True American. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1835-18??, 1839-03-08

| gress, and made I'M urious impressions upor
tho minds of a large portion of the commu-
nifty. This, | think might have been avoid
ed by the course which | should have beer
glad to have seen pursued
And desire now, Mr. President, to ad.
vert to some of those topics which think
might have been usefully embodied in re.
port by a committee of the Senate and
which, am persuaded, would have check
ed the progress, if it had not altogether
arrested the efforts, of the abolitionists. !
am sensible, sir, that this work would have
been accomplished with much greater abili-
ty and with much happier effect, under the
auspices OF committee, than it can by me.
But, anxious as 1 always am to contribute
whatever is in my power to the harmony,
concord and happiness of this great people.
| feel myself irresistably impelled to do
whatever is in my power, incompetent as
feel myself to be, to dissuade the Public
from continuing to agitate subject fraught
with the most direful consequences.
There are three classes Of persons oppo-
sed, or apparently opposed, to the contin-
ued existence of slavery in the United
States. The first are those who, from SEN
tlments of philanthropy and humanity, are
consclentiously opposed to the existence of
slavery, but who are no less opposed, at the
same time, to any disturbance of the peace
and tranquility of the Union, or the infringe
ment OF the powers of the States composing
the Confederacy. In this class may be
comprehendcd that peaceful and exemplary
society Of Friends" one of whose estab-
lishcd maxims is, an adherence of warm all
Its torms and the cultivation of peace and
goodwill amongst mankind. The next
class consists ofapparcnt abolitionists-tlat
IS, those who, having been persuaded
that the right of petition has been violated
by Congress, cooperate with the abolition
lists for the sole purpose of asserting and
vlndicating that right. And the third class
are the real ultra abolitionists, who are re-
solved to persevere in the pursuit of their
object at all hazards, and without regard to
the consequences, however calamitous thew
may be. With them the rights ofpropcrty
are nothing; the deficiency of the powers
OF the General Government is nothing: the
acknowledged and incontestabc powers of
tho States are nothing civil war, a dissolu-
ton of the Union, and the overthrow of a
government in which are concentrated the
fondcst hopes of the civilized world are no.
thing. A single idea has taken possession
OF their minds and onward they pursue it,
overlooking all barriers, reckless and re-
CARELESS of all consequences. With this
class, the immediate abolition of slavery in
the District of Columbia, and in the Terri
tory Of Florida, the prohibition of the reno
val of slaves from State to State, and the re-
tusal to admit any new State, comprising
within its limits the institution of domestic
slavery, are but so many means conducting
to the accomplishment of the ultimate but
pcrilous end at which they avowcdlv and
boldly ann; are but SO many short stages in
the long and bloody road to the distant goal
at which they would finally arrive Their
purpose is abolition, universal abolition,
pcaceably if .iny can, torcibly if it must.
Their hlcrt is no longer concealed by the
thInnest veil it is avowcd and proclaimed
Utterly destitute of constitutional or other
rishtfll power, living in totally distinct com
mnnl,ics, AS alien to the communities in
which tie subject on which they would oper-
ate resides, so filras concerns political power
over that subject, as if they lived in Africa
or Asia, they nevertheless promuga,c to
the world their purpose to manv,mt forth
with, and without compensation, and with
out moral preparation, three millions ofne-
gro slaves, under Jurisdictions altogether
separated from those under which they live.
| have said that immediate abolition of sla-
very III the District of Columbia and in the
Territory Of Florida, and the exclusion OF
new States, were only means towards the
attainment Ola much more important end.
Unfortunately they are not the only means.
Another, and much more lamentablc one is
that which this class is endeavouring to en-
p'oy, of arraying one portion against anoth
or portion of the Union. With that view.
in all their leading prints and publications,
the horrors of slavery are depicted in glow
ing and exaggerated colors, to excite the i'm
agnations and stimulate the rage of the
people i'll the free States against the people
i'll the slave States. The stakeholder is
held up and represented as the most afro
clous of human beings. Advertisements of
fugitive slaves and of slaves to be sold are
carefully collected and blazoned forth, to
intilsc spirit of detestation and hatred a
ganst one entire and the largest section of
the Union. And like notorious agtator
upon another theatre, they would hunt
down and prescribe from the pale of civil
lied society the inhabitants of that entire
section Allow me, Mr.. President, to say,
that whilst recognize in the Justly wound !
ed feeling of the Minister of the T. States at
the Court of St. James much to excuse the
notice which he was provoked to take of
that agitator, in my humble opinion, he
would better have consulted the dignity of
his station and ofhis country in treating him
with contemptuous silence. He would cx-
clude us from European society-he who
himself can only obtain contraband admis
sion, and is received with scomfu repue
nance into it! 1fhe be no more DESTROYS of
our society than we are of HIS he may rest
assured that state of eternal nml-inter-
course will exist between us. Yes. sir. I
think the American Minister would have
best pursued the dictates of true dignity by
regarding the language of the member of
the British House of Commons as the ma
hgnant rawlings of the plunderer of his own
countrySand the libellcr of foreign and
kindred people.
But the means to which have already
adverted are not the only ones which this
third class of Observation-Disclosures are en-
ployingto effect their ultimate end They be-
gan their operations by protesting to employ
only persuasive means in appealing to the
humanity and enlightening the understand
IOUS Of tho G, H.