and thus involve the country in
ruin. If we had to legislate only for
such gentlemen as are now embraced
within my view, a law against robbing. the
mail would be disgrace upon tie ma
ton; and, as useless, | would tear it from
the pages Of your statute book yet sad
experience hes tan ghtus The nee ssitY of
such laws--and honor, justice, and poll
cy, teach us the wisdom Of legislating to
limit the extension Of slavery.
Sir, in the zeal to draw sectional con-
trasts, we have been told by one gentle