Litchfield enquirer., 1830-02-25

6lFS was UtSKVSGU tuOSS CVtOtouy w When, however, the gentleman proceeded to contrast the State of Ohio, with Kentucky, to the disadvantage of the latter, listened tO him with regret; and when hC had pro" ceeded further to attribute the great, and as he supposed, acknowledged superiority Of the former m population, wealth, and general prosperity, to the policy of Nathan Dane, of Masss chusctts, which had secured to the people of Ohio, (by the Ordinance of 'U7,) population of .freemen, | will confess, that my feelings suffered a revulsion, which am now unable to describe, in any language suf- ficienty respectful towards the gentleman from Massachusetts.
 In contrasting the State of Ohio, with Kentucky, for the purpose of pointing out the superiority of tke former, and of attributing that superiority to the eristence cf Sldrery, in the one State, and its absence in the other, thought could discern the uery spirit of the 1 Missouri question, intruded into this debate, 1 for objects best known Co the gentleman him self Did that gentleman, sir, when he form ed the determination to cross the southern border, in order to invade the State of South 1 Carolina, deem it prudent, or necessary to enlist under his banners the prejudices of the world. which, like SWiss- troops may be en- gagged in any cause, and are prepared to serve Mnder any leader? Did he desire to avail l himself of those rPmorseless allies, the pas sions of mankind. of which it may be more truly said. than of the savage tribes of the wilderness, "that their known rule of warfare is an indiscriminate slaughter of all ages, sex es, and conditions ?" Or was it supposed, sir, that in a premcditatcd, and unprovokcd attack upon the south, it was advisable to be- gin by a gentle admontion of our supposed oseakness. in order to prevent ns from making that firm and manly resistance, due to our own character, and our dearest interest Was the signifcant hint of the weakness cf slave. holding States, when contracted with the superior strength of free States-Iike the l glare of the weapon half drawn from its scab
 bard intended to enforce the lessons of pru- dence and of patriotism, which the gentleman had resolved, out of his abundant generosity. gratuitously to bestow upon us? MT. Presi
 dent, the impression which has gone abroad, of the sOe0kneSs of the South, as connected with the slaUe question, exposes us to such con. stant attacks, has done us 80 much injury, and is calculated to produce such infinite mis- chiefs, that embrace the occasion presented by the remarks of the gentleman of Massa- chusetts, to declare that we are ready tO meet
 the question promptly, and Ccarcssly. It is
 ono from which we arc not disposed to shrink, in whatever form or under whatever circun,-
 stances it may be pressed upon us. We are { ready to make up the issue with the gentle man, as to the influence of slavery on individ- , ual and national character-on the prosperity and greatness, either of the United States, or of particular States. Sir, when arraigned
 before the bar of public opinion, on this
 charge of slavery, we can stand up with con-
 scious rectitude, plead not guilty, and put ourselves upon God and our country. Sir, we will not consent to look at slavery in the abstract. We will not stop to inquire wheth' CT the black man, as some philosophers have contended, is of an inferior race, nor whether his colour and condition are the effects of a curse inflicted for the offences of his anccs.
 tors. We deal in no abstrac!ions. We will
 not look back to inquire whether our Fathers
 were guiltess in introducing slaves into this country? If an inquiry should ever be insti' tutcd in these matters however, it wilt be
 found that the pl ofits of the slave trade, were not confined to the South. Southern ships and Southern sailors were not the instruments of bringing slaves to the shores of America, nor did our merchants reap the profits of that 1 "accursed traffic." But, sir, we will pass over all this. Ifslavery, as 1t now exists in this country, be an evil. we of the present day found it ready made Co 0wr hands. Finding our lot cast among people. whom God had man ifsstly committed to our care, we did not sit | NV"" NV "I'CSVsONO OH ""Ss'"Ss 1">S'N"s ~s theo retical liberty. We met it as a practical question of obligation and duty. We rcsolv- ed to make the best of the situation in which
 Providence had placed us, and to fulfil the high trust which had devOlved upon us as the owners of slaves, in the only way in which such trust could be fulfilled, without spread ing misery and ruin through the land. We found that we had to deal with people whose physical, moral and intellectual habits and character, totally disqualified them from the enjoyment Of the blessing of freedom. We could not send them back to the shores from whence their fathers had been taken their numbers forbade the thought. even if we did not know that their condition here is infinite ly preferable. to what it possibly could be a- mOng the barren sands, and savage tribes of Africa; and it was wholly irreconcileable with all our notions of humanity to tear asun- der the tender ties which they had formed among us, to gratify the feelings of false philanthropy. What a commentary on the wisdom, justice, and humanity of the south ern slave owner is presented by the example of certain benevolent associations and chari- table individuals elseschere. Shedding weak tears over sufferings which had existence only in their own sick ly imaginatiOns,the "frends Of humanity" set themselves systematically to work to seduce the slaves of the South from their masters. By means Of :nIssiona- | -s- a asAs | AA-- -A2.~n SSNA