Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-04-14
GEN. SCOTT-ABOLITION AND THE
Presidency

The General il will bc seem siies with The ultras
OF neither party, but takes middle ground. The
letter will be read with interest.
WAsHiNaroN, FEB. g. ls43
Mn Dear Sri have been waiting for an eve
ming : leisure To answer your letter before me, aud
after M unreasonable delay, am, ut last, Obliged to
reply III the mIdsl ut official occupations.
Tint ever have beeu nainrd IN conurxnn with
the Pr3sleuc, of the United > aes, has not, can
assure you, the son Ui ancient nnighhor aud
friend, heen by any cpulryance or desire OF nue,
aud certainly shall never bu ~ the field, for ilmt
high o,ce, Jules. placed there by regular MONT
nation Not then, beIug candidate, aud seeing
no near prospect OF being mate one. ought, per
haps, to decline troubling 5U", ar theirs, WIN
my humble opinions great principles Of State
Rlghis aud Federal Administration hut us can
not plead ignorance of the par,aliiy OF few
friends in several parts OF The Union. who may,
by possibility, III certain event succeed III BRING
ing mo within the field from winch Wing candl-
due /, 10 bn selectrd-I prefer To err on the side
OF irankness aud candur, rather than, 10y silence,
10 allow any stranger, unwlumgy, 10 commit nun
sell TO my supporL
You inquire upon the whole question OF do
nesc slavery, "hicl, has in iItlrrrm ioru's,
number Of years agituied Congress ana the coun.
try.
Promising that you are the first person who has
Intercepted me on the suhIect. give you ;Iie bn-
SIS OF what O0ujd he my reply, ia greater detail,
IL tine allowed aud The contingency alluded 10
ahuvG. were less rG,nnte.
In oyhood, 1T Willpm and Mary College, aud,
in common with mos Il not all nay companions
| became deeply impressed with the views given
Ivy Mr. j. tf-rsun in his "NUtcs on Virginia." aud
10y Judge Fucker in the appendix to his edition oi
BiackStDue'S Commentaries, ~ tdVut Oi Etaiual
eniauc p itIon m slaves. That appendix | have
mot Sreu ia hiry odd Years, and, Ia HE same pc.
Rod have real scarcely any til,ng on tie subject,
bui my early Impressions are trt sh and uncNHug-
eU-lptlcp. II | 4 nm q a q
Virginia Lrgis AZURE IN tie winter ~ 1881 =, Whrn
inll was brought forward To carry out those
views, should certainly have given 1t NY hearty
support
| suppose ! scarcely Goej say, that, III my opin-
i"n, Congress has no color of authority, under IIc
Con>tuou, for tOuchin. the relation OF master
and slave IN State.
! hod the oppnsile opinion IN relation TO the
District OF Columbia ilrre with the consent OF
owners OF on The payment ui "lust compensation"
Congress may legs Tte NJ It's discretion. Hui my
conviction Is equally strong that, unless II he Sie
10y sep with the Legislatures Of Virginia and Ma
rylhnd, il would hu dau .eru,is 10 both races, ia
those Stni0S 10 touch the relation between master
and slave wuhn this District.
have from the first been of opinion THAT Con-
gress was bound 10y The Constitution to receive, to
re.er mud 10 report upon petitions relating 10 do
nestle slavery, aS in The Of all other petitions;
but have not fnied Ia see aId 10 regret The una
VOdahie irritation which the former have prOsluc-
ell in the Southern States, with the consequent
peril 10 the c0ors whereby the adoption OF any
plan ct emancipation has, everywhere among us,
been greatly retarded.
own, myself no slave but never have attach
ell blame To masters Tor not hberariug their slaves
we'll knowing ttni liberation, without the means
OF sending them, in comfort to some position Ia
Vorahle 10 "the pursuit OF hap iness," would, III
most cascs, I've highy injurious Ia all around, rs
well MS to the manunied families themselves
unless The operation were general aud under The
auspices OF prudent Legislation. But ! au per-
suaded that il is high moral obligation of mas
tiers mud slave holding States 10 employ ali means,
moi incompatible with the safely ol both colors, 10
anitlioraie slavery 10 determination.
1t is gratifying 10 know tiIn general ameliora-
iion has heen great. aud is sill progressive not
outstanding the disturbing causes alluded 10 IL
buNe. The more direct process Of emlncpalmn
may, n doubt, he earlier commenced and quick
ened IN some communities than in others. T. cii,
do not question. has the right to Judge Tor Itself,
boIlI us To Iln'e and means; and consider inter
iereuce or AID, from without except ON invitation
rom WITHIN, 10 lie HS hHr,luI la the sure progress
OF anelIorhiiun as II may he ialul TO The lives OF
vast muitllndes OF all ages sexes and cUlnrs. The
work of liberation cauuoi he forced without such
h1rrih results. Christian Philanthropy is ever mud
and considerable. Hence all violence ought 10 be
deprecated by The friends of religion and hnnanI
ty Their perstiasiOns cannot ail AT HE right lime
10 tree the master from the slave, and the slave
from the naser-perhnps before the latter shall
have found out and ack no ged that The relation
between the parties had long been preuLicIal IL
their worldly Interests.
There is no evil, without, in the order Of Prov
Ideire some comi,ensang benefit. The bleeding
African was torn from his savage home, by his ie
roriOus neg hbors soi into slavery aud cast upol
This continent. Here in the mid South th'
race has Wonderfully ,uultiullrd comma, Ell VIII
any thing ever known in hurburous HE. The de
sceh'ahls OF II few thousands nave become many
millions and all, from HE fist made acqualnle'
with The arts OF clvlliznlui and above all prousl
under The light Of The Gospel
From the promise made To Abraham some 200(
years elapsed before The advent OF our Saviour
Tor wise pun ,n.es, suffered 10 remain in bonlag,
longer than Africans have he en- shure. Iht