The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1839-03-07


their career. Instead Of advancing, by their
efforts, that cause, they have thrown back
Tor hall century the prospect of any spe.
cies OF emancipation Of the African race.
gradual or immediate, IN any of the States,
hey have Gone more; they have increas.
ed the rIgors of Legislation against slaves
10 most, II rot all, Of the slave States For.
~ years ago the question was agltated ia
The State OF Kentucky of gradual eman-
ciPatIon OF the slaves within l,s hunts. By
gradual emancipation, ;nean that slow but
sale and cautious liberation of slaves ah,ch
was first adopted in PENNSYLVANIA at the
instance OF DR.. Franklin, jn The wear l7aO
and, according 10 which, the generation m
being wero TO remain in slavery, but all
their offspring born after specified day
were TO be free at the age of twenty eight,
anS, IN the mean time, were TO receive pre-.
paratory instruction 10 qualify them for the
enjoyment Of freedom. That was the spe.
eies OF emancipation which, at the epoch 10
which ] allude, was discussed in Kentucky.
no one was rash enough TO propose or think
OF immediate abolition. No one was rash
enough to think Of throwing loose upon
The Community, ignorant aud unprepafed,
the untutored slaves of the State. MANY
thought, and amongst them, that as each
oil The slave States had right exclusively
to Judge for itself in respect to the ins.ita.
ton OF domestic slavery, the proportion of
slaves compared with the white population
10 that State, at that time, was so lnconsid-
cradle that system of gradual emancipa-
tIon might have been safely adopted with
out any hazard TO The security and interests
oil the Commonw ealth. And | still think
that the question of such emancipation 10
the farming States is one whose solution
depends upon the relative numbers of the
two races IN any given State. lf had
been citizen Of the State of PENNSYLVANIA,
v hen FraDkln's plan was adopted, | should
have voted for 1t, because by no poss biIity
could the black race ever acquire the ss-
ceudancy 10 that Slate. But # | bad been
then, or were nov, citizen Of any of the
planting Siaies-the Southern or South
western S,ates--l should have opposed, and
" ould continue to oppose, any scheme what
ever Of emancipation, gradual or lmmedi-
ate, because Of the danger Of an ultimate
ascendancy Of the black race, or OF civil
contest which might terminate 10 the ex-
tiuction Of one race or the other.
The proposition in Kentucky for a grad.
lal emancipation did not prevail, but il was
sustained by large and respectable minor
ty. That minority had increased, and was
Increasing, until the aboIitionisis commence
ID their operations. The effect has been
o dIsslpate all prospects whatever, for tho
present, Of any scheme Of gradual or other
emancipation. The People of that State
rave become shocked and alarmed BY these
abolition movements, and the number who
would now favor q ystem even of gradual
Emancipation is probably less than it was
n the years l793 g. At the sessions Of
he Legislature held in 1887 s, the ques-
ION OF calling a convention was submitted
o the consideration of he People, by law
assed IN conformity with the Constitution
{ the State. Many motives existed for the
assase Of the aw, and among them that
{ emancipation had lis influence. When
he question was passed upon by the People.
tttNlh iuct ukIjudl tiC'StcAls WIN dUHuk NliE@
lurth of the whole voters Of the State sup
or;ed a call of a convention. The appre-
enson Of the danger Of abolition was the
eading consideration amongst the pee
lie for opposing the call. But for that, but
or the agitation of the question of abolition
D States whose population had no right, in
ne opinion Of the people of Kentucky, TO
ltertere in the matter, the vote for con.
ention would have been much larger, if il
sd not been carried. felt myself con,
raincd to take immediate, bold, and dec,
ID ground against it.
Frior to the agitation of this subject of
'oiItlon, there was progressive meIiora-
on in the condition of slaves throughout
the slave States. In some of them,
hooIs of instruction were opened by hu.
ane and religious persons. These are al!
Nv checked; and spirit of insubordlna.
N having shown itself in some localities
lceable, il is believed, TO abolition meve-
pnts and exertIons, the Legislative author.
, has found it expedient TO infuse fresh
yor into the police and laws which regu.
e the conduct Of the slaves.
And now Mr.. President, if il we're posi-.
) 10 overcome the insurmountable obsta.
IS which lie in the way of immediate abo.
on, let US briefly contemplate some of the
lsequences which would inevitably ensue.
Re OF these has been occasionally alluded
10 the progress Of these remarks. It's
} struggle which would lnstan,aneously
Sc between the two races in mos, of the
nthern and South. western States. And
at a dreadful struggle would j, not be
lblttered by all the rccollections Of the
i, by the unconquerabie prejudices which
uId prevail between the two races, and