Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-06-08

u'e' iuics' tHciI, ii tDelr servants arr
faithful, their will must prevail. Doe.
such state OF things exist in Illinois
Let The mind of every candid man sug
gest the answer.
Sdly. There is no reasonable nrobabi
lily that, the people could place in the
convention, in 1925, more wisdom, OF
virtue, than was assembled in l8i8.-
Lodging from the general character oil
the legislative bodies that have assem-
DIED since the latter period, one would
not expect more. Fhe constitution might
be changed, but that it would be i'm
proved, is not certain, nor even probable
4thiy. There exists too much excite.
ment In the public mind, to set about
making constitution; business which,
OF all others, demands the most calm de-
liberation.
> 5'hly. The primary object of the con-
ventonists, is known and admitted to be,
the federation of slavery, with view to
the buying and holding of slaves, and to
induce the owners Of such property, in
other states, to migrate with them to this.
This object is admitted almost every
where, except in the convention newsps-
pers.-The objections to slavery are
manifold; in addition 10 those luminous.
ly set forth in the essays of One of Manu-,
only Two will now be particularly brought
into public view.
The federation of slavery in Illinois,
would be unjust, illiberal, and cruel to
the early settlers of the country, who mi
grated to it, under the guarantee of the
ordinance Of 87, that slavery never would
be tolerated; and Drawing the horrors of
Indian warfare and depreciation, perse-
yered in converting the wlds of illinois,
into cultivated plains, and crowned their
tolls by framing our present happy con-
stltution, which they fondly thought
would prove the ark o! their religious and
political safety; and would induce the
friends OF equal rights, from other quar-
an peoplng this choice portion Of the
globe, with race of industrious and vir-
suous freemen. 1t would be equally I'M
Just to those who have settled here since
1918, on account of The free institutions
OF the country, under the full conviction
that, slavery never would be tolerated
Those who have come here since Au-
gust, 1918, with full knowledge OF the
laws OF the country on the subject, with
the view of being able at some time to
expunge the inhbiiory clause from the
constitution, can be regarded in no other
light, than as spies in the camp, sent to
seek out weak point in the bulwark of
freedom, at which an assault can be
made, and the liberty of conscience, and
OF country at once overthrow. And
those who settled here before the adop-
ton of the constitution, and who are
waging war against its brightes, feature,
cannot be regarded, in more favorable
point Of view. The world is wide, and
there is abundance of public land in
chimes congenial with their lavorite poll
cy, to which they might have passed on,
without stopping here to disturb the pub
lie peace, and to plant their dark banner.
But since they have not done SO, but have
stopped here TO annoy this region, the
only course that can be taken by the
lovers ofhumani,y, is TO strangle the SER
pen, in his infancy. A manly effort now,
puts this sublec to rest forever.
The Introduction of slavery in Illinois
would keep her physically weak; with
out it she must become star of the first
magnitude in the American armament.
In military point of view, the slave
states must remain, in a great measure,
helpless, so long as they retain in their
bosom SO dangerous foe as negroes
Owing to obvious reasons, the white po-
pulation of these states, must continue
sparse. In times of external war, they
can send into the field but small portion
OF their white male inhabitants, to NEE,
the enemy; the major part must remain
at home to protect their property and ia
miles from the entertainments of the
slaves. The free states will contain nu-
merous hardy. freemen, and should ne
cessity require it, may send into the field,
all the males fit for military duty the
old men and boys will be adequate to the
defence oftheir domestic Interests.
Is. Intel.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.