The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1859-12-02
90 az.Ha..as-
The Truth of History.

The Union d Hmer2cnn most
unhestatinglv, earnestly and EN-
phatically" denies that there have
have been ''libersl and enlightened
statesmen" in the South, who re-
garded the existence o: slavery
among us as a "deiect or b!emish" in
our system of government, and it
cites the simple statement of this
fact By Mr.. Bell, "a evidence OF his
unsoundness on the slavery question.
On Tuec9ay, we proved by ono OF
General Washington's letters that he
regarded the Institution as 80 great
an evil end blemish, that he would
have rejoiced, to use his own words,
in any feasible scheme to get rid oil
it.
To-day we shall show that James
Madison also regarded il a. q very
great "deiect or blemish"--a perpet-
usl source of weakness in our system.
( In the first Congress that assem-
bled after the adoption Of the Federal
Constitution (n 1889 Mr.. Parker,
a Representative from Virginia,
moved to amend the Tariff Bill by
inserting a clause imposing a duty
Of ten dollars on every slave import
ed.
In a speech made by Mr.. Madison,
in support of l'arker's motion, he
said:
"The confonndine men with mer.
chandisc might be cssily avoided by
altering the tile ol the bill; it was,
in fact, the very object OF the motion
TO prevent men. 80 lar as the power
of Congress- extended, from being
confounded with merchandise. TIC
clause in the Constitution allowing
tax to be imposed, though the
traffic could not be prohibited for
twenty years, was inserted, he he
.liPvat, for the very purpose oI en-
ahliny Congress 10 give some tcsIi-
mong OF the sense of America with
respect to ~" African trade. Hv
expressing q national d,sapVroh8tion
OF that trade, it il hoped we may
. destroy il, anu so save ourselves
from reproachcs. and our p0strriIy
= from the imbecility ever attendant
, on country with slaves. This WAS
IA much the interest OF South Caro-
lima and Georgia as OF any STATE. -
Every addition they received TO thcil
uumber OF slaves tended to weak.
1 ness, and rendered them less capable
of selt-detense. In case OF hostltic'
with foreign nations, their slave
population wonld be means. not %
repelling invasion, but OF invitn-
: attack.
!, at was the duty of the genera
government to protect every part o
4, the Union against danger. a. wei
internal as external. Everything
! therefore. which tended to increase
j. that danger, though it might he =
local affair, yet il it invited nationa
q expense or safety, became Of concerr
y to every part OF the Union, and +
!" proper snbject for the consideration
D Of those charged with the genera
" administration of the government.
y Parker, who made the motion
I and who, W.T. have already said. wa
: 3 a Representative from Virginia
:. among other things, said:
"The gentleman from Connection
had said that human beings ough
not to be numbered with goods
wares and merchandise. Yet h,
= believed that they were looked npor
y by African traders, in that light
n He hoped Congress would do all il
their power to restore to human
d nature it's inherent privileges; t,
= wipe of, if possible, the stigma unde
!, which America labored; to do ava
e the inconsistency in our principle
!s Justly charged upon US, and to sho,
by our actions, the pure beneficenc
Of the doctrine held ont to the worl
= in our Declaration Of independence
IS Page. another Representative fror
Virginia, in the course of discus
sion on the subject OF slavery, sal
che lived in state which had tn
81 misfortune to have in her bosom
in great number of slaves" and ths
St St "he held many himself"
8, May we not appeal to the Uato
6 Amsrioaa's candor and magns
= nimity to confess its error, and I
admit that Mr.. Bell uttered but
0. simple historical truth when ne sal
- that "liberal and enlightened state
men in every part OF the world hay
= regarded" the existence of SLAYER
amoug MS "as defect or blemisl
*. IN our systs1>o government.
0[Nashvilis Ne,cs.
" Why is the letter u the gave