The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-06-01
On the Subject OF Slavery.

Philadelphia.
On the Subject OF Slavery.
WASHINGTON, February ., 1913
DEAR SRI have been waiting for an evenings
leisure TO answer your letter before me- and after
an unreasonable delay, am at last obliged to reply
i'll 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 ancient neigbbor and
friend, been by any contrivance or desire Of mine:
and certainly shall never be in the field for that
high Office, unless placed there by regular nomi.
nation Not, then, being q candidate, and seeing
no near prospect Of being made one, ought, per.
haps, TO decline troubling you or others with my
humble opinions on great principles Of State rights
and federal administration; but as / cannot plead
ignorance Of the partiality Of few friends in seye
raj parts Of the Union, who may by possibility, in
o certain event, succeed in bringing me within the
field from which whig candidate is to be selected
prefer to err on the de Of frankness and candor
rather than. by sle4ce, to allow any stranger IN
Willingly TO commit himself to my support.
Your inquiries open the whole question Of domes-
tic slavery which has, in different forms, for num-
Der Of years agitated Congress and the country
! Promising that you the first person who has
/
Of what would be my reply in greater detail, 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 my companions,
became deeply impressed with the views given by
Mr.. jefferson, in his Notes on Virginia. and by
Judge Tucker, in the Appendix to his edition of
Blaekstone's Commentaries in favor of a era
uJynl m ~.
not seen in thirty odd years, and, in the same PERIOD
have read scarcely anything the subject but my
a'ly Impressions are fresh and unchanged. Hence,
if had had the honor of a seat in the Virginia
Legislature in the winter at 1892, when bill was
brought forward to carry out those views, ! should
certainly have given it my hearty support.
suppose scarcely need say, that, in my opinion
Congress has no color Of authority under the con
stituton, for touching the relation Of master AMI
slave within a State
hold the opposite opinion IN respect to the Dis
trict OF Columbia. Here. with the consent OF the
owners. or on tie payment of just compensation"
Congress may .egslate ut its discretion. But my
conviction is equally sror that. unless il be step by
| step with the Legislatures Of Virginia and Mary
laLd y would &c dangerous to both races in those
| States - touch the relation between master aud
| slave il this district.
have from tie first been II opinion that Congress
WIS bound ~ tile constitution t. receive 10 refer.
afo ~ report upon petitions relating 70 domestic
slavery, il TIC cas- # al other petitions; bu.
have lot failed ~ SIZE and 70 regret tic unavoidable
irlaioh which tie former have produced in tne
SoUil en- states, with tic consequent peril t. he
Two coloIs, whereby tie adoption If any plaa 81
Emancipation has every wha., sInongu. been greatly
| retarded.
own. Myself - slaves bot never have alta .hea
blame 10 masters fl not hbcrating their slayes
wei showing that liberation, without the means Of
Sending them II comfort - position favorable
t. tie pursuit IF happiness, would in most cas- ).
be highly Injurious to al aIoand, well 10 III,
maTuE.itel families themselves allcs' The opera
ioI were general and under the auspices II pruiea,
legislation, But ] am persuaded that il il a nigh
moral obligation Of masters and slayehollng States
to employ ali lE,ans not incompatible with the IT,
u Of both coiors. 70 melioa, slavery even - *.
termination.
il i gratifying T. know thu. general mclioration
has been great. and is still progressive, notwith-
standing the disturbing causes alluded 10 above.
| The more direct process of emancipation may
doubt. he earlier commenced and quckcned III
communities than in others. Each, do not ques-
ton has The right 70 Judge for itself, both n 70
time aud MEANS and consider interference or aid
from without. except on invitation from authority
within, = be a. hurtU TO the progress Of
or1ton, a. II may bc fatal 10 the lives u vast null
ttudes 81 al ages, sexes, aud colors. The work Of
liberation cannot nc forced without such horrid
suits Chris;an philanthropy is ever mild aud con-
siderate. Hence all violence oughtto he deprecated
hy tie friends Of religion and humanity Their per-
suasions cannot fail ii the right time 10 free the
master from the slave. and the slave from the
ter perhaps before the latter shall have found ont
and IL knowedgcd that the relation between the
larics had long been mutually p.ejudcial TO their
| worldly interests
There i rs evil without. in tie order If Proyi-
| Gcnce. some concentrating benefit The bleeding
African torn FROM his savage home By his iero-
cous reighLors sold into slavery. and cast up1a this
\ continent Here. III the mild south. the race has
/ wonderfully multiplied. cotaparcd with anvthiag
/ e,cr Know II barb.ron MI, Tbe descepdstts 81
/ 4 teN thousands have become nany m.liions: and
ri,.t,latst If ,go,c.I 'l,,,,.L- n, :, M, t,,-i,t