Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-02-09

Benton exhibited a batch OF these pictures in tie
Senate. He alluded to the leland Of st. Domingo,
which be said had been wrapped In flames and
drenched in blood, which was once garden, but
now made wilderness By these abolition societies.
He said that they had already done more mischief
the United States than all their lives worth.
The evil had become SO extensive that General
Jackson alluded TO il in his message in 1856, he
stated that foreign emissares had dared to inter
fere in the domestic institutions of the States, that
any interference by the citizens Of one State with
the institutions of another was in violation Of the
spirit of the Constitution, that these misguided
and wicked attempts should be suppressed, that
all attempts to circulate through the mails infsma-
tory appeals to the passions Of slaves should be
prohibited under the seyerert penalties. He sug-
gesled that non-slaveholding States should aid in
arresting this wicked course Of procedure. These
abolition presses and societies were INTENDED to
net in double way, first, to up popular feel
ing of the Northern people aud TO act the slave
holder and the slave IN the South. The abolition
arganizali ions then now, defended themselves on
the ground of right to free speech, free press, ard
their right to inform all Of their rights aad du-
ties The proposition Of the President to prohibit
the circulation OF such matter through the mails
lost by tie vote in the Senate. Many Of the
Southern States passed laws to punish those who
circulated such matter, and amongst the rest the
State Of Tennessee enacted the law on this Ejeet
which still stands the s atute books. The great
est excitement existed thrcughout the Southern
States, in consequences Of this assault on their feel
ings their characters, and their safety. The
Governor OF Aiabams demanded of the Governor of
New York. the publishers Of the Lberaor, for circu
lating within the limits of Al4bama incendlary
matter. Fifty thousand dollars we're offered by
citizens of Louisians for the delivery of Ar
thur Tappan and FIVE thousand dollars were
offered for the surrender of The publishers Of the
Libsrator The States of Virginia aud other Ststes
South memoralised the Northern States, asking the
suppression Of these additions societies In eoDfor
nifty with the prayer of the msmhioliss the Legis>
latnre Of Illinois adopted resolutions cordemning
them with but six dissenting voices in one house,
and one of the six the present chief Magistrate
elect thus showing that at that period, more than
twenty years ago, he was unwilling to cid in sup
pressing incsndiary and dangerous interference
With the policy and the safety Of the people Of the
Southern States by mischievous persons in the free
States Mr. Calhoun ststes that at this period u.s.
36) these abolition societies had obtained power
enough over Legislative bodies in many Of the
States hsve laws enacted ID sbrogae the fugitive
state law. Thus early begun and long continued.
has the war on the Constitution and the rights of
the people of the South been prosecuted.
During the investigation of this subject whom re-
ferred to Congress by the message of President
jackson a report made by the Senates commit
tee of which, Mr.. Calhoun was Chairman. He
says, the proposed object is the emancipation of
the slaves of the Southern States; which they pro-
pose to accomplish through the agencies Of organi
zed societies spread through out the nOn-slsveholding
States, and powerful press directed mainly to
cite in other States haired and hostility against the
ins tuition and against citizens Of the saveholding
States by addresses lectures and pictorial repre-
sensations Astounding in false and exaggerated |
statements" ter stating the startling |
amount Of property involved in emancipation the |
report states, "The two races have lived long in |
peace and prosperity; and if net disturbed would
continue 10 live While tho European race has rap
idly increased in numbers and in wealth, and at |
the tine maintained an equality morally and |
intellectually with their brethren Of the slave
holding States, the African has multiplied with not
less rapidly, accompanied with great Improvement
physically and intellectually, and with the enjoy
nent of degree Of comfort which the laborng 1
classes of few countries enjoy, and confessedy
peror what the free people of the same race pos
sess in non slaveholdiag States Indeed, 1t may be /
safely asserted that there is example in history
in which savage people such as their ancestors /
we're when brought int this couairy, have ever ad
vanced as rapidly in the same period in numbers /
and in improvement. To destroy this relation |
would be to destroy TIE prosperity and place the |
two races in a slate of conflict which would end in
the expulsion OF extermination OF the one race or
the other"
In this decade Mr.. Adams voted against resolu-
tion declaring that Congress had no power to
interfere with slavery in the States. he said Con-
gress might interfere with slavery in msnT ways. |
He asserted that the Government might sell State
burthened with slavery to foreign power.
In this decade Mr.. Giddings offered petitions
from citizens of OHIO praying for dissolution Of
the Union. He also offered a resolution approving
mutiuy and murder By slaves
He was on the motion of ]. NJ. Botts expelled.
He was Immediately reelected the people thus
justifying murder and mutiny by slaves
1t was in this decade that on the usual petitions
TO abolish slavery and the slave trade in the Dis
trict CT Columbia, the slave trade between the
States that slavery in the States, considered as
at, asked by Slade of Vermont The Southern mem
bers we're about to leave the House great was tho
indignation. The abOlitions,s we're then sixty
strong in the House.
The spirit of the Missouri question was at great
and incrgasi2g height new in It's war directly on
and Fsion 10 the slave States. The secret aud
N. SssH purpose 10 emancipata the slaves
last gaining ground and spreading all over the
North
1t was during this decade in which Lord Broug- |
ham carried through the British Parliament the bill
for the emancipation of slavery il toe West Indies,
that Mr.. Adams was most energetically engaged in
spending or sacrificing his life to accomplish t.
same result in the UGited States Mr.. Clay said,
a. that if the British Pariiament had treated the
slaves of the West Indies as freemen, it had also
treated the freemen thereof as slaves.
1t was in this decade Mr.. Adams introduced for
the same purpose his resolutions to amend the Con-
stiuioa 80 as to declare that there shall hereafter
be no hereditary slavery in the United States, but
that all persons born after the 4th day Of July,
1912, should he free.
Mr.. Seward states that MIR. Adams did not expect
at the TINA he offered this amendment to carry it,
but to enable him to bring dignifed and com
handing mien Of the whole subject in ell its bear
ings to the attention Of the American people.
No person can read the views of Lincoln and
Seward and the leading Black Republican journals
without concluding that their tens, arguments and
purposes all bear witness 10 their identity With abo-
litionism in its broadcast serse, accomplished by
Brougham and proposed by Adams.
W. II. HUMPHREYS.