Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1843-04-14
Washington, Feb. 9, 1913.


Ny Dear Sir:
| have been waiting for an
evenings leisure 10 answer your let
ter before me, and, alter an unreas
enable delay, am at last obliged to reply
in the midst Of official occupations.
That have ever been named 10 con.
neXion with The Presidency Of The United
States has not, can assure you, the son
Of an ancient nejghbor and friend, been
BY any contrIvance or desire Of nine;
and certainly ! shall never be in the
field for that high office. unless placed
there by regular nomination. MOI.
then, being a candidate, and seeing no
near prospect OF being made one, ought.
perhaps, 10 decline troubling you or 9th.
ers with my humble opinions on great
principles Of State rights and Federal ad
mlnl'rrsron; but as ! cannot plead ig-
nomnce d the parlialitv Of few friends
in several parts Of the Union. who may.
by possibility, in a certain event, sue.
ceed in bringing me IN the fed from
which Wing candidate is TO be selected
prefer 10 err on the side of fraukn psq
and caDdor, rather than, By silence, to
allow any stranger to commit himself
unwltllngly 10 my support
Your inquiries open the whole ques
ton nj domestic slavery, which has, in
different forms, for a numhar of years
agl,aied Congress and The country.
Promising that you are Inc first per
son who has interFogaed me upon the
subject, | give The basis OF what would
be my reply in greater detail, il the time
allowed and the contingency alluded TO
above were less remote.
10 boybood. al William and Mary col
Iege, and in common with most. if not
all, my companions. | became deeply
impressed with the views given by Mr.,
jefferson, in his Notes 90 Virginia" Il
and BY Judge Tucker in the Appendix
to his edition OF Backstones Commenla
rles, in favor Of q gradual emancipation
Of slaves That Appendix | have not
seen in thirty odd years, and, 10 The
same period, have read scarcely any
thing on The subject; but my early i'm
pressions are fresh and unchanged -
Hence if had had the honor OF a seat in
the Virginia Legislature in the winter Of
lS3l.2, when bill was brought for.
ward TO carry out those views. certain.
Iy should have gwen il my hearty sup.
port.
| suppose ! scarcely need say that. in
my opinion, Congress has no color Of au
lhoriuy, under The Constitution for touch
ing the relation of master and slave in
a State,
| ho'd The opposite opinion in respect
to the District Of Columbia Here, with
The consent of the owners, or on the pay.
ment OF Just compensation" Congress
may egisIate at IT'S discretion But my
conviction is equally strong, unless it be
step by step with the Legislature Of Wiz
ginia and Mary Wand, il would be danger
Gus TO both races in hose States to touch
the relation between master and slave
in This district.
| have from the first been Of opiCion
that Congress was bound by The Consri
tuition to receive, TO refer. and 10 report
upon petitions relating to domestic STA
very as in the case Of all other petitions
but have not failed to see and to regret
the unavoidable irritation which the tor
mer have produced in The Southern
States, with The consequent peril to The
Two colors. whereby the adoption of any
plan of emancipation has every where
among US been greatly retarded.