The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-02-12

The continued existence or prosecution OF me mug
INSTRUMENTATION. The regulation intended was de-
sxoed 10 faciiafc and accommodate not 10 obstruct
ana incommode the commerce 10 be regulated Gan
A be pretended that, under this power 70 regulate
comurrce among the States Congress has the pow
er TO prohibit the transportation rf live stock which,
In countless numbers, are daily passing from me
Western and interior States 20 the Southern, South
western, and Atlantic Slalesf The moment the in
coniesable fact Is admitted that negro slaves are
property, the law Of movable property irres'sioy
attaches itself 10 them, and secures The right OF car
rying them from one TO another State, where lney
are recognised as properly. without any hindrance
whatever from Congress.
But, Mr.. President will not delain the Senate
longer on the suose, q slavery wnn se pS, nr
hib the removal OF slaves from one State to another
These rs | have already iptmaied, with ullra-abo-
litionsts bu many masked batteries concealng
the real point OF attack That point Of attack is The
institution OF domestic slavery II exists In these
States II is 10 berate three millions Of slaves held
10 bondage within Them And now allow me, sir, 10
glance at the insufmounIabe obstacles which lie in
the way OF the Accomplishment Of this end, and at
some Of the consequences which would ensue IL il
were possible TO attain II.
The first impediment is the utter and absolute want
Of power on the part of The General Government
to effect the purpose The Constitution OF the United
States creates limited Government, comprising
comparatively few powers and leaving the residuary
mass OF political power in the possession OF the seve
raj States Is well known that the subject OF slave
formation OF the Constitution II was happily
promised and adjusted in a spirit of harmony and
patriotism. According To that compromise, no pow
1 er whatever was granted TO the General Govern
ment In respect 10 domestic slavery, but that which
relates to taxation and representation and the power
10 restore fugitive slaves 10 their lawful owners
All other power in regard to the institution Of slave
ry was retained exclusively by the States, TO be exer
cised by them severaliy according TO their respec
tive views OF their own peculiar interest. The Con-
stitution of The United States could have been
| formed upon the principle Of investing the General
! Government with authority TO abolish the institution
/ at It's pleasure. II never can be continued for sin
| gle day II The exercise Of such power be assumed
| or usnrped
But il may be contended BY these ultra abolitionsts
that their object Is not stimulate the action OF the
General Government but 10 operate upon the States
themselves in which the institution of domestic slave
ry exists. II that be their object why these abo
lition societies and movements all confined TO the
! free Siaies1 WHY the slave States wantoDly
and cruelty assailed1 Why do the abolition presses
TEEN with publications tending to excite hatred and
animosy on the par, of the inhabitants of the free
States against those of the slave Safest Why is
Congress petitioned The free States have no more
power or right TO interfere with institutions in the
slave States, conded TO the exclusive jurisdiction OF
those States than they would have TO interfere with
institutions existing In any foreign country What
would be thought Of the formation OF societies In
Great Britain, the issue Of numerous infammatory
publications and the sending out ofecturers through
out the kingdom, denouncing and aiming at the de-
/
Would they be regarded proceedings warranted
by good neighboI hood z Or what would be thought
OF the formation Of societies in the slave States the
issue OF violent and infammaory tracts, and the de-
putation Of missionaries, pouring out impassoned
denunclaons against institutions under The exclu-
sive control of the free States Is their purpose
appeal to our understandings, and TO acuate hu-
manity2 And do they expect TO accomplish that
purpose BY holding US up 10 the scorn, and contempt,
and deesation Of the people Of the free States and
the whole civilized worldl The slavery which ex-
lists amongst u is affair, not theirs; and they
have more Just concern with 1t than they have
with slavery as it exists throughout The world Why
not leave il 10 us, the common Constitution of our
coun ry has left it, to be dealt with, under the guild
ance of Providence, as best we may or cam
The next obstacle in The way Of abolition arises out
of the fact Of the in the slave States of three
millions of slaves. They are there dispersed through
out the land, part and parcel of our population
They were brought into the country originally un-
der the authority Of the parent Government whilst
were colonies, and their importation continued
in spite of all the remonsrances OF our ancestors
If the question were an original question: whether,
there being no slaves within the country, we should
introduce them, and incorporate them into our So
ciety, that would be totally different Question:
Few, if any, of the citizens Of the United States
would be found to favor their int -oduction No man
in il would oppose upon that superstition, their adj
mission with more determined resolution and con-
scentious repugnance than should. But that Is not
the question. The slaves are here no practical
scheme for their removal or separation from us has
is, what is best to be done with them. In human al
fairs often constrained, by the force Of cir
cumstances and the actual state OF things to do what
we would not do if that state of things did not exist.
The slaves are here, and here must remain, in
condition and, repeat, how they TO be best GO
verned What is best 10 be done for their happi-
ness and our own In the slave States the alterna-
tive is, that the white govern the black or
/ the black govern the white. In several Of those
States the number OF the slaves is greater than that
ofthe white population An immediate abolition of
slavery in them, these ultra abo oniss PROPOSE
would be followed by a desperate struggle for mme-
date ascendancv of the black race over the white
race, rather il would be followed BY instantaneous
collisions between the two races which would break
out into civil war that would end in the exterinina-
| ton or Sublugation OF the one race the other In
such alternative, who can hesitate Is ii not bet
ter for both parties that the existing stale OF things
should be preserved, instead of exposing them The
horrible slriies and contests which would inevitably
attend an immediate abolition This is true
ground of defence Tor the continued existence of
slavery in our country II is that which our Revo-
! lulonary ancestors assumed 1t is that which, in
my opinion, forms our Justification in the eyes Of all
| Chrisendom.
A third impeachment to immediate abolition is to be
found in the immense amount of capital which is in
vested IN slave property. The total number of slaves
in the Unsed States, according 10 the last enumera-
lion OF the population, was a little upwards of two
millions. Assuming their increase at a ratio which
it probably is, of five per cent per annum their pre-
sent number would be three millions. The average
vi slaves az tlllS Oy persons Well
informed 10 be as high five hundred dollars each
To be certainly within the mark let suppose that
il is only four hundred dollars. The total value then
by that estimate Of the slave property, in the United
States Is twelve hundred millions Of dollars This
property is diused throughout all classes and con-
ditions OF society. II is owned BY widows and or
phans by the aged and infrm, as we'll as The sound
and vigorous. 1t is the subject of mortgages; deeds
OF trust and family settlements. II has been made
the basis OF numerous debts contracted upon lis faith
and Is me sole reliance, in many instances OF cred.
tors within and without the slave States for ,be na,
mens OF The debts due 10 them. AID now il is rash
| ~ proposed, by single fiat OF legislation, TO annh-
/ lale this immense alnnunI Of Irn