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Show 236 '!'Ill!; :Ml8:::30UHI Q UEt5TlON. nessed that strange kind of sympathy for their sufferings which would so confirm their mi sery as to d(;privc them of a posterity. For my own part, Mr. PresidcnL, I do not well comprehend this humanity. I would prefer a different exerci. e of this noble principle. :Miserable a: the cotHlit ion of the slave may be, his condition is yet prefe rred to that of ann ihilntion. He finds in life sufficient charms to induce him still to cleave to it; and in his rising progeny he has the same kind of satisfaction that the free man feels. lie will never court your sympathies, if they are to be elicited in adding confinement to servitude, and to ultimate in annihilation. Ilumanity bas a head as well as heart· , and as the citizens of :Missouri have the same right in na-ture to govern themselves that any others enjoy, the legitimate exercise of this principle will be, to leave them to the enjoyment of that right, and they will decide for themselves the most humane policy to be pursued. But, sir, this is not a question of slavery. 'rhc simple question involved is this; whether I shall have an equal right with my worthy friend from Pennsylvania (Mr. RoBERTS) to remove with my property (slaves and all) to Missouri- a common property, purchased by the common treasure of the whole Union; and whether my constituents, the citizens of Kentucky, shall enjoy the same right with the citizens of Maine to inherit this common property, with aU their effects. I am aware, sir, that, by some means, this question bas been made to assume the appearance of a question for freedom, on the one hand, and slavery on the other. From the popular excitement which bas manifested itself in many communi ties at the N ortb, I am warranted in this conclusion. 'l,he mass of society in every section of out· country is righteous; and I am certain the expression of their sentiments upon this subject, by such worthy and honorable citizens, in so many popular meetings, has been upon this mistaken view. It has not bccu the clamor of THE MISSOURI QUES'J,IO~. 237 intriguing po1iticians, striving for an ascendancy of power, provoking local animo. itics for ambitious purposes, out from a misapprehension of the main question for that of slavery. I n.m ready to acknowledge that they have shown a zeal in the canso of liberty whkh docs honor to their hearts. I will men lion a ca. c in point: A very worthy friend of mine, who was always an enemy to slavery, and bad made personal sacrifices in the cause of emancipation, was of the opinion that Congre s hnd 110 constitutional right to impose this restriction. lie received a letter from an intimate fri end of his, expressing much surprise on learning that he had become an auvocalc for slavery. In his reply, he denied the charo-e of having changed his sentiments; bnt stated his rca. ons for the opin ion which he held in a manner which would have done honor both to tho head and heart of a legislator. Tic conceived the govern ment to Le pledged, by the solemn stipulation of the treaty of cession by which that territory was acquired, to admit them into the Union; which pledge could not be honorably redeemed, if conditions were imposed which did not cxi t in relation to the original States. As .·lavery therein hud been sanctioned by luw while it remained a territory; and as citizens of tltc SLates, holding slaves, had pnrchuscd lands from the Government, in that territory, under the expectation of removing to it, and improviug it with their slaves, he conceived it to be an act of injustice in tbut Government to require a condition which would deprive them of these benefits. The power of Congress to admit new States into the Union, he conceived to be no other than that of the principle of the Con:tilntion; whereby every State so admitted must reta in the same sovereignty as that retained by the States whieh form ed the Federal compact ; and as those States had rcscrvc<l to themselves the power of sanctioning or abolishing slavery, so Missouri, on becoming a Stale, could not be constitutionally deprived of " ... I ' I I• f • ' .... |