Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1852-10-29
!. 10. WEBSTER, Es0

hoI hus Telegraph.
| i. ". WEBSTER, ER1,
SIR: You undoubtedly rccollect that M ,ho -
litieal meeting, the 10Th inst, in the Paris IIo
tel, while adyertihg to the subject of s,oxor,, :;
connection with the Baltimore Democratic Plat.
form, You observed that the old thirteen State.
al the adoption of the Constitution of the u. s.
were slave holding States-or words to this etfec,
and that | interposcd denial of the correct.
ness OF your remarks, so far as it included Mass.
achusets. In proof you referred to the Censu.
OF IS4o as showing slave in that State. even
al SO late PERIOD, and when You were cited to
the decision OF her ). j. Court as abolishing sla-
very, you earnestly eontcnded tha. the decision
had reference to the children of slaves. bat did
not free those held as slaves while the state was
colony; and that they continued to be held as
such. To the correctness of your proofs ex-
pressed dissent i'll strong terms, and gave pledge
to the audience to disprovc them and Won no
less strongly and definitely rcaffrmcd the truth
fulneSS of your remark, that that State was
slave State after the adoption of the u S. Con.
stitution. Feeling deeply interested in whatever
effects the character of the Old Bay State--thc
land of my nativity and of long line of ances-
try-and on inquiry, finding that the audience
whom you addressed were uniformed will, re-
spcct TO the historic al points at Issue between us,
am constrained to address You thus personally,
and as most convenient, through the medium Of
the Telegraph:
First in the order of time l refer to the memo.
rable decision of the Supreme Judicial Court Of
Massachusetts,:
Vide, Alden Bradford'S Ills of that State
Boston; billiard, Gray, & Co., 1895, p. sos.
In 1888, the involuntary slavery of the peo-
pie of color in Massachusetts wds IN effect condemn
I'd and prohibited by decision of the highest jn-
dcial tribunal of the state. An action was com.
mcnccd in 1871, before a lower court, in the coun-
| ty of Worcester, against the master and owner Of
| Il slave for an assault and battery made by the
| master The defence set up that the person
| on whom the assault was alleged to be made, he.
| ing slave, the owner might beat him at his pleas
ure and was not therefore anmcnablc to the
law for the assault. The case appears to have
| been decided on great constitutional principles
recognised in the declaration of the bill of rights
that all men are born free and equal The mas.
| ter was convicted OF an assault and fined. Those
who continued in services tcrwards, in the state,
remained so rather voluntarily than by compulSion.
| Public opinion was altogether against domestic
| slavery. 1t was believed to be incompatible with
, the principles OF civil liberty, TOR which the peo.
pie had been contcndng and contrary to the spirit
of christianity"
In this connection, let it be remembered that
John Lowell, celebrated lawyer, took an active
part in favor of the colored people held i'll bond
age and offered them his professional aid, with
out fees Sir, would you do likewise
The census tables for 1890, 1900, 10 20 and
40, show that there were no slaves in Mass, at
those periods. The marshas return of 1870
showed one slave but the error did not escape the
ygant eyes of the "old man Eloquent" and it
WAS corrected. The census table of 1880, eXhib.
its four slaves but MIR. Adams, at the same time
he exposed the error in the return of 40, showed
most concusiycy that there no slaves in tho
state in 80 and that the return for that year was
erroneous.
The u. = Constitution was adopted in 1899.
To sustain my position, have thus submitted
the testimony which deem sufficient at the pres
cnt time rcserving other for the future il need b.
l now call upon you, Sir, to adducc your an
horities, and cOntroyert the foregoing if you can;
if not shall reasonably infer that YOU yield the
point at ISSUE and that your bold unequivocal and
reiterated statements referred 10, were made for
effect, in endcavorng to sustain the pro-savcry
8 platform on which YOU stand and the conSuInmate
. ly mean and scrvic business of siezing those who
have fled from bondage. and returning them to sls
very.
In conclusion, permit me TO suggest, that mas
much as discretion is the better part of valor that
when you impHcatc the character Of our Il am in
formed you are from Mass, J fathcrland be sure
you are right before You go ahead
Very respectfully
:, S. BRADFORD.
Paris, Oct 23, 1852.