The daily Wabash express., 1862-06-14
Addressing bjmseIf 10 mi, ,taio Of feeling,

4
Chief Justice Marshall. and Others hardly
les distinguished as constitutional lawyers
and statesmen. made the following remarks
upon the evil which threatened the State and
the means Of removing IL:
81 have seen with the deepest concern.
concern want language TO express. the di-
visions " hich exist IN this body and in the
Commonwealth, because anticipate, IL taey
shall be presvered in. the most unhappy con
sequences / consider is the interest Of
every section of the Commonwealth 10 unite
in some arrangement which may be satisfac-
tory 70 . great majority OF this House and OF
the State, and even to sacrifice q portion Of /
their respective claims rather than TO fsi, Ia
the accomplishment Of the great object fos
which We have met. Ii We 20 home with
ont having agreed upon constitution, or IL
We shall agree upon one and II shall be passed |
by q smalf majority. the same result might /
follow Sectional feelings already existing |
will be nursed and cherished: they viii spread |
til at length one part of the community vii
be pitted against the other, and deep and |
malignant aerimony will ensue. And where
will Il endf In the actual ldismembermcnt OF
the Commonwealth which would DO the
worst..evil which could befal ns. a result
| ~ am satisfied il no such thing as slavery
| existed that the people ofour Atlantic border
would meet their brethren Of the West upon
the basis Of a majority Of the free white
population.
What has been the leading spirit OF this
| State ever since our independence Was OBJ
tained1 She has alwsys declared herself in
favor Of the equal rights Of man. The Rev
\ olution was conducted on that principle
| Yet there was st that time slavish populs-
ton In Virginia. We hold IL in the condition
| in which the Revolution found IL. and what
| can be done with this population lfthey
we're extiact or had not been here white per-
sons would occupy their place and perform
all the Offices now performed by them, and
consequently be represented. II the white
people were not taxed they also would be
free from taxation. If you set them free,
look at the condition Of the society.
Emaacipate them and what would be their
copditionf Four hundred thousand, or
greater number Of poor. without one cent of
| property, what would become OF themf Dis
organization would follow and perfect confu-
SION. They are separated from the rest Of
society by a different color: there can be no
intercourse or equality between them, nor
can Hou remove them. How is IL practca-
BILE. The thing is impossible: and they
must remain as poor, free from the control
of their masters, and must soon fall upon the
rest Of the society and resort to plunder for
subsistence. As TO the practicability OF
emsncipatng them, n can nerer be done BY
fAe STATE ifself nor trifhosf the aid Of fhe In
ion. And what would be their condition,
supposing they were emancipated and not re.
moved beyond the limits OF the Union! The
experiment has in part been tried. They
have emigrated to PENNSYLVANIA in great
; | numbers. and form a part Of the population
Of Philadelphia and likewise OF New York
and Boston But those who were ardent al
yocates of emancipation in those portions o;
| the Union have become shocked at the char
ge- of maintaining them. as well as at the
effect of their example. Nav, sir. look at
! Ohio: and what has she recently doney Ohio
{ acknowledges the equal rights of all. yet she
Z has driven them from her territory. She has
been obliged 20 do Il. II emancipation b,
: rossible 4 look 70 fss onion 10 AID IN effect
J ing u.
Sir, what brought us together in the Rev
a | olutionary war; Ii was the doctrine OF equa
rights. Each part OF the country encourages
!. IT, None took advantage Of the others dis
: tress. Aud If we find this evil has preye,
upon the yitals Of the Union. and has beef
preiudieial to all the States where il has ex
! is.ed, and Is likewise repugnant 10 their State
; | Constitutions and Bills of Rights. arhy MA!
| r< not sIp<cf that they trsH Hnife ruth as ~
:. :, accomplishing rs rcmoralf five make th
attempt and cannot accomplish it the eiec
9 will at least be TO abate the great number o
/ petitions and memorials which are continu
;. uaIIy pouring in upon the Government
This matter is before the nation. and TIA
a principles and consequences involved in
% are Of the highest importance But in th
. mean time. self preservation demands Of u
:, | union in councils
"What was lhe or gIa OF our slave popu
D lationg The evil commenced when We wer
ID 10 our Colonial state, but acts were passe
!. by our Colonial Legislature prohibiting th
Importation of more slaves into the Colon,
u These were rejected by the Crown. We ds
d clared our Independence, and tRe prohbltio
re of further importation was ong the hr'
= acts Of State sovereignty. Virginia was th
first State which instructed her delegates
10 declare the Colonies independent. She bras
as ed all dangers. From Quebec TO Bostoi
a. 20 Savannah. Virginia shed the blood Of b.
sons. No imputation. then. can be cast upo
~ her power - DO 10 prereRf the eTteRsion
siarery, and 10 aitiyafe rs er,is
ne In these remarks Mr.. Monroe recogniz
Is slavery a. the occasion. il not the cause,
10 dissensions which threatened the integrity
- his native State. and as il certainly disturb
n ed the harmony of his fellow citizens.
D wished "lhe evil repovel, and IL will
a. seen that be claims the aid Of the non slag
th holding States, through the Union, in q
n great work, ON the ground that Virginia
xe the great work Of the Revolution hid c
n coura;ed and supported them. aud ner
s- took advantage Of their weakness or distre.
II. and now. he argues. when she finds hers,
r. confronted by domestic evil. rePugnsnt
~ the theoretical principles Of her State Co
on stitation aud Bill Of Rights. and one Viii
E" had been forced upon her m her colonial d
lac penaence. and which shs i unable Of her-'
TO overcome, she has a right 20 claim the !
od Of her sister States-not alone on this grou
ir- however, but also because they too arc
.rs terested ia the extirpation Of an evil "whi
tie has preycd upon the sitals Of the Union.
he This il the language Of Soaihern pair
ed snd statesman, for Mr. Monroe. IN
he day. vas not blind TO the signs Of 1
J." times" Atasubsequcnt period he obssrv
N. that the subject had assumed 4 new a
he very important character by what had
Cured In tho States. aud PARTICULARLY in the
n In which slavery does not exist"