Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-09
From tho Boston Post.
JEFFERSON

tsed upon them:
From the Boston POST
JEFFERSON.
Az INTERESTING LE-7EH-Wc have the pleasure through
the kindness OF NAHUM CArES. ESD of Lying before puf
readers tins morning letter from GEO. ". RANDOLPH, Esq,
grandson of 'EfFE2snss, highly respected Virginia
II lawyer OF fine talents and accomplished genIl'-
Coming from source tspeciaplc AMI authentic
il cannot fall 10 command attention besides giving ar
Jctierson's views and The opinion Of Mr. Randolph
cansiitutiona!ty Of the fugitive slave law, also contains
highly interesting narrative u facts relating bJion in
Virginia.
One of the means resored to- for exciting hostility the
south lie, 10 claim Jcesons authority for The poca! doc
trlnes OF The aboonslS and 10 represent the south hav
Ing bascly fallen away from the true faith forth by M
immortal au!hU! OF the declaration of ntrp, ndcncr ~
.uage used by him 10 sci forth The rights OF anterior to
the formation OF society Is perverted irJa lis meaning and
made apply to under legitimate form OF sovernInrn
the very adoption OF which duties witch
exist in what Ia called natural siatc and .ccir1cay,
rights This language used by Joils,>un show
necessity of government and the legitimacy rlg"
we'll as the nature u lis duties Another mode I'll pcfscTi.O
his language is 10 few from Ike context ard
present as general NUN, prOposira ,.irn Jefferson
puts Iorwarc IN lis bpades fern express rpos
moulding ard shaping into real truth b. limitations
tained in The context In this way The cu6cs notions ere
forth eersons when the real IDEAS and principles
Of Jefferson utterly different The nx step 10 assert
that the conscience of the south has become akened
and corrupted by its institutions longer recognize
these called Jeersonln principles and dictate this
tarkened conscience the conclusions OF the more eaphrs H.
ed conscience Oi the abullior:ss.
Ia undertaking thus dictate, north Intermediates
with question bevond its ursdicOn snd in violation
If the equal rights OF conscience Belonging the
While thu interference, tcn sopposr ol JeesUn>
rncipieS-equnl rights OF conscience il is drncaird
rt uiIery wi;h charity well cq,.i rights
il is also practically subrctsvc oi the gcat ~i.ci
Jefferson al! his energies and genius to a.in about
The which il has operated i clearly AMI ao. tx.
ri:-I " aii it""L"ig's letter, ioEi "insl ~
ger !c.!a llu reader.
Rlcm,Ioxp April Is 1881
Dear Sir-ln consequence OF uiy removal this place
Your letter was somewhat DELAYED in reaching and has
no. been answered promptly il otherwise would
been Oh say inst some VI the democrats with
tain the unconSiltuonaiy OF The fugitive slave ar and in
sis that IN doing 80 they are following The r.ws ard
principles advanced By Mr.. Jefferson And you wish L,
know wheih" tc:e any iacts within my knowledge! iii.
such assertions and whether doa CT ,e
cJnstil utoaai!ly OF That law.
know nothing which affords The slightest ground 10
suppose that Mir Jefferson HvGI consider fugitive slave
law unconstitutional if he living ana have an.
piled for information This point M .oiI,r Th
as Jefferson Randolph, who was npon terms Of the
intimacy with him FOR many years previous 10 MS DEAN
fully persuaded that Mr.. e;nrsnns p-,Gcpis il firhv
understood, DO conflict with the fugitive a,ay. law and
'sat the appearance ~ -Ish conflict only h; brought
about 10y most unlsiGi45ic interpretations Tie ccclara-
lion oil Independence believe is usually relied np" by north
ao0t!onss when they fit quote Mr. icrs,n for
authority and that Instrument is sJmetirs used 10 p
the unconsiltu"naiityo slavery ITSELF and other times
directed against The fugitive sa.c law il m. jugnrur
has not it slightest bearing upon either except locp
nze slavery by implication Il Legal institution
The passage commonly relied on conflicting with slave.
and uujlry All laws t,IGing upaG.d is the tec-
ration 'hi all created etuA' i they are endowed
by their Cea": with certain unaicnaDic rights that among
these are life lb;ily and the pursuit III haupj,rs d.
follow HAT because iIeiS undi.nr,. c cy.r:-
never be Ieti5aued! i So, The Gacararn m i'd
Yrndencc only gives freedom slave b.l ,o 10 the
inmates of psnenarios and Prisons And as lie
casscd among the nnaera5'9 rights capital uni.:neni
ia like manner ABOLISHED Take hc foregoing pa sag. ~
connection with what follows and thu asIrIv of such
construction is still more apparent II declared thu; ,n
upl may found government on principles and or.
gunizc powers in such form them shall seem mast
likely effect their safety and haypncss Now s.po,sr
,h.,ft tho, ,tIbliT thu
would it not be in conformity with the principle here an
nounccd II his rights be- touched because they
are unalenabe, neither those Of rons for The same
reason, and wc must tu.n loose all the thieves and
mudceTy il the community by way OF preserving
"hfe liberty and the pursuit OF happinrss' | have.
said that the decirallnn I" Independence rcco.nz,.
slavery; ii does this by making il cause uf complaint
against tic ling Great Britain that he has excited do
nesc instructions among u.s. This language refers 10 IN
surecloEs OF slaves as WI! De apparent by reference an
instrument which was The source and parent OF the dacara
ton of Independence. aiuCt To resolution p,.srd by
the General Assembly OF Virginia Oh tile 18th of Nav nc
instrucnG their Delegates IN Congress TO propose decara
ton of independence The made in Congress on
the h Of June following and it fl. Mr. Jeilcrsons lot Ia
draugh the declaration This he did with the Virginia in
structons in his in which The General Assembly
complain that the king Virginia had temp.
ted their slaves by every atce resort TO and had train
ed and employed them against their masters The complaint
is stated more concisey in the declaration of
which says he has excited domestic instructions among
u.s." Can it be doubted that the validity OF the institution
of slavery here rccognzed7 il il had not been would
an attack upon II nave been set orth prominently g!cv
ance2
Consider moreover the practical construction given 10 the
declaration OF independence large number OF its sigrers
anpng them its autho then and continued 10 be
holders Some Of them afterwards sat as Judges in slave
states and aduicaed questions involving the legality Of
slavery VI th=s., George Wythc Of Virginia. was
He had been Mr. Je:eGson p:eccpo ana remarkable
for his purity and wisdom As chancellor of Virginia he
frequently decided questions involving slavery and never
far as am informed hestated 10 sustain its legality Now
did these understand their own profession ul principle.
ri