New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-07-07

mas been Dfo4ELt u 4sut ~ 40
40 reference 70 the Convention about 70 BE he 10 10 a'
s,s,. n no pro.,eetiye Emancipation question
PgrLApELPffA June .. l-is.
AZ DK.sefs Lnder the impression mat - pun
Ito, A. tnis ti1ne will promote your Fie"s Dc sfes
-, ,se eoule Of Kentucky, and b. u general uti4iy
s - 1870 - n take the liberty n inclos, you copy
n stter from Mr. JEFFERSON " me % he suOlec' ~
Slavery ,..-,. o. .d- - 1900.
6,l compliments % Mrs CLAY and u renew 70 you as
wi '"'' EDWARD COLES.
To Hon HENRY CLAY, Lexington, ~.
MONTICELLO august -. LEA.
DEAR EiR: Your favor Oi Jply 81 At ~ss duly
received and read with peculiar pleasure
'rne sentiments breathed through the whole %
honor 70 both the head aud heart Of the winter
Nine on the subject Of the slavery Of negroes have
long since been In possession Of the public aud
time has only served 10 give them stronger root.
The love u Justice and the love OF cOautry plead
equally the cause Of these people, aud II 10 NOR
tai reprOach ~ US that they should have pleaded
IL so long IN vain, end should have produced not
single efiIrt-nay, fear, not much serious Wi.
Ioeness-to relieve them and ourselves from oof
present condition Of moral and political repfobs-
lion. From those Of the former generation VINO
were ia the fuloess Of age when came INTO puD-
lie life, which while our controversy WtA
England paper only, j soon sa" tnat
nothing was % be hoped Nursed and educated
In the daily habit OF seeing the degraded con
dition both bodily aud mental, OF these 0niortu
nate beings not rejecting that that degradation
was very much the work Of themselves aud their
fathers, few minds lad yet doubted but that tney
were as legitimate subjects OF property Is their
horses or cattle. The quiet and mObOtOnOus course
OF colonial life had been disturbed BY no alarm
and little reflection on the value OF liberty aho'
when alarm was taken a. an enterprise On thrlf
own, II was not easy 10 carry them the "hole
length OF the principles which they INVOKED lOf
themselves. la the hrst or second session OIL TIE
Legislature after | became member Dire" 70
this subject the attention Of Colonel Bland one OF
the Oldest ablest aud most respected members
and be undertook 10 move for certain moderate
extensions Of the protection OF the laws 70 these
people. ! seconded his motion, ana, AS young
member, was more spared IN the debate but NJ
was denounced as AZ enemy ~ his country ana
was treated with the greatest indecofum.
From an early stage Of our revolution other
and more distant duties ere assigned me, 80 inst
from that time till my return from Europe m l'-'
and. may saw till returned 10 reside at home In
1909 | had little opportunity OIL knowing tne pro
gress OF public sentiment here on ihis SUBJECT
had always hoped that the younger generation
receiving their early impressions after the flames
of liberty had been kiGdied ln every breast ana
had become as II were the vital spirlt oil ever!
American, that the generous temperament ol
youth analogous h the motion Of their biood, ano
above the suggestions of avarlce, would nave
tympainlLtO WIN oppression NhtiN'p' ''N'iN
aud proved their love OF liberty beyond their own
share of H. But my intercourse with them since
my return has not been sufficient to ascertain that
they had made toward this point the progress
had hoped. Your solitary but welcome voice u
the frat which has brought this sound TO my ear
and have considered the general silence which
prevails on this subject as indicating an apathy
uniavOrabe u our hopes Yet the hour OF Eman
cipation ia advancing IN the march Of Time. IL
will come and, whether brought on by the gen
erous energy OF our own minds or by the bloody
process OF 81 Domingo, excited aud conducted 10y
the power of our present enemy, II once stationed
permanently within our country, Offering asylom
and arms to the oppressed IS a Leaf OF our history
not yet turned over.
As To the method by which this difficult work Is
TO be effected II permitted to he done by our.
aelves, | have seen no proposition so eXpedirht
on the whole, as that OF emancipation OF those
born after given day, aud OF their education aud
expatriation at n proper age. This would give
time for a gradual extinction OF That species OF
labor, and substitution of another, and lessen the
severity OF the shock which an operation SO fun
damental cannot fail to produce. The idea Of
emancpatng the whole st once, the old rs wei
rs the young and retaining them here. Is OF those
only who have not the guide of either knowled5 Sc
or experience on the subject For men, probably
Of any color, but Of this color We know brought
M from their infancy without necessity for thought
or forecast, are, by their habits, rendered as in
capable as Culluftl OF thhiht care OF thtihN''-'f
and are extnguished promptly wherever industry
ia necessary for raising the young. In the mean
time they are pests IN society by their idientss,
pnd the depredatious ~ which this leads them.
Their amalg with the other color pi'dlc' b
a degradation 10 which no lover oi his country, DO
lover OF excellence IN the human character can IL
nocently consent.
am sensible Of the p0rtiahties With which you
have looked toward me as the person who should
undertake this salutary aud arduoas work but
this, my dear sir, is like bidding Old Puam o.
buckle on the srmOr OF Hector, " IRENE stibHs 0ro
lupseris e nHihc ferrpm oiHgi.' No. have
overlived the generation with which mutual labors
aud perils begat mutual confidence aud influence.
This enterprise is for the young tor those who
can follow IL up, aud bear il through u is con
summation. IL shall have all my prayers, and
these are the only weapons OF al Old man. Blt,
in the mean time, are you risht IA abandouins
this property, aud your country with II think
not Nv opinion has ever been that, until more
can be done for them We should endeavor with
those whom fortune has thrown on our hands q
feed and clotho them well, protect them from Al
usage, require such reasonable labor only as Is
performed voluntarily by ireemeu, and be lea by
no repugnsnces 70 sblicste them aud our duties 10
them. The laws do not permit US to turn them
loose, If that were for their good and To commute
them ior other property Is to commit them % these
whose usage Of them We cannot control. hope,
then, my dear ST., YOU viii reconcile yourself &
s1U N'unty ahN Tvs unfortunate condition lDtt
you VIII DOT lessen its stock OF soald disposition
by Withdrawing your portion from the mass Tasi.
on the contrary, Noa will come forward IA the
pGohe councils. become the missionary of THIS
doctrine truly Christian. iAsinuate and incalcate IL
softly but steadily Though the modium OF wri,ing
aud conversation associate others in Your lsbars
aud, when the phsisnx 10 formed bring on and
press the proposition perseveTingly until It's A..
comphshment IL Is an encoursgios observation
that no good measure WAS ever proposed which
il daily pursued. ;sI'ed 70 prevail in the end We
have proof OF this IN the history OF the endeavor,
in the British Parliament IN Suppress that yer,
trade which brought This evil OF rs. And You wi.
be supported by the religious PrecePt Be DC
weary Ia W ell doiag That Your success may b.
40 speedy aud complete as It VIII be houorso'
aud i'm mortal consolation 70 yourself. shall .
fervently aud sincerely pray as assure you o. 70,
Great friendship and respect. Tao. JEFFERSON.
EDWARD CoLEs, ESQ.
MASSACHUSETTS, We learn from tho Bosfo
T,ar,isr th.t the following appointments hsve bee