Year: 1863




: an unabated attachment to the federal com.
pact. The many single advantages they have
derived from it, and the many they still look
7 Cor, bind them to course of fraternal con-
} duct toward their sister states, and lay them
, under the highest and sacred obligations to
fulfill in good faith, and to the utmost ex tent
of its requirements, all the duties it imposes
on them, and to abstain from all practices in
compatible with these duties, or contrary to
the spirit of any of its provisions.


Acting upon these principles, our fellow
citizens very generally feel it to be their SOL
emn duty, whatever they think of slavery in
the abstract, or in its actual condition In any
section of the Union to leave its treatment, az
it was left in their case, entirely and forever
to the people of the states in which it exists
These states are not only entitled to the ex-
elusive control of the subject, but, as they are
Immediately affected by it, they, and they only
best understand he proper mode of treating
it; and it requires but a small share of good
feeling toward them, and Of diffidence in our
selves, to satisfy us that the matter may be
safely left to the wisdom and humanity Of
those to whom it exclusively belongs.


If this state should be brought to think
that the advantages 1t derives from the feGer-
al Constitution are not q sufficient compensa-
tion for the restraint imposed by that in
strument; if for the sake of displaying NOR
bid and fanatical spirit of false philanthropy,
even at the risk of encountering the dangers
and mourning the responsibility of an attempt
to reform the institutions of other states, it
should be willing to give up these advantages
honor and duty would require it, before en-
tering upon such an experiment, to call upon
the other states to release it from the solemn
engagements it contracted in becoming a
member of the Union but so long as the peo-
pie of this state cling to the advantages which
this compact secures to them, so long as they
profess to regard it as the source of their
highest earthly good, and the object of their
most cherished aspirations, they will trust,
ever regard it as due alike to duty, to consist
ency and to honor, to fulfill in its spirit every
injunction it imposes, and to respect and OBJ
serve with the utmost fidelity all the great
principles on which it was founded.


Under the influence of the foregoing con-
| siderations, and others of kindred nature,
our constituents have expressed their enlight-
ened and deliberate Judgment upon the sub
ject under consideration. With earnestness
and unanimity never before witnessed among
US, they have, without distinction of sect or
party, in their primary assemblies, and in va
rious other ways expressed their attachment
! to the Constitution of the federal government;
their determination to maintain it's guaran-
tees; their disapprobation of the whole sys-
tenn of operations set on foot by the abolition
lists their affection for their brethren of the
South, and their fixed purpose to do all that
in them lies, consistently with law and JUS
| tice, to render these sentiments efectual. 1t
is not to be believed that these manlfesta-
tions of public sentiment have been or will be
disregarded by those who have been engaged
in, or given countenance to the abolition pro-
ceedings.


am fully persuaded that the powe rful en-
ergies of public OPINION, as it has bean called
forth throughout the whole state, have already
produced most salutary effects, in disab using
! many persons who had inconsiderately con
Cured in the visionary schemes of the aboli-
tienists.


When the very small number that still ad-
here to this cause see that the immense majori
ty of the people of this state, including GER
tainly a proportionate amount of intelligence
and worth, and of all parties in politics, are
utterly ard irrecencilably opposed to them !;
and that their measures are regarded with
the deepest repugnance by all who affection
& ately cherish the union and harmony of the
states, including among them phianthropists
at least as enlightened and sincere as any of
themselves, they will, it is confidently hoped,
be induced to pause in their career, and to
sacrifice on the altar of their common coun-
try the opinions and motives that have hith-
erto prompted them to exertons to be regard
ed with so much adherence by so great ma.
iority of their fellow-citizens.


, NneH 10 tHe just iuLuence WHICH may
reasonably be anticipated from the sentiments
) of the people, so unitedly and powerfully ex-
: pressed, and rendered still more eficacious
as think they might and should be, by the
D opinions and views of their representatives
, is added the overwhelming weight of the ar
e guments addressed to the reason and con
e science of those who yet adhere to the abol
y tion cause, it would be Imputing to .hem
D deplorable degree of mental blindness ant
! fanatical delusion not to except a genera
T. abandonment of their wild schemes. All bu
, those who are confirmed in fanaticism OF
e reckless of Consequences, it is believed, will
L be constrained by the decided and constantl II
n increasing force of public opinion to give u,
+ their dangerous attempt to act on the institu