Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-02-27

Tho subject. llswss rather drpsssd % mulo Il nat
tor OF rdicuic, that had atroduecd into tho debate
us he had never before heard Sir. If the x,noroblc
member had never before heard Of Mr. DANE, am
souy Tor az Y shows him less acquainted with ne
public men Of the country, thon supposed. Lot
mention Of the nome OF Dir. Dane is in bad tasto
1t msy we'll DO high mark Of ambition, sir, either
with tho honosobie gentleman ulyeclE to nccon,-
plush a. much to mako our names known TO advan-
tsgcs snd remembcred with gratitude, as Mr.. Dane
hss accomplished. But tho truth is, sir suspect
that Mr. Dane lives little toofar North. IIc Is of
Mass and too ncarthc north otar to be reached by
inc honorable gentlcmsns telescope If his sphere
Ead happened to range South Of Mason's and Dix
sons line. he might probably have como within tho
scope OF his vision! q
lspoke, sir, of tho ordinance of 1857, which. pro.
hbited slavery, in oil future times northwest of the
Oh,o, as measure OF great wisdom and foresight;
and ono which has been attended with highly benefi
cial and permanent consequences. I supposed that
on this point no two gentlemen in the Senate could
entertain different opinions. But the simple express
SION OF tins sentiment has icd the gentleman not
y into laborcd defence Of slavery, in tho abstract
aud ON principle, but, also, into warm accusation
against me, as having attacked tho system Of domcs-
TIC sovc-y now existing in the Southern States. For
all this there sas not the slightest foundation, in
any thing said intimated by me- did nut utter 4
single word, which any ingenuity could torture into
an attack on the slavery OF tho South. said only
that At was highly wise and useful in legislating for
ness 70 prohibit the introduction of slaves: and ad
dcd, that presumed, inthe neirhboripe State of
there was no rejecting and intelligent gentleman.
who would doubt, that If the same prohibition had
been extended, at tho same early period, over that
commonwealth, her strength and population would at
thus day, have been far greater than they are. If
these opinions be thought doubtful they are, never
thecss trust, neither extraordinary nor dsrcspcct
iul. They attack nobody, and menace nobody And
yet, sir, the genemans optics have discoycrcd even
IN the nero expression of this sentiment whit no
calls the very spirit of tho Missouri question! He
sepresents mo as making an onset on the whole
South, anu maniicsting spirit which would inter-
ferc with, and disturb their domestic condt on Sir
thus injustice no otherwise surprises me- than as il ia
done here and done without the slightest prctence of
ground ior 1t: say it only surprises me as being
done here, for know; full WELL that it is, and has
been the settled policy ofsome persons in the Sont
ior to represent the people othe North as dis
posed To interfere with them i'm their own exclusive
ana peculiar concerns.-This is delicate and sem
sVe point III Southern feeling and of late years il
has always been touched, and gcnerallv with efFct
whenever The object has been to unite the whole
South against Northern men, or northern measures.
Tins ,ceilng always carefully kept alive, and main
taihea at 100 intense heat to admit discrimination
or reflection, is lever Of great power in or nol;,;
cal machine 1t moves vast bodies and gives to them
one and the same direction But the feeling is with
out adequate cause, and the suspicion which exists,
whohy groundlcss. There is not, and never LA q
been, disposition in the North to interfere with
these interests of the South. Such interference has
never been supposed to be within the power of Gov
nor has 1t been, in any way, attempted It
nas always been regarded matter of domestic
policy, left with the States themselves. and WITH
which the Federal Government has nothing TO do.
certainly, Sir, am and have been of that opn
ION; Inc gentleman, indeed, argues, that slavery,
III the abstract, is no evil. Most assuredly / need
not say differ with him. altogether and most ,rdei
on that point. regard domestic slavery as one ~
the greatest Of evils, both moral and political But
though It be rnalady. aud whether it be durable.
whether it be v,rus ia,neiea5ifs OF social evs
tenn leave 1t to those whose right and duty Il is to
inquire and to decide And this believe sir is and
uniformly mas been, the sentiment of the north. Let
us look little ut the history of this matter.
When the present Constitution was submitted for
the rathcatlon OF tie people, there were those ybo
imagined that the powers Of the government which
proposed 10 establish might, perhaps in some pos
clifton OF slavery This suggestion would of course
attract much attention in the Southern Conventions
In that o. Virginia, Gov. Randolph said:
~ nope there Is none here who, considering the
suo)ect IN the calm light of philosophy will make an
objection dishonorable TO Virgnia-that at the mo-
ment they are securing tho rights of their citizens
an objection Is started that there is a shark of hone
.nat thoSe unfortunate men now held in bondage NAV
made free" W
very hrst Congress, petitions on tho subject
were presented, if mistake not from different States
. me fennsyIyanla Society fot promoting the aboli
800 -. ~ looh u cuui uuu la1u OcfOrc CONGRESS-
memorial, raging Congress to promote the aboi;'
.lon oy such powers as it possessed. This memorial
was reerred,ln the House of Representatives, to a
sGlecI committee; consisting of Mr.. Foster. of N.
Hampshire; Mr.. Gerry, Of Massachusetts,; Mr. Hun.
tngton OF Connecticut; Mr.. Lawrence, of N. York.
Mr. Sinnickson, Of N. Jersey; Mr. Hartley of penn
'ylTania and blr. Parker, Of Virginia. ali Of them
sr as you VIII observe, northern men, but the last
ms COMMITTEE made report, which was committed
10 Committee Of the Whole House, and there CON.
sldered and discussed on several days; and being
amended, although in no material respect, il was
TO express three distinct propositions on the ami
ects OF slavery and the slave trade First' in tho
words OF the Constitution, that Congress could not
pror 10 the year $685. prohibit tho migration or inn
poitaton OF such persons any Of the States then
existing, should think proper TO admit Second. tbot
congress had authority restrain the citizens Of the
states rom carrying on tho frcan Slave Trade.
or 'se purpose Of supplying foreign countries. On
MS proposition our early laws against those who en-
.agc IN inat traffic are founded. The third PROPOSE;
Ion' ana that which bears on tho present oresfion
vas expressed IN the following terms. f-'''''''
"fSesofred, That Congress have no authori,v o,