Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-02-25

line, ne might, probably, have come Within Tho
scope Of his vision
Is,oke. sir. of the ordinance ofl7S7, which
prohibited slavery, in all future times, north
west Of the hio, as measure Of great Oedom
and foresight: and one whieRhad been attend
ed with highly beneficial and permanent con-
sequences | supposed, that, on inns po'h', 10
two gentlemen in the Senate cop'h en'er'a'"
diff rem, opinions But, The simple expression
Of this sentiment has led the gentleman, not
only into labored defence OF slavery, IN the
abstract, and on principle, bul also, INTO a
warm accusation against me, as having a'aek'
ed The sys EN- of domestic slavery, now EXIST
ing in the Southern States. For all ms, 'here
was not The slightest foundation, In any thlng
said or intimatrd by me | did not utter SIN
gle word, which any ingenuity coula 'ot'urs
into an attack OH he slavery OF the South.
said only that IL was highly wise ana useiui III
legisatine for the orihwes!ern country, WINE
il was yet wilderness, 10 prohibit The miro
duction Of slaves: and added, that presumed,
in the neighboring State of K'ntucky. there
was no rejecting aud intelligent gentleman,
who would Goub,, tina, If the same prohibition
had been extended, al the same early PERIOD,
over tina, commonwealth her Strength and po
pula,ion would, a, this day, have been far
greater than they are. II these opinions De
thought doubtful, they are, nevertheless, rust.
neither extraordinary nor distespectlul, They
attack nobody, and menace nobody. And, vet,
SIR he gentleman's optics have discovered,
even in The mere expression Of this sen'imert,
VIVA, he calls the 'e:y spirit OF the Missouri
question! He represents me as making an on
set on the whole South, ard mantle ssing spl-
rit which would interfere with, and disturb
their domestic condition! Sir, this injustice
no otherwise surprises me, than as II IS Gone
here, and done withou, the slightest pre'encr
of n ound for it. say il only surprises me,
as being done here; for know, full well, that
il is. ana has been the settled policy OF some
persons in The South, for years, to represent
the people Of the North as disposed TO inter-
fere with them, In their own exclusive
and peculiar concerns. This is delicate and
sensi,ive point, IL southern feeling; and Of late
years It has always been touched, aud generally
with effect, whenever the object has been TO
unite the whole South against nos thern men, or
northern measures. This feeling, always core-
fully KEEP, alive, and maintained at TOO Intense
hpa, 10 admit disc limitation or reflection, is
a lever Of great power in our political machine.
II moves vast bodies, and gives TO them one and
the same direc ion But the feeling is withou,
adequate cause, and the suspicion which exists,
wholly grcundless. There is not, and never
| has been, a disposition in the North TO Inter
! lere with these interests Of the South. Such
! interference has never been supposed to be
within the power Of Governments; nor has Il
been in any way, attempted II has always
been regarded as matter Of domestic ol:cy,
left win the States themselves, and with which
the Federal Government had nothing 10 do
Certainly sill, I ain. and ever have been, Of
that opinion. The gentleman, indeed, argues
! that slavery, in the abstract, is no evil. Most
assuredly, I need not say differ with him, al
| together, aud most widely. on tina, point.
regard domestic slavery as one Of The greatest
OF evils both moral ard political. But, tho il
be malady and whether il be Durable, and if
So by wha, means; or, on the her hand,
whe Their il be the uulnus imn,edicabile Of the
| social system, / leave il TO those whose right
and duty it is TO inquire and 10 decide. And This
believe, sir, is, and uniformly has been, the
senrmen, Of the North. LEI US look little
al The history Of this matter,
When the present Constitution was submit.
led for the ratification of the People, there
we've those who imagined that the powers Of
The Government which il proposed 10 establish
might, perhaps, in some possible mode, be tx
sr,ed in measures tending 10 the abolition Of
slavery. This suggestion would Of course at
tract much attention in the Southern Conven
| tons. In hat Of Virginia, Governor Randolp
said:
"Ihope there is none here. who, considering the
ubject in the calm light of philosophy, will make an
objection dishonorabi. to Virginia that, at the mo-
ment they securing the rights OF their citizens an
objection is started that there is spark Of hope that
those unfortunate men, now held in bondage. may, by
oh nF tho eral he .Ip
| free"
At the very first Congress, petitions on the
,ubject were presented, if mistake not, f. ON
| diff rent States. The Pennsylvania Society for
promoting The Abolition Of Slavery took a
lead, and laid before Congress memorial,
praying Congress to promote the abolition by
such powers as It possessed This memorial
wa, referred, in the House OF Representatives,
to Selec, Committee, consisting Of Mr. Fos-
ter, of New Hampshire, Mr.. Gerry, of Msssa-
chuseus, Mr. Huntington, of Connecticut, Mr.
Lawrence, of New York, Mr.. Sinniekson, Of
New Jersey, Mr.. Harley, Of Pennsylvania, aud
~ Dor of Vi,uiuia. al ~ ,hep