The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-02-08
LECTURES ON SLAVERY IN BOSTON.

| AZ
In accordance with an invitation extende,
some time since to various Southern gentle
men, the Hon. Robert Toombs, of Georgia
appeared at the fremont Temple, Boston, ol
the evening of the Gath ult., and addressed
large audience.
We find in the Boston Journal an abstrac
of the speech, and learn that Mr.. T. wal
treated very respectfully, with the exception
of slight ndecorum in the middle of tn,
speech and at the c!cse on the part of two o.
three individuals, strongly condemned by III,
respectable portion of the Boston press. The
Journal says:
"Before entering uFOn his subject Mr.
Toombs said that he wss not unconcous thai
the views he had to utter were not in harmo
ny or unison with the opinions of the great
majority of those before him. He accepted
the invitation to appear with desire to pre-
sent the subject Of slatery from different
standpoint from what II is usually viewed
here, with the hope that it might modify
those asperites which ought not to exist be.
tween the people Of this nation. He pro,
posed to consider the subject in two particu.
lars: First, what constitutes the status of
slavery in the United States; and, second
what is The effect of slavery on the savehim.
self, and on society Were he exists; and he
hoped to do it in spirit of candor and of
fairness becoming freeman"
Mr.. Toombs gave review of .he history
of the formation of the Constitution of the
the United States, the powers given under it,
and the course of some Of the New England
States, by which the African slave trade was
continued twenty years longer than was de-
sired by Maryland and Virginia. During that
period one hundred thousand Africans were
brought to this country in Northern ships
On referring to clauses of the Constitution
which protected sayery-such as thOse for
the return of the fugitive and for the snp.
preston of domestic insurrection-sOme of
the audience uttered a hiss, at which the
lecturer remarked that he "did not put that
clause there; am only giving the history of
the action of your fathers and mine; you may
hiss them if you choose"
These principles, Mr.. r. remarked were
generally acquiesced in by the whole people
of the United States, enforced by every Pres
dent from Washington 10 Pierce, and sus-
tanned by numerous judicial and legislative
decisions; and but for The acquisition of new
territory the questions which now agitate the
country never would have arisen
Mr.. II. then reviewed the practice Of the
Government on the subject of slavery, show
ing that Virginia made her grant Of land to
the General Government with an anti.savery
provision, whilst North Carolina made her
grant with pro-slayer provision, and gave
Il history of the subsequent struggles on the
admission of new States. He also consid.
cred the effect of the institution of slavery
on the slave aad on society at the South, and
said:
"That the comparison which good men
often made of the South with the North was
not fair one. The question is not whether
| the South would be better with million of
| freemen than with half million of freemen
and half million of slaves; but whether,
having the half million of slaves, it would be
better to have them in subordination than in
| freedom! lie argued that the Southern States
found the slaves among them * the time of
the adoption Of the Constitution. In their
| Judgment these Africans were not adequate
to participate in the privileges of lreemen,
and so they excluded them from that right,
and in his opinion wisely. Mr.. II. referred
to history, going back to the time of the
| Egyptians, to show that the African race had
ever been held in servtude, and argued that
this history showed that the race, in its own
country, is incapable to take the first step in
civilization. 1t is u race without letters,
arts, or civilization, or religion; without even
those aspirations which would raise to dola-
try race which, If it should be blo.ted from
the land in which Providence has placed it,
in twenty years no evidence of its ever hav-
inc existed could be found. This race, he
argued was the only one which was never
found in any other condition than servi-
tude."
Other views were presented to show that
the influence of slavery was not to debase
society, rs often urged in some quarters, but
that history proved that it had existed in
those nations most removed for their attain-
ments in the arts and in civilization. The
reporter for the Journal says:
"The lecture was an hour and half in
length, and for the most part was listened to
! in n respectful and attentive manner. The
speaker was earnest and eloquent in his de.
livery, and presented his arguments with much
power"
Mr. Toombs was the guest, during his stay
in Boston, of the Hon. William Appleton
and the Hon. Nathan Appleton, and was &C.
companed by them to the platform, guar
anty for gentemanly and courteous treatment
in the main. The exceptions referred to can
scarcely be considered as compromitting the
character of Boston audience, since rude
men are to be found every where. The re-
porter properly charactcrizes the conduct of
some of the audience at the close as "an un.
gentlemany act"
lW- Frosted feet is general complaint
but may be very esaily cured. Heat brick
very hot and hold the foot over it as closely
as it can be held without burning. Cut an
onion in two, dipping it repeatedly in salt,
rub all over the foot. The juice of the onion
will be dried into the foot, and effect cure
| in q very short time.