Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1850-03-15


here, containing clause prohibiting sIa-
very in the new State, which provision it
was that had given rise to the opposition
now made to her admission. Whatever
was believed to be the object or manner
of the commencement of the war with
Mexico, it would generally be conceded
! that 1t was carried on with view to the
acquisition of territory. Territory was
acquired; but the natural expectation that
| it would be slave territory was disappoint-
ed, by the action of the people of the ter
ritory itself.
| Mr.. Webster then went into histori-
cal consideration of the institution Of sla-
/ very, from the earliest ages to the present
time The ancients did not justify sla-
very, upon the ground that the more intel
! ligent, and therefore the stronger, were
| superior to the weaker. The Roman phi
! losophers and Jesuits defended the insti-
tuition of slavery upon the international
! law-arguing rightly that the conventional
law of nations Admitted that the captives of
war, whose lives according to the notion
of that day, were at the mercy Of the cap
tors, might, in return for their lives, be
made slaves for life-the obligation also
resting upon their posterity. He also con-
tended, by the civil law, that there might
! be slavery.
First, as result of the voluntary act
of an individual who sells himself into
slavery.
Second, as a consequence of debt.
Third, for crime.
Bringing the matter down to the chris
tian era, he alluded, at some length, to t,le
feeling in large portion of the communi-
ty-of the conscientious belief that sla-
very is a sin, and incompatible with the
christian sentiments of brotherly kindness.
He expressed his own belief that there
was an honest belief of this character
There were men in the community who,
in the too hot pursuit of one duty, forget
that there are many other duties which
they overlook Therefore, men who sup
pose that they could Distinguish between
right and wrong, with the certainty of an
algcbraic quation-men who thought
nothing good that is not periect-those.
who, If they see spot upon the sun, con-
slider that good reason for striking the
sun from heaven. There were men too
impatient to wait for the slow and gradual
working Of great moral causes. They
forget that the miracles of Christ, in eigh-
teen hundred years, have coverted but
small portion of the world. 1t was this
state OF feeling which had done much
towards creating the present difficulty.
What was the feeling on the part of the
most eminent public men in relation to the
institution of slavery 1t was formerly
denounced throughout the country-not
as cruel and inhuman-but as political
evil-iniuriously substituting slave for free
labor, and consequently the most eminent
public men commented with great acerbity
upon the conduct of the mother country,
who, 10 favor the navigator, inflicted the
evil upon the colonies The question in
the early days of the government was not
whether slavery was an evil. This was
admitted. The question was how the evil
should be dealt with. 1t was thought It's
day would be shortened by prohibiting the
importation of slaves, and proposition
was introduced TO prohibit such importa-
ton twenty years hence. This time was
objected to by Mr.. Madison, among other
prominent Southern men, as being too
long lie feared, as he said, that too
much of this evil would be introduced.
If so, much opportunity was allowed. 1t
would be observed, that the word slavery"
was not made use of in the Constitution
perhaps, in consequence OF the feelings
expressed by Mr.. Madison, when he did
not want to see the institution Of slavery
recognised in the Constitution.
Mr.. Webster thought that there were
two historical truths which must be clear
to all.
FrSt-Therc was an expectation, for
merly, that upon the suppression of the
importation of slaves, slavery would begin
10 run out.
Second-That so far as there was any
power in Congress to prevent the spread
Of slavery in the United States, it would
use it in the most absolute and decided
manner.
lie alluded to the ordinance prohibiting
slavery IN the Northwest Territory. Mr..
Calhoun had said that p" this was the first
of the series of measures calculated to
weaken the South lie desired to say,
in reply, that the ordinance was passed
with the unanimous consent Of the South
there being but one vote against lt-and
that one, representative from the North.
Since that time there had been great
change in opinion, both North and South.
Slavery was notnow regardedby the South
as it then was There had been a contln-
ual and growing opinion in the North
against slavery, and growing opinion IN
the South in It's favor. Now il was con
sidered an institution of great interest and
value to her prosperity
This state of things resulted from caus-
es which would always produce like Ell
fects. The interests of men-the change
Il Il L i IL