The Madisonian., 1840-02-06

his Sane or insane, however he cannot be accused
of hoStili 10 Southern interests and he il was who
introduced The resolution will now read.
"That committee be appointed 10 inquire into
the existence OF inhnBiaR and illegal traffic in
slaves carried on in aud through the District OF
Columbia, and report whether anv and what rnea-
sures are necessary for putting stop to The same
When this resolution was introduced the South
did not take fire; nothing was said about iDcenda-
| reS and fanatics Il passed quietly through the
House although is terms broad not 10 make
any distinction between this District and the slave
holding States the nselves and contaisS undeniable
evidence that John Randolph held, that the Federal
Government had jurisdiction OF the subject oil slavery
and the slave trade in The District Of Columbia.
Do impue, either Poilicahv or moraily, any
thing wrong to JuIhern gentlemen, because slavery
exists among lheml Sir, see around me some old
and respected friends from that portion flhe Union,
and well know ihev will never stSpec' me Of any
such impulalion. On the contrary, ii were stu
atcd in respect 10 the abolition movement they are
should be very apt, under a judgment misguided
by passion, 10 speak and act they do have
quoted the opinions Of him OF Roanoke, not TO cast
blame on the Souih but II foftiY the position have
assumed that slavery in its effects is potHicai
curse. Aud ii il is objected 10 that extraordinary
mans testimony that he not PRACTICAL that he
never 0rigtn0ttd any thing, that although omnpo-.
icnl in paHtAg dOtcH, he was poweresS to 6Hiid up,
aud that his opinions were visionary, will adduce
from great multitude, one other Southern autho-
ry, which i, mol liable 10 any objections ut the
klnu. IL lSlne oplnlan Ol aHOtNef v lfSlnan, lNe
son Of the immortal John Marshall, young man
OF The highest promise and most com andng ia
lenis, who periShtd under the rninS OF one OF the
public buildings OF your State, while his way his
dying father Ii is The voice Of Nirgiiian speak
ing to Virginia and Virginians. Md what is Iii, OBJ
lect? ioShoV that slavery j. unconstitutional No.
That il is immoral No. That i, is irrcliginuS No.
Buito demonstrate, the very truth have uttered
this floor that dom.e>ti slavery is political curse
! will not read the paper LuI gentlemen Will find il
in the American Quarterly Review of that day, and
will richly repay them for the time spent in It's pc
ruSal.
Here, lhen, is an intelligent man, Of high stand.
ing in his native State; Southern man, with S0nit
erR feelings and Southern principles, but whose
mind kept pace with The intelligence Of the age, and
who appeals 10 facts 10 which, none can close their
! eyes.
Onthis subject speak fearlesslu In language
which well know, viii satisfy neither the North.
nor the South; but speak he nguage of truth, as
| understand il and, say further, that this Ian
guage is fast becoming The language of the ro,id.-
| What foreign newspaper can you open, from any
| portion Of Europe, whether il is in lie language OF
! the Russian Auocrat, or in that Of the Gtrmanic
! Provinces; or in The elegant tongue ri chivaronS
France, with her hrtyhIee millions of inhabitants
/ II ask, what paper can you open fIom the Cont
neni, or from the S.a-gir Isles OF iahers--trom
The lilte penny daily to the largest commercial and
political paper o modern time, that is filled with
| bitter denunciaIions upon and our country, for
toerating the existence Of this institution among us2
All, sir, and does il stop here Would il did But
open the reriews-ook at the periodcaiS-listen, in
word, 10 the united voice OF the literary 7rorld,
and you will find that, the face OF Europe, this
one evil Of slavery makes our name by-word.
Among our warmesl friends, il calls up bushes and
apologies, while it puts triumphant argument ia
| the mouths OF our enemies. speak not now of the
1 vulgar Trades Of such man as OConnell. j speak
| Of The public opinion Of eaiiehhned ERrops. | APP
peal 10 the entire history OF the day, and OF the pre-
! sent position OF the world | call genllemens atcn.
tion to the very as news from The Court of ST. Cloud;
10 the c'iou of arSiucratic, monarchical France,
who, after raising commission 10 make thorough
| investigation Of the subject: after sending 10 this
country intelligent, phosophic men 10 examine pur
institutions, and trace out their practical results,
has resolved npon the entire, absolute, immediate
emancipation Of her own Two hundred and fifty
thousand slaves, 10 take place in the year lSil--
i And, be il remembered, that this commission has
not been Influenced in lis deci>i n By the mighty
minds Of the British abooni,s--the Plus The
/ Foxes, the Wibertorces, the CldrkSons On the
contrary, DE Iocqwriits, who makes the report Of
the commission, says, that Mcse all wrong
in their views; that their notions OF gradual
patton were founded mistake and that expert
ence has shown The only safe and efficient measure
TO be that OF immediate, perfect simultaneous eman-
! cpalioh
Well, sir if these things be So and the voice Of
the whole world deuounces rs for olerating grea,
an anon " in free Government hor long do South
ern gentlemen suppose, (and speak now irrespec-
lively OF The sentiments Of almost The religious
community that they viii be able 10 resist hs
weight OF public opinion Sir, is no time 10 blink
this question; lrc may as well consider this matter
now as bequedthe the difficulty 10 our poSleriiy. The
proverb says, 'orewarned, orearmed" How long
can this little belt OF country, which forms scarcely
stripe in the great banner of our contederacy, how
! long can il hold up an institution thus universally
condemned | say 10 Southern gentlemen, and
say il in all kindness, that they had better take up
The question now while they have friends al the
North who are prepared 10 sustain them. repeat,
that The North is as yet sound on this question We
are not going TO engage in crusade against the in.
StilutionS oi our Southern brethren. The question
is yourS- belongs 10 you-it is gou that must meet
tive have given our pledge that you shall be pro-
tccled in your rights. When The compromise
formed by the adoption of the Constitution we gave
bond 10 this effect, and for on, mean Ia fulfil
that bond in It's spirit: but sir, this furnishes 10
reason Why the South should nol take up The sub
lect and considerit noW whilst they can. The great
OF this country the statesmen and fathers OF the
Republic did not cpnine their views 10 The narrow
! question If eevang this that man TO The Presi
/ dental Chair--hey looked 10 the county, 10 The
whole country, and with far-reaching vision they
looked into The future, and seeing there heapproach
/ Of threatening evils from this very source, they
| sought for some means 10 obviae their apf roach
The result of their deliberation was the formation
OF the American Colonization Socieiy-a society
| formed without reference 10 party dietinctions or
10 geographical boundaries.
! And lei me tell gentlemen, both of the North and
the South, that whether they succeed in crushing
that ocety mol il has planted the shores of the
original land of the negro germ which will per-
petuae with The English language the principles Of
civil liberty the blessings ol civilization, and the
sacred influence of Christianity. Yes, whether that
society live or die il has already redeemed Africa
| TO the civilized world. Hereafter that country may
be considered as belonging 10 the human family.
will pause 10 say any thing about the ship loads
OF slaves which out from those unhappy shores
under the flag Of this Republic, and the fraudulent
papers alleged u have been furnished by Anne
1 rican Consul will not dwell on the disgrace Of
my country But this will say that The principles
aud the influence of the Colonization Society were
rapidly spreading throughout this country; thatthey