the first evidence of the power of that vital principle of liberty contained in the Constitution of the United States. Under his administration the great principles of civil and Constitutional liberty produced their desired effect. The administration of Jefferson will be viewed as the true republican standard for the government of the United States in ages to come." His hatred to slavery was intensified from the lessons of Jefferson. "Who taught me," said he, in the Senate of the United States, "to hate slavery and every other oppression? Jefferson, the great and good Jefferson! yes, Virginia Senators, it was your own Jefferson, Virginia's favorite son, who did more for the natural liberty of mankind, and the civil liberty of his country, than any man who ever lived in our country-it was he who taught me to hate slavery; it was in his school I was brought up. If I am, sir, an Abolitionist, Jefferson made me one; and I only regret that the disciple should be so far behind the master both in doctrine and practice." His love of, and devotion to true Democracy was a passion of his soul, rooted and grounded in his nature. "He was called a partisan; but he only seemed so to his political opponents. His fearless independence, and his fidelity to the moral and political convictions of his nature, rendered him constitutionally incapable of working in the traces of party. It was only when they sustained the principles which he believed and loved, that he sympathized with them and advocated their measures. There was an independent, straightforward determination to go for his principles, which allowed no compromise with his opponents, and no communion with temporizing friends." "I follow party," said he, "where the Constitution and principle lead, and where men attempt to take their place, I halt. I choose to rely on the Constitution and that moral principle, which ought to govern the actions of men in all situations and under all circumstances." "His plain, direct, honest and passionate advocacy of the principles of the Democratic school, impressed them upon the minds of the people and prepared them to sustain the measures of his party. For a length of time he seemed to be the presiding genius of the Democratic party in Ohio. Against him were aimed the shafts of the opposition, and upon him were the eyes of the Democracy as the great champion of their cause. But it was in the Senate of the United States that Thomas Morris proved himself, not a man for his party, but a man for his country. Disdaining to wear the shackles of a party, and indignant that the leaders of the Democracy should yield their necks to the yoke of the slaveholding oligarchy, he stood in the august Senate of the United States, the single champion of universal freedom to man." His able and fearless devotion to the doctrines of true Democracy made him popular with the people. In 1826, the Democratic party tendered him the nomination of United States Senator, in opposition to Judge Burnet, but the party being in the minority, he declined. In 1832, on the 15th day of December, the Democracy again put him in nomination, and he was elected Senator in Congress, for six years. The fall previous, he was put in nomination by the Democratic party, in his district, for Representative in Congress, but owing to a division in the party, by an independent Democratic candidate, he was defeated, in a popular vote of 6276 by 156. His election as Senator, was hailed by the Democratic party in Ohio, with hearty and general approbation. The organ of the party at the Capitol of the State said: "То the republican cause of Ohio, it is cheering to reflect that a gentleman of his known firmness, high order of talents and great experience, has weathered the political storm, and succeeded in an election to a station where his ability and faithfulness will find ample scope for future usefulness to his country." Another leading Democratic organ declared on his election, that "Mr. Morris is the only Senator Ohio has had for a long time, who firmly held the pure Democratic faith, of a strict construction of the Constitution of the United States, and open war against all peculiar privileges and monopolies." Reuben Wood, a distinguished Democrat, honored with the governorship, and Supreme Judge, of Ohio, and long the personal and political friend of Mr. Morris, on his election to the Senatorship, wrote: "Permit me to say, and I do not intend it as a common-place remark, that I most sincerely congratulate, not only yourself, but the Democratic party, on your re-election to fill the highest, most responsible, and at this peculiar crisis-the most difficult and important office in the gift of the Legislature. The Democracy of Ohio, may safely rely on being faithfully and fearlessly represented in the Senate of the United States; and my sincere wishes are, that the Democracy of the State, hereafter, may keep that ascendancy which it has cost so much strife and exertion to obtain, and, at a future period, again will be willing to reward you with the continuance of its approbation and confidence." At that period, subsequent to his election, on the 8th of January, 1832, the Democratic party held their State Convention. In that convention, Mr. Morris offered a strong resolution against the Bank of the United States, which, after a stormy debate, was adopted. A prominent member of the party, then holding a high office at Washington, wrote, after the adjournment of the convention, to Mr. Morris, as follows: "I do not hesitate to say, that you merit the gratitude and the patronage of the whole Democratic party of the country, for your prompt, active, decisive and truly republican course in that convention of Ohio, on that trying and critical occasion; and for which you ought to receive the thanks of the party, and the patronage and favor of the Government. It places Ohio in the front rank of the Democracy of the country, and redeems her character from the imputation of being governed by the influence of a Monied Monopoly, or the arrogance of a domineering aristocracy. And it also shows that the old Democratic party of the State, can not trust to the counsels of forward, indiscreet young men, without experience, who present themselves as leaders." CHAPTER XX. TAKES his seat in the Senate-Slavery-Anti-slavery Sentiment of the Revolution - Opinions of Madison-Jefferson - Patrick Henry-John Jay-Washington - Franklin - Lafayette - Abolition Societies, in 1787-Thanks of Congress to an Abolition Society-Reaction in Public Sentiment-Slavery, the Ruling Power-The Causes of Reaction MR. MORRIS took his seat in the Senate of the United States, on the opening of the session, in December, 1833. During his Senatorial service, he became identified with the growing anti-slavery movements against the extension and the aggressions of the slave power; it will be proper, therefore, to review, briefly, the history and struggles of freedom, in opposition to slavery, and to record the sentiments of the patriots and statesmen of the Revolution, on this engrossing national subject. It was the aim of the great and good men, who inaugurated and established the civil government and political institutions of the United States, as declared in the Constitution they formed-"To establish justice, promote the. general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty." The rights of man, and the principle of universal freedom, had a public and solemn enunciation, in the Declaration of Independence, wherein it was stated-"That all men are created free and equal, and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among which are, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Freedom, and not slavery, was the object for which the patriots and statesmen of the Revolution drew the sword, and labored to extend and establish. They found the system of slavery in existence; but they contemplated, not its |