New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-04-24
THE OPINIONS OF wAsuryGrOx.

great moral and political question cannot be set
tied by authority. The opinions the action OF q
nan who lived in other days. however eminent, cannot
weigh against the light of the present time or be made
to oyerbear the suggestions of and hu nanty
Still il is impossible not to be interested in the private
opinions and sentiments which ruled the minds of those
whose memory the world reveres for their great pub
lie services and there is no subjec. on which the
fathers Of the Republic, and especially Washington,
can more proably be consulted than upon the nature
ard tendencies of Slavery. He steast free from
that prodigous peryerson of Judgment and feeling
which would bold up this Institution worthy of sd
miration and perpeuity. He had no sympathy with
the modern school of philosophers who make the de-
gra6a'on aud Qualification OF human beings the corner
stone of republicaDism. On this head we have care
fully consulted his writings and propose to cite s)me
of the passages which are particularly worthy OF con-
sideration beginning with part OF his last will and
testament" which might be read with profit BY the
Court which tried and sentenced Mrs. Douglass at
Norfolk. l; is as follows:
"Im-A the decesse of my wife it my will and desire
that ell the slaves hold ny h shall receive their
feedom Toemsnepate them during her life would s0pgh
earnestly desired be attended with such insurmounsbe
difficulties account Of their intermIfare by marriage
with her dover negroes excite the painful sensa
tons not dsagreesbe consequences the latter while
both descriptions in the occupancy of the propr
eior il not being in my power under the tenure by
which the negroes held to manumt them And whereas
smong those who viii receive freedom according to this
d.ye, there may be some who from old age bodily in
frmites and others who account OF their infancy viii
be unable support Themselves il Is my will and desire
tina, all who come under the first and second description
shall be comfortably clothed and fed by my heirs while
they live and that such Of the latter description have
parents living or living unable or unwilling pro
vide for them shall be bound by the Cour, until they shall
/ arrive al the age Of twenty five years The
neeroes thus bound, by their masters mistresses
10 X taHgh read ard rr Gn3 10 be brought Nd
Esjr ocr1 patton areealy 10 tie lars Of tie Conmoared
e Trgine proridirr for ne import OF orphan and otAer
poor etadrcn. Asd dc hereby expressly tord tie sac
frGsspOrfafcu oEf Of sad CSmm0Nro Of dare may
de Possessed q, WEdsr GHy preA rAGsoeuer. And do,
moreover ROa p0.Aieily and solenAly ea0is upon NY
c-ecNors hereafter named the Of er to zee
that hs clause respecting slaves and every par thereof be
regiessy fulfilled a, the epoch st which il IS directed
tai plsce. rtioNf erasioA zerier'. or Goiay~
In 1919, March l6 Henry Laurens, member of Con-
eress from South Carolina wrote to Washington IS fol-
lows
Had we Arms for 5000 such black men a. could select
in Carolina should have doub, Of in driving
The Brit III out Of Georgia end subduing Ess Ei0rdA BE-
fore ibe end Of Jns
To this Washington replied, March 81 that the
policy Of or srune slaves Is 10 my opinion a Moot
goit. unl,ss tie ereay ses toe example For saosli
re lss-a to iogu bas1aCss Vi taem have no! T. d.