Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-05-16

now, the experience of all past ages
prove that when they shall be sufficiently
numerous to peryade every ramihcation
of society, that such will be the effect.
That it should be otherwise, when, from
! their number and the cheapness of their
labor, the free citizens of the country
either need not, or cannot, for the want
of sufficient compensation, be employeds
than that idleness and luxury should
here produce the same effects they have
always produced in other countries, cam
not be believed. In Athens, idlenesS
and luxury were considered the parent
of crimes, the disturbers of society. So
dangerous were they considered, that
Scion, their great law-giyer, required
every individual to pursue some trade or
profession. Nay, SO essential was it
| considered to the permanency of the
government, and happiness of the peo-
pie, that even Pisistrates, who had suffi-
Client address to usulp that government,
required the observance of that law after
he came into power. But alas that
government, which once SO justly boasted
of its statesmen, its orators, and it's
| philosophers, under the baleful influence
Of that idleness and luxury which sue
| ceeded the abrogation of those salutary
laws, became an easy prey to foreign
cupidity, and is now living, or was, not
long since, under the government Of a
black eunuch, elected from the Turkish
seraglio. Human nature is alike, and is
only noble or abased, as circumstances
decree.
But, sir, the day will come, when we
must get rid of this evil, or the evil viii
| rid itself of us. And there are but three
ways in which to do it: by emancipation
| and colonization, by amalgamation, or by
extirpation. In one of these ways, if
ever, Mr.. Chairman, we must get rid of
| this evil, and to hope for it in either of
the last mentioned ways, is SO revolving
to our feelings, and SO uncongenial with
our nature, that no member of this COM
mittee, l trust, will look to either of
them as the proper expedient It's,
then, by emancipation that we ought to
hope to remove this pestilence, this foul
blot from our country. And will it be
seriously commended, that the more they
are spread throughout this land, the
easier that object will be attained No,
sir; the love OF ease and pleasure are
the scions which shoot from the root OF
slavery. The more they are extended,
therefore, the more will this canker
spread, so fatal to liberty, and the more
difficult will it be to effect their manu-
mission. For, can it be doubted that
this work is to be done by the combined
influence of public sentiment and legis-
lative exertion, and by that only /? And if
so, in proportion as you expose that
sentiment to the extended influence OF
the temptation to ease and pleasure, in
that proportion you diminish the pros
pect of success. The policy, therefore,
of emancipation and extension, are hos
tile to each other-are inconsistent
This, Mr.. Chairman, is fortunate
period at which to embark in this cause.
The world is at peace, with the excep-
ton of Spain, and are almost equally
united in abolishing the slave trade. IF
we, therefore, cast our eyes across the
ocean to Africa, the land of their fathers,
we may hope to procure a resting place
! for them, where they may enjoy peace
and quiet, as we'll as ourselves. The
public sentiment of mankind is in their
favor, and from the evidences which have
been given, l should hope the sentiments
of this nation are in their favor.
For what purpose are your extensive
Colonization and Bible societies organic
ed are they simply to ape the English ?
No sir, they are the offspring of sound
policy, humanity, and and religion. Sir,
have an honorable gentleman now ia
my eye, (Mr Mercer) whose zeal in The
cause of humanity in promoting the
views of the colonization society, does
honor to his heart and bis character; yet
fear, on the subject under consideration,
his views and opinions are at war with
those great and benevolent exertions, for
which he is so Justly distinguished. But,
while the fact that the world is at peace,
tells us it is favorable period to en-
bark with harmony and good fellowship
| in this work-It tells us still more-It
tells us that, if in this attempt to eradi-
cate this evil, we cherish domestic dis
sentions amongst ourselves-if we foster
party feuds, and geographical distinctions
that portion at least of that peaceful
world may feel disposed to embark ia
our difficulties, and ultimately destroy
the fair temple of our independence.
Sir, there was time, mean the time
of the western instruction, and of
III r,ttvf l,afn