The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-03-28
MIR. Claws Letter.

In view Of a new Constitution about to he
adopted, by the people Of Kentucky, Mr.. Clay
published letter, ably written, in which he
proposes plan for the gradual and ultimate
extinction Of slavery in ,ha, State. His sys.
tenn Of emancipation consists Of three princi.
ples-lst that il should be slow in its opera
tious, cautions and gradual, so as to occasion
no commissions, nor any rash or sudden distur
bance, in the existing habits Of socieiy-2nd.
tha, as an Indispensable condition, the emanci.
paed slaves should be removed from the State
to some colony-and 3rd. that the expenses of
their transportation to such colony, including
an onli, for six months after arrival at it, should
he betrayed by fund 10 be raised from the
labor OF each freed slave.
It should be source Of deep, poignant regret
that the "grec, embodiment" has thought prop.
or to come out in such letter, a, such time.
He proposes that all slaves horn after 1855 or
1860 should be free, at the age Of % years,
and then to be hired out lnr 8 years to raise
fund to defray their expenses TO the colonies on
the western coast of Africa; those born from
them to be free at their birth, subjected howev.
er to system OF apprenticeship until they at.
taned the age oe2l.
The scheme though lucidly explained, strikes
US as impraciicable, and ruinous in lis conse.
qnences t" the people of that State. Not to
notice the immense sacrifices required Of those,
who hold property in slaves, to become sudden.
ly impoverished, to fall from their height Of
wealth, and abundant comforts, at once, to a
point of utter weakness and destilution-as
many, especially orphans, own no other proper
ty,-it would turn loose host of that indoent
shflrss. starving, thieving class Of negroes, not
altogether free, nor exactly in a state Of bon.
dage. but like the "blank leaves between the
Old and New Teslnmen,s, belonging to neilh
er dispensaton,' oftentmes without homes or
guardians, strolling about, fit tools Of crime,
willing agents in vllainy, and unhappy in.
strumen,s to annoy and harass tho whites
Not to speak the ultimate effects upon Ken.
,ucky, as each State "has absolute, supreme, and
exclusive pomer ouer The ubiecl withn lis limits
crclusire ofthat Of Congress, or that Of any ct
The States," we may be permitted to suggest,
without interfering with the rights of State Sow.
ereignly, that there are others deeply interes,
ted in such move at this particular crisis. II
our Missionaries in Liberia report correctly,
tha, the c,nancipated slaves sent there, enreat
them in pi,ilul tones, TO reduce them 10 their
former state of bondage, and save them from
the freedom of starvation, the phianhropick
emancipation, (ifindeed philanthropy be in the
movemen,) would seek for them more comfort.
able homes elsewhere. In addition to this
should the plan ever be attempted, Of course
every slavehelder in Kentucky would labour
to dispose ofhis slaves before the time of ..eman.
cipalion arrived. The other slaveholding
States consequently would be overrun by gangs
ofnegro traders, selling them of al any price
glusting the marke, every where diminishing
their value and producing general deprecia.
tion Of property over the entire South; who