The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1823-05-06

H. Its Of tie maiosty. We have there lad iuli
ana startling illustration OF the m0nstrous doc
trine preached up last winter at Harrsburgh'
that the Legislature is omnipOtent; that all pow
ers, legislative, executive and judicial are vest
ed IN it, that il is, indeed, not delegation from
the people, confined within certain limits by a
written constitution but b0nG rte persona
ton Of tie people in its tul' and sovereign macs
~. Indeed, this doctrine has had full course 10
The " Western States Il has been employed TO de-
fend their disorganizing relief laws, and 70 justi-
f. their expulsion Of the Judges, who had hrm-
ness and honesty enough to resist those uncon-
stitutiona enactments, and to support those es-
scntial principles Of society, which they tended
to su5yert We have seen, after this furious
club or caucus, a mob parading the streets with
torches and eiiigies, screaming, shouting, ana
rcn5ing the ar with tho discordant sounds ol
drums and spgIes and the wells Of 4" Conrentt0H
or dcatb! (" and this terminating in the burning
OF Ildnsen's eaigv, and Tie groauing and hissing
Of Churchill in his own lodgings. This mob, too,
was not made up Of the refuse Of society, but
many Of the representatives themselves were
foremost In the crowd. But they were not sat
isied with this. After they had succeeded in
calling convention, by substituting Shaw, the
opposing candidate, i'll the room OF Hansen,
whose vote alone was wanted TO make up the re-
gnisite number; they then proceeded to turn out
Mr. Brown, the former State printer because
he had the frmncss to protest against this dis
graceful conduct and To raise his voice against
the Introduction Of slavery and this 70 make
room for a Mr.. Blackwell, who was no prlutef,
but devoted to the convention thus compelling
Mr.. Brown to sell out lis establishment Tor 2
trife; IN fact, ruinlng him.
Such has been the blessed result Of N ObOcra-
~ ia Illinois and we have every reason TO eN-
poet from their present furious excitement, that
they will go on to amend their constitution, and
permit tie introduction Of slavery, o defiance OF
the ordinance Of ~, which eXprcssy forbids the
introduction Of slay " into tile terri OF. north
west of the Ohio, and of the law cf .Al.r adms
sion into the Union, which confirms AMI sane
lions that ordinance. If they 10 proceet TO IN
troduce slavery. In the face of these cOnstiu-
tional prohibitions; II they DO dare to set al
nought fine laws Of tile Union, ard thus 70 de-
clare that they are sufficient unto themselves,
The Northern States cannot remain idle specta-
tors; they Tnusr come forth end defend them
selves they must take firm stand, and roll
back the dark torrent that threatens to deiuge
them. Let them lie firm, and tell Tie other
States boldly, lhat tie limits Of slavery aIe fixed,
and those limits shall not be transgressed; that
tie line VI latitude which IL set as The boundary
Y Us that the rlyerw which has been the limit or
this fearful evil, sball be The Ru5icon, which can
be passed only at their peril that, in Enc, j
they wish the Union 10 Jc preserved, and or
present happy constitution e continue, they unjust
be coutouted with their own peculiar privileges,
and leave ours 70 ourselves.
We hope and pray, that another Missouri
question viii not come before Congress There
is something terrible in the anticipation. Not
that We have any fear for the Northern States,
if they will be true to themselves if they will be
careful TO send men to Washington, who, On this
point. will have but one purpOze-resstanCe to
all encroachmont Int we fear that the Union
will be too weak for the desperate collisions Of
sectional feeling. We are persuaded that the
better portion Of our Southern brethren dcpre-
cate the evils Of slavery as heartily as we do;
that they would, if possible, eradicate It, and
cover their soil with none but free labourcrs.
But it is too inveterate a disease TO be cured at
once it Has infused its chronic faint into the
very yitals Of society; and there is more of fear
than hope, IL the result Of any emancipation.
Bu: why 50 anxious To extend the evil why not
rather confine its limits? and if the black popu-
lation must spread, and If az outlet must be op-
ened, to prevent IFS accumulation, why not let
it spread towards Texas or Mexico, instead Of
deuging those healthy and temperate regions,
which ought only to be cultivated by freemen
We fear the people ofIllinois have told the truth
il is interest, immediate interest. They intro
duce slavery because they cannot sell their lands,
because immigration is stagnating, and prices
are falling; in fine, because they cannot make
money fast enough. And are there not many
planters who are devoted to the continuance of
slavery, because, without it, they could not, as
they now do raise up at once their rich and pro-
ductiye sugar plantations in the wild sWamps Of
the Mississippi II this cupidity which first
led to the Introduction Of slaves into the South
eu States. Ii was to cultivate, in a large and
wholesale way, their tobacco, rice and indigo
fields and itwas at first abundantly encouraging
to avarcc, but not equally 50 now. The physic-
al advantages, at first, were felt deeply; and as
these have diminished, the moral evils have been
increasing.
7 II is impossible 70 restrain being who has
mind 70 think and learn, although Of an inferior
order, from profting somewhat BY the light ar
ouni him; and the blacks have proved full we'll
that they are capable of certain degree of self
governments at least, that they are capable Of
annoying their masters. There is fearful pros
pect Of the ultimate spread of black dominion
over the warmer parts Of orr continent Hayt
has begun The indians are the most numerous
and by no means the most contemplate BODY ID
McXicO. lturbide is said to have been intrign-
ing with them, and to have sought his support ID
their protection. There is a late report that the
/ Mu,attoes are threatening TO take possession of
the northern part Of Brazil, and that they have
demanded a share in the government. 1t is stat
cd BY Roster, that they are numerous and many
Of them very wealthy; and, as they are not at
. al deficient in sfnartness. Of COprSc DoWprfl