Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1840-06-27
LEW IlLEk,
F. GElGER.
D. MERRlWETllER
THOS. J. READ,

LOUISVILLE, (Ky) April II, 1870.
d" GENNlEMEN Early on the 10Th of April inst,
we called at The reodence o General William IL
Harrison, at North Bend Ono Wien We entered
the house, we were informed the General was IN
disposed but IN something less than an hour he
made his app arance. Antr he usual sauratiaus
were exchanged, one % tie undersigned (Wm.
Chambers) handed General Harrison letter adj
dressed To him 10y the Democratic Central Commit
tee OF Kentucky, on the subject Of Abolition lie
received IT, perused it-lurntd back and rc-cxam-
med parts Of it, expressed astonshment tint his
OPINIONS, SO repeatedly expressed, were not known
TO those gentlemen and said that nothing could IN
duce him to answer such lutcrrogaioues coming e.
ther from friends or toes.
" In subs qucnt conversation, he referred to
opinions heretofore expressed by him, hui made no
further response to the letter OF the Central Con.
mlttec.
Very respectfully yours sc.
WM CHAMBERS,
c. VAN BUSKlRK.
To the Democratic Central Committee OF Ky"
A duplicate of the letter sent to Gen, Hanson,
was, as is stated IN the body of it, also transmit
ted to the President, instead OF taking shelter
behind commee,ol standing mute, ''he replied
as follows
"WAsnINcToN, April al, 1910.
Gentlemen II have received your letter of
The 22d inst, and checriully comply with your
request You have fallen INTO nm error in sup
posing that the questions propoundcd 10 me by
the honorable Sherrod Williams, in lS36, EN-.
braced the subject Of Abolition. My views and
opinions IN regard TO i. were, however, commu.
nicated To the people of the United States, IN le
ply TO letter received IN the same year, from
Junlus ANS, esq and other citizens of North
Carolina, and also through other channelc. Per-
celving that cannot do justice TO your inquiries
IN the form which you have givento them, by u
general reference TO the answers have hereto
fore given, will repeat the substance OF them.
First That the relation of master and slave
is matter which belongs exclusively to each
State within It's own boundary-hat Congress
Eas 10 authority 70 interfere, IN any respect what
ever, with the Emancipation Of the slaves, or in
the treatment of them IN any oi the States; and that
any attempt 10 do so by the General Government
OF people Of any other State, or by the General
Government, would not only be unauthorized,
but violate the spirit Of the compromise, which
lies at the basis OF the Federal compacli aud
which is binding in honor and good faith on all
who live under the protection OF the Federal con.
stIlution and participate in ITS benefits. The doe
trne IS IN strIct conformity to the principle en-.
bodied IN a resolution passed by the House ol
Representatives OF the United States, IN 1890,
upon the report Of committee, consisting al.
most entirely Of Northern men.
"Secondy. That concedng to Congress tie
abstract power Of interfering WIN, or abollshng
slavery in the District OF Columbia under the
broad grant Of exclusive Legislation IN all cases
whatsoever over tina, District, there are, never
theless, objections 10 the exercise of this power
against The wishes oil the save.hodng States,
| as imperative IN their nature aud obligation, in
regulating the conduct Of lie public men, as the
most papable want Of constitutional power would
be.'
" Thirdly. That desired the people Of the
United States then to understand, thai II elected,
would go INTO the Presidential char the uflexI-
bic and uncomPromislng opponent OF any al
tempt on the part OF Congress to abolish slavery
IN the District ot Columbia, against the wishes
OF the saycholdng States; and also with de-
termination equally uiltxIble to resist the slight.
esl interference with the subject IN the States
Nhele II EXISTS.
The Twenty.fourtb Congress- whose constl-
tuoual term expired al the moment when mne,
as Presld nj commenced, had avowed its belief
| that il was extremely important and desirable
that the agitation OF the subject oil slavery should
be finally arrested for the purpose OF restoring
tranquility to the public mInd,' and made Il the
basis Of extensive and deliberate action 10 both
| Houses. In the House Of Representatives, d
committee Ia majority ol whom were from nom
SlayehoIdlng States reported, pursuant TO nslrdc-
iOns, two resolutions; the Irst was, that Con.
gress possess no constitutional power IL interfere
III any way with the institution Of slavery in any
Of the States Of the ConledeIacy; the second,
that Congress ought hot TO interfere IN any way
with slavery in the District OF Columbia : auu
a lhnd, which was, III substance, that all papers
and motions bearing upon the subject o slavery
should be LAID upon The table without any further
acton thereon. They were accompanied by an
elaborate and very able report, setting forth al
large The reasons IN favor OF the Opinions report.
! ed, aud the course recommended by the commit.
toe. The whole subject was fully discussed,
considered, and decided upon. Tie FIST resolu.
ton passed by vote Of ls2 to 9--the second,
| Of l32 10 45-and third, of III to IS. In The
| Senate, the matter was considered upon memo.
rial from the Quarterly Meeting Of the religious
society Of Friends, praying Tor the abolition Of
| domestic slavery and the slave trade III the Dis
| tnct OF Columbia. The subject was by thai memo
| rial presented IN terms which offered no violence
to the feelings Of any class Of cluzens, and were
best calculated 10 secure to the questions nyolY-
ed, a lar hearing and important decision. Alter
several days discussion, the payer OF the me.
moralists was rejected by vOle oI fhTigJoar
10 SIR.
"An expression Of similar opinions on the parI
| IS he LadaraI T. al de-
formulation 10 carry then. Cu in BIS official ac!s'
taken 10 connection with the known condition ol
the Congressional representation Vi tie several
States 10 regard TO the slave question, would,
was thought, DUNG the continuance OF he con