The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-08-01
GOV. MARCYs VIEWS ON SLAVERY HE PRO-
MULGATED NoN-INTERvENTIoN IN 1886


Of New York. in january, 1886
Having concluded my remarks the subjects in which
constituents have immediate and exclusive interest
my Of duty win not permit me to abstain from pre-
senting to YOU at this time considerations arising
from federal relations
This State is\a member Of community OF republics,
subject In many things TO general government and
bound together by political ties that must not be snnder
ed This relation gives rights essential to we'll
being and imposes duties equally essential TO the
well-being of our sister States AS value the i'm
advantages that spring from this Union so we
should cultivate the feelings and interests that give
strength and abstain from all practices that tend to its
dissolution few individuals in the middle and eastern
States acting mistaken motives of moral and religious
duty, less ustfable principle and dsregarding
the obligations which they to their respective gov
cnment have embarked in enterprise for abolishing
domestic slavery In the southern and southwestern States
Their proceedings have caused much mischief in those
States, and have not been entirely harmless in own
They have acquired too much importance by the evils
which have already resulted from them and by the mag
nitue and number of those which likely to follow If
they persisted in to justify in passing them with
out notice These proceedings have not only found
favor with vast majority Of constituents but they
have been generally reprobated The public indignation
which they have awakened has broken the restraints
OF law, and led to dangerous tunults and connections,
which, regret say not in all instances suppressed
without the nterposition of the military power If
consider the excitement which already exists among
felowctizens this subject, and their increasing
punance to the abolition cause we have great reason to
fear that further efforts to sustain will be attended
even in State with still dangerous disturb
anccs of the public peace.
In commercial metropolis the aboltonists have
tabshed one of their principal magazines, from which
they have sent their missiles of annoyance into the slave
holding States The impression produced in those States
that this proceeding encouraged by portion of the
business of the city of New York, at least was
not sufficiently discountenanced by them, threatened in
furious consequences to commerce. proposition
made for extensive voluntary association in the
South to suspend intercourse with citizens regard
the character the Dublc
the preservation of peace among citizens well
due respect for the obligations created by political
institutions and relations, calls upon to do what may
be done, consistently with the great principles of civil
liberty to put end to the evils which the aboonsts
bringing upon and the whole country. With what
ever disfavor we may view the institution of domestic
slavery, ought not to overlook the very formidable
difficulties of abolishing it, give countenance any
scheme for accomplishing this object in violation of the
solemn guarantees under not to interfere with this
institution as it exists in other States.
Domestic slavery existed in almost every State when
the federal Union formed Its character well
understood then it il The who founded the
general governmentshad much philanthropy and as
just appreciation of moral and religious duty and
knew well what due to the of human rights
aus the present generation yet great did they regard
the difficulties OF aboshing slavery and disastrous to
the public welfare would be, they apprehended any
ntemeddlng with it in the respective States except by
the citizens and civil authorities thereof that they dele
gated to Congress power to act this subject further
than to prohibit the importation of slaves after the year
1871 but they recognised the right OF the several States
to continue slavery without interference, by oblging
them to deliver to each other all fugitive slaves They
left the right to abolish slavery where only it could be
safely le-with the respective States wherein slavery
existed
The State of New York had this right, and although
the difficulties and dangers of exercising IT, by reason of
the small number of slaves in proportion the whole
population trivial compared with those which would
attend the exercise Of 1t in the southern States where
this number is proportionaby large yet slavery was not
finally abolished here until 1927 We left to come
to this result in time and manner, without any
mocstaton or interference from any other State l am
very any intermeddlng with us in this matter by
the citizens of other States would have accelerated
measures and might have proved mischieyous Such
services If they had been rendered. would have been
jected as useless, and regarded invasion our
rights.
If we view the labos of the aboitionsts in the calm
light Of reason, undsturbed by any morbid sympathy
and unnfiuenced by the spirit Of fanaticsif we look
at this object connected it be with the means
they using to attain tiff regard the utter impro
ability OF their reaching the by the use of these
means and the certain consequences which result
from pushing forward their efforts in the present drcc
donwe must Think characterize their schemes as Wis
ionary and pernicious
Their ayowed object to abolish slavery in the South
and Southwestern States and their means thus far have
been confined to the organization of societies among us
and to publications Of various kinds on the subject of
slavery, which are regarded throughout these States as
bes on their citizens and provocators to instruction
among their slaves So far their proceedings de-
signed to operate upon this State we may inquire what
end or object they have in vewl 1t cannot be to abolish
slavery here for 1t does not exist among Is it
convince the people of this State that slavery is an evil
Such now the universal sentiment and no man can be
found among us who enterains thought of returning
to our former condition in this respect If the abolition
sts design to enlist passions in their cause such
course would be than uCeless unless had refer
ence to some subsequent action II is expected In this
manner to influence the action of Congress- then they are
aiming at a usurpaton of power Legislation by Con-
gress woud be violation of the constitution by which
that body exists and to support which every member of
1t bound by the solemn sanction Of an oath The pow
ers OF Congress cannot be enlarged to bring the
subject of slavery within its cognizance without tho
consent of the slaveholdng States The proceedings
OF the abotonsts have rendered their object in this
respect absolutely unaainable They have already ex
cited such feeling In all those States that proposition
30 to enlarge the powers of Congress would be instantly
rejected by each with indignation II their operations
here are to inae the fanatica zeal their emssaries
and TO instgatc them to go missions to the slavehod
ing States there to distribute abolition publications and
TO promulgate abolition doctrines their success in this
enterprise Is forctod by the fate of the eled men who
have preceded them The moment they pass the borders
OF those States and begin their labors they violate the
laws of the jurisdiction they have invaded and incur the
penalty of death or other ignominious punishment.
can conceive other object that the aboitionss can
have in view far they propose operate here but
to embark the people of this State under the sanction of
civil authority, with its connivancc in crusade
against the savehoding States for the purpose of fore
Ing abolition upon them by bloodshcd II such mad
project this could be contemplated for single moment
possible thing every must zee that the first step
towards its accomplishment would be the end of our con-
federacy and the beginning of civil war.
pcople of this State