The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-08-24

al DcOpiC Who hSNct ohCHhCd Saph'eeh
. and carrying them into slavery in anolhe
: hemisphere, or 10 incur miserable death !
, their transportation ,hiiher. This PIRATES
: warfare, the approbrium OF ISFIDEL power:
Is the warfare 6f the CHRISTIAN King Q
: Great Britain. Determined 10 keep open
market where MEN should be bought IN,
sold, he has prostiiuisd his negative for sup
pressing every legislative attempt 10 prohib
T !, or restrain this execrable commerce.
. :, FfOm tie Declaration.
GIVE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF
EVIDENT: THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATEI
EQUAL; THAT THEY ARE ENDOWED BY THEIl
CREATOR WITH CERTAIN INALIESABLE RIGHTS
THAT AMONG THESE ARE LIFE, LIBERTY, AMI
THE PURSUIT or HAPPINESS Vol. |, D. 90
From the Nots on HLginia," igntisa m 1881
aud l7s2
"Thcre must doubtless be an unhappy
influence OIL The manners Of our people pro,
duced by The existence of Slavery among
us. The whole commerce between masiel
and slave is a perpetual exercise OF The
most unremiliing despoiism on the one part,
and degrading submission on the other
Our children see this and learn 10 initiate
IL; for man is an initiative animal. This
quality is the germ Of all education in him ;
from his cradle 10 his grave he Is learning
10 DO what he sees others do. II parent
could find no motive either in his philan-
,hrophy or his self-love, Tor restraining the
inlemperance Of passion towards his slave,
il should always be sufficient one that his
child is present. Blu, generally. il is no,
sufficient. The parent storms, the child
looks on, catches the lineamenls Of wrath,
puts on the same airs in the ciicle OF small
or slaves, gives loose rein 10 The worst OF
passions, aud thus nursed and educated, and
daily exercised in tyranny, canno, but be
stamped by it with odious peculiarlies.-
The man must be prodigy who can retain
his manners and words undepraved by such
circumstances. And with what execfalion
should the statesman be loaded, who, per-
hitting onc half the citizens Thus to trample
on The rights of tho other, transforms those
into enemies, destroys the morals oflhe one
part, and the drmor pairiG Of the oiher.-
For il slave can have a country in this
world, il mus, be any other in preference
to that in which he is born 10 live and labor
for another; in which he must lock up the
faculties OF his nature, contribute as far as
depends OH his individual endeavors TO the
evanishment Of the human race, or entail
his own miserable condition on the endless
generations proceeding from him. With
the morals Of the people, their industry also
is destroyed. For in warm climate, no
mau will labor for himself who can make
another labor for him. This Is so true. that
Of the prroprieiors OF slaves very small
proportion indeed are ever seen 10 labor
And can the liberties Of nation DO though,
secure when we have removed their only
firm basis, n conviction in the minds Of the
people that these liberties are Of the gilt Of
God ! That they are not 10 be violated but
with his wrath Indeed tremble for my
county when | reflect that God is Just
that His justice cannot sleep forever; that
considering numbers, motive and natural
means only, revolution Of the wheel Of
fortune, an exchange Of situation, is among
possible events; that II may become prob.
able by supernatural Interference The
Almighty has no aiiiibule which can take
side with US in such a contest. But II Is
this subject through Tie various considcra.
tions Of policy, OF morals, Of history natural
and civil. We must be conented to hope
they will force their way into every ones's
mind. think change already pcrceptible
since The origin Of the present revolution.
Tho spirit OF the master is aba,ing, lha, Of
the slave rising from the dust, his condition
modifying, the way hope preparing, nm
der the auspices Of heaven, for a total eman-
c;o,y;o, ,n1 ,b;s Ia ,l;snns.I Il, ,b, ,.J.,. ,I
events, 10 be with the consent of the mas
,ers rather than by their ex,irpaiion." Vol.
s, p. lO3.
On the very day Of the sess ion by Virgin.
ia Of the Northwest Terri'ori,y, March !,
1884, Mr.. Jefferson from committee con-
sis,ing ofhimsclf, Chase of Md, and Howell
Of r. l., reported plan for its government,
and therein was the following provision:
"Afier the year 1900 ofihe Christian Era,
there shall be neither Slavery nor involun-
,ary servilude in any Of the said States,
otherwise than in punishment Of crimes,
whereof the party shall have been duly
convicted to have been personally guilly.n
This provision il will be perceived, con.
,ains the germ. The hint, the principle. OF
the Missouri Restriction, which the Hunker
Democracy Of The present day have iraudu-
len,ly repealed, in open violation OF most
solemn pledges not 10 10 so.
In 1856 Mr.. Jefferson wroe as follows
an. de Meusnier, where he mentions
,ha, The Slave law has been passed in Vir-
ginia, without the clause Of emancipation.
is pleased TO mention that neither Mr.. Wythe
nor Mr. Jefferson was present, to make the
proposition they had medilated from which
people who DO not give themselves the
trouble 10 reflect or inquire, might conclude
hastily, that their absence was the cause
why The proposition was not made ; and OF
course 'ha, there were mol in the assembly
persons OF virtue and firmness enough To
propose the clause for emancipation. This
supposilon would no, be true. There were
persons there who wanted neither The virtue
10 propose, nor talents to enforce The plopo.
silion, had they seen that the disposition Of
the Legislature was ripe for IL. These wor-
Thy characters would feel themselves wound.
ed, degraded, aud discouraged, by this idea.
MI. Jefferson would therefore be obliged TO
NJ. do Mousnisr, TO msniion IL ia some such
manner as this. "Of The two commission.
ers who had concerted the amenda,ory
clause for the gradual emancipation Of
slaves, Mr.. Wylhe could no, be present, he
being a member Of the judiciary depart.
ment, and Mr.. Jefferson was absen, on the
the legation 10 France. But there were no,
wanting in that Assembly, men of virtue
enough 10 propose, and talents 10 vindicaie
this clause. But they saw tho momen, for
doing ii with success wgs no, vel arrival
aud that an unsuccessful effort, as 10 often
happens, would only rive, still closer the
chains Of bondage, and reiard the momen,
OF delivery 10 this oppressed description of
men. What slnpendous, what an incom.
prehensible machine Is man who can en-.
dure toll, famine, stripes, i'm mprisonmcni, and
death itself, in vindication OF his own libe,.
~, and the next moment be deaf 10 all those
motives whose owersup ported him through
his trial, and inaici on his fellow men n
bondage one hour Of which is fraught with
more misery, than ages OF ,ha, which he