The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-09-30
POLTTICAL.
GEN. SCOTT ON SLAVERY.

POLITICAL.
GEN. SCOTT ON SLAVERY.
/ The National Intelzigcncer copies the
following letter Of Gen. SCorT, written in
lS43, with this remark: ",fhe views ex
pressed by the General appear to US wise
and comprehensive craftsmanship, as well
as characteristic philanthropy, and we
therefore, with pleasure, give the letter
place in our columns"
WASHINGTON, February s, l643.
Ny Dear Sir: have been waiting Tor
an evenings leisure TO answer your letter
before me, and, after an unreasonable DC
lay, am at last obliged TO reply in the
| midst Of official occupation.
That | ever have been named in concex
ion with the Presidency Of the United
States has not, can assure you, the son OF
an ancient neighbor and friend, been BY
any contriyance or desire Of mine; ano
certainly shall never be in the field for
that high office unless placed there 6y
regular nomination. Not, then, being a
candidate, and seeing no near prospect OF
being made one, ought, perhaps, to de.
cline troubling you or others with my hum
BILE opinions on great principles Of State
rights and Federal administration, but as
cannot plead ignorance of the pnrtiality
Of a 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 70 be
selected, prefer 70 err on the side Of
| fra nkuess and candor, rather then, by 81
lence, to allow any stranger unwittingl,
to commit himselft to my support.
Yoor inquiries open the whole question
| Of domestic slavery, which has in different
forms for number of years agitated Con
! gress and the country.
Promising that you are the first person
who has interrogated me on the subject,
give you the basis Of what ,coutd be my re
ply 10 greater detsil, il time SLOWED ant
The contingency alluded to above were Ies'
remote.
IN boy hood, at William and Mary Col
lege, and in common with most It not al
nv conpa MONS, Ibecams deeply impress
ed with the views given by Mr. Jefferson
| iu his "Notes on Virginia" and BY Judge
Tucker, in the Appendix to bis edition OF
Blackstcne's Commentaries, IN favor OF
gradual ema ncipation Of slaves. That AP-
pendix lhave not seen 10 thirty odd yssrs,
and, in the same period, have read scarce
" anything on the subject; but my carly
impressions are fresh and unchanged
Hence, If had tho honor ofa seat in the
Virginia Legislature in the winter OF 1881
--'32, when bill was brought forward to
carry out those views, should certainly
have given it my hearty support. s.
suppose scarcely need say that, In
my opinion, Congress has no color OF au-
thority, under the Constitution for touch
ing the relation of master and slave in .
State.
hold the opposite opinion in respect to
the District OF Columbia. Here, with the
consent Of the owners, or on the payment
Of "iust compensation, Congress may To-
pislate at it's discretion. But my convlc-
ton is equally strong that, unless j be step
by step with the Legislatures Of Virgins
and Maryland, il would be dangerous to
both races in those States TO touch tho re-
lation between master and slave in this
District.
/ have from the FIRST been OF opinion
that Congress was bound BY the Const'ta-
tion to receive, to refer, and toreport upon
petitions relating to domestic slavery, o.
10 the ease of all other petitions; but have
not failed to see and to regret the unayo'd-
able irritation which the iormer have pro-
duced in the Southern States, with the
consequent peril to the two coiors. where
by the adoption Of any plan Of emanc'pa-
,iou has every where among US been great
ly retarded.
own, myself, no slave; but never have
attached blame to masters Tor not loera.
ting their slaves knowing that lib
GRAFTON, without the means OF sending
them in comfort to some position favorable
to ",he pursuit Of happiness" would IN
most cases be highly injurious 10 all a.
round, as well as 10 the manumtted famI,
lies themselves-unless the operation
were general and under the auspices oil
prudent legislation. But am persuaded
that il is high moral obligation OF mas,
ters aud siaveholding States to employ al,
means, not Incompatible with the safety OF
both colors, 10, ,aeliorate slavery 20 ex'er,
mination.
I,is gratifying to know that general me
Iteration has been grsat, and is still pro.
,ressiye. no, wi,hstaading the disturbing
c,u.es alluded to above. The most direct
process Of ema ncipstion may, no doubt, be
earlier commenced and quickened ia some
communities than in others. Each, ] dc
10, question, has the right 10 judge tor Il
self. both as to time and means, and con.
| sider interference or aid from without, ex
cent on Invitation from authority within
Ito be as hurtiul TO the sure progress OF mo