Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-12-26
RsvrRpY JOHNSON On III. REVIVAL. OF TIL
SIhNE-TEADE

| R.N Lkln JOiiSSOH Va III. j'''' ih.1!' W 80
! SLAIE-TRADE
Considering tie honorable reputation Of Mr.: Kew
.r,v johnson ~ sa;csGai,. w".! Ga the e';'Ine:!c
he las ic,: y ID in tie rani:s U! lis rcC!c:s!oi "
.:auno: deny ourselves tia satisfaction o. p!&ch;
before readers the utjnned letter from 'he gen
,lfinan, Which fud il tie papers oil tiia uy' q,
ore. NJ T., IRIS .uiuri:s entr.y ec""rdsn VIII
our own upou The proposition, lately made from
high quarter 20 revive the !u:e!Sa slave trade NV
letter was The RESIDE. will perceive addressed !"
committee Of gentlemen ct Boston, and was read a.
a meeting recently ho:d i'll Faneuii Ha!i III LIZ"
city, Nat Int.
BALrIaoRR, December l, 1885,
To Messrs. GREENE and others, COMMITTEE:
GENTLEMEN: Nothing but imperative engae
admitting Q! DISAPPOINTMENT, could prs'e"' p my
i,.;ry AT The bGuGue, and iubilee 10 he held III Oh
Gull Hall on the 3D. 10 which you have honrteI .n'
with an invitation. Tns election OF Messrs buoHu
m ard Breckuridge il indeed ns.iohal Liunp r.,
and shuul;. delight TO sea i:s ceiebTst'"i "' ~
walls 40 hallowed by services done IL Iiie Gauss "
American Independence and our present form oil con-
stitulionai government ma,
Whilst tho history Of man furnishes no sucn Po 10
itical organization, its wonderful! auhl'as'" I :; y
every Is ant known 10 our people IS e'lueheeu -
ron.an, and UNPARALLELED prosress to etate OF IN
diydugl aud social prosperity anu power he'I, ~
fore witnessed. 1t is not, therefore, to be
that we should on every occas.oa WIN o.'' IL ,r
lions seem 20 be in peril tly to Their support aHu
" t,u.S Eil suDuICiiusC
Wh.ihe- for ;nsiunc. slavery is to be extended 10
Territories where it is not now found, or he" suites
are 10 bs admitted only upon mo coh'''io" .n
constitutions authorize prohioit IL ehoep. ~ " 90
rhese Questions involve State or Individual rshs ar
-. no,bup comuared with the untold and uniinagned
csIomries with which tho destruction Oh our
Union must certainly be d-caiain'ies tue ue
aolntne effects Of which would be iel III every part
Of the country. But whilst THESE are matters VI ...'
ar no CONSEQUENCE will! the exception referred 10:
rru,; no ma in the States now without slavery WIZ
for moment believe that any serious purpose exists,
or can ever exist in the pubic mind Ut The South 10
r,yiy. the foreign slave trade. l think am right
in saying that asulnst such measure ttlo Pup'i'
wo;c. in that section will be as decided aud uann-
nous Is in any other part Of the country. suen
step would, and in my opinion should shoch Inc
.enss Of The civilized world After VIC have made II
piracy, and again and again puhished IL ~ tuch' ="
ega!ize and engage in il ourselves wond lrsIy sue
iect us to the condemnation of Christepdon.
Slavery as it exists with w. s quite different mat
ter For its origin We rot Responsible and its con-
tnuance. besides being under the protection OF the
constitution, is absolutely necessary 10 our own gene
raj peace and welfare. To set al large more than
hrrs millions of slaves, unfit for self government,
and by nature incapable OF being amaGamaied with
the dominant race, and to have them remain where
they are, al will admit 10 be equally inpnsslb.r-
Hhst, heu, could he done with themi Would the
n;h,r States receive theml Would the !aburing men
there agree 10 such competition with their own Is
Dor! These questions udm. Of bu, ore reply, and
that shows how idle /: Is 10 look forward to suoh day
rs possible, rs long Us the present condition OF tho
ruRutry remains
If our system of slavery be wrong; if it conflicts
with morality AID religion in the abstract or in the
particular the united iGlrence pt Christianity will in
. eds own tins bring IL ~ end. When this shall
occur his gooInets and mercy will provide thet It
shall 10: BE- followed by greater evils TO the slave
and the ,naster-0 the Cause vi 'pcace on earth aud
.uod- will TO MERRIAM How or can now from its
continuance /. may DC that il ha- had i,s origin and
owes its existence scheme by which. in its
insorutablc wisdom, Providence intends 10 spread the
Ugh. OF Christian civilization through the darkness Of
African barbarsn. This however, is beyond human
knowledge, but may In time TO its direct result
All that do know s, that with Ms. the institution
is OF tic mIeei form, ard infinitely better for The
slave than il would bu TO free him, EEd have him TO
remain in necessarily degrading condition. No
candid citizen of the North could visit The South Ghd
see the general comfort aud happiness OF these peo
pie without admitting that j; is infinitely better than
that of the free negroes amongst themselves The
degradation Of slavery 10 no, fox. whilst that Of such
freedom Is felt, general thing, in almost every
form which human suffering Can exhibit. trust
them that the result OF the recent struggle has placed
the tubjec; IN the only condition which safety and
constitutional duty admit-leavng it to he people %
the States and Territories respectively alone 10 dis
pose of il. II this Ue not the only constitutional
mode, il is clearly constitutional one aud con jcts
not with rights which the Southern States, almos,
to man, believe clearly secured by tie Consii
tuition.
With high regard, your obedert servant,
RESERDi JOHNSON.