Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-05-31


danger of getting a worse constitution
than the present, but the future prospect
ty of the state, and perhaps the quiet oil
the nation, byits becoming national one.
We are aware that there are some who
will boot at the idea of an interference
on the part of the general government.
Fossuch we will only remark, that Mis-
sonri will furnish US with the evidence,
that the opinions of individuals in one
section of the country, do not always de-
termine the course Of the general CO.
vernment. Should the state tolerate sla
very, we think there would moi be less
ground for the interference OF Congress
than there was in Missouri. To this we
know an exception will be taken on the
ground of state sovereignty that once
admitted into the Union, We are CTR Q L
| Judges Of what suits us best, provided our
Constitution does not Couill-t With thai u
the United States. To this we would
oppose the compact between the people
of the territory entered into with the ge-
neral government, when they accepted
the law enabling them to form state go-
vernment; for it would not seem that one
parry TO contract is at liberty to resclnd
il without the consent OF the other. This,
however, we do not mean 10 discuss here,
neither arc we so arrogant as 10 believe
ourselves competent TO the task. W.
only mean to express our fears, in which
we think every true friend to bis coun-
Try will Join; when he reflects upon tht
imminent danger to which This nation
was exposed by The Missouri question,
he will not wish to see these appalling
times renewed. Bot apart from these
considerations, would il be polite TO in
,roduce slavery among us We believe
that there are many good men, from ha-
bit, and various other reasons, who think
II would; and as it is not our purpose to
indulge in illlbcral invectiye against all
who differ honestly with us in opinion,
10 this class of men we address ourselves.
Hoping that il they shall see that slave
ry is not calculated to advance the inte-
rests of the state, they will pause before
they support the convention. But there
is another class Of men, who, il we may
Judge from their proceedings. wish II Tor
the sole purpose of eifectiDg change oil
{ public men. Tothem we make no appeal.
Should you not then, fellow citizens, be
on your guard against the sophistry OF
such men as are willing to entail an end.
less calamity on you, and your children,
that they may receive momenlary ag
grandlzement. 1t is urged that slavery
for limited time would promote and
give spring to business in the state {;
and alter this was accomplished they
could be emaDcipatcd and colonized SO
Trey could, but would it be done II ii
were possible that the present inhabi-
taBts OF tie state could be assured that
they would all be living al that time, and
were it possible for them TO be under ali
obligation which it would be impossible
for them to violate, and that the perform
anee would rest with them alone, then a
limited slavery might find more advo-
Gates. Under any other circumstances II
isIidle nonsense. Fnrwe see that The OWL
ers of slaves ID those states where they
are acknowledged to be dead weight,
are unwilling to part from them without
compensation Can we then reasonably
expect that the future shareholders Of
Illinois will be actuaed by different mo-
nyes. No, they will have the power TO
perpe'uate slavery, and will do 4. Blu
suppose these things were practicable,
what inducemcDt have we, the present
inhabitants of the state, to make the eX
pertinent Would the laboring farmer
be able to compete with the slaveholding
one, in our markets? Would not the la
borer cease to be employed at fair
society, which the virtuous is to the poor
man, what magniGcence and pomp is to
The rich 1t is argued that it will enhance
the value of our property. II so, why has
it not done it for all the western slave
states They have been compelled to
resort to the same measures of relief that
we have. Be assured, fellow citizens,
that our pecuniary embarrassments have
resulted from more remote causes than
the want of slavery among Us, and that
it can never restore those golden times
so devoutly wished for by Us all. Final
ly, which would be most likely to give a
spring to business and character TO the
state, an acquisition Of fifty thousand
lreemen, or that many slaves; is it not
reasonable to believe that we would re-
ceive the former sooner than we should
the latter; our answer is in the afiirma-
tive. Because the mere fact of tolera-
ton would deter the citizens of the free
states from settling among us, and it will