WILLIAM TILGHMAN. 61 



out of its orbit, and taking scrupulous care, that no 

 external contact should be of a nature to disturb his 

 movements when he returned to it. 



It was upon an occasion when a very delicate 

 question agitated the country, that he mentioned to a 

 friend a transaction in his life, which, although in a 

 certain sense public in its character, is even at this 

 time not extensively known. His reason for advert- 

 ing to it, illustrates in a striking manner his deference 

 to the demands of his station ; while the passage in 

 his life to which it refers, discloses his sentiments 

 upon the embarrasing question of negro slavery ; a 

 question however upon which, in some of its practical 

 bearings, he thought it an act of infinite rashness to 

 judge other men, and in regard to which he almost 

 concealed his own decided proceeding, lest it should 

 appear to reproach the judgment of his kinsmen and 

 friends. 



Having been asked to take part in a public meeting 

 in the City of Philadelphia, upon what has been called 

 the Missouri question, he thought it expedient to de- 

 cline. <<My office,'^ he said, "compels me often to de- 

 cide upon this irritating question of slavery ; and it is 

 not expedient to take part in a public discussion, that 

 might bring my impartiality into doubt. No one who 

 knows the arrangement that I have made with the 

 slaves which belonged to me, will doubt my fervent 

 wish to see the evils of this institution mitigated, and, 

 if possible, extinguished.'' The arrangement was an 

 instrument executed on the 24th of April, 1811, by 



