The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-03

which they abound, and the taunts of :" Airical
oppression" which is so freely lavlshed upon thu
ears Ut those whose notions OF the institutions
OF this government do not correspond with theI
) own; as if these gentlemen We're the only pure
minded men in the land, and reflected the SOUND
views always held upon the slavery question a
} the North
Now, sir, believe am good friend t
liberty and humanity as the most violent AbolI
tionsts or Freesoiler in this Hall Of Congress
and further believe that the illustrous men Of
revolutionary times, who helpcd to frame Onl
Constitution had as strict notions Of the "rights
of man." as any of its advocates in this our day
and generation.
i 1t is curious to look into the history of the
States of this confederacy, and examine the
positions which they have occupied in regard Ia
this matter Of slavery. Let US see now New
England has at times stood.
1t is well known, sir, that in the convention
which framed the Constitution of the United
States, the subject of slavery and the slave trade
vas a prominent topic of debate. Up TO this
time the States had right to import slaves
from Africa, or from any part OF the globe
This subject was referred in the convention to
a committee to report upon, and that committee
reported in favor of stopping the slave trade
after the year 1900. The South were not salts
fled W III the restriction proposed, and the sub
ect was again referred back to the committee
who reported the limit of 800 and the committee
finally reported to extend the time to the year
| 1908. This report was accepted, and the re-
suit became part of the Constitution. Now,
let gentlemen look at the record of the con-
venton and see what States voted to extend the
duration Of the slave trade from the time
originally reT orted to the convention. w hat
| do nd Nhv hat ha nuly NoW E.pu-
land States then represented in the convention
Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Massachu-
setts-voted to extend the duration of this
great emil while Virginia, slave State, and
the States about Virginia, voted in the ne atve !.
Yes, sir; and whom do we find from Connect
cut, as members of that convention | will
mention but two Of them---men OF pure hearts,
and patriots in the times which tried mems souls
the one, Roger erman, the slgner OF the
Declaration of Independence, ard the other
Oliver Ellsworth, afterwards chief Us ice of the
United States. And these are the men who,
had they lived in This our day, would probably
have been told by the honorable member from
Ohio, Mr.. GIDDINGs,] not now in his seat, that
they were following the crack of the slave
drivers whips" and such like generous express
sons. 80 freely used by that honorable gentle
man during this session. Now, sir, these Illus
trious patriots did not like slavery per Sc any
more than do the noisy disclaimers of abolition
on this floor; but they were men who loved
their country more than injustice and they look
ed at this slavery question like practical, sensible
men, with the good of the Union and the pro-
perity of New England at heart.
| Again in this same convention, when it was
moved to insert that provision in the Constitu-
ton, which provides for the delivery of fngitives
from service, New England voted with the
same unanimity as before in favor of the pro-
vision.
! Sir, it is almost unaccOuntable how men,
claiming to be Americans in view of the dan.
gers which threatened the country during those
debates, with the history Of that convention be-
fore them will persist in this crusade they are
making upon the Union and the rights of the
States.
| And what allv have these agtators in the war
they are waging upon the peace and prosperity
, of the country?
England the enemy, the inveterate enemy of
America and everything American. England !
who never yet acted without motive of self.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT, and who did not abolish slave
ny in her West India colonies till she foresaw
that those colonies were destined to languish
while her East India possessions, bringing gol-
den treasures to her vaults, were the points to
| which her own energies should be eXerted and
now we witness member of the British Par
lament landing upon our shores TO lecture Us
upon the horrors of slavery, and melting our
citizens to oppose the laws of this Union ! And
who is this worthy pioneer of modern English
philanthropy i refer to the notorious George
Thompson, the representative of the Tower
Iiamets of the city of London. invite gentle
men to look into the condition of the district
this man represents in the English Parliament.
In the summer of 1851, some Americans
were permitted under the safe conduct of
posse of her Majesty's police officers of the
city of London, to take look into the situa-
ton of the people they understood this agitator
represented in the English House Of Commons.
The House will pardon me, if | read them a
faithful description of one of two scenes of vice
and misery they witnessed, almost under the
battements of the Tower of London itself, and
of which notes were taken in the day and time
of it, and for the truth of them can vouch:
We dow threaded our way through long,
dark, street, or ely, and of sudden found our
selves in dingy hall, filled with the fumes of
tobacco beer, and gin, and where some sixty
persons were collected, a portion sitting on
benches around the room, smoking pipes and
drinking while the greater portion were shut
fling in the dance, to the music of an old blind
| 1QuIer III the corner. mere were u QOZcn, or
more, women, and as many children, in the mot
| ley crew. Do you know where you are !!
asked the police guide. No. was the reply
Surrounded Che contnued) by pickpockets and
thieves! and look, you see that man and the girl
whose hair is cropped They are but recently
| from Newgate.'
| awe left this place to go to another of the
same kind, but worse than the former We
passed through dark and dreary lanes, the still
ness of death only broken by the occasional
churl or bark of dog, or the oaths of the drum
ken inmates of the dens, with windows and
doors all barred and bolted, and the light shut
up within. We passed by, and we were now
in the worst part of London. in city of thieves
and vagabonds, with hardly an honest being, ex-
cept policemen, within sound Of pistol We
entered low, arched gateway, and at its ter
minus stopped. The officer raped at the door;
at last it was opened, and such scene In a
long, dimly.lghted smoke begrimmed room,
with rafters and roof once whtewashed, but
now covered with smoke and dirt, were some
seventy men, women, and children, most of
them returned conycts from Botany Bay As