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“General Smith’s Views of the Powers and Policy of the Government of the United States,” circa 26 January–7 February 1844, Thomas Bullock Copy
Source Note
Source Note
JS, “General Smith’s Views of the Powers and Policy of the Government of the United States,” , Hancock Co., IL, ca. 26 Jan.–7 Feb. 1844. Version copied ca. 7 Feb. 1844; handwriting of with insertions in handwriting of ; dockets in handwriting of and unidentified scribe; seventeen pages; JS Collection, CHL.
Historical Introduction
Historical Introduction
See Historical Introduction to General Smith’s Views of the Powers and Policy of the Government of the United States, ca. 26 Jan.–7 Feb. 1844.
the part of Congress, to abolish Slavery in the , against the wishes of the Slave holding States; and also with a determination equally decided to resist the slightest interference with it in the States where it exists.” Poor little made his Rhapsodical sweep with the fact before his eyes, that the State of , his native State, had abolished Slavery, without a struggle or a groan. Great God. how Independent! From henceforth Slavery is tolerated where it exists: Constitution or no Constitution; People or no People; right or wrong; Vox ; Vox Diaboli: “The Voice of ”— “the Voice of the Devil”: and Peradventure, his great “Sub-Treasury” Scheme was a piece of the same mind: but the Man and his Measures have such a striking resemblance to the anecdote of the Welchman and his Cart Tongue, that, when the Contsitution was so long that it allowed Slavery at the Capitol of a free people, it could not be cut off; but when it was so short that it needed a Sub Treasury to save the funds of the , it could be spliced! Oh Granny, Granny, what a long tail our puss has got! <*> <-[> but the hair was all singed off in poking open the fire to obtain the roasting Chestnuts for the late Presidency; Hysteron proteron: The Cart before the Horse: <so the blaze of his folly, burnt the locks of his glory.><]->
In the the people are the Government; and their united voice is the only Sovereign that should rule; the only power that should be obeyed; and the only Gentlemen that should be honored; at home and abroad; on the land and on the Sea; Wherefore, Were I the President of the , by the voice of a virtuous people, I would honor the Old Paths of the venerated fathers of freedom: I would walk in the tracks of the Illustrious Patriots, who carried the Ark of the Government upon their Shoulders with an eye single to the glory of the people; and when that people petitioned to abolish Slavery in the Slave States, I would [use all] honorable means to have their prayers granted: and give liberty to the captive; by giving the Southern Gentlemen a reasonable equivalent for his property that the whole nation might be free indeed! [p. [18]]
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Source Note
Document Transcript
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Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
- [4]
TEXT: This inserted asterisk is keyed to another asterisk on an inserted slip (previously attached to this page), indicating that the text on the slip should replace the bracketed text that follows here.
Opening and closing square brackets inserted later in graphite, presumably by William W. Phelps.
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TEXT: Page damaged; text supplied from General Smith’s Views of the Powers and Policy of the Government of the United States, ca. 26 Jan.–7 Feb. 1844.