The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1839-02-21

sANh OetNrrh US irfs slfs mink the
American Minister would have hest pur-
sued the dictates of true dignity BY re-
garding the language Of the member al
the British House Of Commons a. the
malignant rzsings Of the pIunderer al his
avn country, aud ihe llbsller Of foreign
aud kindred people.
But the means l0 which have already
adverled are NOT The anly ones hich llIis
third Glars Of Observation-Disclosures are en-.
playing 10 elTscI their ultimate end. They
began Ihrir operations BY protesting 10
employ only persuasive nrans in appeal
ing 10 the humanity. and rnlig hiening the
understandings. III The slavrhalding por-
liOn nj the umi0n. II there were some
kindness in this avowed moilve. IL must
be acknowledged hat there was rather .
presumPlnuus display alsa Of an assumed
superiority in intelligence and kna2 ledge.
For some time they e"n'inusd 60 make
these appeals In our duly and our inirr-
est: hut impatient with the slow influence
0f their logic upan our stupid minds, they
recently resolved 10 change their system
nf aeiinn. To the agency Of their pow
ers nf persuasion. they nuw propose Ia
substitute the pawers Of the ballot box;
and he must be blind TO what !. passing
before Us. wh" does NOT perceive that The
inevitable tendency ol their proceedings
is. IL these should be fund Insufficient.
To Inynke, finally. The more potent P'w-
ers ii the hsynnrt.
Mr.. President. il is q, this alarming
stage of lhe proceedings Of the ulIra.ab1
lItionisis that would seriously invite ey-
cry consi,leraIe man in the country so.
lemnly To pause. aud deliberately Ia re-
fleet. not merely on our existing posture,
but upnn that dreadful precipire down
Which they would hurry u. Il is be-
cause these ulTa-abnlinonisIs have ceas-
ed TO employ The instruments of reason
and persuasion. have made their cause
pulilical. and have appealed to The ballot
box. that ] am induced. upon this oecs-
sion, to address you.
There have been three eporhs in The
history Of nur county al which the spi.
rIt of addition displayed itself. Tie
first was Immediately after the formation
al The present federal government. When
The Constitution was about going inth
operation, lis powers were nut well un.
dersiood by the community al large, and
remained To he accurately interpreted and
defined. Al that period numerous sboli-
ton sncieiies we're formed. comprising
no. merely the society Of Friends, bul
many other good men. Petitions were
presented TO Congress. praying for the
abolition q: slavery. They we're receiv.
ed without serious opposition. referred.
and repurted upon by committee. The
report stated that the general government
had no power TO abolish slavery as il ex.
listed in the several stairs. aud that these
states themselves had exclusive jrrisdic.
ton over The subject. The report was
generally acquirsced in. aud satisfaction
and tranquility rnsued; the abolition SO.
cielies thereafter limiting their exerIions,
in respect 10 the black population. 10 off,
res II humanity within the scope Of ex.
listing laws.
The next period when The subject oI
slavery. aud Ambition incidentally. was
brought into notice and discussion. was
that on the memorable occasion &c the
admission uf the state Of Missouri intu
The Union. The struggle was long, sire
nuous. and fearful. IL is too recent "a
make il necessary to do moie than mere.
ly advert 10 it. aud To say. tia, il was ii.
nally composed by one of tliose compro
misses Characteristic Of our institutions,
and Of which the Constitution itself is the
most signal instance.
The third is that in which we now find
ourselves. Various causes, Mr.. Presi'
dent, have contributed 10 produce the ex.
listing excitement on the subject Of aboli-
zion. Tie principal one, perhaps. is the
example of British emancipation OF the
slaves in the islands adjacent TO our coun-
try. Such is the similarity in laws, in
language, in institutions, aud in common
origin, between Great Britain and the
United States, that no great measure oi
naiionsl policy can be adopted in the one
country wi.hau, producing considerable
degree Of influence in the other. Con.
founding the totally different cases ,oge,lI-
er Of The powers Of the British Psr'iamen,
aud those Of ihe Congress OF the United
States, aud the totally different situations
Of the British West India islands, and
the slaves in The sovereign aud iniepen.
den, states nf this cnnfrderacy, superficial
men have inferred from the undecided
British experiment, the prac,icabili,y ol
the abaliuon al slavery in these states.
The powers Of the British Parliament are
unlimited, aud are often described 10 he
onnipotenl. The pawers Of the Ameri.
can Congress. On the contrsry, are few,
cautiously limited, scrupnl"nslr exclud-
ing all tina, are not granted, aud. abnrc
all, carefully aud absolutely excluding all
power over The existence or continuance