Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-02-02
SATURDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY ., 1866,
LECTURE ON SLAVERY IN
ROSTON ~

LECTURE ON SLAVERY IN
In accordance with an invitation extended
some time since to various Southern gentlemen,
the Hon. RoBEaT TooNRs, Of Georgia, appeared
Mt tha fremont Temple, Boston, on the evening
OF the gath instant, and addressed large audi
ence.
We Audin the Boston journal an abstract Of
the speech, aud learn that AR. T. was treated
very respectfully, with the exception of slight
indecorum in the middle Of the speech and at
the close, on the part of two rthrecindiyiduals,
strongly condemned by the respectable portion
Of the Boston PRESS, The Journal says:
before entering upon his subject Mr.. Toombs
said that he,,yas not unconscious that the views
be had to utter were not in harmony or unison
with the opinions Of the great majority OF those
before him lie accepted the invitation to APP
pear with desire to present the subject of sta-
very from different standpoint from what 1t
is usually viewed here, with the hope that it
might modify those asperi,ies which ought not
10 exist between the people Of this nation. he
proposed to consider the subject in two particu-
lars: First, what constitute the status OF sa-
very 10 the United States; and, second, what IS
The effect OF slavery on the SLAVE himself, and on
society where he exists and he hoped to do 1t
in spirit Of candOr antCt fairness becoming
freeman" vsi
Mr.. Toor,bs gave review of the history of
the formation Of the Constitution OF the United
States, the powers given under it, and the course
I'll some OF the New England States, By which
the African slave trade was continued twenty
years longer than was desired by Maryland and
Virginia. During that period one hundred
thousand Africans were broughtt to this country
in Northern ships On referring to clauses of
the Constitution which protected slavery-such
as those FOX the return Of fugitives and for the
suppression Of domestic insurrectior-some of
the audience uttered a hiss, ut which the lcctu-
.erreuarked that he did not put that clause
there; am only giving the history of the action
of your fathers and nine; you may hiss them If
you choose
These principles, Mr.. T. remarked, we're gen.
orally acqliesced in by the whole people of the
United States, enforced by every President from
WAsH1Soros to PIERCE and sustained By nu-
merous judicial and legislative decisions; and but
Sortho acquisition of new territory the questions
which now agitate the country never would have
arisen
Mr.. T. then reviewed the practice of the Cow
err:ncnt on tho subject of slavery, showing that
Virginia made hor grant of land to the General
Government with an anti slavery provision, whilst
North Carolina made her grant with a pro-
slavery provision. and gave history of the sub
sequent struggles OIL the admission of new
States He also considered the effect Of the in
at the South, and said:
''That the comparison which good men often
made ofthe South with the North wasnot a fair
one The question Is not whether the South
would be better with million of freemen than
with half million Of treemeu and half million
of slaves; but whether, having the half million
Of slaves, it would be better to have them in
Bubordnation than in freedom? He argued that
the Southern States found the slaves among
them at the time of the adoption of the Consti-
tuition In their Judgment these Africans were.
rot adequate to participate in the privileges of
frsemen, and so they excluded them from that
right, and III his opinion wisely. SIR. t. refer
red to history, going back to the time of the
Egyptians to show that the African race had
ever been heldin seryitude, and argued that this
history showed that the race, in itsfown coun-
Try is incapable to take the first step in ciYili
cation. It lis race without letters, without arts,
or civilization or religion; without even those
aspirations which would raise to idolatry q race
which, ii it should be blotted from the land in
which Providence has placed it, in twenty years
no evidence Of its ever having existed could be
found. This race, he argued, WAS the only one
which was never found in any other condition
than servitudc."
oth:f views were psessatel to show that the
inauenc Of Slavery was not to debase society, as
often urged in some quarters, but that history
proved that it had existed in those nations most
renowned for their attainments in the arts aud
in civilization. Thereporter of the Journal says:
"The lecture was an hOurand halfin longth,
and for the most part was listened to in respec-
tive and attentive manner. The speaker was
earnest and eloquent his delivery, and present
edh arguments with much power
Mr.. Toombs was the guest, during hisStay in
Bsston, of the Hon. Vim. Appleton and the Hon,
Nation Appleton, and waSaccompauied by them
to the platform, guaranty for gcntlemsnly and
courteous treatment in the main. The excep-
tions referred to can scarcely be considered as
compromising the character of Boston audi
ence, since rude menare to be found every where.
The reporter properly charaeterizes the conduct
of some of the audience at the close as IAN un-
gentlenanly act"
HEALTH OF NoRFoLx-The Board of Health
of Norfolk are taking measures to preserve the
future health of that city. they have adopted
report recommending to the City Councils, as
being of the first necessity, the draining Of the
lots on the north side of Water street, on the
south side of Cove street, andOn tho east sideof
Metealfs lane, by culrerts They also recon-
mend that culvert be constructed under Water
street to drain of the.water from the sunken
lots on its north side into the river, and that a
general system of underground drainage, by
means Of cuKert under Main street, from