Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1826-09-02

to disperse but not increase Them, and If they werc
distributed into the hands of more masters, they
would be more intimatly connected with their
families, and become the objects Of their affection,
and oftheir moral and religious Instructions What
wonderful argumentative powers this gentleman
does possess :-They absolutely sstonish US, and
confess he has shed light and Iuste on our be-
nighted senses. TO distribute evil over the
whole face of a country is to lessen its enormity.
and is step towards its abolition The rickety
aud scrofulous wretch who groans with disease at
the Aims-Ilouse might we'll argue that to distri-
bute the malady over the surface Of the body,
and TO circulate its poison through every artery Of
the system, would tend to its dissipation and per-
form cure, when if the calamity were located to
the narrow limits of limb or the chest, il never
could he eradcated. The one would reason with u,
much correctness as the other, and the arguments
of the inmate Of the Aims House, would be as
much entitled TO the consideration Of the physic-
ian, as the reasoning. Of the Hon. John Holmes
arc to the contemplation of an enlightened people.
But such arguments, are all that can be expected
from a man who five years ago, was the unbushng
advocate OF domestic slavery, but who at this mo-
ment denies the charge, which he formerly admit.
ed to he true, and which in a letter to his constu-.
ents he vainly strove to explain away.
II is to bo lamented by the friends of Mr.. Holmes,
bat the document from which we have quoted,
has been resusctated at this late hour, and we
.houil have thought it would have been the last
thing he would have produced to prove we have
preferred false charge against him.
1t is the very document we have been in search
fhe last ten days. AMI every syllable Of it goes TO
confirm the Iectness of our assertions. AT the
time it written, he did not deny that he advoca-
,ed slavery: and it got up TO reconcile his con-
.ttuents to the assumed propriety of his conduct.
lie was not all disposed to dissent to the propost
ION that he had advocated domestic slavery; and
thus he unblushingy spoke to those, whom he had
ms-represented.
ut is a matter Of satisfaction to Mr. Hill and N.Y.
self that while our votes secured the admission
Of Maine. they were in perfect coincidence with our
principles in regard to Missouri"
The gentleman rejoces that il is matter Of sat
isfaction to himself and Mr.. H his collea que, that
their conduct in relation to the admission OF Maine,
wss perfect accordance with their principles in
gard TO Missouri that is, he rejoices that Maine was
admitted into the Union with her local rights, aud
| that by winning her admission. he secured to the
Western States the privilege of slavery. That
Mr. Holmes well az Mr. Hill, did "rejoice" that
they succeeded in securing slavery TO Missouri, no
one ever douhied, and it was hardly necessary for
either of them to make the concession.
In attempting to reconcile the outraged people Of
Maine to the course he pursued, MIR. Holmes
strives to bol,ter up his popularity, and lull them
n,o repose, by presenting to them the advantages
necessarily dervsble from coalition with the
slave-h holding States for the extension Of negro
bondage, by the following species of argument:
Your interests and prospects impersuvely re-
qure you to dscountenanCe and resist every at
tempt to excite local lealous,es Young, enterpri-
zug and industrious, you VIII need the aid and
| friendship OF the slave-holding States"
We certainly agree with the Honorable gentle
man, that interest dictates to the slave-holdng
States reciprocity OF feeling and fellowship with
their slave holding sisters; but whether justice
and humanity should induce the former, as he
thinks they should to assist the latter in augment
ing the sum total of human suffering, is proposit-
ion, to which we shall not give in our adhesion.
Pursuing his subject, he offers some remarks, in
reference to the attempt made TO prevent the adj
mittance of Missouri with her slaves, and which he
is pleased to denouncc as a crusade against the
rights Of freemen, and the claims of justice, and
says:
But engage 10 this crusade against them com.
pei them to unite the only subject in which their
safety is exclusively concerned; combine against
them in affair critical and delicate as the man.
agement Of their slaves and you provoke HOSTILE
ty at once destr ructve Of your own interests, and
the safety Of the nation"
This may be true, but whether an attempt on
the part Of the nonslave holding States to restrict
the marches Of human bondage, would be faught
with so many dreadful evils as he anticipates, is
a question, which at this moment, We do not find
ourselves called upon to decide. We know full
well that the subject did at the time 1t was asita.
ted cause no small excitement in the west. II was
our fortune at that time reside alternately in the
States of Kentucky, Tennessee aud NJ ssouri; aud
" are free to admit, that some Of the people of tho
latter State did exclaim "let us dissolve the Union
aud try the Question but that they were pre-
pared TO attempt dangerous a step, we never be-
lieved for they knew too well il they commenced
so injudcious an undertaking they would have to