Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-11-10
THE ANTI-SLAVERY BUGLE.

dAG ~ AAa1 NIL AAAAA IL hG Dltdal|s II Nm 0O
a~pologist for this but it is ihhicting upon him
a weaker punishment. There is suffering, to be
sure, upon the passage; and there is suffering
experienced by those whom we send out to AZ
RIGA, but when they arrive here they get the
benefit of civilization; they are placed in a more
elevate. scale than they occupied before. But
nearly all OF Christendom-and the residue is
coming in-hav denounced this traffic, and put
those who are engaged in it upon a footing with
those who are guilty of the worst crimes that
can be committed against humanity. They re-
fuse them an honorable death, but hang them
as robbers and pirates, and tho Commuters of
high treason"
These sentiments, coming after his statement
that most of the slave States depend upon negro
raising and selling as a means of living, and that
negroes are their staple production in reality
must have been regarded by some of the mem
bers as q little fanatical!
Some of the members expressed the opin-
ion that there was a great difference between
the Domestic and Foreign slave trade; but found
1t difficult to point it out.
Mr.. Clarke was In favor Of allowing citizens
to buy slaves and bring them into the State
He took the responsibility of expressing the fol-
Aohhi6
al am not unwilling to declare here, before
the State and the world, my belief hat slavery,
as it exists in the slave States of this Union, el-
evates the character of the white race, its digni-
ty, its morals and l trust we shall frame a Con-
stitution that ,oiU perpetuate slavery in this State
for all time TO come"
Mr.. Clarke's views seem to be 'purely Amer
ican." He has doubtless, if he would express
them freely, some exalted ideas of human char
its dignity and its morals"l Doubt
less no attributes the degradation and the
wretchedncss of the Turks and other barbarians
to the fact that they have-such of them as ev-
or reached that dignifed and humane practice
abandoned the habit of stealing men, and
whipping women, and selling little children!
Several members expressed their opinion that
slavery was a blessing to Kentucky and the Ma
ton; and that the Bible sanctioned it.
Mr.. Root said:.
"The Emancipation party in kentucky is not
only respectable, numerous, and intellectual, but
its voice must and will be heard. In my section
of the country, no man believes in incorporating
the gradual emancipation system in the Consti-
tuition; but there are divers men, some of our
most distinguished men, and Shareholders, too,
who look forward to the period when Kentucky
shall be indeed redeemed and disenthralled by
the irresistible genius of universal emancipation.
1t matters not whether it comes in ten, fifteen,
twenty, or even a thousand years, they desire
that our policy shall look forward to the period
when Kentucky shall be rcdeemed-when she
shall possess within her borders a numerous bo-
dy of free laborers-and when we shall be in
fact a free State. l desire to be heard upon
some branch, at least, of the principles of the
law of 1888. Are we, who have stood by the
law of 1888, we VIII have battled for it for ten,
fifteen, or twenty years, and, in short, are the
policy and principles contained in that law, now
to be abandoned because a little junto of imme-
diate Emancipationists or Abolitionists choose
to occupy ground that nearly the entire State
1ra.
driven from any position because our enemies
get upon our platforms Are we desirous to
make Kentucky the great slave mart of the u
nited States, because the immediate Emancipa-
tionists choose to get on the platform on which
we stood fairly, clearly, and quietly, until the
last Legislature chose to lay violent hands on
that sacred law"
The question being taken on an amendment
to the report of the Committee, proposed by
Mr.. Nuttall, to allow any citizen of kentucky
the right to import slaves for his own use, it was
carried.
The President of the Convention, Mr.. Guth-
RE. in speaking of the general question of Sla-
very, said
"The gentleman from Madison says wo arc
not able to pay for Emancipation-that we are
not able to pay even the interest on the debt
that would be thus created. That may be all
very true; but this Government, this State, l
fy,te sG f. Ay,ef c., Aa-&s - H. ~ :.
thing may be hereafter, no man can tell. There
is a time When slavery will cease. The Indian
has receded before the Saxon, and still recedes.
In the march OF population, when white labor
becomes cheaper and crowded, slave labor will
yield to it. And the day will come, when thus
deprecated in value, and some country to which
they may be sent is found, it may be the desire
OF those who shall come after us, to free their
slaves, and to do it without a resort to rcvolu-
ton. And when hat day shall come, l wish
them to act as in their judgment is right but l
also desire to indicate to them i'll this Constitu-
ton that the foundation of this Government is
laid in justice, and that property acquired under
its sanction is not to be invaded without COM
to the owner. l am not one of those
who propose to provide in this Constitution for
the perpetuity of slavery. recognize the prin-
ciplc that every people have q right to form
their own Government, and to change, alter, or
modify it, as they may deem the interests OF So
ciety to require and whenever those who may
come after US shall desire so to do, 1 shall rest
hat they in their judgment shall do
what they deem right upon this and upon all
other subjects. Therefore, l do not expect in
this Constitution to make slavery perpetual, and
beyond the reach of those who shall come after
U.S."
1t would seem, from tho tone and spirit of
the Convention. that a vast change is yet to be
wrought in the public mind of Kentucky before
the State will rid itself of the curse of slavery.
The subject now is before the peoplo-thc strug-
glo has commenced, and tho destruction of tho
monster, sooner or later, is sure. j..
LAMARTIsE.-A letter from Paris in the Bos-