The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1836-03-09

of Society of Friends in Pennsy ylyania, pfayin for
the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia.
But if l,e object Of this discussion is not to settle
abstract principles would ask what it isl Is it to
quiet the public mind and put stop to agitation
If understood the honorable gentleman from South
Carulina he declared this to he his purpose. If so,
sir, am happy to say that can 90 with the gen.
ieman heart and soul. | believe, that tho peace
a:u best interests of the country, both at the North
and the South, require that this agitation should
cease, the public mind be tranquilizcd, and conf
dence restored. But how do gentlemen propose to
obtain this desirable end I Why, it would seem sir,
that they propose to stop the agitation of this excl
ting question among the people by agitating it hsre.
Sir, | believe that the agitation of this subject
here will promote agitation elsewhere and tend to
keep the public mind in excited and fcverisl state
Aud here must be permitted to express some as
tonisiment that gentlemen urge discussion, whilst
they avow that their object is to prevent agitation
hen hear that this is their object, asserted in the
most solemn manner, l am bound to believe it,
trust the gentlemen are sincere; at the same time
must be permitted to say, that the means by which
they seek to attain their end appear to very
traordinary, Was il not for descending from the
gravity Of the subject, would say that it reminded
of person have heard of in my section of the
country. man who was very pugnacous aud
quarrclsome, who constantly wrangling with his
neigbors, yet always insisted that he loved peace
and great was his anxiety for it, that he declared
he would have peace with his neghbors if he had to
tight for il. If understand the views of some hon
orable gentlemen, they disposed to agitate this
question for the purpose at preventing agitation.
Sir, hope, most sincerely hope, there is dis
position any where, in the North in the South to
connect this exciting subject with the party politics
of the day. That there is such intention here
nrc fully assured. But is there such intention
elsewhere? Sir, am sorry to say that fear there
il. / cannot shut my eyes to occurrences of gener-
al noorety; cannot resist the evidence of my sem
fear there Is spirit of mischief AT work in
certain quarter, at the South well as the North
il is hope, in both cases confined to n small
Der Of individuals.
Il is fact of general notoriety, that there is
press in this city, the to which the Senator from
New-:Iampshre referred, professedy devoted to the
Interests of certain party a the South, which has
long lbored with zeal and perseverance, worthy Of
~ better cause, To agi;ate the public mind on the
slave question, whilst it has sought TO alarm the
South bv the grossrst ssntatlons of public
sentiment the North-hv magnifying the number
and influence of the aboii nists-by representing
them as connected Gh political party, in the face
cf the most notorious facis it has endeavored to
courage the abOlitiOsts to persevere IN their mis-
chievous designs There also presses at the
South, devoted to the same party, which have pur-
sued similar course. Whilst these mischeyOus
vehicles have prOfessed the utmost abhorrence othe
designs of The northern aboonists, and to feel the
greatest alarm at the tendency of their incendary
publications, they iave at the time given
circulation through their own papers to the very
worst of these publications. under preencc of ex-
Ibiting their enormities. These papers have been
circulated in the slave Statc aud are supported by
a certain party in that section of the Union. 1t has
been asserted by the honorable Senator from South
Carolina, that he has fears from the circulation of
the tracts, and other publications of the abolition
ccties, at the South that such is the state Of things
there. 1t is impossible they should be circulated. In
This presume the Senator is correct and it is there
fore fair 10 conclude, that the principal circulation
which these mischievous publications received in the
slave States has been through the columns of polit-
Ical papers, protesting to apprehend the greatest
danger from the movements of the northern abolit-
ionists, and to feel the greatest adherence of their
publications. How is this inconsistent and absurd
conduct to be accounted for, except by supposing
that there are dgitators at the South who at
tempting to create an excitement the question of
slavery for political purposesl These same vehi-
clcs have been urging on the South the most dan
gerous and prcpostcrous measures, as being Deces-
sary for the security of the slavehodiug States
measures which, if not revolutionary in their char
acier, have obvious tendency to such results.
Sir, if there are such mischievous agents at the
South, who seeking to build up sectional party,
by appealing to tho fears of the people in the slave
States, and misrepresenting public sentiment Mt the
NORTH, they are more execrable and more danger
than the northern abolitionists Sir, a south
ern convention has been advocated by these men
aud what can be the design of such convention but
to increase the existing excitement, irrtae the
public sensibity, and to blow the enkindling flame
into consuming fire Can snch u measure spring
from sober and discreet counses Can it be called
for devise measures for the protection Of the in
tcrests, exposed by the mad schemes of the nbolit-
iohistsl l think no intelligent or candid man will
maintain this"
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