Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-02-10
NO. 0@o


public sentiment here on this subiect.I
had always hoped that the younger gen.
Grafton, receiving their early impress
sions after the flame of liberty had been
kindled in every breast, and had become
as it were the vital spirit ofevery Ameri
can, that the generous temperament Of
youth, analogous to the motion Of their
blood, and above the suggestions ofava-
rice, would have sympathised with OPP
preston wherever found, and proved
their love of liberty beyond their own
share of it. But my intercourse with
them, since my return, has not been sui
ficient to ascertain that they had made
towards this point the progress / had
hoped. Your solitary but welcome
voice is the first which has brought this
sound to my ear; and have considered
the general silence which prevails on
this subject as indicating an apathy UNI
favourable to every hope. Yet the hour
of emancipation is advancing in the
march of time.
AS the method by which this diff
cult work is to be effected, if permitted
to be done by ourselves, l have seen no
proposition so expedient on the whole,
as that Of emancipation ofthose born al
ter given day, and Of their education
and expatriation at proper age. This
would give time for a gradual extinc.
ton of that species oflabor and substi-
tuition OF another, and lessen the sever
ity of the shock which an operation SO !.
fundamental cannot fail to produce.
The idea of emancipating the whole at
once, the old as well as the young, and
retaining them here, is of those only
who have not the guide of either
knowledge or experience Of the subject.
For, men, probably of any colour, but
of this colour we know, brought up
from their infancy without necessity
for thought or forecast, are by their
habits rendered as incapable as chill
dren of taking care of themselves, and
are extinguished promptly wherever
industry is necessary for raising the
young. In the mean time they are
pests in society by their idleness, and
the depredaticns to which this leads
them.-Their amalgamation with the
other color produces degradation to
which no lover Of his country, no lover
of excellence in the human character
can innocently consent.
am sensible of the partialities with
which you have looked towards me as
the person who should undertake this
salutary but arduous work. But this
my dear sir, is like bidding old Priam
to buckle the armour of Hector "tre-
mendibas aevo humeris ct inutile fer
rum eregi." No, have overlived the
generation with which mutual labors
and perils begat mutual confidence
and inhuence.-This enterprise is for
the young; for those who can follow it
up, and hear it through to its consum-
nation. 1t shall have all my prayers,
and these are the only weapons of an
old man. But in the mean time are
you right in abandoning this property,
and your CO untry with it? Think not.
My opinion has ever been that, until
more can be done for them, we should
endeavour with those whom fortune
has thrown on our hands, to feed and
clothe them we'll, protect them from
i'll usage, require such reasonable labor
only as is performed voluntarily by
freemen, and be led by no repugnances
to abdicate them, and our duties to them.
The laws do not permit us to turn them
loose, if that were for their good, and
to commute them for other property
is to commit them to those whose usage
Of them we cannot control. / hope
then, my dear sir, you will reconcile
yourself to your country and its unfor-
tunate condition; that you will not lessen
} its stock of sound disposition by with
drawing your portion from the mass.
That on the contrary you will come
forward in the public councils, become
the missionary of the doctrine truly
christian, insinuate and inculcate and
: it softly but steadily through the me-
, dunn of writing and conversation, as
: sociate others in your labors, and when
the phalanx is formed, bring on and
press the proposition perseveringly
until its accomplishment. 1t is an en-
couraging observation that no good
measure was ever proposed which, if
duly pursued, failed to prevail in the
end. We have proof Of this in the his
tory Of the endeavors in the British
; Parliament to suppress that very trade
! which brought this evil on US. And
will be supported by the religious pre-
cept, "be not weary in well DOING
, That your success may be as speedy
and complete, as it will be honorable
5 and immortal consolation to yourself,
: l shall as fervently and sincerely pray
T as assure You of my great friendship
and respect. .i'.s
THOMAS JEFFERSON.