The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-12-22
Vol. XIII.

Dy Saying lndL Comma.
Slavery to murder. have already said that 80
very may not be crime at all. / put tbesa =
Illustrations, 10 show that it does not necesss-5
follow that Congress can establish a tbing ~
cause it can prohibit it. But will not dwell ~
that vi VI
Sir, the sentiments of the Senator from V.-
York, which have been so much compentss
upon, are not new to this country He is mot -.
author of the declaration Of this princinle p..
there is conflict between right and wronp ba
tween good and evil nor is he the first na-.,-
who has looked forward to the time when All -
States should be free. Let me read 10 the s..
ate what the Father of his Country said ~
TINS very subject General Washington. in 2 Il.
ter written to General Lafayette, in 1888. said
al agree with you cordially your views in ras,-4
negro slavery have long considered il a most So
evil both socially and politically and should reoca \
feasible scheme 70 rid States Of such burden a.
" The Congress Of 1871 adopted ordinance which,.
hibits the existence Of involuntary servitudo In ~
western territory forever consider it wise measure
met with the approval and nearly every rr
0i the states more Immediately Interested slave a.
Slavery into the Territories ana trust We nav,
Confederacy Of free States s---
What more than that is the declaration or,ls
Senator from New York? Were these doctrine.
considered heretcal in 1898? Did Cen
Washington promulgate g principle which W.,
to degrade the South, reduce it to subiectio.
trample its rights under foot? This princirra
then met the appreciation of the people Of ibs
South; the prevailing sentiment of Virginia W..
against the spread of Slavery into new Terri,o-
ries, and such is the prevailing sentiment If ~.
people of Illinois. Hear further, sir. what rTo
founder of the old Republican party said upon
this subject:
With the morals Of the people, their industry also is d.
stToyed; for in climate, no man will labor t6
self who make another labor for him This IS sd f-
that, OF the proprietors OF slaves, very propot
arr Q-pr tn lain a tI ia
ton be thought secure when have removed their C.
firm bassa conviction in the minds the people tbt IL
Liberties are the git OF Godtha they not 10 be voatt
but with His WRATH Indeed, trembe for INV cog-r-.
when reflect that God is just that His justice cannot &
forever; that, considering numbers, nature and uat-
means only, revolution Of the wheel Of fortune an e1
change Of situation, is among possible events. that m
become probable by supernatural influence, The Amat-
test"
That was the language of Thomas Jefferson
the great apostle of human liberty in this COM
try. Again Thomas Jefferson, in 1921, referring
to a number of bills which had been Introduce
into the Legislature of Virginia, with regard 70
the emancipation of slaves, used this language
The bill on the subject Of slaves was mere digest m
existing laws respecting them without any rtnator o.
plan for future and general emancipation It was lot
better that this should be Kept back attempted OILY
way Of amendment whenever the bill should be brrrlt.r
The principles of the amendment however were agreed o.
that is to say the freedom of all born after certain tay
ana deportation al proper age But II was found tdat d.
public mind would not yet bear the proposition. Lor Will
must bear and adopt il, OF worse viii follow. Nothing
more certainly written in the book Of fate, than Les
people to be free"
Where was the Senator from South Carolin.
in 1921, when Thomas Jefferson proclaimed that
nothing was more certainly written in the book
of fate, than that these people were to be free
Let me read further:
"NOr Is il less certain that the two races equally free
cannot live the Government. Nature habit. ar.-
on have drawn ndelble lines Of distinction between br
IN 81 I'M I'd no of oman
and deportation peaceably and such degree ta,
the evil will of msensby, and their place be- Ta7
paSu, filed up by free white aborers II, the couarg
IL is left 10 force itself human nature suJdcr
prospect held up We should look for example
the Spanish deportation delcon OF the MOOrs This pre-
cedent would fall far short Of case.
~ consider four Of these bills, passed or reported
forming system by which every fibre would be eradicate
Of ancient or future aristocracy, and foundation lard for
Government truly republican
Where, then, was the feeling which is now
exhibited, that the South ought to dissolve the
Union on account of the utterance of such senli-
ments, and especially when the Senator from
New York has taken the pains to guard against
the inference that he was for using any other than
constitutional and legal means in Corporation
with the States in getting rid eventually, in the
far distant future, of this thing of Slavery. Il
will be seen that the idea is not new nor pecu-
liar to the Senator from New York. 1t had lis
origin in Virginia years ago. and | trust that
an idea foreshadowed by Mr.. jefferson will
hereafter become, although it is not now, part
of the creed of the Republican party mean the
idea of the deportation of the free negro popula-
ton from this country. ! trust the Republican
party will make it part of its creed, that this
Government should procure some region of coun-
try, not far distant to which our free negro pop
uation may be taken. ! fear the consequences
which Jefferson so eioquently prOphesied, unless
that Is done. The negro population Is lncreas-
ing at a rapid rate. | agree with the sentiment
of Mr.. Jefferson, that two races which marked
by distinctive features cannot live peaceably To-
gether without one dOmineering over the other
when they differ in color. The free
negro population of this country is great evil
now. | believe it to be the interest of the black
population that they should go TO some county
where they may develop their powers, and where
there shall be no superior race TO domineer over
them, and that it is the duty of this Government
to use its means for the purpose Of freeing our
country of that portion of this population that is
willing to go. l think, in that way, this thing
of Slavery may eventually be got rid of. Thou
sands of masters would be willing to free their
slaves, if there was any provision for them when
freed but in most of the States where Slavery
exists, laws have been passed prohibiting eman-
cipation except on condition that the emancipa-
ted slave shall leave the jurisdiction of the State
Where are they to go2 The North does not
want free negro population; the South Will
not have them. The consequence is that emGn-
cpation has nearly ceased. IT, however, a COun-
try contiguous were provided, where the free
negro population of the United States who were
willing might go-and think they would soon all
be willing to leave, if they could 90 under the
care of this Government until they be-
came sufficiently numerous to protect themselves
and establish a Government of their own-We
night establish system which, in process Of
lime, not in your day, sir, nor in mine, nor per-
maps in the day of the coming generation, but in
uture time, would relieve US of the black pop
llation, and prevent consequences which We
hudder to contemplate. l cannot so we'll ex-
press my views on this point as by quoting from
i speech made by distinguished Senator from
now no more, before the American
Colonization Society. He said:
We reproached with doing mischief by the agitation
this question The Society goes into no household 10 dis
urb its domestic tranquility il addresses itself 10 no slaves
weaken their Obligations Of obedience seeks affect
10 mans property. II neither has the power the wi.
affect the property OF any one contrary to his consent
he execution OF its scheme would augment, d.
finishing, the value Of the property LETT behind The s.
iey, composed Of freemen, concerns itself only with tho
rec. Collateral consequences not responsible Tor
not this Society which has produced the great moral
evolution which the age exhibits What would they who
hus reprOach us, have dOneY"
Now, see how his language fits the declarations
If the Senator from South Carolina, who finds
uch fault with the idea of ultimate emancipa-
ion
" they would reprcss all tendencies towards liberty AMI
Ultimate emancipation they must DO than put down
he benevolent Efforts Of TINS Society. they must 60 back
the Of liberty and independence, and muzzc the
annOn which thunders its annual joyous return They
must revive the slave trade, with all its train OF atrocities
Ay, sir, revive the slave trade as we now see
{ being revived
"They must suppress the workings Of British philanthropy,
eekng amehOrate the condition Of the unfortunate West
indian slaves They must arrest the career Of south Amer
can deverance from thraldOm. They must blow out le
moral lights around and extngush that greatest t0h
all, which America presents to benighted word, poh
ng the way their rights their liberties and their hap
md have achnNnd All these nuruLsls.