Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1843-12-01


And all great questions. in which the rights OF
mankind are concerned, j, may truly be said OF
YOUR dIsting uished self, that the mantle OF tho
ia her has fallen upon the son.
In CONCLUSION SIR permit US 10 conGrh ulato you
on the apparent success Of your public career,
bopino that YOU may be endowed with health
and strength 10 perform the duties assigned you
here and when you shall have finished your
earthly existence may be welcomed to that best
abode prepared for all the faithful, and there
ceive that glorious jaculation, swell done good
and faithful servan, enter into the iays Of Thy
Lord"
Now in behalf of the coiored citizens Of this
the Green of the West. bid you welcome
Mr.. ADAMS, Reply to the Colored Committee.
SATURDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 1lTH.
S1R-FeHoD CitiSens:-I receive this ,estimo,
nv Of your regard and appreciation Of my public
course through life with pleasure. 1T would have
given me greater pleasure, were 1t possible, tina
in the kind option which my fellow citizens OF
this portion of The country have given me. there
could have been no motive 10 induce one class oil
them 10 receive me in manner different IRON all
the rest.
/, che Of The mos, painful reflections in the
life of public man. that there should have been
distinctions arising from color between citizens
of the United States. This is, however. a state
of things which is on, of my power TO prevent
OF course, (as 10 my public career, It has neces-
saTily 0ccurred,) IL has been my DUTY 10 ueVote
attention NOV ements and acts OF 1sgisia>
tive bodies, which in ~ especial manner interest
the coored people. 1t Is agreeable TO me to re-
ceive the testimony Of their gratitude which you
now present to me, and to reflect that have done
some thing 10 discharge nv duty to my fellow men,
Of whatever class condition they may be.
/ 1t is my sincere hope that the time may come,
when the disabilities imposed upon men
coun, Of color, shall cease ~ exist, IN every par,
of our entire country.
! Rospec ting the reference which has been mlda
to the part have taken in the Congress of the
United States, it is proper that should say, that
so far as the Righ, Of Petition is concerned. did
not intend solely to advocate Your interests, but
those Of all of the people Of tho country. That
great right has been assai'ed III Congress, and
for some years effectuaily assalied-and II need
ed be supported for you, hut for the maJori-
! ty Of the people of The United States. By ma
jnriip n,aa that whn rnriinn Of the people of
every color who are not slaves themselves, bod
have feelings Of aversion for the condition OF sa-
very, for which they call on Congress for the
remedy On that ground have IN Congress all
ways received the prayers and petitions OF the
people, of whatever color, for such measures as
might tend TO the abolition o! Slavery throughout
the United States.
am aware that in the opinion OF great por-
ton OF tho people, there Is no power delegated to
Congress, TO operate slave States | do not
subscribe entirely to that doctrine. have IN
Congress declared The opinion that Crisis might
occur when the power OF Congress would extend
tot only abolition OF slavery, but 10 the
emancipa ton of slaves mast say to you how
ever that the opinion entertain 10. that OF the
present timo--in times Of peace-Congress has
net the power to abolish slavery in those States
where it exists by law. They have the power
to abolish slavery in the District OF Columbia and
in the Territories of the United States. But IN
aboIishing slavery an institution, they nave no
power to emancipate slaves. The abolition OF
slavery is the humiliation of that institution. j
have myself proposed resolution IN Congress-
in which gayo it as my opinion tnat slavery
might be abolished throughout the u States
That is, by mending the Constitution so that all
people of color born after a certain period should
be born free--This would not effec, the condition
Of any persons now living. iaPPoIn'ed tune
think it the year 1880 after which, all per
sons born in the United States, should be born
free; and that there should be no such thing as
slavery thereafter This could be done without
changing the condition of any living person
That. is not in the power of the Government OF
the United States, in times of peace, to do
With regard to the services YOU are pleased to
say performed in the case of the Amstad cap
lives it is right that should say, they are not
entitled to that importance which YOU give them
TIA, case peculiar. They had found 'hem-
selves not by their own act. but by the decep'
ton Of those who alone could navigate the vessel,
. accidentally within the Territory of the United
, States They were Africans recently brought
from the coast of Africa. They had been landed
r in the Spanish Dominions, in the West Indies,
. against the law of nature and Of the Spanish
government itself They had been made slaves
in the Spanish Yves, Indies, contrary to the laws
, and treaties of Spain itself They had been clan
0 desiinely shipped from one port OF Cuba TO ano-
Their, there 10 be sold as hereditary slaves forever
This was their condition. They were taken
{ by the officer of the United States without au-
,hori,y and without any law of the U. States
/, and brought before the tribunals OF THIS country
for IF he fdt
r They were before the courts Of the U. States
i wilhou, friends, wi,hou, means, without know
: ledge Of the language of the country, and were
TO be tried for their lives in a criminal charge
d withou, any power of making defence; at this
time some benevolent citizens OF the y. STATE;