Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1844-06-15

brought into contact with this momentouS
question Every town and hamlet, from East.
port to Mexico, and from The Atlantic TO the
Pacific ocean, will reap the benefit and future
generations will profit by the measure.
You ask whether "desre it for the purS
pose Of aiding the slave system" To this II
answer, that The slave system" as you term
it, has not entered into my calculation Of its be-
nefits. Considerations much higher than this
govern my opinion. Yet to this subject, | can
not be Indifferent, as this is the only question
which threatens the bonds Of our union The
| annexation OF Texes will not increase the num-
Der Of slaves, unless the humane treatment
which prevails in all our southern and south
western plantations shall prove more favorable
| TO their increase by generation, than the treats
meni which they generally receive under for
eign domination. The annexation Of Texas
will form boundary beyond which, slavery
cannot exist. If it shall remain foreign pow
err, it will be furnished with slaves from for
| eign countries, probably from Africa ITSELF If
it shall become part OF the United States, no
slaves can be imported into it from foreign
countries; so that its annexation will tend to
prevent the increase Of the number OF slaves
Nor is it objected to by the most iaslidious Of
the aboltionists, from an apprehension that ii
will augment the number Of slaves, but from
the political apprehension that it will tend to
keep something Of balance Of power between
the slaveholding and the other states. This
consideration, compared with Others, has no
weight with me. | have freely expressed my
sentiments in favor of the possession Of Ore
gon, where, it is probable, slavery will never
exist; and am now in favor Of the annexation
Of Texas, where the institution is too deeply
rooted to be done away at once, under any gov
eminent. Ii is question which the general
government cannot, cOnsttutionaIly touch -
The wise men who framed our constitution,
carefully avoided the use Of the word SIarery
Each state reserved to itself the right Of pur-
suing lis own policy on that subject; and the
Interference Of the general government would
be regarded as a usurpatlon which would not
be submitted TO. Every state in the union is
agreed on this point. Those which have abol
ished slavery, would not permit the general
government to institute it among them, nor
would those who retain it, permit the general
government to do it away. The same indie
pendence will they observe in relation to So
cietles and associations of individuals. They
will regard their movements as the madness Of
lanatacism, lending TO sap the foundation Of
the union, rather than to promote the cause Of
humanity.
With these views, you will perceive that
regard the remainder OF your questions as II
relevant, and such as a man, in relation to his
national character, ought not to answer. The
question, whenever il presents itself to the ge-
= neral government, resolves itself into that OF
, union or dissolution. Whenever the national
: government shall interfere, either to establish
. slavery in the states where it does not exist
f or TO abolish it where it does exist, land their
t power extends to the one case as much as tc
n the other,) they will wiring the death knell o.
ha nt 1
e sing its requum; but phianthrophy will weeT
S over its tomb, and rivers of human blood will
l. nourish its cypress while time endures. Sucf
i an evil will | labor 10 avert while my life i
/ spared; and | would rather die in obscurty
e than TO employ the privilege Of the highest OF,
g flee in the world to raise the excitement, ever
o by presenting a petition on the subject. The
It principle was settled, when our constitution
@ was framed, that each state should regulate it
g own policy. Let US act in good faith 10 thu
|? pledge given in that sacred instrument, and w
j, shall forever continue the freest, the most pros
l. porous, and the happlest nation on earth.
is the institution is lraught with but half the evil
= you apprehend, lei them alone, and in the pre-
II gress Of republican community, they will b
y certain 10 correct themselves. 1t can find il
}, remedy only in the public sentiment of tn
Is community where it exists. That sentimen
is first triumphed where it had least to encount
lie err. The number Of slaves was but few in tn
northern states, and there was no difficulty i
It aboshing the institution. The spirit of eman
cipation naturally progresses from north /
,f south. From the close Of the revolutionar
v war, the condition of the slave has been rising
ir both in intelligence and Importance; and a
S. over the south, slavery is but shadaw of wha
r It once was. But the violent movements {
is northern abolltonlsts have given a check
d; that progress, and done teniold more injury
lie the slave than 10 his master Their unceasin
J. efforts to bring the subject within tho action
Sc the general government, are doing more
Or weaken the bonds of our federal union, than q
n other excltements taken together could poss
m bly, do; and, without the prospect OF one soil
D. larry benefit TO that class whose cause they a
III feet TO advocate. The peace of society is di.
Id turbed; the harmony of different members
e, our national family is interrupted; the cond
s. ton Of the slave is injured: and if the phrenz
" shall eventuate in the dissolution of the uno
Mt | can neither envy the happiness Of him VIII
i. could wish to survive the shock, nor pariic
of pate with him in the awful responsbi,!t
nd which must fall upon him when our beautif
i, landscapes, now smiling in plenty, shall b.
L come fields Of carnage and devastation.
at Most respectfully,
or Your fellow citizen,
I'd Ri. NJ. JOHNSON.
&c To B. F. HOFFMAN, esq.
es Chairman of the committee, &c,
~ From the Nashville Union.