The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1860-03-15
COMMUNICATED.
For the DEMOCRAT.
A GLANCE
Helpers Impending Crisis.
BY INV TIC ATOR.

lOT TIE general dOO!ltlOl1 Oh SldEeTt,
have been work of superrogaiion. No
body entertained such an idea, after the
utility of slave l-bor began to be known
through the Southern States. Helpers
quotations from the speeches and writings
of Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and many
other patriots of their time. are garbled
and disconnected, and in almost every in
stance have referred to the slave trade, in
stead Of slavery in the States. In the
time of Washington, the slave trade was
carried on 10 an almost unlimited extent, es-
pecially by New England, Massachusetts
furnishing more slaves than any other
State or Colony. The question of abol-
ishing the slave trade then, was one which
agitated the country as generally as the
question of slavery in the States does now,
And we are not surprised that those veneer
able statesmen occupied Il position antag-
onistic to the traffic; for the importation
OF such numbers of barbaric Africans,
(lndeed, there was no other kind, until
taught a little civilization in America, J
was having a deleterious effect upon the
enterprise and energy of the people,
They were ignorant, incident, heath
enish, without any redeeming traits
Of character The importation of such
an element in our population was having
a tendency to demoralze that portion OF
the country where introduced; and those
who bore their testimony against the traf-
ic, saw the necessity of strong measures
to put stop to it; and hence, a law was
enacted declaring that after TIE year 1908,
the importation of slaves should be pun
ishable with death.
At the time Of the organization of the
government, and its incipient condition for
some time afterward, the exact sphere and
nature Of slave labor, to make it source
of wealth and profit to the nation, had not
been fully demonstrated. 1t was found to
be ill-united to the climate and produc
tons of some Of the Northern States where
it had been introduced, and measures we've
adopted to have it abolished-in those
States only. In abolishing slavery in
Massachusetts, New York, &c, the reason
aad only reason, which we ever heard as
signed, was its appropriateness. 1t was
not done ~ emancipation, and giving each
slave sixty dollars, but by disposing Of
the human chattels--as god like Massa-
chusetts would now say in reference to
other States--to Southern planters and
traders. The number of slaves was not
decreased: a change of masters and loca
ton was the only object sought, or intend
ed to be accomplished.
That general abolition Of slavery was
expected or desired by Washington. JEFF
terson, Madison, or Monroe, whose tesli
mony against the institution Helper parades
with much bombast, is evidenced from the
fact that they all. during their lives, and
at the time of their death, held slaves,
and expressed no intention of emancipa-
ting them, and giving them bonus be-
sides. What would we think of a man at
the present day who preached abolitionism
and yet held sufficient number of slaves
in bondage to support him? Ii would
have no weight at all: it would be as the
'tinkling cymba and the sounding BRASS
1t would be like Republican Congress
man preaching abolitionism in Massachu
sets and Washington, AM owning slaves
in Missouri.
1t is evident from these conclusions and
many others that will readily suggest
themselves, that to class those patriot
statesmen with abolitionists, is libel up
on Their unspotted character. The most
ridiculous and untruthful assertions can
be proven from the writings of any man,
by garbled extracts, and misrepresenting
the connection, or incorrectly stating the
time and circumstances under which such
sentiments were expressed. AS an ex-
ample Of what Washington said in regard
to sectional agitation, which aboli;ionism
could not possibly lail to engender. if adj
vocatcd, or attempted to be enforced, we
give the following extract from his fare
well address, delivered TO the people of the
United States on retiring from Office. We
hope no reader who mas never read the
address, will fail to read the whole Of it,
when they will see that the sentiments ex-
pressed in the following extract, are those
of his heart, and just what he meant TO
give utterance to:
at is Of infinite moment that you should
properly estimate the 'mmensc value of
your national union, to your collective and
individual happiness; that you should
cherish cordial, habitual and immova-
bic attachment to it; accustoming your