The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-07-21
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ana countries.
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For the National Era
THE SOUTHERN PLATFORM;
OR,
MANUAL OF SOUTHERN SENTIMENT ON TIL
SUBJECT OF SLAVERY.
Being a Compilation from the Writings o
Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and others
iohOse names are eonsecrated in the affection
Of the Southern People--the Debates in tn
Federal and State Conventions phiGh france
and ratified the Constitution of the United
States-those whieh occurred in the first Con
crosses vhieh sat during the Administratio,
Of General WaShingtoy.--dnd extracts from
tie Debate in the Virginia Legislature IN
1882 toith various letters, judicial decisions &c
BY DANIEL R. GooDLoE, OF NORTH CAROLINA
ELLIoTTs DEBATEs-voL; III.
Debates IN the South Carolina State Convention
called to rdtify the Observation-Disclosures.
By this settlement we have secured an un'
limited importation of negroes for twenty years
nor is it declared that the importation shall be
then stopped; it may be continued. We have
q security that the General Government can
never emancipate them, for no such authority
is granted, and it is admitted on all hands that
the General Government has no powers but
what are expressly granted by the COnstitu
ton, and that all rights not expressed were re-
served by the several States. We have OBJ
tanned o right to recover our slaves in whatev-
er part of America they may take refuge, which
is q right we had not before. In short, cOnsid-
ering all circumstances, we have made the best
terms for the security of this species Of proper.
ty it was in our power to make. We would
have made better if we could but on tho whole
do not think them bad.-Pagss 355-357
C. Pinckney. Those who are acquainted
with the Eastern States, the reason of their
original migration, and their pursuits, habits,
and principles, well know that they are essen
tally different from those of the Middle and
Southern States; that they retain all those
opinions respecting religion and government
which first induced their ancestors to cross the
Atlantic; and that they are, perhaps, more
purely republican in habits and sentiment
than any other part of the Union. The inhab-
itants of New York and the Eastern part of
New Jersey, originally Dutch settlements, seem
to have altered less than might have been ex-
pected in the course of a century; indeed, the
greatest part Of New York may still be con-
sidered as Dutch settlement-the people in
the interior country generally using that Ian
guage in their families, and having very little
varied their ancient customs. Pennsylvania
and Delaware are nearly one-half inhabited by
Quakers whose passive principles upon ques-
tions of Government and rigid opinions in pri-
vate, render them extremely different from the
citizens either of the Eastern or Southern States
was originally Roman Catholic
colony, and a great number of their inhabi-
ants some of them the most wealthy and cul-
ivated, are still of this persuasion; it is unne-
,essary for me to state the striking difference
n sentiment and habit which must always ex-
at between the Independents of the East, the
Ialvinists and Quakers of the Middle States,
md the Roman Catholics of Maryland; but
triking as this is, it is not to be compared with
he difference that there is between the inhab-
tants of Northern and Southern States when
say Southern, | mean Maryland and the
tates to the southwark of her here we may
ruly observe that nature has drawn as strong
marks of distinction in the habits and manners
t the people, AZ she has in her climates and
reductions. The Southern citizen beholds,
nth kind of surprise, the simple manners of
he East and is too often induced to entertain
ndeserved opinions of the apparent purity of
he Quaker; while they, in their turn, seem
Oncerned at what they term the extravaganza
nd dissipation of their Southern friends, and
eprobate, as an objectionable moral and DO
tioal evil the dominion they hold over a part |
the human race The Inconvenience which
20 frequently attend these differences in habits
mir thn IA hot
he Union, are not little increased by the va
ety of their State Governments for, as have
lready observed, the Constitution or laws I'M
er which people live never fail to have
owerful effect upon their manners We know
nat all the States have adhered in their forms
} the republican principle, though they have
Hered widely in their opinions of the mode
sst calculated to preserve it-Pp 1885, 1887.
Extracts from JeferSon'S Notes on Virginia.
Boston Edition, 1882.
Under the mild treatment our slaves expe-
ence, and their wholesome, though coarse
cd, this blot in our country increases as fast,
faster than the whites During the regal
overnment we had at one time obtained a
W, which imposed such duty on the import
ion of slaves as amounted nearly to pro-
bition, when one inconsderate Assembly,
aced under a popularity of circumstance, re-
'aled the law. This repeal met joyful sane
On from the then sovereign, and no devices,
, expedents, which could ever after be at
mpted by subsequent Assemblies-and they
ldom met without attempting them-could
cceed in getting the royal assent to renewal
the duty. In the very first session held under
@ Republican Government, the Assembly pass
a law for the perpetual prohibition of the
,portation of slaves This will, in some meas
e, stop the increase of this great political and |
oral evil, while the minds Of our citizens may |
. ripening for complete emancipation of
uman nature.-Page SO.
Many of the laws which were in force du-
ing the monarchy, being relative merely to
nat form of Government, or intoxicating prin-
iples inconsistent with republicanisn,, the first
assembly which met after the establishment of
he Commonwealth appointed committees
o revise the whole code-to reduce it into
proper form and volume, and report it to the
assembly,. This work has been executed by
,hree gentlemen, and reported, but probably
will not be taken up till restoration of peace
shall leave to the Legislature leisure to go
through such work.
They proposed the following, among other
alterations:
To emancipate all slaves born after passing
the act The bill reported by the revisors does
notitself contain this proposition, but an amend.
ment containing it was prepared to be offered
to the Legislature whenever the bill should be
taken up; and further directing that they
should continue with their parents to certain
age, then be brought up, at the public expense
to tillage, arts or sciences, according to Their
geniuses, till the females should be eighteen
and the males twonty.one years Of agc, wher
they should be colonized to such place as tn,
circumstances of the time should render mos
proper, sending them out with arms nipple
ments of household, and of the handicraft arts
seeds, pairs Of the useful domestic animals, &c
to declare them free and independent people
and extend TO them our alliance and proteo
ton, till they have acquired strength; and t
send vessels at the same time to other parts o