The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-01-27


element, and shrink from 1t. The spirit Of
liberty is a spirit Of excitement. Despotism
may dread neutrality-suspicious. has nsught
to fear from it. Passionate, reckless excite
ment may be viewed with alarm, but tho
element Of earnest thought and glowing feel
right, and in behalf of humanity and social
well-being, is to be hailed with joy. II is life,
will give life and where there is life there hope.
A living people is always hopeful people, and
an advancing people. And, further, living
community is a safe community. The living,
flowing stream never creates miasma. In the
stagnant pond are bred corruption and death
Cuba, with its moral and Intellectual stag
nancy, is in danger; America, with its life and
freedom, is safe.
But admitting, for the sake of argument, that
agitation is an evil, can measures ever be taken
for efecting emancipation without causing
agitstionf As long as slavery exists, the very
mention of its cessation will produce excite
ment. Let the discussion be postponed fifty or
hundred years, and then. no less than now,
its commencement will be the beginning Of an
agitation, wide, general, universal agitation,
which will not subside until the matter 10 set
tied, wisely, satisfactorily and concusively set
tied.
But the difficulties and dangers attendant upon
the discussion of emancipation, instead Of being
diminished by delay. will, We firmly believe.
be greatly, UNNECESSARILY increased. The long
or slavery exists, the more complicated are the
interests involved the more intricate the problem
to be solved. And be it remembered that at
some time the solution must be made. 1t is only
a question of time, for whether deferred for a
longer or shorter period, the subject Of emanci-
patton must be met, considered and decided
This necessity is virtually admitted even by
those who now deprecate discussion, for they
all speak Of slavery as an evil and wrong, and
all refer to its future extinction as inevitable.
The question is not, nor or Heper, but NOR or
hereafter-and which is the wiser course to
meet it manfully now, or wait till the difficult
ties are incslculably increased7
"But let il alone, and slavery will die"
This assertion is made very frequently and
with confidence, as if it were a self-evident
truth. To us this is by no means sef-evident
truth, and we should like to have its correctness
demonstrated. When our fathers formed the
Constitution of the United States, they san
guinely hoped that slavery would soon die
But what is the fact7 Instead of dying. IL has
continued TO live, and, not only TO live, but has
diffused itself over territories which our ances-
tore never dreamed would be blightsi by lis
poisonous breath. Surely this does not look
like death.
"But slavery must die. 1t will kill itsslt"--
How so9 We confess that we do not understand
the suicidal process by which this desirable end
is to be accomplished. VIII slavery starve H.
self, or hang itself, or drown ITSELF And by
what motive will il be actuated in this, the only
justihable instance Of self-murder1 By benev-
olence, malice, or despair Perhaps, you may
think that il will die in very shame. Say you
that such will be eventually the feeling of the
civilised world in regard TO slavery, that the
slaveholding States will be obliged, in self-de-
fence, to give up the institution Do you mean
that the citizens of the States, which above all
others, pride themselves on their chivalry and
Independence, are to be driven By shame to do
what they would refuse to do on the ground Of
right We should be sorry to believe that such
an imputation is deserved by our own State, OF
by her sister States Of the South.
Or do you mean that hereafter the evils Of
sIavery will become so terrible, its burden SO
heavy, that the State, in self-preservation will
be obliged to destroy the Institution
Very probably this will be the result, If action
be continually deferred. Danger and suffering,
may compel pOsterity to do the work Of ernan-
cipation, but the accomplishment of the work
under such circumstances, will be a fearful task.
The performance of the work in such circum-
stances, under the pressure of such motives,
will be attended with an agitation which might
well blanch the cheek Of the bravest, an agita-
ton which will shake the beloved Common
wealth to its centre, if not rend IT asunder =
Where is there a man whose heart has known
one throb Of generous emotion, who can calmly
contemplate such a RESULT Benevolence, ps-
triotism, religion, all high principles and noble
feelings, prompt us 10 make any sacrifice rather
than impose upon Postsrity such necessity
We profess regret that our ancestors have be-
queathed the legacy Of slavery to us. Shall we
prove the hollowness Of our professions by en-
failing greater curse upon those who are TO
follow us7
The truth is, as IL seems to us, that the idea
of slavery killing itself is the merest delusion, rs
baseless as the shadowy fabric of dream
Slavery will cease when the people delerrnin ne It
shall cease. It's cessation will be the result, not
of chance, nor Of the unconscious course of
events, but Of deliberate determination. And
that determination, whenever II shall be made,
--s-s - proceeded ~ ai-----s-- 90 ~. 49,.
Is Il not, then, the wiser course TO meet the
question at once7 Never was there more pro-
pitious time for discussion. Let the subject,
then, be discussed, fairly, thoroughly discussed
II slavery can be proved blessing, let II lie so
proved, and LET the panoply Of the new Consti-
tuition be thrown il TO guard and preserve Il
forever. But il IL be proved an evil, thea let
measures be taken for its cessation.
Such seems to the course of wisdom and
Of humanity.
A. Al