Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-10-06
Frank r. ntair, Jun, aud his slnveS.

ST.. LOUIS, September @, 1853
O. w. WAITE, Esq.-Dear Sir: have re-
ceived your kind note and copy of the news
paper called the De RaE5 County SenttneE
which you were good enough to send me. You
desire to know whether the statement contained
in that paper, to the effect that am the owner
of thirty slaves, is true or not The statement
is not true. am the owner Of few slaves
most of them being purchased by me to prevent
them from being separated from their families;
and have emancipated more than now own.
The doctrine advocate will If successful, give
freedom to all the slaves in Missouri, my own
included, and Should consider this great boon
cheaply purchased by the sacrifice of whatever
interest-I have in that species Of property.
Isnaye not the pleasure of your acquaintance,
neither do know the editor of the De KGt6l
County, Sentinel Your desire to justify me
from his malicious attack, while it entities you
TO my thanks, will, i fear, prove waste oftime
and ink. If, instead of being n southern man
and STAKEHOLDER, had been theopposite, and !.
opened my mouth to speak on the subject of
emancipation, | should have heen denounced by
the negro democrats as an aboltiOnist5 But occu-
Ipying the position of most persons reared as L
have been with reference to the institution OF
slavery, it is necessary to demagogue on the
other tack, and to argue that / am inSincere in
the doctrines advocate, because am the own
er of a few slaves. These people forgetthat the
advocates of emancipation have in almost every
instance hcen shareholders. George Washing
ton, Thomas Jefferson, John JAY, of New York,
and Henry Clay, were all saveholders-they
were all advocates Of emancipation, and would
all be hypocrites according to the logic Of the
"negro democracy" Of the day.
The truth is that emancipation is urged by
some from religious and conscientious scruples
on the subject of slayeholding, by others from
considerations of economy, and by others from
ipCitical considerations. All of these different
views are well worthy of being weighed, and as
they all tend to the same object, cannot see
why those who urge emancipation on one ground
should take issue Hith those who advocate it
from other motives. For my part, huve always
| given greater weight TO the objection arising
from political considerations holding as do
that the institution is hostile to all true democ-
racy, and that its irresistible tendency is to,
| build up an ogarchy and Subvert our Repubi-
can government. The idea of liberating the
slaves and allowing them to remain in this
country is one that will never be tolerated.
Whenever emancipation is preached in a slave
state the advocates of slavery commence rails
ing howl that the object is to liberate the
Slaves and put them on an equality with
the white people; and in this way many laborine
men are miSled aud take the side Of an institu-
ton which is absolutely hostile to their best
interests. 1t was for this reason that put for
ward in Congress the views j have always held
on this subject in favor of colonizng our free
negroes in Central America, TO be protected there
by the powerof this government, and guaranteed
in all their political rights. take the liberty
of sending you my speech on this subject, in
order that you may the precise ground upon
which place the matter Although it was
perfectly notorious that | hold these views, il
did not prevent my opponent from misreprcSen-
ting me- and from appealing to the prejudice of
those who feared that the negroes were to be
put upon an equality with the white men; and
and it is folly to suppose that those who main.
tain this odious system will ever hesitate to
supportit by falsshoods as odious as the system
itself. Respectfully,
FRANK P. BLAIR, Jr.