Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1855-12-20
Mr.. JeffersOn's AbOHtionism.

He should have gone further, and charged US
with proving him to be so. He cannot deny
that Mr.. Jefferson was the author Of the Virgil
MIA ordinance Of 1854. which provided that in.
voluntary servitude except for the punishment
of crime, should not exist in the Territories Of
the Union after the year 1900. If this was
not, fret, ABOLITION Of the slavery that should
not exist 10 1900, and secondly. its PrOhibi.
tiOn for all further time, we beg our neighb1r
to tell US distinctly by what name it shall be
called. We are not particular in the matter
of terminOlOgy but if Mr.. Jefferson was not
an Abolitonist, what was be =?
Suppose WE should venture to say that !the
abolition Of domestic slavery is the greatest
object of desire in these States would not
the editor of the Enquirer feel justified in ac-
cusing us of having given utterance to senti-
ments OF rank abolitionism? Yet in his letter
to the Convention holden at Williamsburg,
Virginia, dug. LIZA, Mr.. Jefferson wrote as
follows:
The abolition of domestic slavery is the
greatest object Of desire in these colonies where
it was anhappily introduced in their infant
state. But previous to the enfranchisement Of
the slaves, il is necessary to exclude all further
importations from Africa. Yet our repeated at
tempts to effect this by prohibition, and by im-
posing duties which might amount to prOhibi-
ton, have been heretofore defeated by bis ma.
jesty's negative. Thus preferring the imme-
diate advantages of few African cOrsairs to
the lasting interest Of the American States, and
to the rights Of human nature, deeply wound
cd by this Infamous practice
Not merely the dissolution of the servile
tenure, but the 'enfranchisement' of the slaves,
his admission to the rights of citizenship
formed, as appears BY the foregoing quotation,
part of the political system of Mr.. Jeffer-
son. We might multiply extracts almost un-
limitedly to the same effect, but have OILY room
for part OF his bitter denunciation Of the in.
stitution contained in his Notes on Virginia. !"
He first speaks of the effects of slavery upon
the morals Of the people where it exists con-
tinuing, he says;
with the morals of the people, their indus
try also is destroyed. For, in warm climate,
no man will labor for himself who can make
another labor for him. This is so true, that
of the proprietors Of slaves, a very small pro.
portion indeed. are ever seen TO labor, And
can the liberties of the nation be thought Sc
cure when we have removed their oaly firm
basis--a conviction in the minds of the people
that these liberties are the gift Of God y? That
they are not violated but with HIS wrath? In
deed, tremhe for my country, when reflect
that God is Just that his justice cannot sleep
forever; that considering numbers, nature and
natural means only, revolution Of the wheel
of fortune, an exchange of situations is among
possible events that it may become probable
by supernatural interference. The Almighty
has no attribute which can take sides with us
in such contest
Such testimony to the Industrial, political
and moral evils Of slavery such declaration
of its sinfulneSs in the eys of God of infinite
iustice--such recognition of the invariable
relation which exists between crime and punish
ment, and such a prediction of the decent Of
The wrath ofJehovah upon the heads of a peO
pie guilty ofoppresson, would, had it fallen
from the lips of Theodore Parker, Wendell
Phillips or William Lloyd Garrison, instead Of
gliding from the pen of the Sage OF Monticello,
been greeted with mingled cry Of dersion and
by every Administration print and
orator from Maine to California Again, we
have a right to ask, if Mr.. Jefferson was uot
an Abolitionist, what was he? We are taunt-
ed with the title of Abolitonism because we
desire. by every constitution means, to prevent
the planting Of slavery In lands where it does
not exist. II by the possession of such sen
timent man becomes legitimately entitled to
the name, how much stronger than our own to
such distinction, are the claims of Mr.. Jeffer-
son. The editor Of the Enquirer attempts to do
away with the evidences of the Abolition
views of Mr. Jefferson, by showing that he
was not opposed to the spread Of Slavery into
free territory. In 1920 he held that the
diffusion Of slavery would not increase its a
mount, and would facilitate emancipation, by
driving the burden on greater number of
We are afraid the testimony
offered byour contemporary scarcely comes upto
the requirements of bis case. MFR. Jefferson
favored the diffusion of slavery as means Of
securing its abolition. Emancipation is what he
bad in view, and it is only to be inquired Wheth-
er he was correctin his opinion, that the pas
sage Of slaves from one State to another would
not make a slave Of single human being who
would not be so without it, Had MIR. Jefferson
lived until now, he would have learned the
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