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

fame had filled the earth, to direct oui
ship of state. 1t was then, that one
glance from his all penetrating eye drove
disrnay to the traitors heart. Through
the political storms of that day he safely
steered us, and, thank Heaven, left us
safe il our moorings. But, shall sucl
times revisit our land1 We have nc
Washington to guide us, we must con
tend with the storm as we can.
l would here, then, call upon gentle
men, to pause and consider whether this
subiect should not be discussed, with
that calmness and friendly feeling which
should characterize great nation, legs
Eating upon great subject.
But, we are told, Mr.. Chairman, that
this is a great question, and one which
should be compromised, by admitting
Missouri with the right to settle this
question herself, and to prohibit the ex-
tension of slavery in the remainder OF
that country. This indeed is course
which many gentlemen seem to desire.
But, are we to understand gentlemen as
conceding the point, that Congress has
the power to make that restriction or
territorial prohibition perpetual and bind
ing on the states hereafter Here Mr..
Lowndes smiled and shook his head
An honorable gentlunlan shakes hia
head, who has favored this proposition,
and | am thereby left to understand, that
such is not the nature of the proposition.
Then away with your compromise. Let
Missouri in, and the predominance of
slave influence is settled, and the whole
country will be overrun with it. In
deed, am opposed to any compromise
on the subject. l consider it my duty to
aid in arresting the evil, and duty of
SO high a nature, as to amount to a
constitutional duty, embraced within the
oath which have taken to support that
instrument.
1t is enioined upon the Union TO pro-
tect each state, when called upon, against
invasion and domestic violence. The
existence of slavery is calculated to pro-
duce both of these evils. 1t will not be
forgotten, that England, the bulwark OF
our religion, has already arrayed the
savages against US, manner OF making
war, no less vile and abhorrent to the
feelings of civilized humanity, than
would be the arming of our slaves
The existence therefore of slavery in a
state, is calculated to invite invasion, and
no one will deny, that it exposes the state
to domestic violence. If it be the duty,
then, of the Union, to expose the funds,
and what is more sacred, the blood of
our countrymen, to repel invasion, and
to suppress domestic violence, is it not a
good consideration on the ground of ex-
pedienCy to prevent, if possible, the ex-
istence of those causes which may thus
disturb the safety of the state, and the
tranquility of the Union? 1t is reason
that has much weight on my mind,
however lightly it may be viewed by
others. There is, Mr. Chairman, an
argument which had escaped me, that
has been argued against the Justice of
this restriction it is this: g That the
country was purchased with the joint
funds of the nation, and therefore could
be left open to ALL" The short answer
to this would be, that the non admission
of slaves prevents no free man, whose
money has been contributed to the pur-
chase of the country, from going there.
But, sir, since there is conflict on the
subject of slavery, subject, which has
much divided the nation, is it more
reasonable that the sixty thousand who
have gone there, should settle this great
question, than the ten millions by their
representatives, who compose this ma
ton, and who have all an equal interest
in it / should think, sir, that if it were
matter of feeling only, involving no
great political principle, that it would
look more reasonable, that the nation
should decide it, rather than so small
portion of it, as sixty thousand. Several
millions of people may yet inhabit Mis-
souri,, and the $4,000, therefore, should
not be entitled to the right of deciding
question of SO much magnitude, and
which is so interesting to our common
country. Free men will not be unwilling
to live with free men. If slavery be pro-
hibited, therefore, the free men of all sec
tons can and will 60 there, but, thou
sands, nay, millions of our freemen are,
and always will be, unwilling to mingle
with slaves; by the nation, and not the
handful now in Missouri, therefore,
should this question be settled, provided
it has the right to do so.
Mr.. Chairman, in the time of our
revolution we appealed to Providence to
aid US, because our cause was just; and,
must here be permitted to say, that l