The Yazoo Democrat., 1858-11-06
From the Charleston Mercury
TILE L AIN AE DID AON


The notion of the constitution which prac-
tically exists is, as have stated, one, to wit,
of bond of union, and huge charter o.
powers to suit the exgencies OF the dominant
party. In every case the minority have been
overruled, but it would appear from our past
history that truth ultimately triumphs-
We shall have no more national banks; the
system Of protection is almost defunct and
it may be that the slaveholdng portion Of
this confederacy may still find all their rights
recognized and their position securely estab-
lished.
We have a very serious duty to perform
we have to place ourselves right, not in the
eyes of the world, but in our own self,esieem
We have to work our way out of the false
position in which we have SO long remained
The approaching trial presents an cpportuni-
ty. But let us always remember, that though
we must discharge our duty to ourselves
and | trust it will be done by assuming n
position from which our ancestors would have
shrunk. For it can be proved that most o
the leading founders of our republic were
aboitionis s. 1t is well known that the pro
lection of the slave trade was one Of the
charges brought against George III. by Mr.
Jefferson in his Original draft of the Decla
ration OF independence. This section wa,
struck out, Mr. Jefferson said, in complaisanct
to South Carolina and Georgia, and the Nor
thern people could not with good con
science denounce the king for protecting /
trade in VIII eli they had acted largely as car
riers. But even among the leading men u
South Carolina there were to be found arG,
Shareholders whose sentiments were utlerl,
opposed to the whole system.
In the Federal Convention southern sen
timents was decidedly opposed to the siavl
trade. The speeches of Mason Of Virginia
are the armory from which the aboitionst
of modern times have furnished their quv
ers; and had it not been for the determined
stand Of John Rutledge on the subject, th'
Federal Constitution would have stigmatizet
ih' southern portion of the confederacy.-
With the prophetic spirit Of statesman h'
defended the interests of his constituents, AMI
found an ally in Connecticut, while ViIginii
md Maryland, yielding to a sicky sentimen
tality, were willing to put the seal Of repro
baton upon their own character.
In the debate on the reference Of the abo
ition petitions to which referred in my last
some of the principal speakers were Virgin
ia delegates, and when the question was Car
ried By a vote OF 43 to IL, the whole Yir
giuia delegation, excepting Theodore Blau'
and Isaac Cole, voted with the majority thre
out of the four delegates from Maryland sup
ported the petition. Mr.. Stone of Maryland
and Mr.. SYLVESTER, from New York, and th'
two Virgnians last named voted with the
South Carolina and Georgia delegation,
against the reference. have already showr
that six of the gentlemen who thus early il
our history attempted by their votes on thi
occasion to make the constitution nose o
wax, had been members of the Federal Con
vention.
have been at some palms, some may thini
unnecessary, to expose the abolition tenden
cies of our ancestors. But it is not withou
its use. 1t helps to explain the seeming in
consistency of body of venerable and re-
spectacle men, gravely attempting, almost
Immediately after the danger of dissolution
of the confederacy had been avoided, to re-
duce to an absolute nulity the very instru'
ment by which the Union had been saved
The questions which arise from this view o
the case are not snch as are to be settled by
professional tactics. P. A, F.