New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-11
SUGGESTIONS AND OPINIONS.
SLAVERY AND THE CONSTITUTION.


TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Senator Ilscock certainly in error In his
Woodstock speech when he referred to the trainers
of the Constitution as having built Republic upon
crime against a foreign race" l regret 10 SOC tna'
The Tribune has fallen into the same error Inc
language OF Senator Hlscock, in my judgment Is III
correct and misleading. He said:
Is is not sacreliglous to call attention to he great
Inherent vice of the ConstN lon-human slavery Inc
fathers created nation th9t necessarily for genera
lions would be agricultural, and provided ior It's
growth and development by serylle labor lheS
built a Republic upon a crime against lorclRn
race and their own, and they did not DO IL as a
compromise. On the contrary they mainiaihed "ia
accounting 10 their convictions and those OF their
people was morally right and beneficial TO the new
Republic
These words OF senator IscOck 60 even further than
ever was claimed by the most vIrulent secessonist
In maintaining the prOslavery Character OF the 'on
stuton. What the factsf The CONSTITUTION
nowhere admits the right Of properly in man. lna'
phase OF the troublesome question was considered ny
our fathers and the Constitution was desgnedy ma"e
emitting any such right. If such right ever had
place in the Constitution It is there to-day, Tor not
a word or a line of It has been repealed. Mr. LIN
coin in his Cooper Institute speech, made February
OF 1900 covers this subject well, and proves w
copous reference TO history, that our fathers I'D al
their official actions treated slavery as an eVl ~ Oo
restricted and discouraged. They prohibited t'o I'
poraton OF slaves after the year 1909 ana WOMB ha'o
fixed an earlier period but for the clamor Oh thoo
having capital invested in the traiic IL was .''
belief of that day that slavery could not long survive
the stoppage OF the slave trade. As indicating 'na'
our fathers discouraged slavery, We have but TO rer
10 the ordinance Of 1881 and It's enactment aler 'o
adoption OF the Constitution. When We acq t,c'
The Louisiana purchase I'm 1903 slavery Wa ~" ~,
mingled with the people Of that territory, put IN
rrrss very early provided that 10 slave should De
imported into the territory except DS ms om"oa 30
his use as a settler the penalty being iceuoin - 1eop
slave The people Of Indiana Territory, III . loiU}c'
netIfioned Congress to remove the SlaIeN t 49,
lion 81 that they could the more readily clcar away '
forests and open settlements, but IT was s,eIhlS
fused and even with a rebuke. In fact u was no'
until after the organization of the Democraic par
I'm isSo that We ever heard the sentiment Drodcn1t
hat the right Of property in slave was dis'lIt'S
and EXPRESSLY affirmed in the Constitution; !, ),
LjStoTicai truth that our fathers OF the KeVOuoia3
nerod we're As firmly established I'm then -
- In the wi,edness and inexpediency Oh sdIoIS
es we're their children of hundred years ta .S,
AZ Mr. Lincoln oftcntimes expressed IT, When me
came 10 make government they found inc hi "
restitution I'm existence, and they dealt WIN ~ a.
wisely as they could but always IN the uci'ol "i'
1t was III '0''' " JAMES X. MAGGIE