Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1840-06-09
(Concluded.)
his constituents

(Concluded)
Afterwards, in a speech at Vincennes
in 1895, Gen. Harrison used the following
language pom this subject:
81 have now felow.ctlzens, few words
more to say on another subject, and which |
is, in my opinion, Of more Importance
than any other that is now in the course
of discussion in any part of the Union
alude to the societies which have been
formed, and the movements of certain in
dividuals, in some of the States, in relation
to a portion Of the population in others.
The conduct of these persons is the more
dangerous, because their object is masked
under the garb Of disin'erestedness and
benevolence; and their course indicated
by arguments and propositions which in
the abstract no one can deny. But, how
ever fascinating may be the dress with
which their schemes are presented TO their
fellow citizens, with whatever purity OF
intention they may have been formed and
sustained, they will be found to carry in
| their train mischief to the whole Union,
and horrors to a large portion of it, which,
it is probable, some Of the projectors, and
many of their supporters have never
thought of; the latter, the first in the Sc
ries of evils which are to spring from this
source, are such as you have read of, 10
have been perpetrated on the fair plains
of Italy and Gaul by the Scythan hordes
of Attia and Alaric; and such as most of
you apprehended, upon that memorable
night when the tomahawks and war-clubs
of the followers ofTecumseh were rafting
in your suburbs. regard not the disa-
vowals of any such intention upon the
part of the authors of these schemes, since,
upon the examination of the publications
which have been made, they will be found
to contain the very facts, and very argu
: mens, which would have been used, j
such would have been their object. an
certain that there is not, in this assembly
one Of these deluded men, and that there
are few within the bounds of the State
If there are any, | would earnestly entrca
them to forbear; to pause in their career
? and deliberately consider the consequence
of their conduct to the whole Union ant
TO those for whose benefit they profess Il
f act. That the latter aciH be the rictims o.
the aceak, injudiciOus, preSumptuous, ana
unconstitutional efforts to Serre them, q
2 thorough examination OF the subject mus
l conrince them. The struggle (and strug.
) gle there must be) may commence with
! horrors such as | have described, but il
+ will end with more firmly riveting the
6 chains, or in the utter extirpation, of those
whose cause they advocate.
Am acrong, felloU- citizens, in applyin.
!, The terms aeeak, preSumT tuouS and mpcon
StitutiOnal, to the measures of the en1an
cipators! A slight examination will,
think, show that am not. In vindIca
ton of the objects of Convention whic
was lately held in one of the towns c
Ohio, which | saw in a newspaper, it wa
said that nothing more was intended tina
/, to produce a state Of public feeling whic
), would lead to an amendment of the Con
stitution, authorizing the abolition of slave
ry in the United States. Now, can al
amendment of the Constitution be effecte
without the consent of the Southern States
What, then, is the proposition TO be sub
mitted TO theml 1t is this: "1he preser
provisions of the constitution secure I
), you the right "a right which you held bC
fore it was made, which you have neve
gwen up) to manage your domestic cor
Germs in your own way; but as we ar
convinced that you do not manage thel
properly, we want you to put in the hanC
of the General Government, in the com
ellis of which we have the majority, IL
!, control over these matters, the effect
which will be virtually to transfer tho:
powers from yours into our hands,"
again: in some of the States. and
t. sections of others, the black population f;
exceeds that Of the white. Some of Ii
emancipators propose an immediate abb
lition. What is the proposition, then,
1t regards these States and parts of State
but the alternatives of analgamation wit
the blacks, or an exchange of situation
with them? Is there any man of commc
sense who does not believe that the emal
;, clpated blacks, being a majority, will il
slst upon full participation of polite
rights with the whites; and, when DO
sessed Of these, they will not contend for
full share of social rights also What b
the extremity of weakness and folly cou
induce any one to think that such propos
tons as these could be listened to by
+, People SO intelligent as the Southel
States? Further; the emancipators ge
orally declare that it is theii.. intention
effect their object (ae.l.itlough their acts CO
tradIct the Sssertion) by no other meal
taan by convincing the shareholders tn
; the immediate emancipation of the slav
IS called for, both by moral obligation al
sound policy. An unfedged youth,
J. the moment of leaving (indeed, in maj
: instances, before he has left it) his theol
gical seminary, undertakes to give lectur
ly upon morals to the countrymen o. Wytf
CHI Tucker. Pendeton, and Lowndes; al
70 lessons of political wisdom 10 Stat
oh whose affairs have so recently been dire
p fted by Jefferson, Madison, Macon al
: Crawford. Is possible that instances
- greater vanity and presumption could be E
'is hibited? But the course pursued ty I
eiadRcipatorS is unconstitutional do n
re say that there are any words in the Co
Il. stituton which forbid the discussions the
f. are engaged in; know that there a
. not. And there is even an article whl'
r secures 10 the citizens the right to EXPIRE
and publish their opinions without estri
m lion. But in the construction OF the 20