Mobile register and journal., 1841-12-08
- = >.- N\ HA

would a.lard better hope than had before existed, that like blessing might be enjoyed by the portions of the United States, where slavery prevails Inc only ground on which had been accustomed to near the continuance of slavery defended al the Soulh was that of necessity, and the impossibty oi ab1llshhg il, without producing consequences u the most disastrous character to both parties The passageoi a law providing for the emancipation of nearly million of slaves m the British colonies, seemed to afford full opportunity of bringing this momentons question to the decisive test of experlence II the result proved satisfactory have never doubted ina, il ould seal the fate slavery throughout the civilized world. As far as the observations ol Messrs. lhome and Kimhal extended the result Is O the most gratl- king character It appears to place beyond doubt that the experiment olimmediae enancpatlon, adopt ed by the colonial legislature of Antigua, has fniy succeeded in that island; and the plan oi apprentice ship in other portions of the West Indies, well as could have been expected from the obvious inherent vices of that measure. It has given me new views of the practicability of emancipation. II has been effected in Antigua, as appears from unques stonan'e authorities contained in the work oi Messrs. lhome and kmbal net merely without danger to the mas ter, hut without any sacrifice of his interests. can- not bu; think that the information collected m the volume will have a powerful effect on public opinion, not only in the Northern States, but in the Southern States.
 see repeated references in this volume to the mission of Messrs. Surge and Harvey. am mol aware that any publication has been made by those l gentlemen. Ii the fact is otherwise, and you have the volume in yonr possession, you would greatly oblige me by the loan oft fort few days. 1 am dear sir, with much regard. four friend and servant. EDWARD EVERETT | EDMUND QUINCY, Esq.
 l 3l. His letter to Mr. Borden, the chairman of an abolition committee of interrogations. They put the following queries to hm
 i sHst-Are you in favor of the immediate abolition, by law of slavery in the District of Columbia and of the slave traffic between the States of this Union! 2d-Are you opposed to tie admission into tie l Union of any State, the Constitution aHd Gov ernment of which tolerate domestic saveryF'
 He answered in the affirmative, as follows. The letter was also published in Garrson's paper, Nov. 1899.
 Gov EvERETT's ANSWER.
 Wateto,Vn, Oct. 24, 1S39. l Dear Sr-On Saturday last duly received your letter of the 18th, propounding to certain nterro- ga,ions, and earnestly requesting early answer. | ou are aware that several Resolves, the sub feet of those inquiries and their kindred topics, ac- companied by very able report, were introduced into the Senate of the Commonwealth the year before l last, by joint committee of the two Houses, of which the late greatly lanented Mr. Afford chairman. Those resolves, having been somewhat enlarged by amendment, were adopted by the Legislature.
 They appear to me to cover the whole ground of your two interrogatores. Having cheelfully co-op- eraed in the passage of the resolves, and coucurrng in the general reasoning by which they sustained in the powerful report of the chairman of the com mutee, respond to both your inquiries in the affirm | atiye.
 The first of the three subjects embraced in your inquiry is the only of them which came before Congress while was a member. voted m the neg atiye, motion to lay upon the table the petition of the American Anti-Slavery Society, fr the abo- liton oi slavery in the district of Columbia, and on the other motions of the like character, intended to cast of the consideration of this class of petitions.
 am, dear sir, very respectfully
 Your friend arl servant,
 EDWARD EVERETT.
 Hon. NATH'L B. BORDEN.
 4th. This letter relerslo a series ofresoluons in the Massachusetts Legislature, which Mr. Everett adopt ed his own. We have served up these resolutions, and they added here:
 D. " Resolves relating to slavery and the slaverade in the District of Columbia, and Territories of the United States.
 Resolred, That Congress has, by the Constitution, power to abolish slavery and the slavetrade in the District of Columbia, and that there Is nothing in the terms circumstances of the acts of cession by Nir gnia and Maryland, otherwise, imposing any legal or moral restraint upon its exercise
 Resotued, That the nhuman traffic in slaves, car ried in and through the District of Columbia is national disgrace and national sin, and ought to be abolished.
 Resoired That Congress has, by the Constitution, power 10 abolish slavery in lhe Territories of the United States.
 Among the reasonings of lhe report on these reso- lutions, the following:
 "Your committee are therefore unanimously ofthe opinion, that the power to abolish slavery and the slave trade in the District of Columbia, does reside exclusively and absolutely in Congress--hat Con- gress is the depository of this power for national, well as local purposes, and may exercise it, with a regard to the rights of all, independently of the will Inn inter nfan distr ct ar Stap ceptng far these elements of the national will and prosperity and that for the wise and just use of this authority, it's members are responsible (politcaily) not to the people of the District, or of Virginia or Maryland, but to the whole people of the United States, whose Representatives they Your committee are also of Ihe opinion, as indi- viduals that Congress ought immediately to exercise this power in the total abolition of slavery the Dis trict of Columbia.
 Resolves relating to the slave trade between the States.
 Resolped, That Congress has, by the Constitution, power to abolish the traffic in slaves between differ ent States uf the Union.
 Resolred, That the exercise of this power is de- manded by the principles of humanity and justice.
 Resolves relating to the admission of new States i inio the Union
 Resolved, That no new State should hereafter be admitted into the Union, whose constitution of Gov shall permit the existence of domestic slavery. These resolutions were all adopted by the Whig Legislature of Massachusetts, approved by Edward Everett, her Whg Governor, and may be found her statute book of that year; and they spe- cally referred to by Mir. Everett, containing his deliberate opinions in 1889.
 5th. The opinions proclaimed by the Abolitionists themselves of Mr. Everetts changes ofopinion the subject of slavery, and his new aiinities with them.
 When he gave his answers in 1859, Garrison well comed him as an Abolitionlst.
 From the Liberator, Nov. 8, 1899. | The Governor of this Commonwealth has answered l unequivocay in the AFFIRMATIVE, to the uues- ons whether he is in favor of the immediate abolition of slavery in the District of Columba and the slave trade between the several States. Edward Everett now speaks the language of Patriot, Republican, and a Christian. We believe it is the real language of his soul. When. few years since, he took the opposite ground, he did violence his convictions of right, and committed a grievous error. We are dis posed 10 obliterate all that has gone before, and to commend him for his honorable course. To refer in- yidiously to what he said when public sentiment deeply corrupt, would be ungenerous; to charge him with being nsincere, at the present time would be unjust; to accuse him of seeking popularity, would be equally ucharitabe. It is yet popular thing for the Chief Magistrate of this Commonwealth to ayow himself m favor of immediate emancipation; and until he shall prove recreant to hs present pro- fessons, it is to be taken for granted that he just what he says. In our opinion. he ought to ceive the undivided support ofthe anti-savery of this Commonwealth; nay, they pledged to give him their support, inasmuch as he has declared him self to be in favor of their principles and measures
 When the nomination was held up in the Senate, and whig presses were vouching for Mr. Everetts friendship for the South, the Friend of Man, scout ed this pretension and after republishng the letters above, talked of the southern claim to Everett in the following scornlul terms.