The Yazoo Democrat., 1852-07-07
ON the Subject Of Slavery.
W WASHIEGToN, Fe b

On the Subject Of Slavery.
WAsHIEGroN, Feb. 8, 1943.
Dear Sir: have been waiting for an even.
lngs leisure to answer your letter before me
and after an unreasonable delay am obliged to
reply in the midst of official occupations.
That ever have been named IN connexion
with the presidency of the United States has
no., can assure you, the son Of an ancient
neghbor and friend, been by any contrivance or
desire OF mine; and certainly | shall never be in
the field for that office, unless placed there by
regular nomination Not, then, being candi-
date, and seeing no near prospect for being made
one, | ought perhaps to decline troubling you or
Others with M humble opinions on great prin-
ciples Of State rights and federal administration
but as / cannot plead Ignorance of the partiatity
OF few friends In several parts of The Union,
who may by posi- bllity in a certain event sue
ceed IN bringing me within the field from which
whig candidate is 10 be selected, prefer to err
on the side Of trankness and candor, rather than
By silence to allow any stranger unwiLtingy 10
commit himself to my support.
Your inquiries open the whole question Of do
mestic slavery, which has, III different FORMS for
number Of years agitated Congress and the
country.
Promising that you are the first person who
has Intercepted me on the subject, give YOU
the basis OF what would be my reply in greater
detail. i the time allowed and the contingency
alluded TO above were less remote.
In boyhood, at William and Mary College,
and IL common with most, Ii not all, my COM
panions, became deeply impressed with the
views given by Mr.. Jefferson IL his g Notes on
Virginia., and by Judge Tucker, In the Appen
dix to his edition of s. Blackstones Commenta-
res" IN favor Of a gradual emancipation of
slaves. That Appendix have not seen in thir-
ty-odd years, aud in the same period have read
scarcely anything on the subject; but my early
Impressions are fresh and unchanged Hence,
~ h,1 81, H,N,-r L. r
islature In the winter of 1872, when a bill
was brought forward TO carry out these views,
should certainly have given it my hearty support.
suppose scarcely need say, that in my opin-
ION Congress has no color of authority under the
constitution for touching the relation of master
and slave within State
hold the opposite opinion in respect to the
District OF Columbia. Here with the consent
OF the owners, or on the paymentof g just COM
pensauon, Congress may legislate at It's dlscre-
tlon. But my conviction is equally strong that,
unless 1t be step by step with the Legislature OF
Virginia and Maryland, it would be dangerous
10 both races in those States to touch the rela-
ton between master and slave in this District.
l have from the first been OF opinion that
Congress was bound by the constitution to re-
ceive, to refer, and to report upon petitions re
Iating to domestic slavery. as IN the case OF all
other petitions but / have not failed to see and
&c regret the unavoidable irri itation which the
with the consequent peril to the two colors, |
whereby the adoption of any plan of emancipa-
ton has everywhere among US been greatly retar-
ted.
own myself no slave; but never have at
tached blame to masters for not liberating their |
slaves-well 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 well as to the manumitted families
themselves unless the operation were general |
and under the auspices Of prudent legislation
But am persuaded, that it IS high moral obli-
CATION of masters, and slave-ho!dlng States to
employ all means, not incompatible with the
3afety Of both colorS, to melIorafe slavery, even
10 determination.
It is gratifying to know that general meliora-
ton has been great and is still progressive, not
wlthstanding the disturbing causes alluded to
ABOVE. The more direct process of ernanclpa-
ton may, no doubt. be earlier commenced and
1uckened In some communities than in Others
Each, do not question, has the right to Judge
for itself, both as to time and means and | con-
slider interference or aid from without except on
invitation from authority within. to be as hurt
ful to the sure progress Of meioration as it NAV
be fatal to the lives of vast multitudes of all
ages, sexes, and colors. The work Of liberation
cannot be forced without such horrid results
Christian philanthropy is ever mild and consid
crate. Hence all violence ought to be depreca-
ted by the friends of religion aud humanity
Their persuasions cannot fail at the right time to
free the master from the slave. and the slave from
the master-perhaps before the latter shall have
found out and acknowledged that the relation Z
between the parties had long been mutually pre-
judicial to their worldly interests.
There is no evil without, in the order of Prov
dence, some ccnpensating benefit. The bleed
ng African was torn from his savage home by
lis feroclous neighbors sold into slavery and
asst upon this continent Here on the mild ! !
south, the race has wonderfully multiplied COM
Jared with anything ever known IN barbarous a
ife. The descendants of a few thousand have
lecome many millions; and all, from the first.
made acquainted with the arts of civilization.
nd, above all, man brought under the light of
he Gospel.
From the promise made to Abraham, some
wo thousand years had elapsed before the ad-