Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-06-30

0en. scose's Opinions - Slavery.
According to promise we lay before the
public, the letter Of Gen. Scott. written
several years ago. uponthe subject Of slave
nv. We need not remind the reader. that
since its date, the subject to whichit relates
has assumed many new aspects, and that
this letter can only be regarded as express
s;ve Of the writer's views,upon the question
as then presented.
Washington, Feb. 0. 1873
.Drap SrR:-I have been waiting for an evening
leisure To answer YOUR letter before me, and ai'ef
an unreasonable delay. am at last Obliged 10 iePH
in the midst of official occupations >,
Tb., I have ever been named in connection WIN
,h pr..;j.ncx az the United States, has not, can
...,re ,.,u the son Of ancient nelghoer an"
sr;.nJ. been by any consrvancc or desire OF mihe'
a,J certainly shall never be in the field Tor that
h;rh o5ee ,nIe.s placed there BY regular ncr'nd-
ti.,a. Not then, being candidate, and seeing ny
near prospect OF being made one, ought, Pefnets,
to decline troubling you or others win my n.HD
onnous ON great principles Of State rihts ana 'co
:. ADMINISTRATION; but asI cannot plead ignorance
Of the Partially of few friends in several parts Oh
the Union, who may, by possibility, in certain e
ven, succeed in bringing me within tine heid rom
which a Wing candidate is to be selected ffSIel
TO err ON the side Of frankness and candor. ra.her
than by silence to allow any stranger unwitias'y 10
commit himselfto my support, !,
Your inquiries open the whole question oil 40
r,..tic slavery. which has, in different forms tor
number of years, agitated Congress and the coun-
Promising that you are the first person who has
nerroga.cd me on the subject, give you the basis
Of what monla be my reply in greater detail IT time
allowed and the contingency alluded to above were
less remote.
I'm boyhood. Mt William and Mary College, and
in common with most, if not all, my companlons'
became deeply impressed whit the views given BY Mr.
Jefferson, in his Notes Virginia, and by Judge
Tucker, in the appendix to his edition OF Black
stones Commentaries in favor of gradual emancl-
patton ofslaves That Appendix have not seen IN
thirty odd years. and in the period, have read
scarcely any thing the subject; but my carly nm
pressons are fresh and unchanged. Hence. 1t
had had the honor of seat in the Virginia Legsia-
,ure in the winter of 1912, when a bill was
brought forward to carry ont those views. should
certainl, have given it my hearty support
suprosc scarcely need say that, in my opinion,
Congress has no color ofauhority under the Consti-
tuition for touching the relation OF master and slave
within State. =,
hold the opposite opinion in respect to the Dis
trio, of Columbia Here, with the consent OF the
owners. or on the payment OF gust compensation
Congress may legislate at its discretion. pu' my
eonvctinn is equally strong that unless 1t be step
bv s,cn with the Legislatures ofVirginia and Mary
land !, would be dangerous to both races in those
States to touch the relation between master and
slave in this District
have from the frs, been of opinion that Con
gross was bound by the Constitution to receive, to
REFER and torepcrt upon petitions relating to domes
tic slavery as in the of all other petitions; but
have not failed to see and regret the unavoidable
irritation which the former have produced in the
Southern States, with the consequent peril to the
two colors. whereby the adoption of any plan of e.
mancipation has everywhere among US been greatly
retarded.
| own. myself. no slave but never have attached
blame to masters for not Ebcrating their slaves
knowipp thai liberation without the means of send
;np them in comfort 10 some position favorable to
tbe purs,,;t of happiness" would, in most cases. be
bpblv injurious to all around, as well as to the
ur,;,ted f,milie, themseIves-unlcss the operation
or, General and under ne auspices of prudent leg
;sI.,;en Rut am persuaded that it is high NOR
Al ob,;yn,;on of masters and Saveholdng States to
.,nlnv ali means not incompatible with the safety
ho,5 colors To melioratc slavery even to cxter-
n,;na,io,,
I, il gratifying TO know that general Moderation
has been erea, and is still progressive, notwith-
standing the disturbing causes alluded to above
The more direct process of emancipation may, no
5aub, be earlier commenced and quickened in
som, communities than in others. EACH l do not
oueston has the right to Judge for ITSELF both TO
time and MEANS and consider interference aid
from Without except on invitation from authority
within tn be burtfu to the sure progress OF nell
Grafton as it may be fatal to the lives of vast multi
tudes OF all ages, sexes and colors. The work of
liberation cannot be forced without such horrd re-
suits Christian philanthropy is ever mild and con-
sideratc Hence all violence ought to be depreca-
ted by the friends of religion and humanity Their
persuasons cannot fail ut the right time free the
master from the slave, and the slave from the mas
ter; perhaps bfore the latter shall have found out
and acknowledged that the relation between the par
ties had long been mutually preudcial to their world
" interests
There is no evil without in the order of Proyi-
dence. some compensatipg benefit The bleeding
African was torn from his savage home by his fro-
cious ueghbors sold into slavery and cast upon this
continent. Here. in the mild South. the race has
wonderfully multiplied, compared with anv thing
ever known in barbarou, life The descendants of
a few thousands have become many millions; ind
all from the FIRST made acouaipted with the arts If
civilization. and. above all brought under the irht
Of tho Cos,,.l
From the nrom;se made IN Abraham son,c two
thopsand vear. Ind c,nrod bof,rc The .dvc,, r our
S,y;our and tho IsracI;,es tho cbnscn roorle If
bondage longer than the Africans have been on our
n,;or @ @ InJe5 5 ,h 'nJ