The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-01-15

est investigation, the Congress, 3Oth Get,
IVA, adopted the following article:
We Go, for ourselves. and for the inhabitant,
Of the several colonies whom we represent, arm
IL agree aud associate, under the sacred ties OF
Virtue, Honor and Love of our Country as fol.
lows: . - That we will neither import
nor purchase any slaves imported, after the FIRST
day of December next, after which we viii
wholly discontinue the slave-trsde, and will
neither be concerned In Il ourselves, nor viii
we hire our vessels, nor sell our commodities or
manufactures 10 those who are concerned in IL
Every Slave State, entered into this solemn
COVENANT, except Georgia and South Carolina.
These colonies were not represented. Hut as
soon sfIer, as could be, both ratified the deed
January IL, MS, the provincial Congress of
South Carolina resolved
"That this Congress do approve the Ameri-
can association"
Georgia followed suit. Darien, in primary
assembly, led the way. The people thereof de-
clared their "aborrence Of the unnatural prac-
tice Of Slavery practice founded on injustice,
cruelty, and highly dangerous to our liberties
(as well as liVes) debasing part of our fellow
creatures below men, and cOrrup ting the virtue
and morals Of the rest" They resolved. there
fore, TO stop the traffic, and manumit their
slaves. Liberty" they said, " could never be
won or continued upon any other basis" The
Provincial Congress of Georgia, at Savannah,
on the 18th of January HIS, for themselves, and
their constituents resolved
"That we will neither import nor purchase
any slaves imported, from Africa or elsewhere,
after the 18th day OF March next"
This was the spirit Of our revolutionary faith
ers. And say not, that their action was Ieveled
alone at the slsve-trsde. II lpas intended to
reach slavery. They were resolved TO master
that curse They felt that the Almighty would
not bless them, and that they could not possess
liberty while it existed. Thsp said so. They
applied TO both the slavs-trade and slavery the
strongest epithets.-" Debssing," "cruel, !" Gun
natural" " fendish, ' " brutal !" debasing part
of our fellow men," corrupting the rest" &c,
sc. And then the year after, as if the world
should not mistake nor posterity misunderstood
them, they declared on the 4th Of July l776:
1--WE hold these truths to be self-eyident: that
all men are createo e4 ual mat tney are endowed
by their creator with inalisnable rights; that
among these, are life, liberty, and the pursuit Of
happiness"
Who shall dare say, with this array of evil
dence, that our fathers, obtained their freedom,
and formed our Constitution, mainly to protect
or extend slavery1 If there be such, let all
lovers Of truth--Of the patriots of '76-declare
them base defamers Of good men, bold, If not
blssphemOus traducers Of the brightest era in
the worlds history! No. Our revolutionary
fathers of the South hated slavery. They meant
to rid the country of it. They spoke and labOred
for this end, and no libeller, whether he eli a
governors chair, or plays the part of dema-
gogue-trickster, should be allowed to assert the
contrary, by us their descendants, and the le-
Ultimate defenders Of their fame.
Wehave given before, the authorities above quo
ted in full, in an extract from Thomas E. Thomas
able discourse, and should not have referred tC
them again so soon, had it not been for the sx.
traordinary assertions of Gov. Smith of Va.
and the more extraordinary opinions Of many
members Of Congress. Our readers, we hope
will pardon the repetition.