Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-10-05

Ie. hngs of desponseEcy or regret. In answer to- a
snort address which made TO them, the elders adj
united tie necessity which compelled me pant with
them, and coniding in the assurances made 10 then,
by the respectable gehuemen whom they were sold,
as TO the treatment they might expect, they express
ell their belief that their situation would be ,iuN ed
ahu cheeriuly consented la 20 with them. Their he
htvor during the days that they remained in ~
icNandra, indicated continuance OF these feelings
ANA the almost unlimited hcence allowed thcm by
their new masters, proved how confidently they trust
eel IN the SINCERITY oil their declarations.
pass by the diSinH1iion that, because Gen. Wash
lrS'on Thought proper To eniancpaie his slaves, his
nephew ought to do so likewise, with the single OBJ
ser,atlon, chat 10 not admit the right of any person
10 dcc"ie Tor me GA this point. am the last man in
the world Tho would attempt To deprecatc tlint or
amy other act o tins most revered relative. lie WAS
influenced on that, all other Occasions. by that
moral rcctiiude which invariably governed him thro'
i'ie. lie believed the measure ~ be right, and this
! was always decisive with him.
lhe rule which have prescribed 10 myself TO con-
fine this letter, far is possible To mere state
nient OF facts, iorbits my entering into the reasons
which influence my conduct this particular sub
lect. 1t is possible that they may have mslet NV
judgment; but am conscious of the purity of my
motives, and trust that those least who know me,
will IN this respect do me Justice
1t is somewhat mortiiyng me, that it never oc-
CURED 10 the visitor at Mount Vernon who seems To
nave Ia ken great interest in my concerns To
pue oi my niGagcr, Or ot some my neighbors
what were the motives which had induced me 10 max
| tins sale Had he done so, he would have been
informed that the prominent ones we've the follow
| ing -
| /. That had struggled for about 20 years to pay
The expenses OF nay farm, and afford a comfortable
support 10 those who cultivated it, from the pro,ice of
HeD htbo'. In this way have balanced that nc
count, would have satisfied me. Bat always had TO
draw upon my other resources for those objects and
! would state upon my best Judgment, that the pro-
duce al the farm has IN general fallen short of lis sup
| port from $500 TO $1,000 annually. To the best of
NY recollection have during the above period, (two
yrars eNccpted,) bad 10 buy the negroes for
winch have sometimes paid ,, 8, and dollars the
barrel Last year commemorative purchase of this
i"tcle Tor 10 negroes in the month of May, aud so
| continued To the end of II.
2d. The INSTRUMENTATION of INV neoroes and the;r
tot, disregard of all authority, rendered them worse
| man useless TO me Southern gentlemeu understand
and we'll know how to appreciate the force of This
motive, and therefore furbc:il to enlarge upon il
| But IL II should he asked, as it well may be- why
| nus temper was more observable at Mount Vernon,
"ah upon otlcr plantations IN the nci3lborhood au-
s"er, ih'', tlat place has AT times been visited by
some unworthy persons, who have condescemded 10
"o'd conversations with my negroes, and 10 impress
upon tncr minds the belief Thar, the nephew of ge-
neral washington, president of the Colonial
ION society, OF iur other reasons, could not hold
them IN bondage, and particularly that they would he
Tree al my dedh That such ersa.ions have pass.
ca, nave evidence entirely satisfactory to myself
and that such impressions had been made unou ;he
minds o The negroes impaired Ia nc bva friend
VINO h'u no reason Ia doubt the fact. In consequence
oil Inflammation So truly alarming called the negroes
together IN March last and after stating them wiaI
had heard, and that they had been deceived hy
thos' who had neither their or my good in view as
sured them mos: soemnly, that had no intention 10
gave freedom 10 any of tlem al,i ii,at nothing hui
voluntary act OF mine could make them So Tia, the
disappointment caused 10y this declaration sli, ud lead
TO Tie consequences which followed, and which will
| he mentioned under the neat head was 10 be c,.-
pccted.
s. The last motive which deem it necessary 10 as
sign was, that had good reason for anticipating III
escape oil all the iaboring o: any value to the
northern states So soon as should leave home Dur
ing my last circuit and after my return three OF
them eloped without the pretencc OLA causc-onc OF
them, valuable cook is this time Il fugitive in one
oil The northern states; the other were retaken
on their way 10 Pennsylvamia-but had pay about
$3.50 these accounts
conclude by stating, that the sale ofthe 5lmegroes
was made to MIR. Sprigg and Mr. Williams, two gem
uemen on the Red River, who meant 10 place them
upon their own estates, and to keep them together
+ rom such purchasers. induced 10 take S25O0
less than the price nhicl had at first fNed upon.
i!ihere be any pnrsou who thinks il worth his
while to ask for further explanations in respect TO the
above Statements refer him IL Mr.. Noble Herbert
Mr. Maurice Herhor, and Mr.. B. +. Herbert of a.
ir%andrt AlE. BuslIrod Washington, near Mount
| Vernon, and TO my manager, Mr.. Seal
am, NC. very respectfully,
iour very oJcdicnI servant.