The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-05-16

On Constitutional grounds; and declares that be
would have resigned his seat in Congress, before
he would have violated the Constitution by vot-
ing against Missouri Here is a declaration
made to an anti-slavery constituency, and is the
strongest guarantee that he could give, that the
rights of the South viii be safe in his hands,
Where was Mr. Van Buren, then! He was using
his, whole influence TO send senator to Congress
pledged to vote against the South.
But this is not all. In speech delivered at
Vincennes, in May 1885, before he soGS a cd1adl-
date, and long before Mr.. Van Buren, had given
any recantation of his heresies on the subject OF
Abolition, Gen. Harrison said:
Gam wrong, fellow citizens, in applying the terms
weak, presumpuous, and unconstitutional, TO the mea-
sures of the emancipators? Asght examination Will
| think, show that amnot"
&sist that if the citizens of the non-slaveholding
states avail themselves of the constitutions which
prohibits the restriction ofspeech or the press to publish
any thing injurious TO the rights of the saveholdg
that they go TO the extreme that have mentioned,
and effect any thing further which writing or speaking
could effect But, fellow-citzens, these are not the
principles of the constitution. Such construction would
defeaton the great objects of its formation, which was
that Of securing the peace and harmony OF the states
which were parties TO it, The liberty of speech ana Oh
the press were given the most eecua meansto pre-
each and every citizen their own rights ana 70
the states the rights which appertained TO fem at ue
time of their adoption II could never have oeen eA
pected that would have been used by the ciles Oh
one portion OF the states for the purpose OF depvng
those of another portion, of the rights weh ey naa
served at the adoption of the constitution anu IN the e1-
ercise of which, none but themselves have any concern
or interest.
Do you, the people of South Carolina ask
stronger guarantees than this, and is not lament
able to see those who have stood by us side by
side defending the Constitutional rights of South
Carolina, under so great weight of prejudice
as to assail the author of these sentiments as the
enemy of our social institutions
Is it honest, is it reputable can you preserve
your own self-respect if you tolerate such calum-
MES
But Gen. Harrison has given other and further
pledges, and we refer to his letter to Judge Ber-
rien and MIR. Sloe, that to Mr.. Sloo is as fol.
lows
"Cincinndti, 18th November, 1895.
My DEAR SIR answer the questions you proposed
| to me this morning, with great pleasure.
First do not believe that congress can abolish slave
y in the staes or In any interfere 1gith the pro
perry of the citizens in their sldce but upon the appea
lion ofhe states, in which case, and other, they
might appropriate money aid the applying tO
get rid of their slaves. These opinions have always
held, and this was the ground upon which voted against
the Missouri restriction in the fifteenth congress The
opinions given above precisely those which
tertained by Mr.. Jefferson and Mr. Madison.
Second: do not believe that congress abolish
slavery in the District of Columbia without the consent
of Virginia and Maryland and the people OF the District
Ireceived letter some time since, from ]. NJ Berren
esq.,, OF Georgia, proposing questions, similar to iost
made by you, and answered them at length than
l have now done, but to the same import.
In haste, yours truly,
| w. H. HARRISON.
To Thomas SloO, jr, of He,0 Orleans noo in Cincin
nGti''
We would appeal to the editor ofthe Mercury
by all the claims which we have on his conf
dence, by all the respect which is due to himsel
and to his own character as man and gentle
man, to ceasd to calumniate Gen1. Harrison
ge must associate with Blair and Kendrll, for TIT
sake of the past, for the sake of South Carolina
for the sake of decency, leave to them the task {
defamation and calumy. You are in error ant
we know it.