The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1820-05-30
TO MARK LANGDON HILL.

traffic in 6" slaves and souls of men" has been
viewed in It's proper light. England herself
was never so dstr acted as TO tolerate slavery
at home and tor many years past, as il i'm
pressed with peni,ence in proportion TO her
former sin in this behalf has led the way in
abolisbing the slave trade and promoting
emancipation. Her labours and treasures
have been lavished for these noble ends. All
civilized nations have united in the work /;
and from Cblisiendom vows and offerings
have assembled grateful to Heaven. In the
United States The abolition of slavery at once
was deemed impraclicable. A power to re-
strain It's extension was vested in the national
legislature. The late decision of Congress to
relinqush forever the authority OF preventing
slavery in the new and extensive territory
composing Missouri affords cause OF triumph
10 men who +" feel power and forget right"
but oil humiliation TO the patriot, and ofmourn-
ing TO the world. In Congress, ehronlery,
under the name of argument. has dared 10 adj
vocate the moral right Of freemen TO hold
slaves; and tie effronery has prevailed The
holy Scripture has been invoked, whether in
derision we need not assert TO sanction the
right of one part of mankind To- enslave the
other. Well may we apply the proyerb,
+" The devil can quote scripture and peryert
j, 10 his purpose y and il Is lamenable to
add, that in christian country, christian
professor, the representative OF christian con-
siiuents, bias adopted The proserb. Your
native State was The first to declare, 10 the
fist words Of her bill of rights, The great and
elf i. 10.
and equal To this declaration every per-
son entrusted with on Office under her consti-
TUITION has been required to subscribe aud TO
swear; and al the moment when you gave
your vote for slavery in Missouri you held
commission under your State, and 10 the same
declaration the oath Of God, then resting
upon you, sscredly bound you. Exclamation
is dumb. The establishment, grief, aud in
dignalion of an abused, insuted, Intelligent
people, are the just retribution allotted you.
OF The faults q. errng humanity 1t becomes
US. as erring morals, to indulge every rea
sonable mitigation. Through he influence
of continued habit men may be hardened to
shocking atrocities by great pressure OF IN
lerest man may be seduced from the plain
est duty. But when crime IS OF a character
abhouen, TO oil right principle, when habit has
sanctioned the sDhorrt nee, and public senti-
ment has responded to the voice OF man and
the voice OF God in booming the perpetraior
OF il to condemnation /; then, ii we see one
whose education, course OF life, and connex-
ions have made him oonyersant where tins
sentinleDi only was known, catching the first
occasion 10 lay this crime 10 his soul and roll
il as sweet morsel under bis tongue, we may
well wonder al the motive. You are not one
OF those "faotious men, who, you say, you
are compelled 10 remark, were seeking TO
emerge from disgrace not one of those
whom you With so much delicacy and propri-
ely call ambitious, complaining men," What
ihen prompted you TO ibis unnatural deed
Did the good Of The republican cause, or
wish for the independence of Maine create
The emergency The republican cause and
the Independence Of Maine are not Of char
acier to need, or TO accept, such aid. Your
constituents vii! ireat the preience as libel,
and reply in tone which will make you trem.
ble niore ieebly than you trembled in your
place when working yourself up to your vote.
There your courage was supported by the
I" faltermg unclIon@ of smiling shareholders,
who laughed al your obsequiousness, while
YOU thought they were applaudipg your sa-
gaciiy. The delicate lassitude induced by
sitting in the lap of syeophancy at Washing
ton VIII he shocked by the rough breeze Of
our healthy coast. The invigoraling aimos
phere of Maine, from which you have been
absent several long months. will drown the
sweet lullaby with which youhav been blsn-
dished The very sunshine of freedom will
wound a sight 50 long soflened down 10 the
scenes of soothing Indulgence displayed by
The masters OF slaves. The syren song of
slavery has here no echo 10 amuse you. The
prlce OF cur republieaDism and independence
we owe least OF all 10 one who would obtain
them by the ACT OF polluing them. Republi-
csnism is chasie and disowns you. lndepen-
Deuce is pure and dsowns you.
These remarks are addressed personally 10
you, but may benefit others. Your example
may serve TO arrest in their downhil course
some who reason Just far enough 10 infer 'hs,
because there IS a way TO DISTINCTION, and they
knoW'no other, That way is 10 imiatep susi-
be or impuden, deeei,ers. In the hour of
awful responsibility yon will in vain cast back
a supplIcalory look 10 the aposistes whose de.
uslons promised you shield They have
neither tie power nor the wish TO afford you