Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1833-09-11

/ "Still some may inquire, nc continues
Suppose the thing to be actually done, either
with or without the consent of the masters
so that in one month all the slaves in the
country should be free, what would be The
consequence? Topredict this with certainty
| is beyond the province of human foresight
No event analogous to this has occurred since
the world began and therefore no page of its
history sheds on the subject the light of ex-
perience. The most sober and industrious
part of these manumited slaves, doubtless
might be employed as the laboring peasantry
of the country. Others, through indolcr ce
and intemperance, would die and putrly,
like the frogs of Egypt. Others would be-.
take themselves to forests and Businesses,
and live by plumber. These would be hunt
ed, and manacled and shot. by white men, ln
self defence; till the holder spirits among
them ripe for treason and violence, would Or
ganize an army of outlaws daring enough to
execute purposes of desperate villany, at the
thought of which the heart shudders.
A general emancipation of slaves, there
fore, to be consistent with such a regard to
their good, and the public good, as humanity
and religion demand, must plainly be a work
|of time. 1t must be accomplished by wise
System of moral influence, and of prospective
Legislation, and must allow opportunity for "a
preparatory change in the habits Of whole
community"
In answer to the inquiry, what would be
the influence on the South, of efforts in
other quarters, by means of anti slavery
societies, publications, &c. the Doctor re-
marks:
"Intelligent men in the South, do not deny
! to the people of non-slave holding states, the
right to think for themselves on this subject
Bat they say, We did not create slavery. Ii
came down to us as colonial inheritance
from the mother country; and the cupidity
of slave-dealers in the North, contributed tt
fasten upon US. Here it is, an incubus, as
you think, and as many of us think. on the
energies and enterprise -four people; but the
system is so interviewer with all our habit:
that immediate abolition of it would tear VI
the foundations of society. We cannot, there
fore, think il consistent with those ohliga
tons of kindness and generosity and gooo
neighborhood, which citizens of the same
country owe to each other, for men who arr
as ignorant of the intrinsic delicacies of this
subject, as they are remote from participa
ton in its dangers and difficulties. to seiz'
every opportunity of casting firebrands int
the midst of our people.
| 1t men in Pennsylvania or Vermont choose
to form an anti slavery society, let them pro
coed according to elevated Christian princi'
pies. All rash denunciation. all actimon
ious epilhets, all disposition to distort- single
acts of cruelty into general imputatlon OF
holders of slaves, are unwise and unjust
Like the caricatures of English travellers il
this country, they provoke resentment with
out doing any imaginable good Ifsuch so
cleties choose TO advocate their own princi
Piles through the press, let them keep strict,
within the limits Of truth and sober argumen
and send their publications, not to servants
but in the most honorable and open manner
TO their masters. All inflammatory state
ments, addressed to the former, or tending t.
excite them to rapine and bloodshed, if they
do not subject their authors to Indictment a
common law for misdemeanor, certainly de
serve the Reproduction ofan enlightened com
munity. Deeply as l deplore the existence
of slavery in my native country canno
hope to see its extinction, till the measures
requisite for such result shall be taken by
the masters themselves; and | am certain
that this result must be Indefinitely retarded
| by all rash and violent interference from
other quarters. characterization in slaves
and of course increased rigor from their mas
tiers, will be the natural consequences 0
such Interference"