Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1853-02-23
Extract from the reply Of Mrs.
john Tyler to the Duchess Of
Sutherland.

l reason with you Oh the subject OF our do
mestic institutions. Such as they are they are
ours. 1--WE fear the Greeks though bearing
presents" Never was adage more applicable
although protesting friendship and sympathy
We cannot consent that Esgland shall mix her.
self up with our concerns. We prefer to work
out our own destiny. When she might have
done so, she gave not relief. We asked
her for bread, and she gave US stone. The
African under her policy and her laws, became
property. That property has descended from
father to son, and constitutes large part of
Southern wealth. We desire no intrusion Of
advice as to our Individual property rights at
home or abroad. We meddle not with your
laws Of primogeniture and entail, alhough they
are obnoxious to all our notions of justice. and
are in violation of the laws of nature. Would
the noble ladies of Englaad feel no resentment
if we should address hem upon those sub
jects9 And yet is there 4 certainty that our
voice would not be hea1 y the toiling and
landIess millions. in 4, q system which
we consider moro vi just and more
consistent with tho "a Of God? We,
however. preach no, lRinst afistocrat-
ie ..aAhlishMepsA kfnE IA thai We
do not allow nhciB oursely6s.--
We are content to Id "a in the enjoy
sist upon the right ate ours without
her aid. / pray you { in mind that the
golden rule for life is foll ch to attend to his
own business and let n neighbor's alone -
This means peace. levs. kiendship. The op-
posite means hatred. HfwiIl. contention--it
destroys the peace of peighborhoods, and it is
the fruitful cause of discord among nations.
must also say to you frankly, that We re-
gard England as an indifferent ad visor on the
subject of negro slavery. Her craftsmanship if
it be judged by her course of policy in regard
to the West India Islands. would give her no
exalted position; unless. indeed, fanaticism be
a good advisor, and ruin anG desolation ev-
licences of a wise and sound policy. No. We
prefer to follow our own conception Of what
it is proper for US to do. Our eyes are turned
across the ocean, not in the direction Of Eng
land, but to Africa. The foot prints of our
policy are seen in the colonies there sta lish
ed, already become independent States-in
the voluntary emancipation Of slaves by our
citizens as preparatory Of emigration to Az
rica-a course of emancipation which from,
1890 to 1850, has increased our table in Vir-
ginia of free negroes. in the ratio of 30l per
cent, while the white population has only in.
creased 1929 per cent. These interesting sta
:isties extract from . memorial recently pre-
sented to the Legislature Of Virginia. asking
an additional aid to further the colonization Of
freed negroes in Liberia. Thus we seek to
retribute the wrongs done by England to Afri.
ca, by returning civilization for barbarianism
christianity for idolatry. We desire no
such boon as England bestowed on her islands
no blight so abiding. no mildew SO destruc
tive--no ultimate war between the races b. 90
dy, desolating. and finally annihilating.-
Steam is conquering distance, and Africa will
be brought nearer and nearer to our shores
with each revolving year--and the results OF
policy, at once wise and discreet. commenc.
ing with slaveholding Virginia. and extensive
ly adopted by the people Of the United States
will claim, sooner or later, the admiration oi
mankind.
America might love England if England
would permit her, A common descent, q
common language, mutual interests, and, to a
great extent, a common heritage Of freedom
shonld draw the two nations together. The
disposition of the Southern mind U speak
what know is to cultivate the closest friend.
ship with England. Nearly all Of the South
ern people are the descendants of the first set
tiers. They have kindred blood. almost un
mixed by emigration, flowing in their veins
Their interests lead them to cherish the priuci
pies of free trade. Their cotton, their rice, ,and
other productions Of the soil, find extensive
markets in Great Britain. They would have
them still more free-stll more widely open
For myself, when l have visited England, il
has been with emotions Of reverence growing
out Of the historic page. Westminster Abboy
with its undying memorials--the noble nonu.
ments of the past scattered over the face of the
Countrywide very ruins spoke of an an ncestry
alike dear to the. American and Englshnan
My intermixture of Scotch blood, derived
from a leader Of two Scottish clans, who los,
life, castle and estate inlthe wars of King Char
les, with the pure Anglo sy1on, in no degree
abated my ardor und epj iusiasm, when
looked upon these memct yes of the mighty
past, in which SO many us here claim q
common interest with yd But il England
will sever these ties; il, of cultivating
good feeling with u, b ohoOsc rather te