The Arkansas advocate., 1830-04-07

The honorable gentleman rom Mas sachusetts, has gone out of hls way, to pass a high eliloginm on the State oi Ohio. h the most impassioned tones of eloquence, he described her majestic march to greatness. He told us thatilav- ing already left all the other States far behind, she was now passing by Virginia, and Pennsylvania, and about to take her station by the side of New York. To all this, sir, was disposedmost cordial ly to respond. When, however, the gen. tieman proceeded to contrast the State of Ohio, with Kentucky to the dlsad- vantage of the latter, listened to him with regret; and whenhehad proceeded farther to attribute the great, and as he supposed, acknowledged superiority of the former in population, wealth and general prosperity, to the policy of Ma than Dane, of Massachusetts, which had secured to the people of Ohio, (by the ordinanceo of 'S7, C population ot treenee,s. Twill confess, that my feelings suffereda a revulsion, which, amnow unableto des- cribe, in any langnaee sufficiently res pectful towards the gentleman from Mas sachusetts.
 In contrasting the State of Ohio, with Kentucky, forthe purpose of point ing out tte superiority ofhe former, and distributing that superiority to the er- astence of slopery, in the one State, and its absence in the other, thought ] could discernthe ucyyspirit 9 ofthe sNissou- gi question, intruded into this debate, for objectsbest known tothe gentleman him. self Did that gentleman, sir, when he formed the determination to cross the southern border, in order to invade the State of South Carolina. deem 1t prudent, or necessary to enlist under his banners tte preiudsees of tse aeord, which, like Swiss-troops, may be engaged in any cause, and are prepared to serve under any ieaderf Did ne desire to avail hlm- self of those remorseless allies, the pas sions of naakiad, of whichit may be more truly said, than of the savage tribes of the wilderness, that their known rule ofwariare is an nindiscriminate slaughter Of all ages, sexes, and conditions p Or was it supposed, sir, that in a premedi- tated, and unprovoked attack upon the south, 1t was advisable to begin by gentle admonition of our supposed sceak ness, in order to prevent us from making that firm and manly resistance, due to our own character, and our dearest in- terest9 Was the gignifcosat hint of the zOeakness of staDehoidi1ag States, when coatrasted with tae superior strength of free States-like the glare of the weap- onhalf drawn from itsscabbard, intended to enforce the lessons of prudence and ofpatriotism, which the gentleman had resolved, out of his abundant generosity, gratuitonsly to bestow upon us2 Mr. President, the impressionwhichhas gone abroad, of the 7ueakness of the South, as connected with Btesla0e question, exposes us to such constant attacks, has done us So mnch injury, and is calculated to pro- dace such infinite mischiefs, that 1 em- brace the occasion presented by the re marks of the gentleman of Massachu- sets, to declare that we arc ready to meet the question promptly, and fear lessly. It is one from which we are not disposed to shrink. in whatever form or underwhateyer cireumstancesit may be pressedu upon us. We are ready to make up the issue with the gentleman, as to the influence of slavery on individual and national character-o the prosperi- ty and greatness, either of the United States, or of particular States. Sir, when arraigned before the bar ofpub- lie opinion, on this charge of slavery we can stand up with conscious rectitude, plead not guilty, and put ourselves upon God and our country. Sir, we wifi not consent to look at siaveryin the abstract. We will not stop to inquire whether the black maa, as some philosophers have conteaded, is of an inferior race, nor whether his colour and condition are the effects of a curse inflicted for the offences of his ancestors. We deal in no distractions. We will net look back to inquire whether our Fathers were guiltless in introducing slaves in- to this country?iian inquiry should ever he instituted in these matters how ever 1t will be found that the profits ofthe slave trade, were not. confined to the South. Southern ships and Southern sailors were not the instruments of bringing slaves le the shores of Ameri- ca, nor didour merchants reap the prof its of that "accursed traffic.' But, sir. we will pass over ali isaiis. if slavery,