Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1847-11-11

&c, clear oft as fast as we cam. We
never can get clear Of it by abusing
those in whose midst it exists; for it is
State institution. lipre>ents diff
cul,ies of fearful magnitude 10 the
statesman and phllanihropisr. These
difficulties present themselves unques-
,;onabIy in a formidable shape, even-
upon the supposition that slavery, re-
ceding from the central portions of our
republic, is to extend itself southwark
into new regions. But I am one OF
those who believe that this great prob
lem presents difficulties no' less formi-
dable, upon a supposi'lon that teem-
ing slave population, multiplying in
fearful ratio Of rapidity. is TO be coerced
| and concentrated by federal legislation,
! within the limits of the present slave
States. Yet one Of these erils must be
met. For myself, confess some feel
ing of relief when see prospect that
slavery may receele from our midst,
and extend itself towards the southern
portions of our Union, and finally es-
cape from it in region still farther
south, where the negro, in a congsnlal
climate, may find himself in contact
with mixed race, accustomed, in
some degree, to fee institutions, and
not discovered from aim by the iron
barriers Of lineage and Of color. In
this view am, perhaps, more willing
| than | might otherwise be to invoke
the entire, real, and sincere "neaulral-
| ity" of the federal government upon
the subject.
\ After our patriotic ancestors had a.
! chleyeG our ependence, and had as
sembled in convention, fresh (iom the
battle fields of the revolution, for the
purpose Of forming our present consii-
tuition, negro slavery was the apple Of
discord, and came near causing that
august and patriotic convention 10 sep
arate without forming our present In
ion. 1t was upon that memorable &C.
ca>ion that the great and good Frank
lin recommended prayers tina, wisdom
might be given to them from on high.
The consequence was, that moderate
and pacific councils prevailed, IA com
PIE mise took place, and the present
Union was the result. To preserve ;ha,
Union, the same spirit must guide the
Congress upon the SUBJECT At the
time Of The formation Of our consti,u-
ZION, slavery was authorized by law in
all the States. All had been engaged
in importing slaves into the country
but the south got far the most, because
the soil and climate Of that region were
best suited for slave labor. Northern
people engaged in taking them
there, for it was a profitable business.
All, therefore, are involved in the
guilt, if gnill it be. We now have
near 100000 Of slave population,
and the increase is "e'y great; for 1t is
law Of human population that the OPP
pressed always increase faster than
their oppre>sors. We have the diff
cul: problem of two races co-existlng
under the same constitution and in
habl,ing the same country. MIR. JEFF
ferson, in 1890: VIXEN speaking of the
embarrassing question, said, I'VE haze
got the rolf by the ears, and can nei-
ther hold nor let him go aoith safety"
TO free the negroes Of the Southern
States at once, would be the greatest
calamity which could happen to the
whites, as wei! as the blacks. Thous-
ands and tens of thousands Of them
would 60 70 the free States, particular
| ly to Pennsylvania. Our jaiIs and
aims houses would not hold The poor
and vicious, and the poor laboring free
! men and women would be without en-
ployment, for the blacks would work
cheaper and live on less. Besides, it
would be degrading for our free PEG
pie TO labor with them. And if they
did get into the free States, how much
better off would be their condition.
We cannot permit them 10 yot. and sit
in the jury-box; we cannot admit them
to terms Of political and social equali
ty: and what is freedom worth without
these prv.!eges9 The truth is, they
are a nuisance, whether save or free
and yet they are a part of the human
family-haye the human form, the hui
man voice, and souls to save. There
is great deal too much fana,icism, as
we'll in the north as the south, upon
the subject of these negroes. Old
Dnnnaul..n, ICaI hlacc hnr Co.'S =.