There is another point of view, in which slavery must be viewed by
every patriot, as a national curse. I allude to the agitation and
sectional hatred, which it engenders. This is a grievous misfortune.
It is folly to attempt to conceal the fact, that it has originated
sectional jealousy and prejudice, which endangers the perpetuity of
the Union. This is a serious view of the subject, and it demands the
sober consideration of every friend of this glorious Union. _The Union
must be preserved_; should be the motto of every one who has a spark
of patriotism in his breast. All those questions of national policy,
which have separated the great political parties in this country, when
compared with this great question, sink into utter insignificance.
Whatever endangers the perpetuity of this Union, demands the attention
of every friend of his country; every man who is worthy the name of an
American citizen. It calls loudly for prompt and effectual action, to
avert the calamitous catastrophe. _God save the Union_, should be the
prayer of every Christian. This petition, should begin and end their
devotional exercises. _God save the Union_, should be the first lesson
taught to the child in the cradle; and from infancy to old age, the
reverential aspirations of our hearts should ascend to him who holds
the destinies of nations in his hands; to save and bless our common
country.
From morn till eve, our hearts should breathe,
Father of mercies, God of love preserve--
Oh! preserve, our blood bought liberties;
Preserve them unalloyed, unimpaired While time shall last.
If we all could be animated by this spirit, then would peace,
prosperity and good will, abound more and more, throughout the length
and breadth of our land. Bound together by cords of love; as a band of
brothers; we should know "no North, no South;" the prime object of all
would then be, the prosperity and preservation of our common country.
We are the conservators of liberty. We hold it as a trust, and the
oppressed of all nations expect here to find a refuge from tyranny;
and here they may find it, so long as we preserve our Federal Union
unimpaired.
But unfortunately for us, ambitious demagogues have seized upon the
subject of slavery, and are convulsing the country from one end to the
other. Slavery is the demagogue's hobby, and he mounts it, raises his
hat, kicks and spurs, as if the salvation of the universe was
suspended on his elevation, to some petty, insignificant office.
Slavery is to us, as a great subterraneous fire, which is ever ready
to burst upon us with volcanic violence, deluging our country with
boiling lava, red hot stones, smoke and flames; carrying devastation,
death and destruction in its train. But the subject will be agitated,
more or less, and unless the people of this country become better
informed on this subject, and peaceably adopt some practicable means
for its final extirpation; sooner or later the Union will be
endangered thereby. The North should cease to vex the South, and the
South should cease to vex the North, and patriotic men North and
South, should devise some means, by which the end might be
accomplished at some future day. The question now presents itself to
every friend of humanity--to every philanthropist; is there no remedy
for these evils, or must we groan under their pestilential influence
forever?
I know that the subject of slavery is a perplexing question, and that
its abolition will be attended with dangers and difficulties, take what
course we may; but shall we for that reason, fold our arms, sit still
and do nothing? Or else flee from its hydra-headed ghost in dismay? No,
my friends and fellow citizens; to those who put their trust in God,
and have the wisdom to plan, and the will to work, all things are
possible. It is, however, folly for us to flatter ourselves, that
slavery can be extirpated in the United States in a short time. It will
require time and patience to attain an object, so desirable. Hasty and
inconsiderate action will be likely to prove abortive, and result in no
good to either master or slave; if not in irretrievable ruin to both.
We should avoid everything in word or deed, which has a tendency to
irritate the South and arouse them to resistance. Abolitionists by
their low abuse and vile misrepresentations, have done everything in
their power to excite and irritate them; hence, there is an impassable
gulf between them and Southern men. We should beware lest we fall into
the same error. The course of the North towards the South, should be
kind and conciliatory. We should consult her interests, and appeal to
her patriotism, and thus may the North and South as a band of brothers,
heartily co-operate in the great and glorious work, of restoring
liberty to the enslaved Africans, and of enlightening their minds and
thereby qualifying them for the enjoyment of freedom. What patriot,
what philanthropist, does not respond a hearty Amen? Not one. Show me
the man who says no, and you show me a man in whose bosom a patriotic,
or philanthropic sentiment never found a resting place--a man who is an
entire stranger to every sentiment of humanity--to every tender and
sympathetic emotion of the soul--to all the kindlier and better
feelings of our nature.
I have in the preceding pages endeavored to show, that the visionary
schemes of abolitionists can never accomplish anything for the slave;
but that they are on the contrary, potent for evil, and powerless for
good. It is therefore incumbent on me to reply to the interrogatory,
what can be done? By what means can slavery be abolished in the United
States? Is it practicable? Yes; it can be done; and the only means by
which it can be accomplished, is by colonization. There is no other
safe and practicable method, or way, by which slavery can be abolished
in the United States. It is probable that an objector will point to
the African colonization society, and ask, what has it accomplished
towards the abolition of slavery? But little, I admit. The reason is
obvious. It grows out of the immense distance of Africa from the
United States and the vast difficulties, and expenditures, consequent
upon the transportation of free blacks from the United States, to the
colony in Africa, and also the unwillingness of a majority of the free
blacks to leave this country, or at least, to be transported to
Africa.
Those philanthropists, who originated the African colonization
society, had another object in view. Their prime object was, the
regeneration of Africa; and in this they will probably succeed. We
must colonize the free blacks nearer home. We must have territory set
apart for that purpose, somewhere on this continent; if we expect to
accomplish anything toward the abolition of slavery by colonization.
Slaveholders must get their eyes open. They must have light on the
subject. They must become satisfied that it is not only their duty,
but their interest, to prepare and qualify the rising generation of
slaves for the enjoyment of freedom. Slaves must be educated and
enlightened before they are liberated.
We of the North must approach our Southern brethren in a spirit of
kindness, conciliation and concession; and talk to them as brothers,
and not denounce and stigmatize them as murderers, rogues, rascals,
slave-catchers and kidnappers. We have mistaken Southern men and
Southern character.
We may lead Southern men, but we cannot drive them. We must treat them
as gentlemen; we must approach them as friends, holding the olive
branch of peace in our hands, and treat them with that civility,
kindness and condescension, to which they are accustomed, and to which
they think themselves entitled. Don't talk to Southern men about
liberating slaves, until some provision is made for manumitted
slaves--an asylum provided where they can quietly repose in peace, and
enjoy the blessings of freedom. Don't urge them to liberate their
slaves, when both the condition of the master and the slave is made
worse thereby. 'Tis folly--'tis sheer nonsense; and well informed men
ought to be ashamed thus to conduct themselves. If you know anything,
you ought to know better; and if you know nothing, you ought to say
nothing, until you are better informed. Congress should be
memorialized in every town, city, and village in the United States, to
set apart territory for the colonization of free blacks. It should be
done speedily. It matters not what it might cost this government, it
should be done. Talk not of dollars and cents. Mountains of gold are
lighter than a feather, if thrown into the balance against a cause
which disturbs the peace, and endangers the perpetuity of this Union.
Territory should be secured and set apart, near the Southern border of
the United States. I repeat that it should be done speedily. Humanity
and justice demand it at our hands. What can the free blacks do? Where
can they go? They will soon be legislated out of the free states, and
their condition in the slave states, must necessarily be one of
wretchedness and degradation. Reader, what say you to the above
proposition? It is offered for your sober and prayerful consideration.
Does it commend itself to your judgment? Is it safe? Is it
practicable? Is it suitable, proper and right? Consult that inward
monitor conscience. Ask him if all is right; if all is well within
you? Ask him if something should not be done for the African.
Thousands of slaveholders at this time would cheerfully liberate their
slaves, if they could be removed beyond the limits of the United
States, and provision made for them, that would conduce to their
peace, happiness, and well being. Knowing, as I do, the feelings and
views of Southern men; I here confidently assert, that if our national
legislature will colonize the free blacks somewhere on this continent,
contiguous to the Southern border of the United States, and make
suitable provision for them; in less than twenty years from this time,
at least one fourth of the slaves, now in bondage in the United
States, will be manumitted and colonized. Don't talk to us about
colonizing the free blacks in Africa; it can't be done; it never will
be done; the majority of them are unwilling to go to Africa. They
prefer bondage in the United States, to transportation to Africa,
During my residence in the States of Virginia and Tennessee, I had
knowledge of several instances, in which masters proposed to liberate
slaves, provided they were willing to be removed to the colony in
Africa, and in most cases they refused, declaring that they preferred
bondage in the United States to a removal to Africa. I interrogated at
different times hundreds of slaves, old and young, male and female, as
to whether they would consent to a removal to Africa; provided their
masters would liberate them, and in at least, nine cases out of ten,
they would promptly and emphatically answer, No; they would not go to
Africa--they would rather continue slaves--they would rather die, &c.
Make provision then for liberated slaves, and cease, oh! cease, ye
fanatics and fools, to agitate the country by your clamor; and then
shall we behold the noble and generous sons and daughters of Kentucky
and Tennessee, conferring the boon of freedom on the African race,
within their borders. Missouri and Maryland will soon follow their
example; nor will North Carolina and Virginia long lag behind; South
Carolina will straggle long and hard, but she must ultimately yield;
and the soft zephyr of freedom will then fan the fair fields of
Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas; Louisiana will feel its refreshing
influence; and the Lone Star, (Texas), cannot long stand alone, in her
opposition, to the rights of man, and the impulsive calls of humanity.
The shades of Washington and Clay will then hover over the states of
Virginia and Kentucky, and around them will cluster, a convoy of
angels, and the spirits of the fathers of American freedom; all
watching with intense interest the great and godlike movement.