Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-10-18

habilants by peopling America Those
provinces of Spain which contributed
most to the settlement OF South Ameri-
ca, increased IN population beyond the
rest of The kingdom. Has not the extern
sion or diffusion of the general po2ula-
ton, from thirteen states to twenty cur,
increased the number of people in this
republic Ii is fact established by ex-
perence that vacancies made by chi.
grafton are filled up by the stimulus of a
more favorable proportion between the
means OF subsistence and the number
of inhabitants and whilst a POM lallon
| is created in a new country, BE old
country is relieved-and the eject of
this relief, in giving spring to plpula-
ton, IS even greater than its NUMERICAL
amount; SO that the parent stat, be-
comes more populons by disseminating
her offspring. Slave population IN
teases according to the same Ian if
diffusion mltigates their suHerings, il IN
creases their number, aud the room they
leave behind them Is soon filled up, as in
| OtllG CdSGo,
But UGH is the criminalify Of slavery,
and so completely has thai orimlnality
been exposed, that it seems to me to ae
incumbent on all mankind who are
blessed with freedom, to protest aEaint
The ordinances OF the government whidl
toleraies ii, without providing Tor Is
abolition, and to make common caIsc
n favor of their degraded brethrel ~
every country. The principles oil wi
Versal justice are clear, and the duQ Of
resistance to oppression, engrave' on
every hear, is lhseparable from theduty
Of aiding the weak who are unable 10
protect themselves. THIS woui1bclter
merit The appellation OF H0ly ,3ha4ce
than a combination of Sovereignsin sup
port of Legitimacy. The very pincIPle
Is now in operation, in regard TO the
African slave trade. Luke more than
twenty years ago, that commctee was
sanctioned by the British government.
Fifteen years have hardly elapsed since
ii was tolerated by the United States.
1t is now condemned as piracy by both
these governments, and they have in
vied other nations to Join them in lhc
employment Of force tor us eXIlrnauon.
The trade in slaves, in the interior Of
the United States, On art. |. sect. 9. Of
the constitution, veiied undor the term
Migra;ion,') was, together with the
African slave trade, guaranteed against
prohibition unil the year 1903. The
latter has been abolished and declared
a capital offence; and if the principle
and practice of the former were essa-
mined, they would be found to dit r,
| not al all inklnd, and but litle in enorni-
". The lime surely approaches wren
the virtue and intelligence, diGused
through his republic, Will DO longer
sustain the Inconsistency Of toiera.iag
Tie american Siaue trade, and HuHIah-
iag tie dtricaa asJetony! crave your
indulgence tor this depression, aud shall
now draw 10 conclusion.
What lhnk you, fellow citizens, is
The compensation proposed by he per-
sons who have, al the expense Of reputa-
ton and iuteErny, made those tXtraordi-
| nary efforts for tie admission OF slavery F?
| We nave seen that it cannot favor the
| sale Of land, but will have a contrary
effect. We know that the pecuniary
distress of the nelghboring slave states
IS greater than ours. Produce is so low
as hardly to pay The charges D carrying
10 market. The demand d the old
countries, in their present condition, is
no, equal to the snperabndande OF the
news and forcing cultivation, inkhe new
countries, by the labor OF siayeA is not
likely to mend the matter. TIE Natural
and easy remedy for this inconvenience,
60 call ii an evil wou!d be ineranude)
Is, to create market at home, by ,pply-
ing ourselves to manufactures. Blu,
slavery would increase the embar'aSs-
ment, and ob&truct the operation ythe
remedy. To what motives, then, Can
their zeal be imputed, except the loye
OF arbitrary power, and aversion to in
dus,ry and, with few ambitious
characters, political rivalship?
The following positions have, | think,
been FULLY established: That a cowen-
lion, held in pursuance OF the meanres
described, would be unconstitutional and
illegal, and therefore of no just a,thori-
ty ;--because it has not been proposed
TO the people by constitutional MAORI
ty of their representatives., but vas, on
the contrary, twice negatIved bysuch
majority:
That the admission Of slavery would
increase our present difficulties, by
lowering the price OF land and lroduce--
and would be destructive of he future