The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-03-03
From the Louisville Journal.

,,,antion The editorial aTtlcle IN youI tuillO
If Tuesday, entitled "EmanoiPation il
Ksutucky.' Although dissent from som
= your views, admire the ability AM
Onirit in which they were conceived. Tn
sYf,;cIs Is calm. well studied and consderate
and is worthy the attention of thinking
men beg leave to submit: to your re
faction some thoughts suggested by you
remarks.
And first, | cannot but congratulate th'
friends of emancipation in Kentucky tina
your views on many vital points CORES
noDd with their opinions. Let me state
them here.
/ You are not in favor Of perpetuating
.lsysrv in Kentucky. You do not say in
"a m,nv words that slavery is social and
UoI;ricsl evil, but what you do say presup-
noses that il is every way desirable that
Slavery should be removed from the State
80 soon As il can be done with safety 10
other interests.
, You evidently regard the removal of
slavery not only as desirable but as practi-
cable in process of time. You quote
Macsulay 10 show how it was abolished in
England. You speak Of the possibility Of
is removal by moral causes, as in Delaware.
You, furthermore, propose an amendment
10 our constitution, looking TO that end
You do not regard slavery as a blessing;
neither do you deem it TO be an immedica-
he evil, a cancer seated upon the vitals,
iuemediable in all time to come.
3. You do not hold that slavery is. in
itself and inevitably, a sin against God.
This is the postulate Of the abolitionists.
Gran, this, and abolition, immediate, un-
conditional, and defiant Of consequences, is
the dictate. not Of fanaticism, but Of i'm
perative duty, You reject the postulste
and abhor the councils Of modern aboli-
tionism. | am persuaded that the eman-
cpators Of Kentucky, with few, very few
exceptions, are agreed with you therein.
I. You maintain that emancipation
should be very gradual. The result will
be a great revolution in the social condition
Of our people. Such changes should PRO
coed slowly and cautiously, disturbing. as
liule as possible, the rights Of property and
the workings Of our social and political
systems.
t. You suggest that the new constitu.
ton should prohibit the further importation
Of saves.
6. You do not say, but venture TO add,
that you regard the question as eminently a
domestic question, to be considered and
adjusted by the people Of Kentucky, unem-
bansssed, by foreign influences. No at
tespt on the part Of Northern abolitionists
or Southern perpetualists to interfere in the
subject should be tolerated. We want no
advice either from New York or South
Carolina.
So far, gentlemen, you are as sound and
good friends Of emancipation as the so1ndest
and best Of them. am most happy to
know that your powerful pen is on the side
OF these important principles.
May | venture to infer from your re-
marks that you also agree with them in
thinking it proper at this time to discuss the
whole question before the people' You
deprecate agitation. So do we. But calm
and temperate discussion is not necessarily
agitation. Pieces written in the tore and
spirit Of your article are not sgitating. As
you Justly remark, sit is only when discus
son becomes fanatical that there is any
real ground for alarm. Ii is here that agi.
iatiOn begins" Again. speaking Of plan
Of emancipation, you say, sit may not be
eGPedlent to propose the plan at this time,
but there is no mischief in the discussion
oil II, al this or any other time, as q simple
social question" IL ] understand these
remarks, you see no evil in discussing at
this time the whole subject. There is,
there can be no mischief in discussion; only
lei 1t be deliberate, honest, temperate; let
proceed on the right principles and be
conducted IN the right spirit, and the high
est good will grow out Of it.
You DO not state whether, in your judg-
menl the newspaper press is the proper
organ OF discussion. But, as you have
now used the columns OF the Journal for
hls purpose, it is perhaps fair to infer that
you regard It as suitable topic for the
papers. Indeed, gentlemen, the newspaper
press moves the world. 1; is new and
most powerful element in modern ciyilisa-
uOh' IL carried the reform bill and the
eom-law bill in England; it set aside roy
any and set up republicanism in France.
nH destined TO still greater triumphs. In
ulis country the liberty Of the press and of
speech are the means by which our free in
S'uuons are embarrassed and preserved
and, in Kentucky, Pre-eminently, the
newspaper and oral debate are the school.
masters to inform and the lights to guide
ue popular mind. The press and the
sum are our true bulwarks. The tongue
: mghteT than the bayonet, and the
SOiImns oil the newspaper are more iomi.
Oaole than columns Of artillery. I suggest
most respectfully, that the press cannot be
sient on this question. You must either
ulscuss 1t or you must give reasons WHY you
.eluse 10 discuss it. Whether you desire to
propose a plan now or to postpone the
!; snele thing indefinitely, you must debate
II Ior both questions are debateable.
now beg leave to examine the main
position which you take adverse TO the
news Of the emancipatou. You discour-
ose tne idea Of resoding to any direct and
Dslu'e efforts for the removal of slavery.
I rOu MAINTAIN that by the operation Of
a .uOlal Causes, without the aid Of legislative
ensc'men;s, the evil will slowly ami i'm.
SelcePuoiy diminish and become extinct.
nOu Illustrate your position by the cases of
delaware ana E,~laI