The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-08-21
THE NATIONAL ERA.
GEN. SCOTTS VIEWS on SLAVERY.
4 MIN National Era i:

in which he SAYS Here, (Columbia,) with the |
consent Of the owners, or on the payment Of just
compensation, Congress may legislate at its dis
erection. But my conviction is equally strong that,
unless it he step by step with the Legislatures OF
Virginia and Maryland, it would be dangerous to
both races in those States to touch the relation
between master and slave in this District" This
danger he iufers from the " unavoidable irrita-
ton produced in the Southern States0 He goes
on to say, &" own, myself, no slave, but never
have attached blame TO masters for not liberating
their slaves-knowing that liberation, without
the means Of sending them in comfort to some
position favorable to the pursuit Of happiness
would, in most cases, be highly injurious to all
around, as we'll Us TO the manumltted families
themselves, unless the operation were general,
and under the auspices of prudent legislation.
But | sm persuaded that il is high moral obli-
CATION Of masters and slaveholding States TO en-
ploy all means not incompatible with the safety Of
both cOlors to fneliorate slavery even to extermi-
nation"
As am voter, may be allowed a word of re-
mark as to the correctness of the Generals senti-
ments Civil authority | suppose to be an in
stitution Of Gods appointing, to keep his own
world in order and is the only means by which
we can claim q right to exercise authority and
government over our own fellow man. Admit
this and it follows Of course that the Bible is the
plenary source of our instruction and rule of our
conduct Deny this, and we render ourselves
obnoxious to the charge ofhypocrisy in all our pub
lie professions Of religious and moral obligations 10
God as the moral governor Of the universe.
say then, man as an individual creature OF God,
has his rights from his Creator, and by him II is
declared that he has made Of one blood oil
nations OF men 20 dwell all the face OF the earth
and determined the times before appointed, and
IL i Al. = 1 - knk kao
all one Father. and that one God has created us,"
and has taught ms 10 pray "0hD Father which art
in Heaven &c From this Divine testimony we
as al iuisDsaLh nation, have declared and pub
Iished 10 the world and the nations Of the earth,
our yight 10 b. such" that all men are created
s7ual, that they are endowed By thar Creator with
certain Ialien9ble rights that among these, are
fife novfry auu tae-s 'rSur OF II ppfness --Lls-
truths we have declared to be elfevident" la
this way and under these circumstances, must
TEN "a AZ y..s,t7 go - r. F--'"g s--S
formed and still exist. As free men, claiming the
above inalienabe rights, we form ourselves into
communities States, aud nations, still aeknowl-
edgiug and claiming these rights and privileges
him for the Observance of his law and our duties
resulting from them.
Men are the creatures of God, be they where
they will. in heaven, earth, or hell; or in what.
ever station, Office relation in society they
may act or exist still the moral law of God, with
all its force and sanctions, rests upon them. They
can never exOnerate or worm themselves from
under il, by their own act of promise, oath, or
office or extrioate themselves from IT, by the COM
bined force Of lqHs cOnspired by the intrigue Of
men and devils. God has authorized no man to
violate his law, nor any set of men under his
authority to annul it, or Justify disobedience and
Ind; tofa
Virginia and Maryland, bad made and declared
the metes and bounds of their habitation as
States over which they exercised their authority.
They constituted part of the body who enacted
" that Congress shall have power to exercise ex-
elusive legislation, in dHCdSeS whatsoever over such
district mot exceeding ten miles square) as may
by cession Of particular States, and the acceptance
of Congress, become the seat Of Government of
the United Stateso Now, these States have lin
with others) made the law acceded to
and complied with its provisions, and ceded
yielded, resigned, and given up, their rights of
authority to legislate in and over the said ten
square miles which now constitutes the District,
10 the exclusive jurisdiction Of Congress, with
power TO exercise exclusive legislation in all cases
over such District.
Let us now inquire, where is the ground Of
complaint of these two States, which any other
State has not ?
II the North have no right to interfere with
Southern slavery, what right have the South 90
meddle with Northern slavery II individual
States have right to abolish slavery within their
precincts, has not Congress (the whole Confed
eracy) the same right and power to destroy the
same evil within her bounds, where she has the
exclusive" jurisdiction? IL Congress must 90,
step by step, with Virginia and Maryland, In one
legislative act, she must if demanded, be dictated
kaun L. IL % eli
are Unsuitable. "Give, give,n is the increasing,
ceaseless cry Weare not going, step by step, with
slavery, but step after step, at her bidding. Folly
1t is for the North to go, year after year. scolding
and yielding, scolding and yielding, till our
natural strength and energies are exhausted, and
our moral powers and abilities wasted let us
rather sustain and defend our civil and religious
rights, or submissively turn into the colored
ranks, and enjoy our quietude under masters,
" kind masters" to provide for us. What would
be the danger the General so fearfully anticipates
in Virginia and Maryland, OF both races, should
the relation between master and slave in Column
bia be touched by Congress-
Are We to be driven from our obvious duty to
God, and our fellow men, for fear of irritation I"
and the threats of Southern tyrants Is il indis-
pensable that the consent Of shareholders should
be had, aud their demand satisfied, before civil
preston Of vice. can legislate on moral question
Of right and wrong The moment the cesson
Of those States was made to Congress, that mo-
ment, las considcr.) 80 far as moral principle is
concerned the question Of slavery in the District
Of Columbia became n fit subject Of legislative
consideration and enactment and over which
Congress had the sole and exclusive right Con-
gress itself considered those slave laws of Virginia
and Maryland null and void, or at least subject
TO their revision otherwise, they would not have
reenacted them Civil authority, judges, 81 c., are
solemnly warned to take heed what they do, for
they judge not for men, but for the Lord, who
was with them In judgment" and therefore eau
toned TO judge in his fear and copy his example
Of impartaty, integrity, and justice for, (said
he,) there is no iniquty with the Lord our God
nor respect Of persons, nor taking of gifsn
Had the General lived in obedience to the COM
mand Of God, given to Joshua, t' this book of law
shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt
mediate therein day and night, that thou mayest
observe to do according TO all that is written
therein, and been as conversant with its senti-
ments as he has been in tactics making Next
can widows and fatherless children, he might
have been better prepared to perform the duties
OF Chief Magistrate Of a Christian Nation Is IL
requisite that candidate for the Presidency
should be warrior, and have shed blood abun
dantly2 ;" Was not this the outcry Of the Whigs
against General Jacksonl If God has made all
nations Of one blood, IL we have all one common
Creator and Father, as he himself has declared
and IL the declarations of OUa mouths are true
and are TO be regarded, that all men are Great ed
equal and endowed by their Creator with the right
of liberty" and that the object Of our Constitu
ton and Government and formation Of our Union
was ITO establish Justice, insure domestic tran.
quillty, and secure the blessings of ibedy 10 our.
selves and our postcrity,p as we have further
declared and also that these truths are so obviou.
as to be sey-eUide1a, in the name OF God of jus.
tice and mercy, and in the name of my fellow man
and brother, ! ask, who but Satan will have the
etirontery and brass TO rise up and give God the
lie, and challange the Creator with his rights to
his creature man, and deny his brother the exer-
else OF his God-given rights The claims Of the
Shareholder are thus justly described by Doctor