Daily American telegraph., 1852-08-11
[From the National Intelliesnosr Of August 81


We received yesterday, from gentleman in
Maryland, the letter which we give below. 1t
was written nearly ten years ago, and was first
published in the Danyille (Virginia) Reporter,
and thence transferred to the " Maryland Colo
nization Journal" from which journal it is now
copied Our correspondent is of opinion that
General SCOTS views on the delicate question of
slavery have been misrepresented, and therefore
desires to see this letter, in which they fully
and automatically set forth, inserted in the Intel
lgencer.
The views expressed by the General appear to
rs TO eyince wise and comprehensive statesman
ship, as well MS q characteristic philanthropy
and we therefore, with pleasure, give the letter a
place in our columns
WASHINGTON, February 8, l843.
My DEAR SIR: | have been waiting for IN
evening leisure to answer your letter before me,
and, after unreasonable delay, am ut last
obliged to reply in the midst of official occupations
That ever have been named in connection
with the Presidency of the United States has not,
can assure you, the son of an ancient neighbor
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 a
regular nomination. Not, then being n cand-
date, and seeing no near prospect of being made
one, ought, perhaps, to decline troubling you
or others with my humble opinions on great
principles Of State rights and federal admins
tration but rs | cannot plead ignorance of the
Partially of n 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 frankness and can
DOR rather than by silence, to allow any stran-
ger unwittingly to commit HIMSELF to my support.
Your inquiries open the whole question of do
mestic slavery, which has in 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 de-
tail, if time allowed and the contingency alluded
to above were less remote.
In boyhood at William and Mary College, and
in common with most, if not all, of my compan-
ions / became deeply impressed with the views
given by Mr. Jefferson, in his "Notes on Virgin
ia" and by Judge Tucker, in the Appendix to
his edition of Blackstones Commentaries, in ia
vor of q 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 a seat in the Virginia legislature in
the winter of 1912, when bill was brought
forward to carry out those views | should GER
| suppose l scarcely need say that, in my
opinion, Congress has no color of authority under
the constitution for touching the relation of mas
ter and slave in a State.
hold the opposite opinion in relation to the
District of Columbia. Here, with the consent of
the owners, or on the payment of "just compen-
sation," Congress may legislate at its discretion
But my conviction is equally strong that, unless
it be step by step with the legislatures of Virginia
and Maryland, it would be dangerous to both
races in those States to touch the relation be-
tween master and slave in this District
have from the first been of opinion that Con-
gress was bound by the constitution to receive,
to refer, and to report upon petitions relating to
domestic slavery, as in the case of all petitions
but have not failed to see and to regret the un-
avoidable irritation which the former have pro-
duced in the Southern States, with the conse-
quent peril to the two colors, whereby the adop-
ton of any plan of emancipation has everywhere
among Us been greatly retarded
| 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 posi-
ton 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 a high moral obi
CATION Of masters and slayeholding States to
employ all means, not incompatible with the
safety Of both coors, to meiorate slavery to exter
mination.
II is gratifying to know that general meliora-
ton has been great and is still progressing, not
the disturbing causes alluded to
above. The more direct process of emancipation
may, no doubt, be earlier commenced and quick
ened in some communities than in others Each,
do not question, has the right to Judge for
itself, both as to time and means; and | consider
or aid from without except on in
vtation from authority within, TO be as hurtful
to the sure progress Of melioration as it may be
fatal to the lives of vast mutitudes Of all ages,
sexes, and colors. The work Of liberation cannot
be forced without such horrid results Christian
is ever mild and considerable Hence
all violence ought TO be deprecated by the friends
Of religion and 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 between the
parties bad long been mutually prejudicial to
their worldly interests.
out some compeisotRg benefit. The bleeding Arr
can 0ds torn from his saDGge home 6y his ferocious
netghbors sold IN SLAVERY, and cast upon his conf.
nent. Here IN The mild South, The race has sconder-
fully multiplied compared Dah anything erer knoon
n 6arborous life. The descendants of a few
thousands have become many millions and oil, |
from the first, made acquainted with the arts of
civilization, and, above all, brought under the
light of the Gospel.
From the promise made 10 Abraham, some two
thousand years elapsed before the advent of our
Saviour; and the Israeltes, the chosen people of
God, were for wise purposes suffered to remain |
in bondage longer than Africans have been on |
bur shores This race has already experienced |
The resulting compensation alluded to /; and as
the white missionary has never been able to pen
citrate the dark regions Of Africa or to establish
himself in its interior IL nav ba Within .i,o