The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-05-13
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IcoSrrxUKD FROM THE FIRST PAGE. /

who think that this unhappy qGestion--for
such it is-of Negro Slavery, which the Con
aiilution has vainiy attempted to blink by not
nsias .be term, should Fever be brought into
pJ- &c notice, mcte especially into that OF
: Cor gress, aud mcet &c pecislIy here. Sir. with
every dus Respect for the gentlemen who
think SC, / differ With them toto coslo. Sir, il
ls thiAg which cannot be hid. 1t ia not g
dsy rot that you cen cover with a carpet until
the bouse tumbles about your ears. You
might IS well try to hide volcano in full
operation. 1t cannot be hid ; it is a cancer
on your face, and must not be tempered with
by qaacks, who never saw the disease or the
patent, and prescribe across the Atlantic. 1t
must be, if you viii, let alone.
But no, sir; the politico-religious quacks,
like the qusck in medicine and everything
else, will hear of nothing but his nostrum;
all 10 To be forced-nothing can be trust
ed to time or TO nature. The disease has
ran its course; 1t hiss run its course in the
Northern States, it Il beginning 70 run its
course in MARYLAND The natural death Of
Slavery is the unproftableness of Its most
'iexpersive labor. 1t is also beginning In the
meadow and grain country of Virginia-among
those people who have no staple that can pay
for slave labor"
lie then points his conclusion in a way to
make it stick in the memories of the masters
of slaves, to whom be addressed himself:
The moment the labor of the slave ceases
TO be profitable TO the master, or very soon
after it has reached that stage, If the Stare
sciH not run diooy from the master, the master
ioil run al0ay from the staue."
Mr.. Chairman, i am Mr. Rsndolph's prose
lyle; he was no Aboftionist, although aware
that Slavery was sapping the very foundations
OF the free institutions of his country cancer
ON he face, which. unless removed, would eat
1T l. e.o1- r. L. De-
his opinion, that the master must run away
from bis slaves, unless they run away from
him. Unhsppily for The slave States, many of
their enterprising young nsen leave their native
land for those States where individual ability
and exertion are sufficient to confer wealth and
eminence; and all of that oppressed class who
are compelled to labor with their naked hands,
and struggle for existence in competition with
the monoPolzing slave power that holds the
soil, snd bands together, by commcn interest,
the capital, the intelligence, and influence OF
the order controlling the Government Of the
Commonwealth to make it paramount, would
s'so fly, if they had the means of fight, or g
spot 90 earth they could call their own to re-
cave them. Although the time has not vet
come when the masters are ready TO run away
from their slaves, it viii doubtless come, if ever
THAI great mass Of freemen, who feel the weight
OF the institution pressing them to the earth,
should have the means of reaching homestesds
an happier regions, where their labor might
render them independent. Can any condition
be more lameDiable for a State, than that which
makes it the obvious interest of the mass of its
free population to abandon It? And if poverty
prevents tins desertion, the cause of detention,
constantly increasing, must in the end grow
into frightful calamity.
Every statesman who has looked into the condi- |
ton of the slave States has always found it full
of difficulties. Mr.. Randolph's solution does
not end them, unless we go step further |
Where would the slaves go, if they could run
awayI The North may receive an ab 5conding
straggler here and there, but what States would
receive five millions of slaves7 or how would
the runaways be anywhere provided for? The
free States which have put an interdict, 30 far
away as remote Oregon, upon the admission Of
free blacks. even IN the stnted number which
might come from the limited emancipation per
nitted in the South, would hardly receive mil
lions upon a general jail delivery. Nor can the
masters run away from their slaves, unless the
South is ready to become a San Domingo; nor
emancIpate them co mGsSe without making it q
San domingo.
Mr.. Randolph had grave meaning in the
alternatives he suggested for the radiance of
Slavery, although its strong sense, as usual with
him, is pointed with sarcasm. His will shows
bow the slaves were TO ran away from their
masters. That testament delivers practical
lesson TO his State, more pregnant with sage
advice than any ever received from his eloquent
lips, on which she hung with such rapture.
The first aud second requests read thus:
al. give and bequeath to my slaves their
freedom, heartily regrettiug ,hat have ever
been the owner Of one.
~ | give 10 my executors sum not exceed.
ing eight thousand dollars or SO much there
4os he
said slaves 10 and in some other State or Ter.
rltory Of the United States, giving to all above
'4he age Of forty not less than ten acres OF land
each"
No man ever more thoroughly understood the
interest, or more 6iially studied the heart of
Virginia, than John Randolph. The words
have read will che day be embodied in a statute
Of the State.
Washington had led the way in this mode of
deliveTance msnumitting all his slaves by will
and this was in pursuance of what long before
he said the interests of Maryland and Virginia
demanded. In his letter to Sir John Sinclair.
IN reference 10 these States, he said: "Graduai
abolition nothing IS more certain, they mus.
have. and at period not remote" 1t seems,
however, from an earlier letter to Lafayette,
that be contemplated, with peculiar pleasure,
the idea of their reimbursement BE says to
the Marquis:
. Your late purchase of an estate in CAYENNE.
with a view Of emaDcipating the slaves on IT,
Is a generous and noble proof Of your human.
ity. Would 10 God like spirit might diffase
itself generally into the minds Of the people of
this country"
lie did not expect this at once, for he adds
10 set the slaves ahoat at once would. |
really believe, be productive of much incon-
venience and mischief; but by degrees it
might, and assuredly ought, to be effected.
and that by legislation"
The legislation resulted differently, as is
shown in the closing passage Of Mr.. Jefferson's
will, in relation to the slaves which his encum
bered estate enabled him to dispose Of 1t is
In these words:
a. give them their freedom. and earnestly
request of the Legislature of Virginia a con-
frmation OF the requests of freedom to these
servants, with permission to remain in this
s tate. where their families and connections
are, as an additional instance of the favor of
which have received so many manifestations
in my life, ard for which now give them nv
8 las. solemn and du,iful thanks"
The gradual abolition" contemplated by
Washington had, before Mr.. Jsfferson's death.
made so large class of free negroes as to en-
danger the safety of the white race by melting
formidable inturrections among the slaves, be.
sides producing the lesser Inconvenience an
preheaded. Hence the law prohibiting manu-.
mission without the removal of the emancipa.
ted slaves from the State Mr. Randolph's love
for his own State was SO great that be act an
example of an exodus by sending his tribe Of
free blacks beyond the confines of Virginia. at
the cost Of much mischief to another State. BIZ
the legislation of many free States, the intru-
sion Oh such emf grafton soon prevented
4 =. -, -k~l.