The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-01-05
ENQUIR FIR.
RICHMOND, JANUARr 5, 1905
IsrEopucr.oS OF SLAVES INTO VIRGINIA.

The law of 1885 is the lar law which has
been pafied by our Legislature, for regulating
tie introduction of Slaves into this Fate. Ac.
coriing to that law, man has right TO import
any fave from Africa, or any of the Wei India
iiiands, for any caufc whatever: mas nc Il
right to bring any illvcs from any of the other
ftstes into Virginia, " with an intention of /tlne
fbcm." But it is Gill the privilege of an inl,a-
hitant OF The fate, to bring into it any fave
whom ne may acquire in any other fate By DE-
f.at, by ,narriasc, or ~ drmjt: and it is ftill
the prviie;: of an inhabitant of any other TO re-
move into this fate, with all the ilaves which he
s1ay own, on the condition that none of them
nlould have been imported from Africa or any
Of the Wet India Hands, fucc the frt day of
November. IT'S" Such is the law of Virginia,
as it no9v tands.
During the prefcnt felton, of the legila-
,ure, a propoGtion has been made TO alter this
law, and TO prevent any naves being brought
into the commonwealth, although they may
have heen acquired in any other ta.e BY I-jtenf,
-7arriaFe or de1,ite, and although they Gioulti
belong TO citizen OF any other fate who wifhes
20 remove from il and become an inhabitant
of Virginia. Shouid the bill pats in it's prefent
form, and its proviGons De risorouny executed,
great and efeGtual barrier will be at once eta
bIihed aganff the further introduction of flaves
INTO the commonwealth. According to the con-
trmplated fyftem, no flave can pats the limits of
Virginia who is not reiiden; OF it, on the firf
cf inv next. ucis have CONC
from the county of Alexandra in the terri
tory of Columbia, or unlefs he fhould accompa-
nv his mater in the capacity of waiting fer
want and even in that character he is not to re-
main A whole twelvemonth upon our foil.
SNo man who recoile6ts the real and the rela-
iSus Gtuation Of orr Commonwealth, can difap-
f,rovc of the proviiious and the policy of the
Contemplated law. Within the limits of Vrsi-
MA there already exit too many Of that mclan-
cboly race of men, whole fate we may depi0re,
hut cannot redTefs. The number is already too
great; whether we coniider the repofe of the
Rate, or the iuduttry of its citizens and if il
cannot dimini!h, it ought not at leaft to augment
the evil, OF 20 view with Indifference the prof
pea Of IN ncreairg multitude. At the pre/ent
time, however, the policy of 4 filter fate has
multiplied the chances of an extended popula-
ton, and orr own rational approximations. S.
Carolina, by opening her ports 70 all the ne
rroes which are imported from Africa and the
WeH-Indies, threatens 20 pour new tide of
population upon the surrounding fatesf: and
who can fay whether the market of mr. own
fate, Of Georgia, N. Carolina and the wenern
Rates being once fuppled, that we ourfeIYes
cay not fee them pouring in upon us the mifc-
Fable victims of their inhuman traffic. Already
has their Internal indutry difpiayed an unpa-
ralle,ed Zc1l and collected victims frcm every
,.,arket Of nayes. Examine the CharlStnn pa
oers. and YOU will find their columns con-
tinna,Iv Nlacl;ened and di(graced by adver-
t;r-meats Of auctions of miGcrable negroes.-
The "Timcs' of December 2lO, which is
nowbef,,re me exhibits onitsv eyhrit column not
Tcfa than four advertisements Of naves 10 be
fold fonc are SOld-Coait llaves, fome Wind
u'ard liyes, others Congo NegroeG, and the
tuir'h co.npieats the cruel farce by Displaying
rfc,c Africln4" as its reoommendatorY title.
~ i'm fath abundant Cargoes are hawked a.
+ ,u, the art cts &C Charlenon lnd Advertised in
L. Dublic prints, is there no danger, that the de-
pr.cidted vilu Of this property ibouId location
taeir owners 10 20 in fearch Oi fome more ditaut
and feyotlb!e market, and that Virginia as well
- tIe fan ,nnding rates Ihould partake Of the
d bonoral * traffic Yet theie impouations are
daily incr, aing and It is yet uncertain, whc
ti~r the preient I:giHsture of South-Caroiua
Will have the enlightened policy Of arrelting
The traffic. On the 9Th of latt month motion
was made inthc Senate to prohibit il ,6< was Ion
by a majority OF me only rs being for it and
- aga,nf Il ; and two members were abient.
u j., iuie, refpi,iti0n, was agreed to in the
UaG.c Of z .PTeicntatiges By comfortable ma
lofty Of. a iublequeni day, the l4th December,
tati, is Gud in a private letter from Columbia
That ic ellion 10 too far advanced for The Senate
e. re!laic its deliberations on that iubjee.
Thus wul the merchants Of 8. Carolina has
another twelVe-ninuih ~ tea to f0rll thcir i'm
r,,,-.e and then Golfers; aud who can FAY how
in.ny E.ycs ~ tsdt time will nos cro's tbs