Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-11-23

| lha' YOU have spoken under The influence
| OF feelings Away praIsew orthy when duly
restrained, but on this occasion not duly
restrained and under the influence OF
that sort of careless and reckless iemeriiy
which the possession even Of literary
! power will sometimes inspire.
The great curse of America" YOU
say, " is the institution of slavery" How
far this is true, il is not now material 10
enquire. 1t is sufficient for me, q for
| this nation, that il is not an American in
siitnlion. Slavery was introduced into
America, by you by The merchants and
traders OF Great Britain, under the au
| thoriiy of the British Government. Yon
| know, full well, that the colonial trade
| was under the absolute dominion of the
mother country, and that the importation
OF slaves into the colonies was sanctioned
! by lis laws. Ought you, then, in the
face of this fact, TO reproach as with the
institution of slavery, and TO call it foul
stain upon our character Did We i'll
stiIute il? Had we any agency, national,
| or even colonial, III the preparation of
this airocious crime 2" None, Max.
II then as base, and vile, and deteslabie
| as your indignant eloqucnce can represent
| /, 10 he, and then take The crime and the
| reprodcs. home 10 yourselves.
',
| subject, which il we'll becomes yeu, ard
| every trend OF justice, 10 hear and 10
know. ] am Virgniou, and speak
| now for Virginia only. The people of
| Virginia are not only not responsible for
Tie introduction OF slavery into the coun
| Try, IN ITS colonial slate, but claim th,
merit ot having done their best 10 oppose
| ID. They no, only endeavoured 10 dis
| courage the importation OF Slaves, by
various duties Isiposed al different times,
10 be raid by the purchaser bnt, i'll til
| year l772, presented petition 10 The
ihrone, beseeching the King 10 remove
| all those restraints on his maiesty's go
vernorN ut this colony, which iBhibit their
asserting To such laws as might che
so veryp erncious commerce" Th
| represent that the importation of slaves
INTO the colonies had long been considered
as trade OF great inhumaniiy: and, deep
iy impressed with this sentiment, they
approached the throne" presumng TO
- hope that the interest of few of his
majesty subjects reaping emoluments
from iItis sort OF traffic, would be dis
" regarded when placed in competition
" with such numbers of his maiesty's
" dntllui and loyal subjects" That the
people OF Virginia weye deeply impressed
with the sentiment thus stated, is demon
sirated by their conduct a few years af-
ierwards. The preamble TO the Constitu-
non OF Virginia euumerates the causes
| winch impeiied the people of the COM
monwealih 10 abIure their allegiance 10
George Sd, and hope you will be no less
gra'fied than surprised TO learn, that the
failure of their efforts 10 prevent the i'm
poriation of slaves is most distinctly and
emphaiically announced, as one of The
many grievances which they had cndur-
ed.(D The premable charges the King Of
Great, Britain expressly with prompting
our negroes to rise an arms against as !;
those very negroes whom, by an inhu-
man use OF his negative, he hath retnS-
ed as permiSsio'. to c1clmde by laU." Yes,
ihe British government, for the sake of
The protit OF trading in slaves: of the mo-
ney to be made by few merchants, by
dealing in the article Of human flesh, re-
insed lis assent 10 our prayers TO stop this
Trade: and we are now reprOached with
The airocIOus crime" which that govern
meni committed, and which we endeavor-
Ell 10 prevent
Gentlemen, The language which has
been quoted from the preamble 10 our
constitution, vas not mere rhetorical
hOurIsh, thrown IN from motives of poll
CIV, or for purposes of deception. The
trainers Of that constitution expressed
the sentiments of their constituents; sen.
iImenis so deeply impressed, that thew
had their influence amidst the difficulties
OF the war and The horrors of INVASION
In the month of October, 1878, the lie.
gIslatnre OF Virginia evinced the sincerity
"lih whichthey had addressed the King
bs passing law prohibiting The impor.
laiion OF slaves. They could do no more
! Now, gentlemen, while my abused and
lnsuiied countrymen were making these
lruiiless efforts, before the Revolution, tC
accomplish an object which the act of Tvs
proved they bad so much al heart, how
were the people ofyour "grrat and bm
Oft tie manacles of slaves all over The
world" Yes, true, most true. They
were indeed tearing off the manacle:
Of slaves but they we're slaves whom
they had procured in Africa, anC
whose letters they tore off when thew of
tered them in The various markets o
the world for sale
! ] have said, that the legislature of Vir
, gina could do no more they have don,
no more. In the wear 1889 they passeC
, an act, anthorising tie emancipation O
4; slaves and thousand have obfaineds thei
5 freedom. OF the humanity efthe mofiv
7 which gave birth TO this law, no doubt cal
. he entertained but that il has produced
f any results which even humanity can ap
\ prove, is doubted and denied. But thi
r is not tn place for discussion on tina
: point. My object in mentioning TN
d facts was only to shew that the legislator
= of Virginia have done all that they coul
' do. They have been not only inirepidlS
i but roshiy humane. ~
We have Abolition Societies in the mid
s | die slaies and Colonization Snrisiin