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Parent Issue
Day
17
Month
April
Year
1843
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

From the Report of the Joint Committec of the Massachnselts Legiilaturc to wliom was referred the petition of Gkorge Latjmer and 05,000 others. Therc remnins yt to bc considered the third request, wliicíi is, 'That the Lrgi&lnture propose siich nmendments lo Ihe Gonstitulion of the United State?, ;is tliall forever separate the peop!e of Mtbsachoetta from all connexion wi:h t-lavcry.' Thu is a wholly independent proposition of tlie preceding one?, lar more extensivo in :s ! bearing, mul one of great-difficülly properly to dh-cuss which your cummittcc fecl"inthe aireaoy foo great length of tlie present report. The first question for consideralion í What i.s that conne.xion ot' IMassnchuíelts witli f i ry, whiol) it is the object of the prnyer lo have severeii? Something1 of i(s nature lms perhnps been alre-xly disclo.ed n tl, is report, but nbthinjr of its extent. Yet if the coctrine o-enerally ossnmed to be true in the Bloveholding Staten and nol mfreqnently repeated even in Matsachuselts, tliat the free States linve now no connexion with slavcry, and consequently have no business to tneddle with ihe subjecr. at all were nctually sound, then there wmild bc no ground for the prnyer of tlie peti;ioi'ers. It is becaiuc they fcel that Ibis doctrine is dircctly in tlie face of all the fact., that they asli for action by which it can be made to conform to them. The potitioners nsk, that the very state of thins which the people of the slave States affiim the most earncslly c'csire fahould be estnbüshed. 'J'hey deny that it is establishrd now. They insist that the Constitution of the U. States, in some of its provisión?, imposed pon them obligations lo suslain the ïnslitution of domestic 6lnvery, which they fcel to be not merely burdensome, but exccedingly disgnsting to them. And they seek a reniedy, not by refii?ing to abide by the contract, or seek ing forcibly to jeet rid of il, Uut n a perfcctly legitímate way; by the propösing of amendments to the instrument, to which tlie parties must assent, or they cannot be made.Tlint there is a gruwing fceling, thronghout thii frre States, of disstUit-fuction wilh tlio opératton of the slavchoküng power upon tl. e systcm of Ihe general govcrnment, can'hardly be eiied by any jierson uccustomed to observe the tone of public sentiment. It is parily bafed upon a tnoral and religious scniple against the lawfulness of slavery in any form, and partly upon less exalted views of the politicül preponderancc acquired through its mean3. But in eithersiiape which it ossumes, it lias liad and has now, very littie to do with ihe movcment of the great parties into which the country is dividéu, or with the lèading individuáis who represent them. It is the spontaneous burst of the mornl feeling óf a portion of the penple theinselves, in resstance to the doctrines of politica] expediéhfy, and to the nterests of all the active statesinen of the day. A 3 sitch, it cfeserves tn be tt-eated with respect even by those who sec nothinjr but darger from the ir.ovcment, and whether it meets with it or not nt present, it wül scarce fail in the end to secure it. VVhen nonily seventy thcnsnnd persons, in a popiilaiion nol much more thnn ten times lliat mun her, unite in a single request of the nature now under considera! en, there is reason to snppose tlint a fcèling is at uork in the comiminily of which they :"orm a parí, which will j r.ot rest sntiified with inaotion or indifïrrcnoe as it rcL'nrds the questions tlioy clioose to ngitate. Your committec could not be gnilty of either, i f" they vvouid, lt is due to Ihrui to séy, in addition, that they would not if they 'could. But so great s the connexion of slavery wilh the pebple of Mnssnchwsetts, throtitrli the obliga tions impofed upon them by the Conti'iilion of the United States, that a grent d fF.culty occurs at the tlne.-lihold, to know liow o {Topóse omendnonis whicli dial] havo the r filet desired without ccmplf tely cstroying the instruiiient i selt', and making nötéssniy the training a new or.e. Slavory. whicli crept in at the window of the edifico when it wts building, uilder nn implied prounse to remain but for a timo, has ii'jw grown so hirge that it ocenpies all the spp.CK, and cannot Ie put out ol' the ilior without haiard 10 the enlirebrection. The basis of rcpiescntation r.ow makes the ílaveholding inleiest all powerful 1 in ihe lejislative deportment of the governI menf. The same Ihing dictates to the chief" magistrale, whoovcr he inay br, the neecprity of epbrnitting lo the power jhat crea'cs him. The same influence insinrates ilsélf, by a more covert and dongeroua rond, in' o the bench ot the judicinry. The great princi.les of the Consiitution nre made to bend to it where they ennnot be broken. Ko aspirant for political dk-tinclioh can hope to gnin it n moment longrr than he ran BCcbirmódatB hls most enlarwcd nolions of popular libcrfy to the necefsity of maintaining I trinas and ela.very throughout the tenkmv of the Union. Kuch is n condensed statement of the f.-icts proed by !he cxpcrinice of the' pnsf, but it is au rasier thing to t'etcribe the BVil than to defino the remcdy.A krcn eenee of tbc nnfavorable ii:flncr.rp wllich t-Invery has cxerted lipón the churocter of ï he Union cnorailv, and the interrsts of tlie fiee Staíes in particular, lias Icd scn.o ovio cornmit angrcpsions on the righls Fecored to t lio eJovebolderp, wlucli raoñot altofrcilior be jnsijfied. On tlie otlier hnnd, tliof-lavrliolders llietn?elvcs, initatnd by these constant aüarks upni tliot hich thcy c'ccm to be tlirir propeity, v.nú feellnglhat, on account ofllioiu, Ibcir riglit to tliat propórty s daily becbming more uijoertnin, have been instigaied to ci'ínmit acts and odont prir.ciplc.0, wh'ch can nei - tlier mornliy nor goliticaJly be sanctionpd. Tlie precess thus deícribed ns hoving tu Icen p'acc, s yet going on, and bidsíuir to ccntiirue, fo long ns tlie conn#xion noiv ( xisting lietweén the free nnd the slave State?, línderthc Constitution of the United States, is maintainod. It would pruhnbly be a f'oitnnate event for both partió?, and í'or (he duraiion of thc I rommon form of govetnment now well estúblished, if snch nniPiidinents lo the Constitntion as would remote thn (janees of coniplaini on j both si(!cp, coiiM l)e adopted betore a derre oí irritalion ghall takc place, vvbicli may prevebcyond the control of rensoning. It is iille to suppose . that llie organización now formed ngninsttho progress of slaveholding doctrines, nn organizaron wliich has eurvived cycry coiiceivobie turm of discouragcimnt in itsinl'.ncy, wil! ever bt surrendercil so long as slavei v rctains te power. Il js cqtially die to expert that the sla veholding doctrines i hem.' el ves will be abandonod so long as the immccse araount of properiy wlnch they are dehignrd to sustain shuil continue to be ot ttakc upon tho iss'ie. The only hope fbr ponce undcr these circumstancts is tobe derived frotn ihe withdrawul of the materiiil to fced the fire of coniention. And mucli of Ibis material is to be fuund n the artilles oí' the Coustitiition of the United States, cor.ftrued and acted upon as tli?y hnve been, for the most pait, by persons int eres led in tho mainienanee of slavcry. Your comnntiee might, if thoy thntight proper, go into a detailcd examina) ion of the history of the genera] governmonf, in order to show hovv the slave system has bont he rxccntivcc'epnrtnient to its will, both in Bhapiuy the forèign and the domestic policy of t!it! :nlministratipn; how it has conrrolled llie Congreesof }he United States nn'Ul ;t bas nctually Bubmituted for the will of Ihé people in the consiileratio'n of mch tjievéures as tlicy nuy (!p;-ire, the power of a nmjtirity óf rcpresontiitives ,o excludeevery tbtng wliich they dislike; ! Jk how it bas r romp; cd tliejiuüciaiy tn ex' end, over the wboie of the free States, tlib forre ofthofc arbitrary doctrines wlncl), if benrd in America nt all, shonld hnve expende tlieinselvcs wjtliin tlic limits in whioh arbilrnry iower is sustained by the Iocji! law. I3ut they obstnin for mnny rensons, and principally be" cause they do tiot desire to say th:ngs unnecesarily to provoke opposition. In the disCUSeioll of a lopic 50 fnll ofdangrr. it is, nbovo all, expedient and proper that nothing be snid which may cante needlcss irritiuion. Tlie truth nMibi bo ppoken at all times fearlessly wlicn it is indUpeneable lo the justificalion of any measures ihat mny he proporec1, but it needs not to be attended wltli words of angor or of provocation.Tlie lime ppenrs tn havo arrived, whon it is piopcr to look lo the causo rf the difficuliios wliich have taken plae 111 the prores-'s of tno rrnienti overurnen', Pur souh; yenrs past. - Tluoucrh all the contcsts ol the politica] pnrtics which have takrn placo, one fact is vi-ihlc: and tliat is the steudy aeerndency of lle slavehi'lding principies-, This fact can be accountcd for only in öno way . It it: the bais of rep rrKcntntion in llie popular br.-iicli of the Lefj1slatiire, which esiab'hes that nscndencv. - Twenty-five rrpresentntiveF, e'fcied bv tlie citizens of the sloveholding Stale?, in addition to the nnnibcr which tin y are eniitlod to by tiioir froe popuhition, l.nve, for ten ycais past, contre l'.ed the destinos of i he countty. Tv. o ) ty-five. electoral vote?, gnined lo the masieis from tho chaina of two millions of linman beinjr?, and beid íbíth as (he prize to that individual nnd that party ivbicii wiïl consent !o nir.lie the grèatesl eacriHccs of principie to oblain tliem, aro sufiicient to decide the cliaracter of' the povernment policy. This lias been submitted to withon'l grcat nvirmurinonp to this time, but Ihereaie mnhy iildicaticns to rove that t will not bésbanv lonfjer. - The frre Sta es haven rght to be hrarden bis point, becante the original compromiso, uhich was made upon Ihi.s füujcct i? llie C('nPlilufinn, nnd which 1 t in this enurmnis power, bas 'm i's practical eftret boen wholly favorable to the slave Sla. e?, nnd v. i bout nny bcÜhefits at üll to tlirm. The power which is nriiifd by the white slave-ovvners, tHronph the T( pro.-cn!a;i(in of (h'irrfavpp: is a cnnftnnf.endnrinir, nu! ucre.-ising power; whilst tiie. süjrlit rdiel' from llio prnpnrÚQiin] burilen.1--, experienced by the citizons of the fice States, j tlirough tho taxation of e slnves, has beoii experienerd only daring tí c verv brief poriod?, lew and far be'wecn. whon ( irect laxes hnvë I bren levicd hy tliefediral poverrment. For ! tho last len or twenty yenrs tünt the p'nvo power hns pressrd the hard est npon tbo freo Slnte.=, tl o-c have tíérived not n pavticlenf i compenretion for tho bi rden. It is row the moment to stntc tliisfankly ni:d fenr!cst-]y; and to íifk for a revisión of tbc rob! i act. Yonr ccmnvttee have tlien como to the roncliiFion to rcorinmcnd Umt nn amendn rnt of the Constituí ion be proposrd in hc Uiird ; clouee ot the sècoiid section of' the fust nnii cle. rJ'liey bclieve tint the root rf the evi] which thrratf ns the ponce and hnppine.s of tlio Union lirs liero. Tllëy wonld erndicaie it if they cMi!d. But nt any rato thoy dorir. il not iinwieè iliat MnbPnclmfCtts should art uu()( r a provideiit c_e to tl.c future, nnd by a eíilm and fronk exposition of her dbbttineF, i rndcavor to rurrd njrniiifrt dimpers to ceme. 'í'hc representa 1 ion of a free country onpltt I to be the re presentaiion only of the f:cö. Let Ibis principie be once camVd out, nnd 1 hè goveminent of the United States will nsíiimc a dio al power r n the face ol'the emíh whi?h it has nevrr vet enjoj'cfj. Lot this principio bé carried out, and the geogièpbicnl disttnc tions which thre-len the iniegrity of t he Union, and atrninst loiming which yVasliingtou's last woids ep rarneMly fon warned us all, will !o-e thc g-rente.=t pontee of llirir Fiipport.- Neifher will tho sl,ivel)olInr Slafes l se so much by n?ícniinr lo Ihe ohnoppj ns ll ev n.n v Bt fiifit imnpiue. Let i hf ni ( nee remove tho nrccFsity o? nrknowledging the inflcer.re of the slave. in the nntionnl councüp, and fliry wíl! rrmove Ihe "frirorgpst inciiétneht toof;Uang the qnestiem of his firredom. Let 1 1ir m coate to exlcíid thcir local Ktív r.ver States whicji eannot n.oppüt to i:s propriely. and they wil ï be more likely to main'nin it undisfurbed nt honie. The rent ohjfct of Mn?pnciusetts is to fiee ittetfftoin olí re?ponsilility, irect of indirect, for i lie eont innni.ee nnd sprotid of slaery ia ü:e Vi itrd Stutrs. ]f it miusl e.xist, le' it exist wil hout snncliop frem tho free Stíiles, Iot tiuc r n!v ftictnin it, who thinl; t!py (Iciivp ],]( a.'iirc orprofit frnn the relotirn. It i.s non bíerferenre, boetd ojhjii a iDtnl feparaiion of infe;e.-fs in the subject, which is ihe j)iint uiniedat hy the present proPpFOI. Dut it niny beobjccfed to the commi'lée'p imchámftit, thnt. it will nnt of ifrelf, cvm if idi-pted by the reqni.-ite ímuiber of Stíitcf, efrpct the purpose inteiided by tho petitioners. i J'Iip rrinnik is rrne. The:c are se era! i -tíic.s of il:o ConMiíution, bcrides that fixüiff j !.c b;sis of repicseutation, whicli connret tho ce States with slavery. They are ail, hov:ver, of secontlary con.eqücnce, vhonpared with tlmt, nnd Iis thoy nrobabiv drer thcir vitnlity (min, so thcy Wuuld dié with it Yuür commitleo are, fur liiis reuso, utJWÜRnfc lo wenken tlio force of tho position tuken bv thom o the fnoikj queéïibny by at thesnme iiist.-iiit, opouing a vancty óf ftnoüer ones. It 's l'.10 Hiue rfPrèscnta(!OPj wliich in thcir beliefis cflectinp-, bv s!ow but sure degrees, tho overtbtow of all thenóbJe principies that wore rmbudied in the federal Coiit-tilution. To ïhat let the public nUcntioft bo exclusivcly directcd. Il" in ihc proerss necessary tó the procuringn irmo!il of it from the iiiMrnmeiit of govermenf, it sliould boronie advisnbie to coiisider the points of minor consequence, this mny bo done tlieñ us eaely ns now, and with mote effect. The whiidrèwal from the Consiitutioh of the clavo rcprésrfitatiön, would nloiie, ïri the opinión of j onr commiitce, be of fnree enottjrli to carry vu!i it the renmining ' obafaclöa toilmt Corrpiété nnd oñV-ctive sepaTation froin all conioxiou Vvilh slavery, which the pelitioners desire;

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Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News