Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-03-02

the suplect he was ruther disposed to make 1t mat
terof ridicule, that had introduced into the debate
the name of one Nathan Dane, of whom he assures I
US he had never before heard. Sr.if the honorabie
member had never before heard of Mr. Dane am
so,ry ior IT. 1t shows him less acquainted with the
puulic meme OF the conntry than had supposed. Let
me tell HIM, however. that asnccr from him. at tho
mention of :he name of Dir Dane. is in bad tastel
II may well be high mark of ambition, sir, either
Win THO honorable gentleman myself, to accom-
piiSh as mitch TO make names known to advar-
saSc, and remembered with gratitude, us Mr.. DaneI
has accomplished. Bot the truth IL sir, suspect,
that Mr. Dane lives little too far North He is of
and too near the north star to be reached by
the honorable gentleman's telescope II his sphere
cad happened to range South of Maeon's and Dix
sons line, nc might, probably, have within the
scope of his vision,
Ispoke, sir, of tho ordinance Of i7s7. which pro-
imputed Slavery III oil future times, northwest of the
ONO, as measure of great wisdom and foresight;
and one which has been attended with highly henei.
ciai anu permanent consequences. supposed, that
Oh TINS point no two gentlemen in the Senate could
entertain different opinions But the simple cxprcs-
SION OF this sentiment has led the gentleman, not
iy into abored defence of slavery, the abstract
and on principle but also, into accusation
against me- MS having attacked tho system of domes-
TIC slavery now existing in the Southern States For
MI TINS, there ~as not the slightest foundation, IN
any thing said or intimated by me- did not utter q
single word, which any ingenuity could torture into
an attack on the slavery OF the South. I said only
that 1T was highly wise and useful in lcu;slatinp for
tho northwestern country, while ii yet wilder
ness to prohibit the introduction of slaves: and adj
ded that presumed, in the neighboring State of XIV
there was no rejecting and intelligent gentlemaa,
whs would doubt, that if the same prohibition had
been extended, at the same carly period over that
commonwealth, her strengthaud population would at
this day. have been far creator than they arc If
eSe opinions DC thought doubtful, they are, never
theless trust neither extraordinary nor disresncc
tu!. They attack nobody and menace nobody And
yet, sir the genlelnans optics have discovered even
IN inc mere expression Of this sentiments what he
calls me very sPirit OF the Missouri question! He
represents me as tnlnkng On onset on the whole
South, and m1nitcsting spirit which would inter,
crc with, and disturb their domestic cond ton Sir
ths injustice no otherwise surprises me- toa os it is
oono ls,e ana dnne without the slightest prccnce of
ground Tor it. say it only surprises me as beinr
done here, for know full well, that it is and has
peep Tho settled policy ofsoc persons in the South
for years TO represent the people the North as dis
posed TO interfere with them i'll their own exclusive
ana peculiar concerns.-rhis Is a delicate and sem
sltlve point In Southern feelings and of late years If
mas always been touched, and generally with effect
whenever lhe object has been to unite the whole
south aGanst Northern men, or northern measures
ms fceiIng always carefully kept alive and main
tanned at too fntCnse heat to admit Discrimination
OF reuectlon, IS lever of great power in our pot-
cal machine II moves vast bodies and gives to them
one ana the same direction But the feeling is with
out adequate Cause and the suspicion which eyisis
wholly groundlcss. Pierre is. not and never has
been, a disposition in the North to interfere with
these interests of the South Such interference has
ncvni o.cn supposed to be within the power of Gov
ernment, nor has 1t been, in any way attempted It
mas always been regarded as a matter of domestic
poiicy, left with the States themselves. and will,
which the Federal Governmhnt has NOTHING TO do.
sif' oni and ever have been of that opin-
ioi.; Enc gentleman, indeed, argues that slavery
inthe abstract, IS no evil Most assurod!y I reed
not say differ with him, altogether aud most yidev
on that po,nf regard domestic slavery as one OF
.ne greatest OF evils both moral and political But,
though y De nalady. and whether it be durable.
ana y SO, by what means, or, on the other hnnd
whether De vuaus iasnccabi1e of tho social svs
te leave 1T TO those whose right and duty it is to
inquire and to decide. And this believe sir is and
uniformly has been. the sentiment of the north. Let
US look little at the history OF. this matter.
w hen the present Constitution was submitted for
the ratification of the people there were those who
imagine; !. mat the powers of the government which
proposed to establish might, perhaps, in some pos
soic mode be eXerted in measures tending to the alb
o.ition OF slavery This suggestion would of course
attract nnch attention in the Southern Conventions
In that OF Virginia, Gov. Randolph said;
81 hope there is none here who, CONSIDERING tho
SUBJECT IN the calm light of philosophy win make an
objection dishonorabe TO Virginia-that az the mo-
ment they are securing the rights Of their citizens
an objection is started, that there is spark of hone
that those unfortunate men now held in bondaee NAV
by the operation of the General Government be
made Free" NC
at the very rst Congress petitions on the subject
were presented If mistake not from dffercnt States
me pennsylvania Society fot promoting the aboIi
lion OF slavery took lead and laid before CONGRESS.
memorial, p'aying Congress to promote the abol.
ton by such powers as it possessed This memorial
was feerfed' IN the House Of Representatives., to al
select committee, consisting of Mr. Foster. of NJ
itsmpshire Mr.. Gerry, of Massachusetts: Mr. Hun
tngton of Connecticut; Mr. Lawrence, of N. YORK.
Mf. SntIckson OF N. Jersey; hTr Harley, of Penn
sy!Vanlai ana Mr, Parker of Virginia; all of them
Sir as you will observe, northern men, but the last.
fhis Committee made report which was cornmttcd
TO Committee of the Whole House, and there cor.
sidered and discussed on several days; and being
amended, although III no material resnect i y,ss
mace TO express three distinct propositions on the sub
Jecfs OF slavery and the Save trade. First in the
words OF the Constitution, TINT Congress could not
prior TO the year 1903, prohibit The migration or i'm
portaton OF such persons as any of the States then
eSising' should think proper to admit Second that
congress had authority to restrain the citizens OF The
.1'etes ron carrying on se African Slave Trade
for the purposeo supplying foreign countries Or
TINS proposition our early laws against those who en-
gage IN that traffic founded The third nronos,
ion' and That which bears the present question
was PXDrpsspd N - - 'JNS-'iSit,l