Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-10-10
raon TIE NATIONAL rsrrlr1anscRa, SEPT. Is.
a sKETCu or TIE REsIARKs

.3taie IN tie Scuate ofMe United STATES,
81 .atP. EDU.4RD8, or 1LhLl'oHS,
On The bill for the admission CT Missouri into
tie Union,
Nh. PRESIDENT: Having long been
out Of the habit Of public speaking, and
finding myself unable to command that
composure of mind and selt-posscssion
which arc SO essential to the lnyostisa-
ton Of 4 subject as important as the one
now under consideration, | should leave
the discussion Of il to gentlemen who are
infinitely more competcntto do justice 10
it, were it not that my silence might seem
to sanction the imputa,ion Of an hon.
gentleman who has thought proper TO eN-
press the opinion, that, by my vote Of
Friday last, which thought it NY duty
to give, | had abandoned the interest Of
the non slaveholling states Of the west.
If such suggestion be well founded,
nothing can be more certain than that |
have not been lnis.ed by personal con-
siderations; for, my permanent resi-
dencc and the NEST Of my property be
ing in one of those states, and holding
seat in this House by the kind partially
of the citizens thereof, which have also
often experienced on other occasions,
and for which no one could be more
thankful; should be unjust to myself,
ungrateful to them, and equally regard
less Of the dictates OF interest and duty,
were | not anxiously disposed to pro-
mote the best interest of the state which
| have the honor IN part to represent.
Were | 10 consult my popularity only,
| well know that il would be much easier
TO swim with, than to resist, the present
popular current, which threatens to
oyerwhelm all opposition, and to dcluge
the non slave-holding states Of the west,
with what | consider, with all due de-
ference to the opinions of other gentle
men, political heresies, replete with
mischiels calculated to impair their pre-
sent as well as future prosperity and
happiness.
Sir, love popularity so well, that I
would gladly retain it by the utmost dc
votion to the interests Of my constituents
but | would far rather surrender all pre-
tensions to it, than preserve it at the eX-
pense Of my conscience. Irespect pub
lie sentiment as much as any man, and
should at all times derive the sinccrest
qualification from being able to discharge
the trust conhded TO me, in strict con-
formity with the wishes of those whom
| have the honor to epresent-butncYer
can | consent to shelter m,self even
from the tempest and hurricane of popu-
lar excitement, by a violation of that
Constitution which |, as we'll as the gen
t!eman from New-IIampshire, (Mr.
Norril, have solemniy sworn to support.
But more of this by and by.
Were ain attempt made to introduce
slavery into the non slave-holding states
of the west, then, indeed, might there be
Just cause of alarm and | can assure
gentlemen that there is no man who
would oppose such a proposition with
more determined zeal than myself
But, taking for granted what shall pre-
senty endeavor to prove, that neither the
slave-holdmg states nor any OF us who
oppose the proposed restriction upon
Missouri, are influenced by desire to
increase slavery in the United States
and that the proposed restriction is not
necessary to preVent-nOr its omission
calculated to augment the importation OF
fresh slaves, it is inconceiyable to me
how the interest of the non slave hold
ing states Of the west can be compro-
mitted by the admission Of domestic
slaves into Missouri, more than to per-
init them to remain In the states where
they now are; for, if that portion Of po-
litical power which, under the Constitu-
ton, arises from the slavery that TOW
exists, is to be deprecated and dreaded
at all, surely it cannot be worse for us,
in the hands of those, whose identity Of
interest with ourselves affords additional
security against its influence being exert
ed to our disadvantage. AS yet, we have
had no cause to regret that portion OF
such power has been transferred from
some OF the southern states to Kentucky
and Tennessee, whose sympathies,
friendship, and assistance have never
been withheld from us in the hour of
need. Our experience, therefore, fur
nishes nothing 10 cause US to dread the
influence of similar transfer of power
TO Missouri.
For my part, considering every part
oil the western country identified in inter-
est, and that its domestic Improvements,
commercial prosperity, and political in
tluence, cannot fail to be promoted by
every increase of population, it does APP
HpartO me tn he the interest of every ctate