The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-12-05
CITY OF WASHINGTON TUESDAY MORNING DECEMBER s. lsl
Mexico. and California But Mr. jefferson goe. on to

Mexico, and California! But Mr. Jefferson goes 10
say: n
But previous TO tho enfranc of the .Isves we
have Is airy TO exclude all further mpoations from
Africa but our repeated attempts 70 effect this by pIohbi-
hibton have hitherto been defeated by his Majesys mega
s 70 ~ ss % sS
na to The rights q human "a"e deeply WoSnded by this in"
Here we see proofs undenabe that Mr. Jefferson, the
eadng spirit then, confidently anticipated not the
tnuance and further extension OF slavery, but its abol-
tons and, in order to the speedy enanchisemenr OF
the slaves then in Virginia, he desires prevent their
augmentation by prohibiting their importation. He
plains that slavery was peiudcal to the nfan" colony
Of Virginia Were he here, would he not vote 10 exclude
slavery from the infant" colonies OF Oregon, New
Mexico and California We have seen that he draugb-
ed the clause against slavery in the ordinance Of 1887
we Eao s ne nh dnna M m ls death no
l775, in the State OF Georgia. From the proceedings Of
patriotic association in Georgia that time call ed the
''Darien Committee" take the following:
We therefore, the rept esenaiyes Of extensive dis
sembed in Congress, by authority and free choice Of the
OF the said district now freed from their eers
50 To the world that we are not inf, by any
py FIR all n'1akird Of ,ohaterer climate a.gxigs or COM
isrion, hereby declare Misrepresentation and abhor-
(lowever uncultvartd state Of our conn%y, or Other
specious Arguments. plead for t) practice founded
ties as we'll as lives debashs part of OUR o
nsew nnd sI s e a ips and morals Of
(and which we pray the Almighty TO continue to the la,es,
eove ali times 70 @ OUR nno sndeSvo for the
omission OF our slaves in this colony, the most safe
and equitable footing for the masters and hemselves."
Ameriean Archives, uot l.. p. 1886.
From these papers, well the general history of the
times, what the fathers thought on this sub
ject May not. with profound respect, suggest that
these papers dated in l77f and IT'S, explain TO the
meaning of the Declaration of Independence, adopted
l776? Surely the who voted fhe foregoing Tesou
TONS IN i!7o might, very CONSISTENTLY IN i776 declare
truth ho
all men created equal; that they endowed by their
Creator with certain naenable rights that among these
are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" Well
might these men, with their hearts purified from selfish
ness by the dreadful conflict which then to be
inevitable tesl that al men were equal before God in
whom alone they could trust for aid in that dark hour,
and that therefore, all WERE OF ought 10 be-
of themselves and answerabe only to the Creator for the
they should make Of that liberty Well might those
calmly and hopefully to the heavens and declare, And
for the support of this declaration with firm reliance
on tie protection OF Dicine Providence, mutually
pledge to each other oar rss our fortunes, and
cred honor"
Mr. President these men, when they spoke of slavery
and its extension did not get up some hybrid sort of
declared slavery evil wrong, prejudice to free
colonies, social mischief, and political evil; and, if
these were denied they replied These truths are self
evident" And from the judgments OF men they ap-
peaed to no earthly cour-ihey took appeal "to the
Supreme Judge Of the World" When am asked 10 ex-
tend to this new empire of ours now in its infancy
Institution which they pronounced an evil TO all commu-
mites: when refuse to agree with some here whose
judgments revere and whose motives know to be
old am sustained in my position by the men who
founded the first system OF rational liberty earth.
With them BY my side can afford to differ with those
here whom respect With such authority for my con-
duct cheerfuly encounter the rowns of some the
scorn of all turn to the fathers of such and be
comorted. They knew what was best for infant
people just struggling into existence If their opinions
worth anything, if the opinions of these veneated
men are to be considered as authority. ask southern
gentlemen what they mean when they ask me TO extend
slavery TO the distant shores of the Pacific ocean, and the
slave trade between Maryland and Virginia and that al
most unknown country.
considering the propety of doing this thing as if
the question now for the first time presented to
ask any southern man, i! there not slave this
continent, would you send your ships to Africa, and
bring them here Suppose this confederation of ours had
been formed before slave existed in it, and suppose
here in the OF grace 1915 you had acquired Cafo
MIA and New Mexico, and you told that there
listed modified system of slavery there and that they
wanted laborers there, would senator rise in his place
and say will authorize the African slave trade, in
der 10 introduce laborers into infant coones If you
would not bring them from the shores OF Africa, buying
then, with some imagined "partus sequitur pentrem"
branded on them somewhere, how you prove TO me
that il would be right to transfer them from Maryland
or Virginia three thousand miles. to the shores OF the
Pacc' If slavery curse to you in the beginning,
but struck its roots deep into your social and munich
pal system as was then said, that could not be erad
Gated entirely, how is it that you call upon me,
matter OF conscience and duty, to transfer this curse
to an area OF square miles greatly exceeding that of
the thirteen States when the Confederation formed
If ii is so that it is evil-znd all your states
men have pronounced it, and so all your eminent
men. with The exception Of few in modern times,
have regarded it-how is IT that you call upon me to
extend IL 10 those vast dominons which you have
Gently acquired Is true that am obliged 10 receive into
my family with the smallpox the leprosy that
they may be infected know you do not consider in
that light now. But the gentleman from Virginia has
said tina, il must be done. Why Because it is compass
sion TO the slave. He cannot be nurtued in Virginia;
your lands are worn out Sir that statement sounded
omnous in my 1t gave rise to some reflection.
Why your lands worn out Are the lands OF Penn
syvana worn ou' Are those of Connecticut worn out
is not Massachusetts more productive to-day than when
the foot OF the white man first impressed upon her
soil Your lands out because the slave has
turned pale the land wherever he has down his black
foot II slave labor that has done all this And must
then extend TO these Territories that which produces
serty wherever ii is found, till barren desoaton shall
cover The whole land! Ii you can call upon me, as
of compassion, TO send the slave California and
ton to receive him into Ohio slave; and would be
Just much bound, a citizen OF Ohio, say that the
constitution should be construed 10 admit slaves
there because they have made the land in Virginia bar
and they and their masters pershng till Ohio
had also become wilderness. That reason will not do
spoken of, with which have sympathy at all, we
through that the citizens Of Ohio cannot accept
these men upon such terms.
Wha, is there in the way, then, of my giving nte
gent vote on this subject Nothing al all would take
this bill moment had faith in the processes through
chamber below. But have not that faith, and will
tell the gentleman why. II is sad commentary upon the
perfection of human reason, that with but very few
ceptIons, gentlemen coming from slave Sate--an1 III
think have behind who ought always 10 be be-
fore me, mir. BADGER with very few exceptions all