Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-11-30
terom the National inieligencer.
TO THE EDINBURG REVIEUERS.

CONTINUED.
The sentiment expressed by the state
Of Virginia, i'm the year 1872, in relation
90 the slave trade, WAS entertained by The
great body oi the American people. II is
fact, established by the public records Of
oar country, thai, on the Goth Of Oct.
l774, almost within little month, after
the first meeting Of a continental Con-
sress, and nearly twenty months before
the declaration of independence, il was
expressly agreed, among manv other sti-
pulaiions, that the slave trade should be
discontinued.
Nav. let il be remembered, that The
people OF America never acted in cor cert,
by their representatives, until the month
of September, IVA and, although The
fate of the nation depended on The Inea-
sures then TO be taken Tor the preserva
tion of their rights and liberties, they vet
lad the wisdom and he virtue" 10
snatch one anxious moment, and devote
il To the abolition Of lee slave trade
While the first Congress of America,
(such an assembly NJ men as the world
never before saw were thus employed,
and, on your own principles, wisely
and virtuonsly" employed, what was the
object which occupied, which engrossed
the time, the attention, and the councils,
OF your great and humane country 2"
Was II not TO maintain. by force, the
power of taxing, al discretion, the land
and labor OF your own brethren, and 10
keep them i'm "a state of absolute depend.
ence aud vassalage I An object which,
alter the loss OF thousands of lives, and
fhe expenditure of millions vet unpaid,
and never 10 be paid, you have abandoned
forever.
This poin, is susceptible of further
-ttlaN rnt Il NJ
know, presume, thai. as early as the
year l7S6, there was convention of de-
legaies at Annapolis, assembled for the
purpose of amending the articles of our
original confederation. The result of lis
deliberations was, recommendation TO
line several states, 10 send delegates 10 a
grand convention in Philadelphia, for 1fe
purpose of rendering the Constitution of
the federal government adequate 10 The
exgencies OF the union" Ii is, no doubt,
equally well known to you, that, in 1887,
tins grand convention did meet, and pro-
posed 10 Tie people of America the con-
siltuion, by which the States are now
united constitution which essentially
changed the character Of the confederacy,
and gave TO the gencrai government, al
the expense OF the States, the great pow
ers which II now possesses. This grand
movement was begun, continued, and
ended, not indeed without the most ami.
mated discussion, not wthovt some
portion OF angry feeling, but without
bloodshed, and indeed without violence.
III yon were niiuuicly acquainted with
the past and present governments OF this
country, you would see al once the extent
OF the sacrifice made by The people OF
thirteen independent sovercigniies, for
the general good : sacrifice produced,
VIII venture 10 say, by virtue and patri.
o;Ism the most pure, aud by wisdom the
most profound. Look, now, over the
history OF those nations, with The least
and lowest OF whom we are forbidden
10 compare ourselves, and point out 10
us, II YOU can, IN The history Of the great.
est and the highest one single occurrence.
comparable to that now presented 10 your
yIew--oGe which gives TO a whole people
claim so indisputable 10 those very
qualities OH which you say "iie rank of
nations" is to depend. II there be any
event, IN point oil moral grandeur, equal
10 this, and in political Importance sur
passing II, we can find i, only in the His
tory OF America, in July, I776. Rest
assured, therefore, Gentlemen, that we
shall attend your admonlilon. We will
not compare ourselves with the least
and lowest OF the European nations, nor
GNtu WIN tiC' B!gUcSt-Ne are not dis
posed to make any comparisons wiIaie-
yer, and gasconading" as we NAV be.
we are content to saw little about others.
and less about ourselves, except in de-
fence of our character whether as now.
causeiessiy, or, as at other times and by
Olher persons, malignapily assslIpd,
Bul The fact just siated.was not intro.
dhced with view TO the inference
that has been drawn from IT,. The object
was more Immediately connected with
she subject OF the present discussion.-
HE constitution itself, thus adopfed by
tie people Ot America, contains IN ex-
press provision. auihorising The Congress
OF tie UuIied STATES so prohibit the I'M
pOriapOn OF slaves after iIie wear 1907. -
Remember that the establishment OF this
constitution was not The act oil q Lvcurgus,
ora Scion, or 0i men selected like the
Deccnlviri, TO prepare cote OF laws for
semi barbar0Ts nation. IL pds the act
~ fhe American peopis Themselves, cousii-
tniing thirteen Instinct sovpreigniics end
each Sovereignty, however smdll, dccid-
ing Tor nseIl. The principles are theirs {:
The sentiments are tlpirs. And thus, by
their voluntary aud deliberate act, aed.
JET me add, rs uuauimous rs II vas deli.
beraie, they bave, in relation IN tltem-
selves, exilnguislied the slave trade fore
Ver.(5)
(j.) Iii Wen worthy of notice, IL il he true
aGd II Is bell we'd TO be true, that 80 ubiecttOr
made among the people Ut the q. states
from one end 81 tie continent 20 the ether, 10