The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-03-28
''"''' my POSITION, DEFINED.

NJ s...L., I have flushed what had in'enooo y
..v IN ,hs subject before the House, pe 800,
nv seat, however, must oeg ~ sv .de6ong nv
N. ~ falIos the example Of Others ~ '.1"s ~
tn decided ground have taken on me supl.e' ~
.,.rv NAV have I'D some TO doubt ~he'hei snou'u
no, abandon my political associs,es' sou " I,ssa ,h,s
.noaor, iron their candidate for Presidency take h'
on 10 saw that nothing can be further from my ~
,sa,,on than this Before the meeting OF The Harris
h.,g Conyenon pdblckls expressed my determine
,aa 40 suppoa ,he nominee oil that Convention "hoe'
a. 4. NIGH be Of the Wing candidates then before inc
country And | am happy TO say that selection mas
been made o. vho, his firm support Of genuine
Democssiic Wing principles, adds personal qual"e'
which very much eudear him 10 mo and greatly hegn'en
the claim which he political principles give nun W my
confidence and support
on the Subject Of sboton my reply Is, that DO not
know do know, however, that they cannon oe "o''e
than those Of his competitor; and am w"'"g W
sumo for the present purpose, That lney are no oeei
with however this difference touching his own course
thar he would not as trust, embody 10 his hrs oncai
.ct pledge IN axraAes. that he would exercise the
veto power either upon this, or any other specihc SUD
,eci lhnk be will have the deeency to wait Tor the
manner occssion aud then honestly and ntelgeny de-
Lbers,e upon the exercise oil the power, IN any case
that may be presented to him. II | were Southern
man. would spum any profer OF aid to sustain slavery
made for mere political effect and IN hagrant disregard
OF sound principle, well OF the prophecies OF the
high station Of Chief Magistrate Of the country.
should never deem the interest desired to protect safe
in speh hands.
In supporting Gen Harrison, place abolition entirely
our of the question. Not that do not regard It as
subject VI very great importance: aud. indeed, as
have shown, subject Of great political Importance
Bat /, and canno, be- the great practical ques-
for the decision Of the country at he approaching
Prssdenfiai Eleclon The pubic mind Is not prepa-
red to have an abolition President. ! cannot act in
obedience to blind impulse and must that some
good is TO be attained What possible good can come
~ sboition, any other interest, by bringing
this question into the Presidential Electoni have
never beenabe to see any cannot now see any
On the contrary, il seems TO the OF abolition
would be deeply injured by IT,
Abolition is e,nnenty moral and religious enter
prise IL owes It's existence TO Christianity, Its tn
umphs have been empha,cally the trumphs Of Chris
tisn principles Emancipation would not, IN truth, be
safe without their conservative influence That nau-
ence is now enInenry conspicuous in producing the
suspicious results Of emancipation witnessed in the
West INDIES
The FIRST step, them in the grea, reform must be in
the Church Lutte progress be made IN enlighten
ing and purifying public sentiment this question,
while the church'lhe Pillar and Ground Of the Truth"
remains ,nseasrbie 10 the po,rer Of truth. Here is
great, and. sorry to say, difficult work to be per-
formed The darkness which has long hung the
American Church, the subject Of slavery has been
like the darkness Of Egypt. II be dspelled. il
has been in Grcs, Britain. The obligations OF the
Christian religion must be seen and felt, to be obllga
tons which kno'o distinction Of color, The church
must no longer ask, with unieclng ndlference-"Who
is my neighbof I"
Ard then the moral feeling OF the whole community
10 To awakened The true nature Of the slave rela
ton is to be investigated. The question-By what
authority made slaves Is 10 be CONSIDERED
put aside for the next generation TO consider Men
who hold slaves. and men who advocate the right
hold them. aud who refuse to hear testimony
haidiu hem IN he IN fal
all acting under responsibilities to the God of the
saye-o HIN who has made ALL Of ONE blood, aud
who has connected rights aud duties with this relation
OF brotherhood.
Here is the foundation rork OF abolition. II isa
great work. IL should be well begun A spirit Of kind
and good Will should strongly characterize every
step IN The progress OF it, and stard in strong
as with the harshness aud severity Of ordinary party
contrasts. No phtp u scorpions should be welded
mach there is IN slavery TO the feelings blu,
truth should have IN her advocates, sprt aud temper
corresponding with her kind and beueicent offices and
her pure and exalted nature And pdiieaee, too, must
have It's perfect work. The rough and stubborn allow
ground Is not 10 be broken up aud the good seed plant
ed 40 day Nor can II be expected 10 spring up and
bear fruit IN day. There difficulties to be encoun-
tered. peculiar TO country difficulties to
discourage but TO inspire caution, prudence hnnness
and s'eddy hold upon the great principles which lie at
the foundation Of the cause. Customary political ex-
pedients- The expediens OF corrupt and corruptng
exhibued sogleuess and purity Of purpose which
shall commend the aud its advocates TO public
confidence. Abolition must not be suspected Of a de-
sign to obtain power for the sake Of power lis sdvo.
Gates must have no ambition but the ambition Of doing
good man who aspiring to office his chief good,
has yet to learn the FIRST lesson in the school of abo-
tIoa.
The work OF abolition IS but began in this country
The is in lis infancy. II cannot start up IN day
to manhood, as Minerva sprang for,h full armed, from
the brain Of Jupiter Truth twill prevail If 1t can
have the aid of nme. 1t yet achieved victory
without 1t certainly not the victory Of reforming com
munlty.
IL is thus that the great work is TO be carried forward
10 It's consuinmatIon thus that the streams Of bcnevo-
lence are TO be thrown into right direction, and
sound aud healthlu pubic sentiment formed on the sub
Ject Of slavery sentiment elevated hy high nte-
gence, and purified by the pervadng influence Of Chris
tian principles Nothing can exert a healthful
innence on the public mind aud heart than the agitation
OF the question OF abolition ander the guidance Of these
priae,pies II will purify the fountains Of national
thought and feeling carry back The betters days Of
the Republic. cherish in their noble ses aeridcing
spirit aud elevate Us on TO the broad platform wheeon
our fathers were gathered when they declared in the
face Of earth aud Heaven "hat ali men are created
equal"
You will thus perceive, sir, that place moral abo
ton ~ The front, and thit would have political sbo
ton more IN The rear. This will not, know, the
iinpaence OF many very excellent men, who think that
abolition VIII not thus advance with the desirable rapid
ty But will, in my judgment, advance surely
to a safe result
do no, say that abolition is even now to be utterly
excluded from the field of political |, will Of
necessity by degrees, II cannot be kept out
VI the circumstances which will Justify such action
aboonsis, the sections Of the country will
Of course Judge from considerations which cannot con-
troll in deciding the question OF bringing out an abolition
candidate fo the Presidency Abolition has not strcogth
bear such contest Its infancy not be rocked
in the whulwind OF Presidential election.
When aud Us fast as the public sentiment shall have