Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-09-26

journal, December ll,h and l2.b, 1885 MIR. Fill
more thus asserts inc power Of Congress mo- Only
10 abolish slavery in The DistIici OF Columbia
and 10 prohibit The slave li2tc between tie Sta,es
but 10 do This with The view Of averlhlowins maj
institution in ihe Safes In his Erie le'ier he de.
clares himself in favor OF ess 'cisne all consiiiu'
lional powers 10 abolish the slave trade between
the Stales and by this vote he claims Tor Congress
The iu power over This subject And in a lelIer 10
Gov. Gayle Of Alabama, dated in July last,
while lea liifmng The substance ui the first OF the
Alherlon resolutions, Mr.. Fillmore ayows thai he
still en'eI!ains The opinions upon this subject
which he formed on first invest saiing H. Here,
then, are The prominent features Of this gentle
mans plan OF indirect" abolion-frsr, 10 apo-
lish slavery 10 The District Of Columbia, and Sc
copdly, L. prohibit The internal slave lae. Is it
MOI humliating that The South should be expect.
ed to give her support 10 the advocate OF these
mous,rous oulrases2 In thus adding insult
10 injury. do The ant. slavery men al The North
believe that we are so abandoned 10 self.
respec, as 10 have lost the common instinct of re-
sentiment? Are We TO crown with our favor, and
aid in eevaling to the second office in our gift the
man who announces his design 10 i'm these blows
al our vlas2 The abolition al slavery in The
District has always been desired by our enemies,
and dreaded by our friends, because il would be
bu, The beginning OF far deeper designs afordins
The abolilionis safe arena, from which 10 operate
upon The slave institutions Of Maryland and Virgil
| MIA. But perhaps he most cfleclual measure in
this scheme Of indirect" abolition, is the prohibit
ton of The slave trade between The States, and be.
tween the District Of Columbia and The Slave
States. Compared with this does not The Wilmot
Pfovso itself sink into relative insignificance a.
| The Wilmol PIoviso undertakes 10 exclude our
slaves from The Wilderncsses ofhe unsettled terrific
! rles. MIR. Fillmore proposes 10 exclude them from
the sugar and COLON plantations OF the Southern
| 5 aleS. IL is also well understood that MIR. Fill
moIe is in favor Of he Wilmol Proyiso. He has
had no opportunity 10 record his vote in Congress
since this subject was asilated. But the princi-
piles exposed above FULLY embrace This measure.
he was nominated by the Wing Convention of
New York, lasI October, for State Office That
Convention along with It's candidate presented lis
| principles. One of hem was an approval Of the
Wimot Provso Ii Mr.. Fillmore held any
oher position upon this suhecl, ne would be The
only Wing in any tree State who does
The objects sought 10 be attained by the ads
vocates OF the Wlmot Provso are obvious TO
the least rejecting mind No AboIi,onist, even
| OF The most ultra views, has ever SO far as we
are advised, maintained the direct power Of
| Congress over the institution Of slavery in the
States With Mr.. Fillmore, they all contend
that the influence which Congress can exert over
| this question IN the States must be indirect in
lis operation. By the prohibition of the inter-
nal slave trade between the several States and
between the District Of Columbia and the other
slave States, and by the enactment Of the Will
mot Proyiso, which will, in like manner, pre-.
vent It's further extension into the territories OF
| the Union, slavery is not TO be permitted to
| pass beyond the limits Of the old States, which
now recognize its existence. The effect Of this
is obvious. The natural increase of the slaves.
which has hitherto found vent in the more
newly settled regions Of the South, will thus be
forced, in the first instance TO difiIse itself over
those parts Of the old slaveholding States in
which the number of slaves is as yet compare.
lively limited. The first natural effect of this
will be TO increase the amount Of those engaged
III the various departments of labor-an imme
date decrease in the price of slave labor will
be the necessary consequence. The free white
aborer, thus subjected TO an increased competi.
ton, will naturally seek other fields for employ
ment, and his emigration TO other parts of the
country will ensue; anu thus the old slave States
will be annually drained of a class Of their
most useful aud worthy citizens. But the evil
does not stop here. In the progress of time,
and by the natural laws which regulate the in
crease OF population, the supply of this species
v. PiOpCiiI VIII 81 CACcCu tue uCudHu, lIAl
It's value will be diminished, until it comes to be
burden, rather than an advantage, to lis poses
surs. II will necessarily accumulate in the
hands OF those only who will be wealthy enough
10 support its expense. The necessities of the
master must reduce the condition of the slave
to the last limit Of cndurabe hardship, until at
length, unless the slave is voluntarily emancipa-
ted, there will be desperate struggle for exist
ence between the white and black population
and 10 the blood that will then deluge the land,
will be consummated the designs Of the false
champions of humanity.
But does any one suppose that Mir. Fillmore
and his friends would be content TO stop at the
abolition OF slavery in the District Of Columbia,
and The prohibition Of the internal slave trader
British statesman has quantity observed, that
power is like 4 serpent-allow room for
head, and il will soon wrggle in its body
The history of the country proves the pro-
gressiyc spirit with which these aggres.ons
upon The South are prosecuted. There would be
but single step IRON indirect % direct aboli.
lion. We must oppose firm resistance TO the
former, or II will be useless 10 contend with the
latter. viii mol The North be justly encouraged
10 further aggressioas, when they fnd US not only
tamey submitting 10 these outrdges but binding
the laurel, with our own hands, upon the brow Of
the man who lriumphs 10 the assault upon us2
La opposition TO Mlllard Fillmore, the Demo-
cratic parry present the name OF VIM. 0. Butler,
OF Kentucky, OF whose fidelity 10 the Souh even
party yea has not intimaied a suspicion. Ii any
assurance on this subject were required OF him.
We have il in The pledge which he, too, has given
not 10 councnance any attempt by Congress TO
Iegislalc upon the slavery subject
We have thus fellow citizens, endcavored 10
point on! 10 you the different positions which The
candidates OF The Two parties occupy en- this vi.
tai subject. The responsibility now passes TO
you-ne issue is in your hands: We await your
decision Unh solicitnde, ut with confidence.
There is another serious consideration involved
in this contest, to which we request your earnest
attention. The Wings presen, a candidate who
i recommended exclusively ty his military qua
lllcatlons. Ii General Taylor should be elected,
/ will be The Il 81 instance, in the history OF this
Republic, Oi The election ul mere soldier 10 The
Presldency-and VIVA. is more remarkable an
officer in aciual command. General Taylor still
holds the commission and authority OF Major
General in the army, and, il elected, may take his
inaugural oath with his sword bucaled 10 his
site. Contrast his course with that Of George
Washington, who magnanimously surrendered
bis military power when The occasion for militia
ry service had passed Washington, Jackson
and Harrison had, il is true attained The first
grades in the army-hul each OF Them had attain
Ell high rank as civilians. The military career
OF these men was upon Inc Roman model Civic
pursuits were abandoned al the first approach OF
national danger-they were resumed al us depar-
lure Military experience completed and adorn>
ell the character OF the statesman. Gen. Taylor
has been in the army abo ut forty years. He
Joined ii when mere boy. His whole life has
been exclusively devoted TO The army. he is
only known 10 The public rs an officer, and never
has been known in any other character His ha
bus, sentiments and sympa,hies must be those OF
the army, and OF The army only. When The ma
lion begins 10 look exclusively 10 the army
and army qualifications for lis highest civil off
ces, shall We MOI have taken the first step upon
that highway which is whitened with The sepul
chres Of Republics The military profession is
loo exclusive 10 qualify its member, for political
service under republican institutions. Separated