Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1840-06-02

rnN4
,al and unconstitutional project. There
may be some who have embarked ~ y
without properly considering It's couse'
ruences. and who are actuated by DeueVo-
lent and virtuous principles. But, II sucn
there ore am very certain that, should
thew continue their present course, their
fellow.citizens will, ere long, curse the
virtues which have undone their coun-
try
..sbopld be asked if there is no way
by which the General Government can
aid the cause of emancipation, answer
that if has long been an object near my
hear 70 eee the whole of its surplus rev.
enue appropriated to that object. WIN
the sanction of the States holding the
slaves, there appears to me TO be no con-
stitutional objection TO its beng aPplied !;
embracing, not only the colonization OF
those thai may be Otherwise freed, but the
purchase of the freedom of others. by a
jealous prosecution of a plan formed up
on that basis, we might look forward to a
day not very distant when North Amer
lean sun would not look down upon a
slave. To those who have rejected the
plan Of colonization, would ask if they
have well weighed the consequences OF
emancipation without it ? How long would
the emancipated negroes remain satisfied
with that? Would any of the Southern
States then (the negroes armed and or
ganized) be able to resist their claims to
participation in all their political rights
Would it even stop there? Would they
not claim admittance to all the social nights
and privileges of a community IN which
in some instances, they would compose
the majority Let those who take pleasure
in the contemplation of such scenes as
must inevitably follow, finish out the pic
ture.
"If | am correct in the principles here
advanced, repeat my assertion, that The
discussion on the subject of emancipation
in the non.slaveholding States is equally
injurious to the slaves and their masters
and that it has no sanction In the prlncI
pies of the Constitution. | must not b.
understood 10 say that there is any thing
in that instrument which prohibits sucf
discussion. | know there is not. Blu
the man who believes that the claims
which his fellow-citizens have upon hin
are satisfied by adhering TO the letter o
the political compact that connects them
must have a very imperfect knowledge 0
the principles upon which our gloriou
Union was formed, and by which alone
can be maintained"
The following extract of letter from
an intimate friend of General Harrison
places his conduct on that occasion in
striking point Of view:
But his speech at Chevoit affords still
stronger proof on this point. 1t was de
Iivered, you win recollect, on the 4th O
July it was delivered, too, before tn
very men who had opposed him becaUs
Of his slavery views. Surely, then, h
would not now touch this dangerous topic
The occasion did not require il; the oc
casion, indeed would hardly justify it,
Besides, this was the first opportunit
which the General had enjoyed since 1872
of addressing the People; and how easy
how natural it would have been to improv
it for his own ends; TO seek by talking G
old times, of bis feast of arms, and of tb
glorious West, to kindle afresh thos
friendly feelings which once burned S
strongly in his favorl Why not so embrac
| it, hy, at any rate, discuss a subiec
which was full ofexcitement, which Nigh
rouse against him passions that were eve
then only slumbering-which had before
and on that very spot, marred his polilicc
prospects? He did it, it is evident, be
cause foul spirit was about him, whic
if allowed to spread, would peril all tha
was noble in the land; and he forgot him
self, and thought only Of his country, i
| the effort to destroy that spirit.
[Tobe continued in our neat.