Western union. (City of Hannibal, Mo.) 1850-1851, 1851-07-24
Gen. Scott on Slavery.

rhe papers in the interest Of Gen Scorr as the
Wing candidate for the Presidency, have received the
following letter II was written, will be seen by
the letter. it, lSl3, under circumstances very iercn
from those which cxist but il is right. in the alb
seuce gilmore recent declarations that he should have
the benefit OF the sentiments contained in this lei.
ter. Il Louis Rep.l
WAsHiNGroS. February 9, 1913
DEAR SiR | have been waiting for an evenings les.
utc 10 al sNer your letter before me. and after an nm
reasonable delay, am at last obliged TO reply in the
midst oi official occupations.
That ever have been named in connection with the
Presidency of the United States has not. can assure
you. the .on oi an ancient ncighhor and friend been
by any continuance or desire Of mine; and certainly
shall never be in the field for that high office unless
placed there BY regular nomina alton Not then be.
ing candidate. and seeing near pro pect of being
made ought perhaps 10 decline troubling yon OF
others with humble opinions Oh great principles of
State rights and federal administration; but cannot
plead ignorance of the patiay 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 i, TO be selected
prefer 10 err on the side of tankness and candor rah
er than bv silence to allow any stranger unwit,lngy
to commit himself TO INV support
Your inquiries open the whole question Of domestic
slavery, which has in diierevf forms for number of
years, agtaled Congress and the country.
Promising that You aIe the first person who has in.
tcioga'ed me on the subject, give you the basis OF
what roud be my reply in greater detail, If time al
lowed and the contingency alluded 10 above we've less
remote.
In boyhood. at William and Mary College, and IN
common with most, il not all, my companions, be.
came deeply impressed with the views given by MIR.
Jefferson in his 'No'es on Virginia" and by Judge
Tucker, in the Appendix TO his edition OF Black,oues
Commentaries. in favor of gradual emancipation of
slaves. That appendix have not in thirty odd
and. in The period, have read sccacey any
thing the suhi'ct; but my early impressions are
flesh and uuchau. .rd Hence. ii had had the honor
ol sea, III the Virginia Legislature inthe winter oi
1912, when bli blough, forward TO carry out
those views, shoUld certainly have gNenh my hearty
support.
! lsupposcl scarcely need say that in my opinion,
Congress has no color OF authority under the Con'tllu-
o' ior touching HE relation o master ana slaves WIN
III State.
ho.d the OF poslc opinion in respect TO the District
oil onl ba. Here wl,h the consent of the owners, or
Oh the pay mcut ui lust compensation Congress
may ieg'sate at discretion. But my CONVICTION Is
equally sliung that, unless IT be step py Step WIN e
Legislatures OF Vagina a,d Maryland, 1t would be-
dang 10 both Faces those states TO touch The re-
lalion between master and slave ~ ms p''Wc''
| have, from the inst, been oi the opinion 'hu Con-
SIeSs was bound by Tie Con stlalioh 10 ''ee',e W,
ier aud 10 report upon petilloas ralans 10 domrsc
slavery III the ,ase ol all other upn,ons hul nave
moi lAed 20 a.d 10 regret the unavoidable rt'a-
ton "hcn the ioIme. have produced ~ the southern
States, with the consequent peru 10 the tNo co'o'''
whereby The adoption oi any plan oi c'hahc'V'o" "''
IeNeiyMeic among lis DueI greatly retarded
own, myself, no slaves; but never nave atAcnru
blame 10 masters uo hberatng their slaves Know
X
III comfort 10 some position favorable 10 ns pu, sun
Vi bappn,s )" would, III most Cases, be hsh'y iJ"i
Gus 10 AL around, ell a. 10 the ndh"h''''' '''
hes themselves unless the opera ION were sem''a' anu
under TIE Susplccs ol prudent ie5lslal'o'' nu' a
per suadc thai II high moral oDisapn o masters
and sldt cluldms Stics 10 employ all means, io i
COM ;blt lth the ,ae,y oil both colors,i neo'a'e
slavery even 10 eXlc, ,lniuatIoh. -. -,
Ii Is gratifying TO kIuH that gene raj melo'a'o" va"
been sieal and is sill progressive, nolMih''a"''nS
the disturbing causes alluded 10 above. Inc more ~
lcc process OF emancipation may, no DOUBT ue e,u
commence and qnchened IN some coMm.l'ts VS., ,'I ",
an Others. Each, 40 moi question, has lhe i'S' -"
Judge ior its sell, both to lime and means, ana '
slider interference aid from without, except on W.
laion from aulhouty within, 10 be as hui''n, 10 w.
progress OF mcloraon II may be fatal TO 'he 'ves
o vast multliucS, OF all ages, sexes aud coio'' i''
work at liberation cannot be forced without such "o
rid results Christian philanthropy is mild anu con
siderate Hence all violence ought to be uep'ee"'e'
by the friends oi RELIGION aud humanity. lheh y
suasun, cannot tail al The right time TO iiec the mas
ter from the slave and the slave from the nasIer per-
haps before tic latter shall have found out ana ac
konw edged that the relation between the parties hau
long been mutually pref judicial 10 their woiia'y III
terests.
There no evil, without. in the order OF Pro ''dehce,
some compcusa,ing beneii The bleeding Mlcaii was
torn tom his savage home ny ieroc'ou, he'
sold into saveI', and cast upon this contihe' ne's
IN the mild South, the has wonderfully mntPheu
compared with any thing ever known III pa'baou' l,e
The descendants oi lew thousands have p'eoN,'
ed With the art, civilization, aud abo.e all, brought
under the light oi the Go'pel.
From the promise made to Abraham, some two 'ho"-
sand years had elapsed before the advent OF on, 'I
ylor and the lsraelitc, the chosen people OF rou'
were io wise purposes, sNtred 10 remain IN bohua7
longer than Africans nave been on our shoie' LUIS
race has already experienced the resulting cohPehsa
on, alluded 10 and, Is The white missionary ,i" w.
cI been able TO penetrate the dark regions oi AFRICA
or establish himself in the Interior, may DE "'''
III the scheme oil Providence that the great wolh ., "
spe. ding the gospel that vast continent WIN al
the ats and comforts OF cHiLatioa, - To os h''a''y
accolnp sa BY the black man restplediiroh America"
bondage. ioothod there has already been sa'heu
ior han, and III such scheme centuries are on' DIS 'e
conds 10 HIM who moves worlds as man moves
hnser . -,
| / do INT susgesi the remedies and consultations oi
slavery, to inspire patience, hope aud charity on az
sides. 1nc mighty subject calls loi the exercise o., ~
mans wisdom and virtue, and these may ho' s"'
.without and IRON higher source. A.,
II sin the foregoing manner, my a'a' s''' wa,
have long beeu IN the habit, III conversation, o' 'N'
pressing myself all over our common country, u" '.
question O ucgo slavery, ani mnal say '"r' nav
found bu, very iew persons to diIs' wan he' "o"e'e
, oppo te their geographical POSITIONS
Such are The views opinions winch yon seek
Cannot suppress OF muli!ae them, although now abI
to be- more general j. Do WIN '"en what you P's'''
, / nellhe court or shun publicity.
Z WINFIELD SCOTT.
= I. p. ArKlNsos, Esq, Danv'i'a, Va
u-JThe Republic says that The new Capitol bn'd
iug, 10 be erected are 10 be each one hundred hh'
forty tive .ce' egh, inches forn, by |wo hnhureu a
Thirty eight feet eight inches deep. lhey are 10
placed at the d tace of ioy yfour feet rom me Pese
anifol on IA, north and south ends; aud will be unite
. to !, by csHnscug corridors. The Senate chanoe
viii be s,yenty-eisnt ee by hundred feet clea'
II aud the hall OF the House OF Representatives, one nv"
=, died feet BY one hundred aud thirty feet. BON
l. these chambers will be paced IN the western ehd o III
" rev buildings.
r The railroads. in the city OF London run owe