most irritable point, and was rejected by a sudden andTM overwhelming vote. Indeed," continues this author, "it was but the glimmering of that principle which constituted the polar star of his (Mr. Jefferson's); whole destiny, and which afterward burst with such astonishing magnificence upon the world in that im-. mortal manifesto of his country, which proclaimed, that all men are created equal, and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights.'

"It was the primary development of the work-ings of a mind which comprehended within the man-tle of its benignity every colour and condition of hu-man existence, and which saw beyond the 'rivers of blood' and 'years of desolation,' which interven-. ed, that enchanting vision which flashed upon his. earliest musings and kindled his expiring energies. —the vision of emancipated man throughout the world."*

From this will be seen the sentiments of this great statesman, who lived. where slavery existed,. and knew much more of its effects than the noisy. demagogues of the north, who are now attempting to justify or excuse it. He hoped that the eman-. cipation of the slaves would take place with the consent of their masters. The mode of emancipa-. tion advocated by the abolitionists will appear from their published sentiments. He well foresaw the deleterious influence which the existence of slavery, must have upon the liberties of the whole nation. "Can the liberties of a nation," says he, "be ever

*Life, Writings, and Opinions of Thomas Jefferson, by Rayner. + See Appendix No. VII.

thought safe when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God?" We declare that "all men are born free and equal." But we see one half of the inhabitants of our country slaves, and becoming accustomed to this tyranny, we witness it with indifference-we suffer it, and at length approve and sanction it. We believe it right to hold the blacks in bondage. Upon inquiry we can. find no difference between black and white, as respects their natural rights. We are therefore compelled to renounce the belief that man's personal freedom is the gift of God, and thus endanger the liberties of the whole nation.

In ordinary times, if any intelligent citizen of this republic, whether he resided north or south of the Potomac, should declare that he had nothing to do with the subject of slavery, his patriotism would be justly distrusted. The recent acts of cruelty and oppression which have brought a reproach upon our national character, and which have resulted directly or indirectly from slavery, have in a slight degree fulfilled what Jefferson foresaw would be its effects. The following extract, taken from a foreign. paper of great respectability, will serve to show that foreigners are not unmindful of those occurrences which are bringing a reproach upon our character as a free people.

"For some time past we have received nothing but melancholy intelligence from the United States of America-scenes of disorder and bloodshed, which make us shudder. One would be led to sup

pose there were neither laws nor.magistrates in that country. What is scarcely credible is, that it is not during the effervescence of a revolution that the people resort to acts of cruelty that fill us with horror, but in a time of profound. peace, and under the authority of a. constitution recognised by all, the sanctuary of private dwellings is violated. Nothing is heard of but devastation, massacres, and hangings. ... . . Instead of closing a gambling house in. the regular manner, (provided such a course be jus-tified by law,) or suffering them to remain undisturbed, when allowed by law, the people take upon. themselves to execute what they call justice; that is to say, the house is besieged and carried by as-sault, and its inmates instantly put to death. What is worse, however, and is difficult for Europeans to understand, accustomed as we are, if not to perfect. equality, at least to liberty, is the insurrection of the most democratic people on earth, in favour of slavery. The word emancipation alone, imprudently uttered, is a crime worthy of death. The unhappy offender is seized by the people, judged by the people, and the bloody sentence is executed by the people. It appears as if the magistrates do not dare. to exercise against the people the authority derived from them. A nation which prides itself upon being the freest in the universe, is roused to madness in favour of slavery; and in order to maintain it,, commits acts which could scarcely be deemed justifiable even in defence of its most sacred rightsand independence. The cause of slavery, which is lost in every other country, is popular in. America!!"

The cruelties which are witnessed south of the Potomac, all intelligent and discerning minds must admit, are owing to the corrupting influence of slavery. If these acts of oppression were sanctioned by law, they would be more tolerable; but this is not always the case; American citizens, who have committed no wrong against the laws of their country, are often subjected to severe punishment; life and property, are in many cases made to depend upon terms to which a man of honour and independence would scorn to submit--an abandonment of the right to speak his sentiments, the legitimate. use of his reason.

Nor is this state of things confined to the slaveholding states. The oppressions which were witnessed there, may have been looked upon in other parts of the country at first, perhaps with horror, afterward with indifference, at length they are justified, and finally imitated and adopted, that attachment which exists between the different members of the republic, and the respect entertained by one, for the laws and. institutions of the others, give to each an extensive. influence over the whole. We may absurdly deny to the citizens of the north the right to exert their influence in ridding the country of slavery; but the influence and effects of slavery have been felt, and. will continue to be felt, in a rapidly increasing de-gree, in every part of the republic, from the borders. of the lakes to the Gulf of Mexico; and from the shores of the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts; even the savage tribes will not be entirely free from its influence. No class of individuals, however high.

their pretentions to purity, are removed beyond the corrupting influence of slavery; we see this exemplified in an eminent degree, it has even of late found its. way into the pulpit; ministers of the Gospel, who, if they had lived in the days of Jefferson, would have been ashamed of such conduct, are apologists for slavery nay, our blessed Saviour, THE FINAL JUDGE of all, is presented to mankind as its advocate, thus showing a manifest inconsistency between the doctrines of Christ, and the eternal and immutable laws of the SUPREME. But while this great national evil is suffered to exist, and no effort made to remove it, and our children are inhaling the pestiferous atmosphere of the nation which it has corrupted, we are cherishing a viper in our own bosoms.. We are not only endangering the liberties of America, but bringing dishonour upon our government and institutions, in the eyes of all mankind. Our acts of oppression, in spite of every attempt to extenuate them, will be seen in their true character;; they will be looked upon, notwithstanding the sacred garb of freedom under which it is attempted to conceal them, as the most loathsome despotism..

It is vain, and foolish, to attempt to convince the people in any portion of the country, that they have nothing to do with the subject of slavery. It would be well to convince all, if possible, that this subject ought to be treated with the utmost temperance and forbearance; that slavery existed when the consti-tution was adopted; that it has been recognised by the whole nation, and that the whole nation ought to contribute with their money, if necessary, to re