Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-10-22
Letter from Elihu urritt Nation
al Compensation Emancipation
Society.
No. % BIBlE HOUSE, AsToR PLACE.
NIW NoRk. Oct. l6. 81. (

No. % BIBlE HOUSE, AsToR PLACE.
NEw YORK, Oct. Is, '57. {
To the Editors Of the Wheeling Intelli9sncer:
GENTS: Inasmuch as you have occasion |
ally referred, in your columns, to the Com
pensated Emancipation muVem mt, and a.
many OF your readers may still misappre- |
hend It's object, Gnimus and argument, ]
would be much obliged To your courtesy ifl
you would allow me a little space in your
journal for few observaiions.-ln brief,
then, the object ot til IS new movement IS, 10
enlist the sympathy aud cooperation ef all
good and rue men, of all parties and pro-
lessions, both North and South, in behalf of
measure that shall not only extinguish
slavery peacefully, equitably and honorably,
but shall also extinguish all those unhappy
arrangements and alterations which tha;
s. stem has dirsctly or indirect ly sngendered.
In laboiing Tor a consummation so devoutly
to be wished, not the slightest wish Will b.
manifested OF entertained to touch, even
with the little finger, the doctrine of State
sovereignty, or of individual rights, as it is
regarded in the South. To this exteht it is
proposed to 60, and no farther. When the
public mind first, and the Federal Congress
next. as retec!Ing that miud, shall come to
the conclusion that the peaceful and gradual
removal OF slavery from the land, would
greatly enhance the harmony and pro- pesiY
OF the whole nation, an act will be passed,
Offering to each and every s utherD State
fair and honorable compensation for the
emancipation oil its saves. I'm merely
max NJ this offer Congress could not pos
sisy transcend the Prerogatiye of the Fed
eral Cunsiitu tioE, Eor infringe, in the slight
est degree, upon the sovereignty of the
State TO which it was addressed. Tho most
| iiiu.triuus of American statesman of differ
eut parties, have recognized the consttu-
| tiunal righr OF Congress to make such an
offer. Hon. Rufus King. in 1876, closed
| his Senatorial life and labors by bringing
before the Senate of the United States a
resolution 10 appropriate the whole national
domain to the emancipation oi the slaves
! Throughout the Union. 10 his ear and
master mind, the Constitution appeared no
obstacle to such an appropriation. Twenty
years later, Daniel Webster, the very ex-
pounder OF the Constitution declared. in II
celebrated speech, that whenever Virginia
should really AID truly set her hand to the
great work of removing slavery from her
borders, he ", u vote her TIE proceeds not
only OF all the lands she ceded to the Gov E
eminent remaining unSOld, but of oil that
a
He estimated that the whnle revenue from
these lsnds, past and prospective, would
amount to about S2G0,000,000. All this
vast sum he was ready to vote 10 Virginia
to enable her to exiingush slavery 9y a
air and ample compensation to her slave
holders. No man in the nation could Just y
claim to understand the provisions and re-
slrictions OF the Constitution more lully
,h4n he; and not The slightest bar to the
to the offer he proposed DID y fad in those
re-trictiohs
, Now. then. let us glance at The most sen,
, si;ive prsro4a;.vIs OF State severe gnty, as
, :hey are held south oi Mason and Dixon'>
! line. A oil rasses bota Houses of Con.
gresS, receiving, consequently, goody
number oi southern votes. which embodie,
the very proposition "i Ruius King anC
Daniel Webster. 1t says 10 Virgin a, as tC
t every 9th r southern State: Whenever, on
2 due reflect on, you shalt conclude that i
Ould WORK for your own we'll being TO pu
an end to slavery within your borders, yol
d shall receive from the Natiunal Treasur,
e S220 per head for the slaves emancipated
: or S 26, 900 900 in hard cash, should you &C
e cept the offer immediately. Take your oxl
5 time; you may have century to decIdesSi
= Exercise your full right Of sovereignty with
:, out .ear or iavor The Federal Congress
: would not crowd nor bribe your ree will i!
a the matter 1t leaves the offer standing. un
j changed and unchanghblo, with y u. Shoul
= majority of your citizens make up thei
c minds, that SI26 600 geo would be belte
t for them and the State tnan the present
/, number Of slaves they Lold, and should you
e Legislature, ia lis sovereign capacity pas
5 an act setting them free, you have OH ly t
l. draw upon the National Treasury for tn
e money and it shall be forihcoming.'
:. How would the most 'strict construction
y ISL, The most jealous otd,eS h'Sht man
l. detect. in such an offer and attitude Oh tn
d part of the Federal Government, any lac
,i of honest, truthful or delicate respec tor tn
O snveign'y OF Virginia! Would such an ofie
:. werr the faintest aspect OF comPu siod. con
= -trrint or briheryi /, seems TO me ever
II il and candid man must say no. The Sl25
h 100000 are not ufie I'd Ia hire, but to eRaJ
S, Virg MIA 10 put aD end to slavery, withOr
involving her ciriz Us in sny loss from ih
manumissiun OF Their slaves The sam
/. would be equaliy t ue in regard to ever
other slave Sat- To my mind, Cpngre:
sr could not as positively recognize BY an
at o!her act, the invioabiiiiy o: State sove
j. eight as by such an offer as we have cor
a. tempiated. | earnestly hope, therefore, thu
q lev OF your readers will see any serious ob
l. lection to emanc patton by National CON
I pensation in the Limitations o. the Feteri
a Constitution, or in the rights o, State SOW
Jr ereignty. Yours, Respectfully,
N ELInU BURRITT.
m The Process of opular Economy