Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-01-06

exposs the error of these allegations and the sinister
motive which prompted them, would be superdaous
Has Mr.. Hurlbu', in ihs course of his historical
researches read OF any people, In ancient or
modern times. who, by pacific means, or recourse 10
war ohsined additional territory for other purposts
than that of extending slaveryi ls his abh0rreRce o
slavery 20 intense has this single question 80 OF.
scured his perceptions OF truth, that hs csn imsgue
no other plausible or justidabe for national
expansion I If Kings and Emperors are excussbls
or justiiabe for enlar9ing their dominions, Why
should the government Of the United States osd
MED the right Of acquiring territory by honest msana
and for legitimate ends7 The love of land aud tbs
love of power charact-rise nations as we'll as tndi,
vinas. and in acquiring more territory the people OF
the States have only illustrated peculiar feature
of their Ang go-SaIon ancestors. Why should they
have declined the opportunity of increasing their
power, as we'll as providing for the comfort and sub.
sistence of population augmenng in ratio unpre.
cedsnted In the annals OF the world
Following the example Of some Of the Massachu.
setts aboltionsts the Unitarian minister condemns
the Constitution of the United States because al.
thorises and requires tho representation OF three-
hfths OF the slave population. Government 10 inst.
tuted no less for the protection Of property than Ut
the persons of individuals and the ablest writers On
| the science Of government have maiptaued that re-
presentation should bs compounded OF persons and
property Dir. Hurbut processes great reverence Tor
the opinions Of our departed Statesmen upon Iues
tions connected with savery. Is he not aware, thai
Mr.. Madison advocated the representation Of slaves
as Just aud wise constitutional provision when he
| wes member OF the Federal Convention Of 1851
that he defended it in the 5i,h No. Of the Fedsrsiut,
and that in the Virginia CoDVe non of 1879, Mr. Ma.
Olson recommended the same principle of Representa-
on the very best which could incorporated 10 the
Constitution Of VirgiDla1 But as 1t may be urged
| that Mr. Madison was q ssveholder, We may be OK
cused FIR reminding Mr. Hurbut Of other authorities
whose impsrtialiy be- cannot question II he will
turn to the debates of tbs New York Convention,
held TO decide "n the ratification or rejection Of the
FEDERAL Constitution, he will 6nd the justice and ex
ped sncy OF tbs blayr representation vindicattd oy
Alexander Hamilton in mastery argun n, Let II
| be remembered, that no had The Independence Ia do
this before the people Of New York, almost all OF
whoee day laborers were FREQ white men. Gnng
from NeS York To Massachusetts. let us see what
the general stntineDr ot the Convention held III
that Stale consd.r the qurs;lpn Uf adopting or re
j-cting the proposed Constitution. The Question II
allowing representation for slaves being under dis.
cussion, il was sustained by Dir. King who, in the
Of his remarks, said "it wss adopted oscnusr
it was the language of all America" Mr. Dawes
'was very sorry 10 hear The representation OF three
ffths Of the slaves objected TO-" If granted .he
could see that the Northern Btaes would suffer
the propnsod section ton slave repressna,onJ much
";n fauor Of Massachlssts." Judge Dana concluded
from survey Of every part Of the Constitu-
tlon, that it was tho oeet that the wisdom OF man
could eugge.t." So highly was the Consti uon gu
lugised, that member OF the Convention Mr. Kan.
daily observed "in praise Of IL, ire hear The rererend
clergy, the judges Of the Supreme Court and me
dbleIt iduyers cIerting their utmost d6l'ti<s A!as.
how changed il the scene IN Massachusetts In ratl-
flying the Constitution, the Convention proposed nine
distinct amendments, but neither Of them was de-
signed to abolish the ssve representation. tElotts
Debates.
The Unitarian minister eItols the late Judge Story
Of Massachusetts as au obi, expouuder Of oonetitu
tiona law and frequently ref,rs to his views. Why,
thsp did Mr Hurl6ut withhold from hi, Brit. i.h read
the opinions Of Judge Story upon tba. clause VI
the Constitution which refers to fugves from sbori
Thie clause tsad Storyl was introduced into the
Constitution solely for the benefit OF the slave
holding States, to enable them to reclaim their tu-
gi,ive slaves who should escape into other States
where slavery is not tolerated" tStory's Con-
nentares Scorniug this opinion Of his distinguish
ed friend, Mr.. Hurlbut maintains, that the proposition
ITO deliver up fugitive slaves to their owners one OF
- monstroui nature" He proceeds TO cay that The
fugitive slave law seems for the first time TO have
awakened the population Of the North to the reall.
ties Of slavery. Clergymen from the pulpii''
/" Judges from the bench, denouncedit Its eIecu
I" ton was opposed with violence as well as with
words; savss were rescued from their claimants IN
" open Court, and sent Of to And shelter in Cana
I" da." II is high time that The population Of the
North should bo awakened "to the realities" oil the
Constitution. The sooner they canddly study its
eevsral provisions and resolve upon honest conpli-
| ance, the better for Us all.
When there is so much philanthropy prevailing
amou2 the Northern people, why do they not clotte,
|
stead Of shifting the responsibility and casting them
upon the people of Csredsi In some future
number Of tho Edinburgh Review, the British
friends Of the benevolent minister will doubtless
thank him 10 Inform them why IL is, sod how it il,
that In all Of the Northern States suitable "shel
can oe found for fugitive slaves, and upon what
principles of justice, of international law, the "a
madam subjects Of Queen Victoria should DO taxed
with the duty of providing for the subsistence o. III
yitives from the United States. Estimating the kind.
4 pssa NJ ha
tive slaves at its true value and fully understanding
their designs, the people Of Canada are now taking
measures eff.cually to prevent ths Northern Siaee
from sbeitering any more fugitivss In Canada when
this is duue the aoollion.rs will perhaps fl out sew
ersl vessels and send fugvs slaves or to the Arco
P,s. If 90. the Rev Mr. Hurlbut might probably
lind employment chaplain for the Company.
Among the other crimes attributed TO the Southern
States is the repeal of the Missouri Compromise -
Sir. dnrlbut contends that this Compromise we. "un
| Just to the North" What then could his British
readers and ellles think Of the honesty and patriotism
of himself and HE Northern friends for opposing ii
r-peal' Why should injustice be perp.iuatedi Why
should an 'unjust' compromise be ipd-I oily msn
tanned aud upheld as sacred We leay-the problem
| to the solution OF tho New York minister.
Indulgng the pleasing lIll.ion Of Mr.. Fremont'a
election I'D November last, Mr.. II. states what, IN
such contingency, would become the great and i'm
pera,ive duties of Congress: ITO rsafirm wherever
1.-The opportunity Is open for legislation the or'gins
principles of the American government again to
ocazs slavery to nationalize freedom, and TO draw
about the Southern States great Gordon OF prosper
says, would command the support Of all rational and
! fright minded men In America, as il certainly
''would the respect of oil thinking men throughout
"the world" The original principles to which he
aludes, have no force, unless it can be proven tha
they plainly result from fair Interpretation OF the
Constitution. That Instrument does not expressly ol
by implication. confer upon Congress any authority
to 'ooaxe" slavery, or to "draw about the Southern
States great Gordon OF free comnonweallhs. -
There were only thirteen States when the ConstItu
ton was adopted, aud slavery existed in all OF them
eIcspt one. With this fact staring him in the lace
all the time, he seeks to create the Impression thai
those who framed and those who adopted the Constr
tution designed it as weapon to overthrow instead
OF shield to guard and protect slavery agalnst the
assaults of those not Immediately interested IN It's
preservation. From what clause of the Constitution
| he deduces the power OF Congress TO 'local1e
slavery, aud 20 draw the great cordon, We baVe yet
| 10 learn.
[ He and hi. CO laborers are fond of asserting that
the slave States have hitherto" and do s'il manifest
spirit of aggression and encrOachnent-s spirit nd
verse TO the just aud 'qraI rights OF h. non slave
holding States in regard 10 territorial a-t'i.men', &C
No evidence can be aridun-d in support "f this bold
allegation. When the + d-ral Constitution Wac
| rai ID. there tw-vs slave States and ono non
s.ayehuding SIatr there arc fifteen slave Sa'-s
| Snd sixteen non sIavebod:ng Stae'. The increa-e
,f unn slayeboldny States has been fifteen, OF save
| States three This statement 1mbracrs the OLD rs
we'll as the new States, and It shows how groundlres
are the apprehrnsDns Of the Nnrtn about what they
call "hs .pread Of slavery" Slavery has hs-n RI.
ceding from the Nnrth than halt century. and
the further il reredes h- greAer has bHans ;sr NOS
| rfy Of the Northern ps"pe
According IA thu c--u- rr!uras o. 1851 ''i-re "-i-
three hundred snl fifty hou.and slsren "i~r" III h7
United States VITO avn d threr inoI, fwu hundred
| thousand slaves Mr.. Hurlbat insists rhs, rho num-
b-r OF slavehoders ,uns only" 40 a1oar "ne hun.
drrd thousand persOns n, .vdoucs To sustain this
estimate is produced, excep, that hs friend. Mr.. Pal
frey VI Massachu usstts, holds IN. same opinion Mr.
II demo.hes the testimony, and d.pnses Of the cen
sus by observing that 't is commonky G0esei
in tho United States that the returns We're tempered
with to serve party purpose" 1tseem. NOT 10 have
entered The head OF this Unitarian minister, that ANY
person would think /; possible that t< would make
an erroneous estimate to a similar obj7ct -
Wbethsr there are one hundred thousand or Que IN
lion Of Shareholders in the Cu!e3 States, The cohst-