Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-06-08
Thirdly. The Introduction Of slavery

this point they instance humanity, justice
and interest. Humanity TO the slaves
because it would be spreading them
more through the country; justice to the
inhabitants of this state, because other
states have bad the privilege of filling
themselves up with slaves and interest,
because, as they say, il would be benth-
cial. shall briefly examine these as
they occur.
II slavery were substantially admitted,
we should have few slave holding emf
grams from the states Of Kentucky, Ten
nesse., and the states lying east and
south If them. These are all produc-
tive staes, producing abundance of NJ eat
and bred stoffs. Surplus quantities are
sent of very year. They yield cotton
and hsx equally as good if no, better
than this safe. The climate suits the
nature of n African better than this.
What then Sut the disposition of their
owners pre.enis them from living as
we'll as slavtscan live? Would thai dis
position be ALFRED to better? ] doub,
1t. Ii might .e to worse. Their
greedy and avarieious minds would want
more where more ceuld he had, and tbov
siarve their slaves to get. The winters
OF Illinois are intensity cold. To III,
present inlolerable sifrerines al the
slaves, would be added that Of freez,py
Forced to perform EXP edlions through
those prairies, half max ea they would be
found frozen to death in very direction.
Having on but scan,y defence agains,
the rigors of the winter, their feet and
bands would be frosl.biten, at their or.
binary business. ALREADY do they suf
Ter enough. To fetch them here, would
be adding two fold to their present suf-
ierlngs. This know fro d experience.
was raised by kind and irdu lgent pa
rents, lived IN the state of North CARROLL
ma from my infancy ill SEVENTEEN years
OF age. In 1878, my parents moved to
this state. They spared 40 pains in try
ing to defend their children against the
piercing cold of Illinois. Alter taking
all advantages. have suffered more M
helping to feed my fathers stock, and
performing the necessary business that
a farmer has 20 do, through one winter,
with cold, than | ever did in North Ca
rolina.
You will forgive this depression. |
only addnced it as proof OF what had
above written.
Does humanity justify such acts OF
double cruelty as this venture to as
sert that it does not. recoiIeo, seeing
It somewhere held forth by the conven-
ton party, that majority ought to rule
This IS republican doctrine, and ] an,
proud to see them candid enough TO ad.
nit its validity. II a majority ought to
rule, wi,icn tney certainly ought, think
a majority of justice and interest onght
to rule. 1t could not be Justice to ma.
lorlty OF the inhabitants Of this state, to
ietch slaves here, because by far the
greatest number are unable to purchase
and goodiy number of those who are
able, have come long way and have
spent much money to get in land where
slavery was prohibited. Would it not
be unjust to all these, who form a vas,
majority, to extend slavery to this state
Certainly j, would.
Ii slavery were substantially admitted
here, we shold soon see the law of God
broken in thousand instances. Matri-
nonial connexions, and the tender'ties oil
nature would be dissolved. Parents
would be separated from their children,
husbands from their wives, and wives
from their husbands. Could you wit.
ness the heartfelt sorrow, the agonizing
grief Of those miserable beings, when
parting from their parents--their chill.
dren-their friends and relatives, while
their relentless oppressors, like SO mary
ln'uria'ed demons, are forcing them on.
ward with the most excruciating torlures
and heavy blows, and not exc lain tina,
justice and humanity did both forbid il.
When driven from the two former DO.
sitions, interest is caught at with avidity
:" A drowning man will catch at straw y
Just as much power has a straw to save
aman when sinking in an abyss Of water
as interest has in ]ustifying the establish.
ment Of slavery in Illinois. To whose
interest would it be! More than one
fourth of the inhabitants of this state are
living on public or rented land, unable
to purchase land, though com fortable
tract could be gotten for one hundred
dollars. Could these buy slaves? No
More than another fourth are but JUS
able to enter from 80 to l6O acres o
land. Could these buy slaves No. Sc
that but about one-third would be abb.
to purchase, if they had the privilege
OF this small minority, one half woulc
not engage in'this inhuman traffic, from
| the conviction that slavery is both wick