Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1849-09-13
From The Free TariiOry Ssatias.
Hon. Caleb B. Smith and flie State Jour-

The State organ Of the Wing party is out in de-
fence of Caleb b. Smith. Week before last it emu
meraed some anti-savery acts of Mr.. Smith previous
to the last session of Congress- the truth Of which no
one questions. il then proceeds in an attempt to
show that Mr.. Smith in his action the Colt
luton violated no principle he professed And
IN the last number, in reply TO the State Sentinel the
Journal says: "that Mr.. Smith last winter or at any
other time, proved flse his professions in regard
to slavery We defy his defamers to establish by relia-
Bile testimony"
If by the term "defamers'' Mr.. Defrees means the
Free Sellers and anti-slavery wings, who have
charged Mr. Smith with violation of his anti
slavery pledges he find hundreds in this Congress
slonal District ready to accept his challenge. In his
Whole defence of Mr.. Smith, the editor of the Journal
beruys his utter ignorance of MIR. Smiths positions
heretofore or an entire want Of honesty in stating
them He declares unequivocay that
Gle [Smi,hl advocated an unconditional abol-
ishment Of Slavery in the District Of Columbia. His
position has been that taken by John Quincy Adams
on that question That venerated sage in speech in
Congress, said
"As to the abolition of slavery in the District of Co.
umbia, have said that opposed it-not because
have any doubts to the power Of Congress abolish
slavery iD the Distinction have aone-but regard il
us violation OF republican principles, laws
The petition oil one people which are to operate upon
other people, against their consent. As the law now
stands the people of this District have property their
slaves.
justice, for can be true that rghny
have property in another STILL these laws have
had an existence since before that part of the country
came the District of Columbia and brought under the
power Of Congress, and think they should be alter
ed without the consent OF the people Of the District
"From that doctrine Mr.. Smith has never swerved."
We challenge the Journal to show on what occa-
sion in Congress or In canvassing this District prior
to the last winter, Mr. Smith advocated the doctrine
here set forth. If he ever did advocate il we are
ura moi of I'm
the contrary. while canyassng the District, he made
positive pledges TO go for the abolition of slavery in
the District of Columbia without aunexing any con-
ditions whatever. These pledges he made publicly
on the stump. OF this the Journal can have any
amount it desire, of reliabe testimony" from the
voters of the Fourth Congressional District men who
osre the ardent supporters of Mr. Smith, They heard
his pledges and they know, if the Journal does not,
that he has proved false 10 his professions in regard
to slavery In addition to hls public declarations
The letters OF MIR. Smith, in the possession of
his former ant-slavery friends in this District show
fully, In his own hand writing, his own sigma
ture, the position he claimed then 10 occupy. We
happen at this moment to have one Of bis letters be-
fore US bearing date Aug. l. 1S47, and addressed to
a member OF the Liberty party at Newport, of this
county. Though he does not express himself so
strongly in this in others received from him
BY the same gentleman, yet the following paragraph
may afford the Journal some cd,fcaiions
line oDectM the Liberty party IN their efforts 10 pro-
the abolition Of Slavery 10 the District Of Columbia
have always understood to be- to establish the principle
that so TAR as the General Government Supreme
or exclusive po,oer Of legislation
TOLERATED. | CONCUR WITH THEM FULLY IN
THIS AND AM, AT ALL TIMES, READY TO
GIVE MY AID TO EFFECT IT."
Here is no reservation, no condition, no tf-no-
thing said of ''the consent of the people of the dis
rlct." He understands the object of the abolitionste
to be- that '.slavery shall not be toerated where the
general Government has power it, she concurs
with them fully in this" aud declares his readiness
all times to give his laid to effect it." But when
the question came up last winter how did he redeem
his promises! Was he then ready to give his aid !''
The election Of Old lack put his memory or con-
science to seep-he threw his nnti-s.very notions to
the wind as no longer profitable. He refused, in tie
first place, TO vote on the question: then he made
speech against the very object which he had previous
ly declared himself sat all times ready to give his
aid to effect''-a speech which wing paper in this
District has seen fit to PUBLISH and if the Journal
has ever published it, we have never received the
number containing it. Why is this IF, us the Jour-
nal says, Mr. Smith has been 'malicousy and gross
ly misrepresented," why not publish his own expa-
| nation Of his coursei We ask of the Journal, and
of the wing papers of the Fourth District,
of simple JUSTICE" both 10 Mr.. Smith and his de-
| famers' to publish his remarks on the motion to re-
consider the vote adopting Mr.. Colts resolution.
But will they do it !-Dare they do it! We shall
see, but our belief is that they will not-that they
dare not. They know that the publication of that
speech would prove the truth Of every charge made
against him by Free Sellers.