The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-06-09

| W.
, demned"
Gen. Seett's Opinions on Slavery.
We promised, few days since, to lay befor,
our readers the recorded opinions of Genera
ScoTT on the slavery question We perform
that promise to-day, by the production of the let
ter which will be found below. 1t will be seer
that his views are very plainly and decidedly
expressed, and he has since given no reason Ia
suppose that these views have undergone any
change
"WAsHINGToN, Feb. 8, IS43.
"DEAR SIK--I have beer waiting for an even.
ing's leisure to answer your letter before me,
and, after an unre sonabe delay, am ut last
obliged to reply in the midst of official oecupa-
TONS
"That ever have been named in connection
with the Presidency Of the United States, has
not, can assure you, the son of an ancient neigh
Dor and friend, been by any contrivance or desire
of mine and certainly shall never be- in the
field for that high Office unless placed there by
a regular nomination. Not, then, being can
didate, and seeing no near prospect of being
made one, ought, perhaps, to decline troubling
you or others with my humble opinions on great
tration but as cannot plead ignorance of the
Partially Of few friends, in several parts of the
Union, who may, by possibility, in certain
event, succeed in bringing me within the field
from which Wing candidate is to be selected,
prefer to err on the side OF ffankness and can
dor, rather than by silence, to allow any stranger
unwittngly to commit himsefto my support
"Your inquiries open the whole question of
domestic slavery, which has, in different forms,
for number of years, agitated Congress and
the country.
"Premising that you are the first person
who has Intercepted me on the subject, give
| Jou the basis of what wouLd be my reply in
greater detail, if time allowed and the contin-
gency alluded to above were less remote
"In boyhood, at William and Mary College,
and in common with most, if not all, my CON-
panions, became deeply impressed with the
views given by Mr.. Jefferson, in his Notes on
Virginia. and by Judge Tucker, in the Appendix
to his edition Of Blackstone's Commentaries, in
favor of gradual emancipation of slaves That
| Appendix have not seen in thirty odd years,
| and. in the same period, have read scarcely any
thing on the subject but my early Impressions
are fresh and unchanged. Hence, if | had had
the honor of seat in the Virginia legislature in
the winter of 1872 when bill was brought
forward to carry out those views, should GER
tainly have given it my hearty support.
al suppose scarcely need say that, in my
opinion, Congress has no color of authority
under the Constitution. for touching the relation
of master and slave within State.
81 hold the opposite opinion in respect to the
District of Columbia. Here, with the consent
! of the owners, or on the payment of just COM
pensation,' Congress may legislate at its discre-
ton. But my cInvictionis equally strong that,
unless it be step by step with the Legislature OF
Virginia and Maryland, it would be dangerous
| to both races in those States to touch the rea-
ton between master and slave in this District
81 have from the first been of opinion that
Congress was bound by the Constitution to re-
ceive to refer, and to report upon petitiJn re-
lating to domestic slavery as in the case of all
other petitions but | have not failed to see and
to regret the unavoidable irritation which the
former have produced in the Southern States,
with the consequent peril to the two colors,
whereby the nd option of any plan of emancira-
ton has everywhere among us been greatly re-
tarded.
IL owrt>nyself, no slave but never have at
tached blame to masters for not liberaling their
s'aves--knowing that liberation, without the
means of sending them in comfort to some pc.
stion favorable to 'the pursuit Of happiness
would, in most cases, be highly injurious to all
around, as well as to the manumitted families
themseves-unless the operation were general
: and under the auspices of prudent legislation.
But | am persuaded that it is high moral obi
CATION of masters and slaveholding States to en-
, ploy all means, not Incompatible with the safety
of both colors, to meorate slavery even to ex
. termination.
at is gratifying 10 know that general melio
y ration has been great, and is still progressive
!. notwithstanding the disturbing causes alluded
q to above. The more direct process OF emanc
q patton may, no doubt, be earlier commenced and
Il Qnckened in some communities than in others
o Each, do not question, has the right to Judge
r for itself, both rs to time and means, and con
slider interference or aid from without, except
on invitation from authority within, TO be as
hnrtful TO the sure progress Of melloration, rs
il may be fatal TO the lives OF vast mutitudes Of
all nges, sexes, and colors. The work of libera
RI ton cannot be forced without such horried re-
: suits. Christi IN philanthropy is ever mild and
considerate. Hence all violence ought to be de-
precated by the friends of religion and humani
ty. Their persuasions cannot fail at the right
time to free the master from the slave and the
slave from the master rerhaps before the latter
shall have found out and acknowledged that the
relation between the parties had long been mu-
tuallv prejudical to their worldly interests.
"There is no. evil without. in the order of
Providence. some compromising benefit The
bleeding African was torn from his savage home
by his ferocious neighbors, sold into slavery,
and cast upon this continent. Here, in the mild
South, the race has wonderfully multiplied,
compared with any thing ever known in bar
barous life. The descendants of few thousands
have become many millions and all, from the
first, made acquainted with the arts Of civiliza-
ton, and above all, brought under the light of
the Gospel.
From the promise made to Abraham, some
two thousand years had elapsed before the ad-
vent Of our Savior, and the Isrneites, the chosen
people Of God, were, for wise purposes suffered
to remain in Dor dage longer than Africans have
been an our shore. This race has already ex-
D perienced the resulting compensations alluded
to; and as the white missionary has never been
able to penetrate the dark regions of Africa, or
1 to establish himself in its interior, it may be
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