Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-10-04

into controversy on this subject. No.
| shall with confidence submit this part
oil the business 10 more mastery work.
men for | am proud to boast OF num-
Der on the side oil Liberty: but only as
lrlend to the exalted name Oh Freedom,
have l assumed my pen.
The present crisis, fellow-cnizens,
demands our every attention. We are
about To take an important step. We
must shortly say whether or not we will
have slavery In Illinois. Let US consi-
der the importance of this step before
we proceed TO the injury of ourselves,
'he community at large, and sven sue
oeedlng ages. 1t you want happiness,
oppose a convention. With some, fears
are excited because they dread its perni-
cious effects With others, hope are
raised, because they hope TO reap some
temporary advantage: but we awtuly
fear they be blind leaders of the blind,
and must both iall in,o the ditch As
for my own part, believe slavery 10 be
the worst OF evils; hateful in the sight
OF all good men and in the eyes OF that
GOD who cannot behold sin With allow
anoe, how does this evil staAd. Most
assurcdly under a dirciul coloring, one
whose hue must darken even the shades
Of death. And if it is admitted, 1t will
subject lis to thousand evils from which
we are now free. II this be true, where
must the advocates OF slavery be led to.
1 ana7Oer, to unhappiness here, and TO
place hereafter where immortal pangs
are Too Intolcrablc to be borne.
But the advocates of slavery say they
wish rs Introduction, on the pita OF hu-
nanlly. Shecious h'etence indeed We
fear and reasonably too) that such hui
manly only extends as far as avarlce and
seli-nterest prompt It's yotarles 10 push
Ii.
| would now ask my fcllow-citizens,
who are the advocates Of slavery IN Iin-
nols ! Is !, the old revolutionary soldier,
VINO has suffered the hardshIps of war in
defence OF liberty, and perhap too, with
the loss OF some OF his own blood ? Can
these men support such unjust
measures Good sense, humanity and
religion must forbid it. Is il the wise and
able statesmen? Their sound reason must
forbid il. Is ii the young men who ex,
pcct to reside in this statc, and who have
pow 10 act for succeeding generations ?
no 10 can 7pe thus act hinst we moi Nv
iii the face OF our fathers and say, your
age and wisdom came, teach US. { This
IS 100 tfesaming for US young men. J
Yea, Will not posterl.y HUe, yes ana dc
too with SrnaGs, and with nspreca ioas
against Us Tor enlalling upon tnenl LIS
miserable evil. A gain, is it the CHRIS
ian !? GA 10, this would be absurd. Can
man Who believes and loves the truths
Of the Bible, 30 directly contradictory tc
ljsoiiey bis most positive connands
Vlil the man that ihus ieafo and love,
God, aad consequently loves his fellow
nan, thus act to his injury? He zoW no',
Ray he cannot. Who, th.n, are the
trleDds Of slavery? MOI our old he
r1es; not the discreet, virtuons young
men; not our able statesmen; not tue
CHRISTIAN. Who then? We leave il to
our readers to decide; for we cannot,
nay we dare not, withou, slismallZing,
he advocates oil slavery. Here they
will say our charity is too much limited.
But tor my own part am young, and
NY weak capacity cannot lorego the dis
'nctive line which we have Just drawn.
II it be too circumscribed, we WISH the
conscientious reader to enlarge it.
BIZ, it is said that the Introduction of
slavery will enrich us. This is pleas
ing story TO many, but 7ne must hear ii
again before ne can believe it. But sup
pose it would. Shall we sacrifice our
happiness, and (may not say our sal
walton too, in hopes Of SONS little pecu-
mary advantage ? This would be dtroga-
tory to any people. And it IS also said
that II will populate our stale. How
absurd Instance OHIO and Kentucky.
The former though much younger
state exceeds the latter in population,
too far to compared. Do we not see
New York the most populous and veal
thy state in the Union And do we not
know that the free states compose the
strength Of the Union And do we not
see that agriculture and manufactures
advance much more rapidly in the free
than in the slave states Yes. Bur still
the advocates Of slavery say it will pupu-
late and enrich us. II ii does it will be
first and we hope it will be the last that
will become rich at the entire expense
of the morals Of the people; for morali-
ty and oppression never Inhabited the
same bosom Shall we do ell that good