The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-05-10

A Card from John NJ. Boses.
| To the Editor Of the Richmond Wing.
SlR: have recently received many letter
from different parts Of the State, asking for
copy fmy Povhattan speech, delivered in 1856
which IL 10 impossible for mo to furnish -
have only some half dozen copies left.
the best means Of supplying the information .
earnestly sought BY those friends who are anx
ious to ASCERTAIN what horrible sentiments ut
tered on the subject Of Slavery, which hav
been recently 70 great extent substituted TO
the free negro" misrepresentation, have con
cluded TO publish, for the bepe6s of the Impo
sition party in particular, everything in tina
speech that relates to the question Of slavery
garbled extracts OF which have already appeal
ed 10 . small portion OF the press Of that part
-mAny Of them, seeming to think there Was n
great amount Of capital to be made out OF il
have declined to notice it. The following
the portion objected TO. said:
"There are cir, two parties IN our country
distinct from all the rest, OF whom wish to ga
word. The one in the North, called Adolf
tionists,' and the other in the South, known q
'disunionists.' am not sure for which OF tn
two parties have the least sympathy or respect
and am not sure to which attaches the larges
share of the responsibility for the chief Difficult
ties with which the nation has been latel,
afflicted.
"Tbe Aboltionists seem to estimate the vsl
ne Of this Union BY land to hold as a condition
and price for its continuance) the abolition o
African Slavery, while the ultra men of th'
South, or Disunionists, seem to regard the per-
petuation and exten sion Of Slavery as the chic
| bond that can hold them and the Union togeth
er. For neither of these parties have l any
sympathy. l hold to the Union for different
and, trust, higher and nobler purposes. II ID
| for the preparation of American Freedom.
rather than for the abolition or perpetuAtion Of
African Slavery. am one of those who think
Slavery in the abstract, is much to be dcpreca-
ted; and while think that, as at present organ.
ICED in the Southern States, it y a humanizing,
civizing and outstanding. institution, as all
must agree who take the pains to compare the
present condition Of our slaves with the origi-
nal African race, yet regard il as great ca
lamity that ii should have been entaled upon
US; and should leok upon the man as the first
and greatest beneiactor to his country, whose
wisdom could point out to US some practical
and satisfactory means by which we could,
through our own fundamentally, and witho 1T
interference from our neighbors, provide for
the ultimate emancipation and removal of all
the slaves in the country. speak of this as
desirable thing, especially to the owners of
slaves, who, l think, are the chief sufferers;
but At the came time, lear it is perfectly Utopsn
to attempt 1t; and have seen TOO much differ
ence between tho enterprise, the industry and
the prosperity OF the Free and the Slave States
to doubt the advantage We would derive from
it il it could be accomplished"
Now, there it is; let them make the most of
1t. will add, that said it all at mature age.
after full and careful elaboration, honestly
believing and thinking all that it contains /
have seen no reason for modification, recanta-
ton or equivocation. What thought and said
then, think and repeat now, in the most EN-
phatic terms; and hold that he who objects to
the sentiments conveyed, to be consistent, must
not only be in favor OF re.opening the African
slave trade at this time, but must take the po-
stion, that if no such thing as slavery had ever
been known to, or introduced among US, he
would now favor its introduction for the FIRST
time; for if its original introduction is not to
be deprecated, but justified and approved, why
would be not advocate traffic that holds SO
high place in his judgment and regard? i do
not know how many there are in the State, or
in the South, who set themselves up as advo-
Gates of this revolving trade, nor do l care /
have only to say that am not one of them.
and that, as humanzed, civilized and chris
tanned member of the community, should be
utterly ashamed of myself if l could entertain
any other opinions than those have expressed:
and should deserve the scorn of all men, if
could permit any condition of the public mind
10 induce me SO far TO debase myself as to rem
der me capable OF expressing any other, for the
purpose OF catering to a morbid, yitiated and
corrupt taste, or to an affected and artificial
on the subject of slavery. These
we're then, and are now, my honest convictions.
md thank all who have participated in the
;lamor that has been attempted to be gotten up
or the opportunity afforded me of proclaiming
hem from the house tops to the humanized.
civilized and chrlstia1zed world; and hope
be imposition press throughout the State will
publish them, and that their candidates. Tor |
and subordinate honors NAV read
his my last declaration on the subject. where |
,ver they may speak.
In another part of that speech, l said:
"What l would ask and demand of the North |
8, that they shall not interfere with Slavery as |
exists under the Constitution; that they shall
Tot touch the question Of the slave trade
'etween the States; that they shall carry out the |
ntent and meaning OF the Constitution in re-
erence to the restitution of fugitive slaves
'hese are the true issues between the North
nd the South; and l would 60 as far as he who
oes farthest in exactng them, at all hazards.
nd the last extremity And what / would
SIX OF the South is, not to suffer itself to be
ID OF, without due consideration, upon false
sues, presented by Incorporate or oyerzea!ous
many OF whom delight in and live
pom agitation and excitement, and many more. |
erhaps, whe owe their ephemeral fame and no.
tion to a pretended, exclusive championship
'r Southern rights Southern honor does not
epend upon making unreasonable and uuten
Ole demands. The interference with or abo.
ZION OF Slavery, where It exists, is one thing;
lie extension OF it, where it does not exist ia a
Fry different thing. Let US claim no more
an We are entitled 10 under the Constitution /;
I'd what we do CLAIM, let US stand by, like
en- who know their rights, and knowing, dare
aintain them.'"
ere, either; these are the sentiments now en-
rtan, as | did when they were delivered be-
re the people OF Powhattan. What fault do :
ey End with this? Do they indorse it or re.
ldlate itg II they indorse it, even.handed .
stlce requires them 10 say SO. II they con-
mn 1t. justice TO themselves, as they are re.
lveo to make war on me, requires that they Q
ould point out where they differ from me.
In TINS connection, 1t may be proper to add. v
r the information of ali who feel an interest n
my record, one short paragraph from INV v
rican Church speech in 1856, relating TO the I,
me subject; and from the several extracts d
re~ltn furnished, tnlnk lew will have nny j
hculty in ascertaining my position on the sla. n
ry question. Here is the extract referred TO. ii
''My position on the subject OF slavery is this: d
d. SO far from wishing to conceal it, desire
should be known to all. Muzzles were made
dogs, and not for men; and no press and no N
rty Can put muzzle on my mouth, so long b
value my freedom. make bold, then. that 81
IN no slavery propagandist. l will resort TO st
proper remedies to protect and defend slave .,
where it exists, but will neither assist in nor
courage any attempt to force it upon a reluc- u,
i people anywhere, aud still less will iusti S,
the use of the military power Of the country a
establish it in any of the Territories. If il ca
is its way there by legitimate means, it is all iii
]; but never by force, through any instru- h.
ntality Of mine. lam myself a Shareholder. q
all the property my children have in the st
rid Is slave property, inherited from their ey
Their; and he who undertakes to connect nv IN
ne, or my options, with abolltionism, is ei.
r knave or fool, and not unireouentIv
b. And this is the only answer / have
make to them. have not connected u
self with any sectional party, or sectional th
stion; and SO help me God, l never wiIl.n pa
8 there any other portion OF my record want.
gentlemeng Ii SO, let it be called f6r and No
ha N.s,At IL