Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-02-15

NTtH1ia WIN ms Tux VIZ 49, '''''N''f,
Aost ardent republicans, ana the most devoted
frsSats to MIR Jeferson's administration, IN the
coultrg-and Mr.. Bradley was the man who,
in IScember 1875 moved for leave to BRING
in ,iie bill to proh,oit the slave trade alter TIE
lstoi January, 1885, who actually brought Il
IN and at the succeeding session OF Congress
cain.rl il through the senate. Upon Tic ques.
ton toi leave to bring IN the bib Foteq
against 1t, tnlnking tuat the letter OF the cons
DeIton forbade Congress from acting Oh the
subiect before 1903. Bun the principe having
been settled, that the prohibition might be
enacted in anticipation, though not to take ct
feet till 1893, voted for the bill Itself, when Il
passed in January, 1907.
Upon reviewing all these votes now, the on
~ one upon the cor ectness OF which teei
dithdence, 10 that of December, IoOo, against
ihe leave to bring IN n bill. 1t was question,
not upon an ungrantcd. but upon an nterdict-
ed power. inclining always against the as
sumption by Congrt S. If any power not clear
ly granted, perhaps l indulged unnecessary
scruples against that OF a power expressly tor
bidoen Had the temper OF the times, in reta-
ton 10 the slave trade, been in 1895, when the
bill was brought in, the same as II had been IN
1877, when the Introduction of the power of
prohibition TO Congress was inserted in the
constitution, | have little doubt that the con-
structon OF the clause, upon which voted,
would have been held to be the only one OF
which il would fairly admit. Bot, in the inter-
val, a great and happy change OF the public
mind had taken place. The slave-trade, which,
in 1857. had been reserved as privilege too
precious 10 be submitted even 50 the prohi-
bitory power Of Congress. in 1895 had nalled
upon the taste. and become an object OF gene.
raj adherence and disgust. Even those, to
whose interests and desires the original inter-
diction had been conceded, were wiling to
forego the remnant of bcneft which they
might have claimed from It, aud To JON, two
wears before lis time, in prescribing that pro-
hibition. which. until then. could not be car
rie,l into effect But if |, from an overWeen-
ING, scrlple against the exercise Of a mower.
one day before il became nnro,,iyocsjl, hNfil
am doomed as unqucs.ionabk friend to the
trade, what IS 70 be said of those natrjots
and sares. with Washington nj their head. Who
in I7S7. .xnressl,- denied ia C,nnress fo,
twenty wears. the pnvsr Of proAjbitiDr this
fari+ioiis tn 4fir II ali,
4 vote ,,non another crave subject IS cbarr.
ed uDoh me as evidence of my hostility to iEc
repubIcaYs; A vote aeaios, ,aeoi4ga e,.3hs one
month. an memory of sana.t Adams and Ed
mund Pendleton. two of the most distinguish
ed friends Of 4,ir,,,e end fbr4fg.
Nv objection toit was IS a precedent On the
Same da an unanimous vote ha! passed TO
wear crane one month. for stenbcns rhemp-
son Mason. member of the Senate. then re-
Gently deceased. As a usual compliment to
a lnember at that bo.ly. Dad ass,iifrd 10 This
Bn Whea on the same dav a resolution was
OF red to wear crane for another month, for
two persons. neitbef of them a member of
M hodv and Du+ IF the nsuaI course If ,ro
Gee. linps. is obyions terdenc, Nas 10 MIRO
duce n nractice of r,gssinp such resolutions
upon the decease ofeyerv eminent man in the
Union. If had the aDpaapance. too. of y dis
Dosifion to offer Them bv na;rs from dii}; rcat
see,,,ns of the Union. and Of leading 10 dis
cussions of comparative merits. and 10 d:snui
sitious upon characters. neither suitable tu the
time nor the ,lsce The charact ers of sam
uel \ .,ams and Edmund pend,eton were vene-
RAJ and illust,;ous. hut others equally dis
tin shed had died without .lat sort Of notice
wl5ca. he example once Given, might. and
pr ,lv would b. demanded fer others less
merit.lruus. until il should lose all value as an
UNI aaninp Formally These were the mo-
tive ,lpon which with a very respectable
minority. voted against that resolution; a /.
all y,lub A majority VOTED for it. because INV
thoueht rejection of il. after il was oh.e Of
feref. would have apreared d;sre spectFa} 10
the ,elsons whom il was specially mtendea
to honor. have reason TO believe that the,
were eonyinced, hv the result of tina; da.'s dc.
hal thar it would be advisable TO Offer no
me- snch command resolutions. and fhaf
thi, rode of political cannonzatiop. if ever
nrot,ee. shonld he reserved far c5Yracters- ~
whom there would he neither need nor d,>-