Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-02-17

the free people of colour, who are a greater nui-
sancc, more comfortless, and more tempted to vices
than the slaves themselves, to whom they prove a
fruitful sources of corruption and discomfort. And
whilst it will rid us of evil, which like malig-
nant disease mgles and circulates its poisonous in
1uence though every part of social system, it
! promises &c raise degraded race of human beings
to the enjoyment of those civil and political rights
which give dignity to the character of man; and to
extend to the continent of Africa, the knowledge of
our language our arts and sciences, and the bless
gs OF free government, civilization and chrisaui-
| ty.
| But what has Virginia done in aid of an object in
which she has so often proessed to feel the deepest
interest: NOTHING No, not even passed cheap
resolution.
is 1t that the nuisance no longer exists? Oh no !.
Each session of the Legislature proves that we are
still sensiby alive to all the evils present and flu
ture, entailed upon the country; and we adhere to
the policy OF those laws enacted to restrain the in
crease OF the free people of colour. Whence, them
this supineness, this apathy, upon subject so
deeply interesting? Let the members of the General
Assembly give the answer. But if considera-
tons OF policy, justice, or humanity excite
10 action, let US at least shew little regard to
putaton.
| We may talk as we will, in our public dcclama-
tons, about retaining our moral after loosing
| physical influence in the Union, will find that
others will judge of us according acts cor
respond with our professions. Reputation is no
less important to State than to an individual
Let either acquire character for insncerity, or
Inconsistency, and every thing like moral influence
VIII vanish Virginia has her choice of three alter
natives: either to abandon the policy indicated in
her Legislature during the last eighteen years-or
to provide the means of sending emancpated slaves
and free persons of colour Afica-or to rest UNI
der imputations, rendered more CALLING from con-
seriousness that they are not altogether unmertod.
nv nlI Al
prove either the policy practicabity of coonizing
the tree people of colour, must be unnecessary,
since both are recognized III all the resolutions pass
ed upon tbs subject. Equally useless must he any
proof that the measure may be attempted with safe
~, since the same authority has decided that point
W hen the resolutions alluded to passed, the
Legislature could not have contemplated the posi-
bility of a removal of the free people of colour
without the knowledge of the slaves; of course, it
had resolved to encounter whatever of danger might
possibly be apprehended from the measure. To
Others however, who oppose colonization upon this
ground, 1T may be said, that admitting the danger,
(Which is positively denied,) the answer is, that it
cannot now be avoided; it exists, and must be en-
countcred and overcome. Whatever of danger
was to have been apprehended from agitating the bu
siness of colonization has been already produced;
and 1t IS no less the part of prudence than of sound
policy, to so on and complete work. Is any
man silly enough to believe that the desire of free
ment are possessed? The object of the colony es-
tabished at Measurable is perfectly understood by
the coloured population of Virginia, bond and free
and the removal thither Of every free person of CO.
lour in the United States will cause less excitement
among our slaves, than the example before their
eyes OF the enjoyment of freedom by half dozen
free blacks.
But will it be asked, What ought virginia to
do!" The answer is obvious. Foster the COLONY at
Measurable IN its infancy, and prepare to send thi-
ther, all the free blacks in the State. The of
etfectng both ends, must be selected by the wisdom
of the Legislature. Upon this head, however, one
who has devoted some reflection to the subject would
respectfully offer few suggestions.
comparison of the census of 1910 with that of
lo2O, shews that the increase of the free people of
colour in ten years was 6,3l9-making an average
annual increase of 632 The ratio of increase was
20 2-5 per cent; while that of the whites was only
III 2-lO0 per cent. Whenever, therefore, the bust
ness of colonization has been fairly commenced, it
Will be necessary, in order to a reduction of the
| number of those people amongst us, than 622 free
people of colour should annually be of the
county.
When ship has been engaged for other OBJ
ect than the transportation of the coonists Afri-
ca the cost has been fifty dollars for each but
the last ship which sailed with coonists was also
bound upon commercial voyage, she took 105 CO.
lonSts at charge of twenty dollars, and the time
will come when the mere cost of transportation will
not exceed ten dollars.
Among the means of raising the necessary funds
for defraying the expense of their transportation
may be included with great propriety, tax upon
free persons of colour resident in the State, and up
on slaves The first, because it will be expended
for the benefit of those people themselves the
cond, because the removal of the free blacks, will
| make the slaves less vicious, peaceable, and
more valuable to their owners.
Of free people of color there were in
Virginia iu 1920 36,777.
OF slaves 421,851.
An annual tax of % cents upon the former, and
of II 12 cents upon the latter, would produce $6,-
925, whchsum at twenty dollars each, would annu-
| ally transport to Africa 2096 colonsts.
| Such an operation, therefore, would remove from
Virginia, every free person of colour, in less than
fourteen years, allowing the annual increase to be
two per cent, as shewn by the last census.
| had written thus much, when friend informed
me that, by some persons, doubts were entertained
of the praccabity of establishing colony of free
persons of colour upon the coast of Africa because
| of the unwhosomeness of the climate, and of the
uniness of that class of people, for such undertake
/ ing.
Upon subject like this, few well authenticated
| facts, worth volume of argument 1t is adj
nted that the first location of the colony at Sher-
| bro, unfortunate There died at that place p
persons-two of those deaths casualties and
several were children. AT Measurable where the
colony is established, only twenty deaths occur
red out of l60persons, of these deaths, lous were
children--four killed in war, and two CASUALTIES
And at Measurable, there has been no instance OF
the sickness of colonst, who had previously pass
| ed one season in Africa. The whole number of
colonists who have been Africa Exclusive of
1O5 who recently sailed from James Rive) was,
2l2, and the whole number ofdeaths in three years
was only forty two. Compare this result with those
attending the first settlement OF North America