Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1855-03-16
GEN. HoUSTON'S LECTURE.

Gen. Houston was invited to deliver a
lecture at Boston, and he did so last week.
1t was expected he would make known
his views on the subject of slavery, and
he did so. Some Of his remarks would
not suit the Boston people. We give be-
low a brief extract, and call attention to
that part of it (which indicates his belief
that slavery will not exist in Kansas. 1t
will be seen too that he denies that slavery
is aggressive in its tendency, or that it
seeks extension to the Northward. He
seems to think, too, that foreigners are
useful in the country. On being intro
duced to the audience, Gen. Houston said ::
He was induced to accept the invita-
tioa from respect to the people, and in ma
king fair and unvarniSEed statement of
facts, he did not intend to trench upon the
opinions of the north ,and trusted his state
ment would be received with respect. He
then proceeded to show slavery must exist
at the south from necessity; else the two
races couch not together. The climate,
soil and production of the south required
slavery, and the slaves, he asserted, were
not objects of cruelty nor harshness, but
We're well cared for, both in their physical,
moral or religious wants, and generally
their masters were anxious that they should
be instructed in righteousness, truth, and
the Joys of religion. He had known but
two masters who worked their slaves on
Sunday, and they were men sith whom
respectable people would not associate nor
trust with office.
The south, he said, only wished to be
let alone-they did not seek to obtrudc
their views upon the north, and asked the
same exemption from the north. He deni,
ed that the south had sought at any timc
to make the question of slavery subject
of strife, and but for the repeal of the Mis-
souri, compromise, which came from The
NORTH he was of the belief that the quic
which prevailed year. ago, would no
have been disturbed. To the south tht
measure WAS but barren sceptre, mer,
abstraction, for slavery would never b,
desirable north Of 80 deg. 80 min.
Upon contemplation of the diversi
fed pursuits of the people Of this country
it would seem, he said, that they were re
. ciprocally dependent upon each other
The south were in the relation of over
scers of tho north in the production of tn
,, raw material, furnishing employment 70
their industry, ingenuity and machinery
in fabrication, and in return consuming
their fabrics, and using their utensils. Il
SO doing they made no complaint bu
e thought it fair trale, an,l believed it al
right. This showed mutual dependence
> without which the Union could not exist
t. The people Of the soath found SLAYER
l among them, and used it without abusin
n it ; if abolished, the spindIes of the mort
X would stop. If this view of the matte
J, should be called appealing to the cupidit
u u Of the north, he would reply it was
common sense view of the matter. Th
{ abolition of slavery, he contended, woul
&c result, as to the West Indies, in the dc
e terioration OF the black population, an
leave them wrctched and miserable, if
Il did not result in bloodshed. Now, it wa
Il for the interest of the master to sec til
u wants Of the slaves supplied, and he felt
&c to be duty to do so. Had the SAN
AZ amount of labor ard expense which hs
:, = been misapplied on the subject been direc
H. ed to the aid ofthe colony at Liberia, ltt
y by little slavery would have been removed
> and thro' the means Of the colony in que
IL ton the black race would have been ell
waited and its influence radiated through
out that vast continent. AS great as we
"a the obstacles, he did not doubt that prov
y dence would provide way for the remov
y of slavery as mysterious as was the unfo
seen result of the selling of Joseph by h
brethren.
c. 1t was contended, also, that the blac
III could not live at the north, neither coul
= white man perform the labor Of the slav
10 That the slaves were happy and conten
y ed, he argued from the fact that he hf
+ never known one to commit suicide. /
s. congratulated the north upon the elega7
Is improvements everywhere exhibited, al
u u the oriental splendors which prevailed, al
III for many of these improvements they we
= indebted to foreigners; railroads could n
have been made, (great applause) or Il
north would have been obliged to resort
slavery. Necessity, convenience, prof
Se would have required slavery, and whenev
in foreign emigration, free labor shall becon
- cheaper at the south than slavery would
tn abolished. As unused as the south we
at to shipbuilding, daughter )they would co
S. struct ships to carry all the slaves to A
st RIGA.
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