New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-10-11

ing and tel cling to nothing but Northern submis-
.ion to Slavery Extension, The EsqH'rtr turns
shvsgey upon the old vetersn, tells him bis doc
.rine Of squatter Sovereignty never was and new
er will be accepted BY the South, which cains
that any Shareholder may take his slaves into any
territory Of the United States and there hold aud
work them, in defiance Of any adverse territorial
sentiment or law. tells him the South can never
more support or confde in him. aud virtually turns
him over to the baffetings of Satan, while COM
mendips in contrast the noble and patriotic sensi-
ments of Stephen Arnold Don ylss
In contrast with these illustrations Of what is
the ruling spirit of Young Virginia we give the
followiD letter from one Of the nagn.tes OF Old
yircinis-one THOMAS JEFFERSON, whom cur
readers may have heard OF. And as this letter is
probably not contained in any edition of Mr.. JEFF
ferson's writings and is not likely to be while
they are only produced under Southern super
vision, and as it is Southern fashion to charge
US with foraing letters Of this stamp from
Southern S.atesmen, We beg leave to state In ad'
vance, that this one was transmitted in lc49 By
the gentleman to whom il was addressed to one
HENRY CLAY of Kentucky, who caused il to ap-
pear in The National Infeiigencer, of that year,
from which we how copy it. Hear Mr.. Jefferson;
MONTICELLO. August e5. 1914.
DEAR SIR Your favor Of july 81 was duly re-
ceived, and was read with peculiar pleasure. The
sentiments brea,hed through the whole do honor to
both the bead and heart OF the writer Mime on Inc
subject Of the Slavery Of negroes have long since
been in possession OF the public and time has only
served to give them stronger root.
Tie love of Justice and the love of country plead
equally the cause Of these people ana II : mortal
reproach to us that they should haze pleaded it so
long in vain and should have produced not single
efort-nay, l fear, not much serious wlingness-to
relieve :ben and ourselves from our present condition
Of moral and political Reproduction From those OF
the former generation who were in the funess OF age
when came into public life, which was while our
controversy with England was on paper only, soon
saw that nothing was TO be hoped Nursed and eau
Gated in the daily habit Of seeing the degraded con-
diiion both bodily and mental of those unfortunate
beings not rejecting that that degraton was very
much the work of themselves and their fathers, few
miids had yet doubted but that they were Is legiti'
mate subjects Of property as their horses or cattle:
The quiet and monotonous course OF colonial life hsd
been disturbed BY alarm and little reflection on the
value Of liberty; and when alarm was taken OF an
enterprise their it was not easy to carry them
the whole length Of tn. principles which they invoked
for themselves. In the FIRST or second session OF the
Legislature after | became member, drew TO this
subject the attention Of Col Bland, one of the Oldest
ablrs. aud respected members and he undertook
TO move for certain moderate extensions OF the pro-
lection Of the laws to these people. lseconded his
motion and as Younger member, was more spared
In The debate but he was denounced as an enemy TO
his country and was treated with the greatest indie
corum
From an early stage of our Revolution other and
more distant duties were assigned me- so that from
that time til my return from Europe In l'-', and, I
NAV say till | returned TO reside at home il lsO9,
/ had little opportunity of knowing the progress of
public sentiment here on this subject l had always
hoped that the younger generation, receiving their
early impressions after the flame OF liberty had been
kndled In every breast and had become a. il we're
the vital spirit o every American, that the generous
temperament Of youth analogous to the motion oil
their blood, end above the suggestions OF avarce.
would have sympathzed with oppression wherever
found and proved their love of liberty beyond their
own share OF IT, But my intercourse with then since
ny return has not been sufficient TO ascertain that
they had made toward this point the progress had
hoped Your solitary but welcome voice is the srst
wbich has brought this sound to my ear, and have
considered tbs general silence which prevails on this
subject as indicating an apathy unfavoraole 10 our
hopes Yet the hour Of emancipation is advancing In
the march of time. Ii will come; and, whether
brou ht on by the generous energy OF our own minds
or by the bloody process Of ST. Domingo excited and
conducted by the power OF our present enemy, ii
once stationed permanently within country offer
ing um and arms TO the oppressed, Is eaf oil our
own history, aid not yet TUNED over
AZ 10 the method By which this difficult work TO
be effected, if permitted to be done by ourselves
have proposition so expedient on the whole,
day and of their education and expiration at
proper age. This would give tune for gradual ex-
inc,ion of that spechs OF labor, and substitution of
another and leesen the severity OF the shock which
an operation so fundamental cannot fail to produce
The idea Of emancipatng the whole at once the old
as well the young and retaining them here is Of
those only who have not the guide of either know
edge or experience on the subject For men, prob
ably OF any color but Of this color we know, brought
UP from their infancy without necessity for thought
or forecast are, by their habits, rendered a. incapa
bic children Of taking care OF themselves and are
extinguished promptly wherever industry is necessary
for raising the young. In the meantime they are
pests in society by their dleness and the depredsons
To which this leads them. Their malgamation with
the other color produces degradation to which no
lover of his country, lover of excellence in the
human Character, can innocently consent.
am sensible OF the partiates with which you have
looked toward me Is the person who should under
take this sauary and arduous work; but this, my
dear sir is like bidding old Priam to buckle the
amor Of Hector, "rementI6us Gro humerts G tRutue
frrum cingi." No. have overlived the generation
with which mutual lsbors and perils begat mutual
confidence and influence. This enterprise is for the
young; for those who follow IL up, and bear il
through to it's contamination. IL shall have all my
pray ers. and these are the only weapons Of an old
man But, in the mean time, are you right 10 aban-
doniDg this property, and your country with III l
think not My opinion has ever been that, until more
can be done for them should endeavor with those
whom fortune has thrown in our hands TO feed and
clothe them well, protect them from III usage require
such reasonable labor only a. s performed voluntarily
by freemen. and be led by no repugnances to abdi
cate them ana duties to them. The laws do not
Fermit to turn them loose if that were for their
good and TO commute them for other property Is TO
commit them 10 those whose usage OF them we can
not control. hope then, my dear sir, you will recon-
ee yourself to your country and Its unfortunate con.
dition that you will Lessen It's stock Of sound dis
position BY Withdrawing your portion from the mass
That on the contrary you will come forward IN the
public councils become the missionary of this doctrine