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


decidedly supeliour and better entitled TO consdera-
lion, than the collective and matured opinionsexpres
'ed by two hundred aud fifty thousand inha abiiants.
Marvellous modesty! The honorable gentleman, n,ialks
about violating his oa.h il ne had not voted for the
anIss OF Missouri without restric,ion-if he had
uot advocated the cause OF domestic slavery! Vio-
| late his oath indeed! And what ooth pray would
he have violated
Was he not bound by his oath, to honestly and
faithfully represent the interests, and obey
the instructions OF his constituents, Yet after the
| administration of this oath, he denied their right to
nsti uct him: and because he willing to udvo-
cate domestic slavery. because he was determined
t should spread its wasting and whitening inlu-
euce over the regions OF the west, he pretends to
,ay, that Congress had not Constitutional right to
restrict Missouri in her admissions and that if he had
oted for her non admission, with the stpulations
she claimed, he would have violated his oath--he
would have acted in contradstipcton 10 the letter
and meaning ofthe Constitution. Ii the Honourable
gentleman, will point to us that clause in the Con.
stitution, which acknowledges the right of coniam
| mating provinces aud districts, with evil so
cursed as is that Of Slavery, will concede to him
the point he so vehemently contends for.
But these melancholy reasoDings for his advoca
ting the cause of domestic slavery too disgust
ing to be dwelt 90, and we gladly retire from them.
In following this acute logiclan through the rea-
sons he has assigned for his conduct on the Mis-
souri, Question, we finl the following, among 9TH
| er. not the less entitled to consideration
For seventeen years, the right to hold slaves in
Missouri had been recognized and confirmed. The
| lands there, were purchased from common fund,
and the rig Int Of STAKEHOLDER to enliSra,e settle
and cultivate them was coordinate with that o!
the rest OF the people"
Missouri, during the seventeen years she was un-
der territorial government, says the Honorable
gentleman, held slaves, and the right had been re-
| cognized and confirmed, and hence he argues that
when she asked admission into the UnioD, she had
rio ht to claim the continuance of the privilege OF
holJin, men in bondage. simply because they were
black
! Indeed ani this right was imperative, and when
she knocked at the door of the Union for admission
she had right to say, upon what terms she would
enter! This right, the honorable gentleman, was
not willing to deny, and under the preence of pro-
tecting state rghts-the rights Of state then in
| embryonic advocated the privilege Of her hold
| ing myriads Of our species, in absolute bondage.
| Profound logcian admirable statesman, how we
admire your logic, the profundty Of your foresight
and the gentleness of your nature! How was it
with Illinois and Indiana |! Had they not a right,
to demand admittance to the contederacy, with the
slaves they held for more than twenty years ante
ror to that period? and was it granted them! Sui
pose Arkansas, when she asks for admission, should
say, my sister Missouri, i'll with her slaves,
demand the same privilege, aud besides this, the
right OF coming money, granting letters Of marquee
AMI reprisal, anG of declaring war and forming for
eisn treaties OF alliance " ould this be granted
her And yet the gentleman says that Congress
has not the power OF restriction, OF graduating
terms of admission! Curious reasoning certainly y
And il Cosgrcss had not the power OF denying the
admission OF Missouri with her slaves, what right
had it to concede to the compromise which uti-
| mately took place and which eventuated in the ex
tension of that domestic slavery, which Mr.. Holmes
unblushinsy advocated.
Among other absurdities, which Mr.. Holmes has
offered, to screen himself from the indignation OF his
insulted constituents, is the following paradoxcal
sentence of lustian and false reasoning.
Experience had proved, that to confne great
numbers OF slaves to single owner, unable to al
ford them his personal protection, would expose
them to the cruelty of overseers AMI other dis
tresses. The constant emigration Of free persons
lct,aou tier siares tc0uld increase The eUii and
pose 10 danger H.ose rho remained. 10 permit the
Shareholders 10 emgrae 10 Missouri wh their saves,
uoud be TO disperSe, out mol TO increase them. DIS
trbuted into the hands OF masters, they would
be more intimately connected with their families,
become the objects Of affection, and OF their moral
and religious instruction"
The constant emigration Of free persons, wiDtoA
Meir SLAVES, says Mr.. Holmes would increase the
evil, am expose 10 danger those who remained! A
more ridiculous proposition, never issued from the
lips Of man, and it can scarcely be believed that
Mr.. John Holmes, could be guilty Of it, This
is the amount Of il if the early smigrants to Mis-
souri, had migrated, and left their slaves behind
them-if solitary bond-man had not been carried
to that region the evils Of slavery instead Of beng
diminished, would have been increased, and the
whole Of that territory and the very forests, would
have been compelled to give way to the insre's OF
domestic slavery As absurd as this may seen'' II IS
the precise meaning Of his logic, and his language
admits of no other construction. Seeing these e'is'