The Madisonian. (Canton, Miss.) 1850-1855, 1850-04-25


Some Of the very negroes which your ta-t
theirs sold US, are still living; and, though
they are removed one thousand miles from
you, they trouble you oyer much. n Your
conduct puts me in mind Of the Pharlsee,
Of whom we are told, then when he stdol
in the Temple and prayed, he thanked God
that. be was not as other men--uot as the
poor Publican who was before him. l
suppose many of you thank God you are
not as we slaveholdets; and IsuppOse some
Of you, IN the spirit ot the Phdrlsee, even
when YOU look upon the portFait3of Wash
ing,on which hangs upon my left, the or
aamenl and the homer ofthis hall, thank
God lhatiyon are not such as he Was, for
he, too, was a Shareholder. But Ire was
first in war, first 10 peace, and first in the
the hearts Of his countTymen. Z Yesy sir,
he led you in ballIe- heled to victory and
glory He founded an empire, and Will
through all time be known as the Father OF
his Country, But strange to tell, SO great
has been the progress OF some in This pro-,
gressive age, that his memory was ira
ddced by one Of the leading speakers IN
The late abolition convention at SYIacue q,
New York. 10 this convention The onion
was denounced the constitution was de-.
nounced, and the memories Of Jefferson,
Washington aud Madison were traduced
because they were shareholders. Art not
these men mad2 They are either mad OF
worse; they are traitors to all the glories ot
the past and all the hopes Of the future. l
know that setae men are fanatics ON this
subject, and are possessed with a plety 50
transcendental that they fear they may be
offered up as viearious atonement Tor the
sins Of the South. But think can Ven-
lure 10 give such the assurance, that the
sin (if sin II be) is ou! sin, and that II IS
in vain that they trouble yhelr conscience
with il, and they are not responsible for
the matter by any law, either human or dl
vine; and ! think that II God has born
with US for two hundred years, and has
made US the most prosperous and happy
people upon the earth, that they might also
bear with Us, particularly as they or their
ancestors assisted 70 Tx the inslllutlon up
on us.
Mr.. Chairman, there is one thing that |
can say on this subject ii yindicalon OF
the South, and it is tins: that B ,000 600 Of
the negro race have never before in any
portion Of the recorded history OF maH
been as much civilized or chrlstianized as
those now IN the United States And 1
would say, thatanY man who wiA attend
the church service, and witness the chris
tian piety Of congregation Of slaves, will
be compelled TO admit that African slavery
has not been an unmitigatpd evil, even TO
the slave. And If he has one particle of
christian faith or christian hope in his heart
when he compares the present position Of
the regro with that Of the barbarian idola-
ter and cannibal N Africa, he will be con-
strained to say, that God may have had
some comPensatiDg providence in store Tor
this people, and that slavery is the proba-
tionary state preparatory to it. What this
may be, no man can tell-"God's ways
are not asour ways, nor his thoughts as our
thoughts" ii
There are many who suppose that slav-
cry is social and political evil, and for this
reason they refuse 10 let it go TO the terri
tories. But if it were the evil which they
insist il is, why shall the whole burden Of
il be thrown upon The present slaveholding
States? Why not let the new States
take their share of it? In what are they
better than we 2 II this was a new
question as to the introduction Of slavery
into the United States, could understand
the zeal of the North as reconciable with
principles Of patriotism and honor but we
do net propose to make any freeman a
slave; nor do we propose 10 open the Afi-
can slave trade. Nc, nothing of this kind
is sought TO be done. All that we ask is,
that the master, with hisslave, may be per%l
mitted 10 enter the common territory OF the
Union. We ask II, from the conviction
that it would be better for puth. 1t GER
tainly would be better for the slave, as he
is better provided for in a new and abund-
ant country than in an old aud exhausted
one. Also, the dividing Of the slaves into
many hands would add lotheir comfort and
the facility of their final emancipationI es-
pecialy il New Mexico and California are
not suited 10 labor. Ii this be true, every
slave carried their would soon become
free man. In some of the slave States the
negro population is as large as the white.
While this state Of things continues, eman-
cipation in these States is morally impos-
sible. Under such circumstances, il would
of necessity result in social and political
equality y.aaAnd even our northern friends
have YET some prejudices on the subject Of
color. see that 10 the good old Bay State
there is even now struggle going on to
keep the negro children out Of the common
schools And | presume those of you
who have families have some prejudices Of
color 10 your parlors; and Cufy is not even
there on footing with the descendant Of
the Puritan. suppose that the descend
ant of the Huguenot and Cavalier may be
allowed the same prejudices.
Mi. Chairman, there is one view Of this
subject which has always struck me with
some surprise, and has constrained me 70
doubt the. sincerity Of heaboli.ion move
ment as measure Of philanthropy. lt Is
thiss never hear Of the abolilionists, Tree
soilers OF WiImot provisoists paying any
thing to the cause OF negro emancipation;
have heard Of few cases in which they
have ever purchased the freedom Of a
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