Mississippi palladium. [volume] (Holly Springs, Miss.) 1851-1852, 1852-07-01

State rights and federal administration;
bat as | cannot plead ignorance of the
partiality of few friends in several
parts of the Union, who may, by pos
sibility, in a certain event, succeed in
bringing me within the field from which
a whig candidate is to be selected, l
prefer to err on the side of fraaknesS
and candor, rather than by silence to
allow any stranger unwi:tingly to
commit himself to my support.
Your inquiries open the whole ques-
ton of domestic slavery, which has, in
different forms, for a number of years
agitated Congress and the country.
Promising that you are the first per-
son who has interrogated me on the
subject. give you the basis of what
would be my reply in greater detail, if
time allowed and the contingency alu-
ded to above were less remote.
In boyhood, at William and Mary
College. and in common with most, if
not all, my companions, became deep
ly impressed with the views given by
Mr.. Jefferson in his "Notes on Vir-
ginia," and by Judge Tucker, in the
Appendix to his edition of "Blackstone's
Commentaries" in faUor Of a gradual
emancipation Of slares. That Appen-
dix | have not seen in thirty-odd years,
and in the same period have read scar
cely anything on the subject; but my
early impressions are fresh and unchang-
cd. Hence, if had had the honor of a
seat in the Virginia legislature in the
winter of 1912, when a bill was
brought forward to carry ou, these
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 constitution for
touching the relation of master and
slave within State.
hold the opposite opinion in re-
spect TO the District of Columbia. Here,
with the consent of the owners, or on
the payment of "just compensation,
Congress may legislate at 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 Dis.
trict
have from the first been of opinion
that Congress was bound by the con-
stitution to receive, to refer, and TO re-
port upon petitions relating to domes-
tic slavery, as in the case of all other
petitions; but | have not failed to see
and regret the unavoidable irritation
which the former have produced in the
southern States, with the consequent
peril to the two colors, whereby the
adoption of any plan of emancipation
has everywhere among US been greatly
retarded.
| Town myself no slaves; but never
have attached blame to masters for mo-
liberating their slaves-well knowing
that liberation, without the means o
sending them in comfort to some posi-
ton favorable to the pursuit of happi
ness, would, in most cases, be highly in
furious to all around, as well as to tht
manumitted families themselves, unles
the operation were general and unde
the auspices of prudent legislation. Blu
| am persuaded that it is high mora
obligation of masters and slaveholdins
States to employ all means, not incom
patible with the safety of both colors
f to meliorate slavery, even to extermina
, ton.
, 1t has been gratifying to know tha
general melioration has been great
and is still progressive. notwithstand
ing the disturbing causes alluded t
above. The more direct process of e
, Emancipation may, no doubt. be earle
, commenced and quickened in som
, communities than in others. Each,
: do not question, has the right to judg
for itself, both as to time and mean:
and | consider interference or aid fror
without, except on invitation from au
thoritv, to be as hurtfui to the sure pro
gress of melioration, as it may be fat;
: to the lives of vast multitudes, Of a
ages, sexes, and colors. The work {
liberation cannot be forced withou
n such horrid results. Christian philar
thropy is ever mild and considerable
= Hence all violence ought to be deprec;
: ted by the friends of religion and hi
: manity. Their persuasions cannot ia
h at the right time to free the maste
!. from the slave, and the slave from tn
: master-perhaps before the latter sha
e have found out and acknowledged tn;
4 the relation between the parties ha
e long been mutually prejudicial to the
i worldly interests.
There is no evil without, in the o.
K der of Providence, some compensatin
4 benefit. The bleeding African W;
t, torn from his savage home by his f
rocious neighbors, sold into SLAYER,
and cast upon this continent. Her
:, in the mild South, the race has wol
derfuIly multiplied, compared wit
anything ever known in barbarous lif
The descendants of few thousant
have become many millions; and a
II from the first. made acquainted wi,
r the arts of civilization, and, above a
+ brought under the light of the Gospe
VI From the premise made to Abraha
s some two thousand years had elapse
l. before the advent of our Saviour, an
J the Israelites, the chosen people Of Co
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