Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-03-29

| Of society, and the prosperity oil the Amerl.
can States was never mare critically perilled
than at that period of time which intervenes
between the termination of the war of inde.
pendence and the adoption Of the Federal
| Constitution.
While the States were employed in COM
mon resistance to common enemy, they
we're secure against rivaries and jealouses
amongst themselves. But with the relaXa.
tions of peace came the intoxicaions OF
liberty. We were then in the infancy OF
the science Of constitutions and confedera.
cies :" aud never was our victory complete
until the liberty we had achieved had been
regulated by law, and the rights Of the States
in relations to each other and to the General
Government, then about to he established,
had been defined and guaranteed by writ.
ten Constitution.
That the light Of liberty during this inter
val should have been reflected from the white
to the black man is but natural and that
men high in fame for wisdom and patriotism,
have uttered sentiments adverse to the ex.
tension of slav ry, it would be unfair and
untrue to deny.
Mr.. Mason, of Virginia, in the Federal
Convention avowed the opinion that slaves
bring the Judgment of heaven on coun-
irv. As nations cannot be rewarded or
punished in the next world, they must be in
this. By AN inevitable Chain Of causes and
effects. Providence puni<hes natoral sins
by national calanilies He lamented, how
ever, that some of our Eastern brethren had,
from lust Of gain, embarked in this netarl-
Gus traffic"
Mr.. Ellsworth, of Connecticut, said :" Let
us not interim ddle. As population increases,
poor laborers will be so plenty as TO render
slaves useless Slavery, in time, will not be
a speck in the country"
Authority may be addrced in support OF
thousand exploded theories. Authority,
and high authority, may be brought for con.
ver,ing this Government into consolidated
despotisu, authority for giving the President
a lie tenor of office and authority for con-
ferring upon him the appointment ofmembers
O.. the other branch of this Congress. Aud
to what does this authority amount! You
may as well give the authority of Qnakers
against war, and the authority of Shays's
rebellion against the blessings Of the very
liberty we had achieved by revolution.
or what weight is the authority of Mr..
Mason III Virginia now, that the Judgment
of Heaven is visited upon the owners of
slaves! Aud Of what weight in ConneciI.
cut is the wholesome remunstrance OF Mr.
Ellsworth, let US not intermeddle
Sir, the Judgment Of Heaven has fallen
upon our land and in such plerteous showers
oi prosperity aud of greatness, that the ma
tions of the Old World turn their eyes upon
us in admiration and amazement. Our staple
productions--:he productions of our slaves
fill every market in both hemispheres--
They have so interviewer themselves with
the occupations. the habits, and the necess-
ties of man, that failure Of the slave crops
OF America would threaten revolution in
Europe, and bring ruin upon thousands of
our own countrymcn, who, in their blind
;nalicis,n, would now spoil the udder which
has fed and faltcned them.
The policy Of a Government is not to be
learned from isolated opinions, irresponsbly
given in loose debate, but by its solemn en-
ac,meuts, executed i'll proper form, aud by
competent authority.
But, sir, since this point has been made,
we may learn more of the policy of the
country by examining the opinions of other
gentlemen OF the Federal Convention.
Mr. Sherman, of Connecticut, observed
that ";he abolition of slavery seemed to be
going on in the United States, and that the
good sense Of the several States would, pro.
bably, by degrees complete it"
Mr. Dickinson, Of Delaware, considered
it inadnissihle, on every prIncipl. of honor
and safety, that the importation of slaves
should be authorized to the States by the
Constitution"
Mr. Luther Martin, of Maryland, was fo'
prohibiting the importation of slaves. II
was Inconsistent with the principles of the
Revolution, and diShonorab!e to the Amer
can character, to have such 4 feature in the
Constitution"
Mr.. Gerry, of Massachusetts, thought We
had nothing to do with the conduct of the
States as TO slaves, but ought to be careful
uol W give any SahC'io" " lie
Mr. Langdon, Of New Hampshire, wa'
strenuous for giving this power prohibiting
the importation Of slaves) to the Genera
Government. "He could not with a gout
conscience leave it with the States, VIII,
would then go on with the traffic, withou
being restrained by the opinions here givel
that they will themselves cease to impor
slaves"
The opinion of Mr.. Mason has alread,
been given.
All this is plain enough, and puts the gen
eral disposition of the convention, to pre-
vent the importation of slaves, beyond ques
ton.
But where were the Carolinas and Geor
gia!
Mr. Ru,ledge said: " The question at pre-
sent, is, whether the Southern States shall
or shall not be parties to the Union! If tn
Northern States consult their interests the.
will not oppose the increase Of slaves, whic
will increase the commodities OF which the.
will become the carriers"
Mr.. Pinckney said "South Carolin
never can receive the plan 1.-THE Constitution
, if it prohibits the slave trade. In every pro
posed extension of the powers of Congress
, that State had expressly and watchIully eN
; cepted that Of meddling with the transports
ton of negroes"
General Pinckney "declared it to be hi
firm opinion that, if himself and all his co
t leagnes were to sign the Constitution, an
+, use their personal influence, it would be