Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-04-21
AMERICAN LEGISLATION-No. 4.

The undue influence that the slave popula-
ton hos over the free, Il manifest.
list. The Slaves III no instance arc calle Il
out to "suppress insurrecton or TO rcpel inva-
sIon;'' for III fac., the Militia have to stand in
readiness to suppress lnsurrection of the Slaves.
I'd The revenue gains little or nothing from
the Slaves, although their numbers are equal
to one fifteenth the whole population of the
United States; As they have no choice of
what they shall +" eat, drink, or put on" and
their masters clothe them with the chea pc st
apparel, mostly made amongst themselves,
feed them with rice, and treat them if ut aH
pih ,chiSkey. II this position is correct, and
which cannot be denied, then is it that the
masters of Slaves do not pay into the treasury
ofthe United States in time of peace, any thing
Of consequence for their slave property.
3D. BY calculating the Slaves as souls, the
masters have this advantage. They send to
Congress about thirty Representatives to act
in the Legislature with .freemeR, and the
Slaves being reckoned property, assist no
more for the defence of the country, than as
many oxen, nor except in time of Il direct tax,
no more in supplying the revenue. And the
owners having majority in the Legislature in
consequence of the Representation, have the
power to say that no direct tax shall be laid
but the duties shall come from importatons,
which in fact throws the burthen on the free
States of supporting the government in time of
peace, and as Slaves exempt from military
duty, SO do the free States have to defend in
time ofwar.
4th The writer Of this asserts, from his own
personal knowledge, that the southern plant
ers boldly talk of a division of the States in
their private conversations, and that the best
authority will say, that the enquiry is not
tInr bo NJ nf., ptu yil ho
an injury to the South, bat will it be benefit
to the North' "FOr they had rather come un-
der the English than the Yankees, for they
are the greatest scouidrels on Earth"
9th. What is meant by union; Is it that the
compact is under the most sacred obligations
to CT for mutual defence and protection of in
terests? If so, is that advantage secured in our
legislation? for, if these ends fail, our compact
ceases to have further use. IL cannot, nor
will not be denied that, as legislation is now
practiscd, that there is a difference of " minor
interests so long as by slave representation,
the burthens of supporting government in peace
and in war, can be enforced on the flee popu-
lation.
9Th Our territory is large, and we have
twcnty-four State soyereigntics, and each have
separate and exclusive rights, but not 10 be al
lowed TO infringe on the rights of the Nation
al Government. But let the premises be ex-
amined and have the matter set right. Geor-
gia takes Justice into her own hands, and
threatens the constituted authorities with re-
sistance to the laws, even by blood. AT this
time Georgia cannot be calculated upon TO
strengthen the compact. Tennessee seconds
the present opposition in every thing that bor-
ders on treason, and il is believed that the
hard ,pood of that State is anxiously waiting
4 bo roeult of tho threa i,nipg asnect of aflnirs
in the Slave States.
9TH If the South wish TO divide the States,
which is thought probable from many declora-
tons and movements, not leaving out of sight
the famous Resolutions of Gov Giles, and the
report of Committee and the acceptance of
the same in the Assembly ofVrginiW let il be
said TO them that this can be done without
shedding innocent blood, that it can be done
by compromise as dividing State into two, or
a town into two. II would he gross folly 10