Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-11-25
RICHMOND, NOV. IS.
TO The Editors of the Richmond Enquirer.

L
sm aware that very great excitement exists in
many parts of the southern country, on the sub
Ject OF the Colonization Society Nor am | mt all
surprised az il, when behold such writers as Caus
Gracious, devoting their time and talents TO the
propagation OF the most erroneous views in rela-
ton to the objects and operations of the Society II
is very natural that those who look to the public
prints, as their only source of general information,
should be alarmed and indignant, when told in the
most polished language, and in a tone of apparent
sincerity, that there exists In the very midst OF
them, body of men, denying the validity of long
established rights, secretly undermining the value of
their property, acting In connection with the abo-
ion societies of the north, stimulating the govern
ments OF The nsn-slave holding states to a direct
and mpertinent interference with their negroes and
giving birth to many of the most hateful questions
that have ever sgita. eel the councils of the country
When these and thousand other things of similar
Import, are publicly proclaimed through the medi-
UNI oil an influential press, ought moi to be sur
prised ii the community should be stirred into ac-
tual coinmoion, and even be induced TO boast, in
the indscreei language of their promp;tr, that they
g have intelligence to understand their rights, and
chivary enough TO defend them
| But what must b The feelings of that COMMUNE
~, when they snail learn, that the greater part of
these high and mighty charges have originated in the
SIMPLE Tact, that few Intelligent ana respectable in
dividuais, of them shareholders have assoc.
from their country an idle and profiigate and mis-
chievous population and that their connection
with the Missouri Question, with abolition socie-
lies, and with certain imaginary machitions of the
state and general governments, has beenmos. re
niously deduced from The hope, which scoc of them
have inddlged and some perhaps have ventmed TO
express, that their efforts in relation to tie Tree co
lored people OF the country, might POSSIBLY lead 10
the gradual emancipation and removal of a yel
more degraded portion of our population Isthere
any thing in such an association, or in the ndul-
gence or even expression OF such hope, 10 Justify
the furious invective that has been pronounced a
ganst them' Or Is there, in reality, any thing in
them, to alarm our Tears, 10 endsnger union,
TO bring down upon u these severe domestic afflc-
tons, which vivid and phrenzed mag inalion has
so unblushiDgly predcted'
Caius Gracious may save himself the unpleasant
alternative OF either questioning the sincerity of the
original founders OF the society or of amenting the
subsequent Interpolation Of a principle disavowel
at Its earlier meetings. A further examination oil
the documents from which he has thought proper 10
mike some CARRIED extracts, would have shewn
him. that The Very individuals, on whose authority
he relies Tor ie principles in which he supposes tn,
society TO- have originated, gave their deliberate
sahctlo'l to that principle, which he now denoun-
ces IS subsequent and alarming Interpolation Mr.
Randolph, for instance, who had been Host sirenu
Gus in disavowiug any intention OF interfering viii
the property in slaves, nevertheless urged IN iavo
of The colony proposed to be eslablishedin Africa
the inducemenI it would hold out for the emauci
patton of slaves. .slf' says he 'sa plsce Can y
provided for their reception, and mode Of send
ing them hence, there are hundreds, nay Thousand
of CITIZENS. who would, by manamisling thei
rlSVes. relieve theTnselV from the aitenan
: IN their possession Judge Washington. too
when speaking ia his FIRST address of the con,em
plated African settlement, says, sshould il lead, a
we may fairly hope il will, TO the slow but grsass-
al abolition OF slavery, it will wipe from our po
ical institutions, the only blot which stains them
and In palliaion of which, we shall not be at lib
erty 10 plead the excuse of moral necessity, unit
we shall nave honestly excited all the means yhis
| we possess Ter It's extInciion." And even Mr.
Clay, who had declared his connection with tn
society 10 be the resul, of conviction s,ha il v
not intended to affec; in any manner, the tenure o.
which certain species OF property was held' ne
verheless advocated The establishment of A coIouy
. as means OF enabling " the legislatures of tb
states, who had been grieved at the necessity O
passing laws, prohibiting emancipation, TO rrmov,
the ImpeclMents to the exercise of benevoence anc
humanity" And he further called for the readinu
OF letter from Mr.. Jefferson, expressing his ear
nest wish, sc that the U. States would .Hen.seIv e.
undertake to form establishment on the coast n
Africa" and d. cling It's happy effect In draw
Ing oil - the coloured population of the country ,
From these evidences, then, it would seem, tha
while The founders of The society discIaimej An,
anxiously avoided all interference with the cues ioI
OF slavery, calculated to affect the rights and Obi,
cations II created, they look ed 10 the influence II
be exerted, on the present condition and ultimate
destination OF the slave population, as one OF tn
strongest arguments in favor of the measure tina
was proposed. And such uIhesitatingly affirm. il
the principle that has governed all the operations
the society, from It's common cement down 10 H.,
present day It's connection with the abolition so.
cieues OF the country, graiuiousy assumed is dis
proved, not only by the tact, that it has uniformI,
found In those societies, its biteres and most per
seveTIng enemies, but that il differs from them OF
the very principle of their existence; for Will,
they refuse all terms Oh compromise with slavery
and deny the legitimacy either of its origin or il,
continuance, the Colonization Society Tecosnize
IN their fullest extent the rights 1t begets and aim
at their extingulshmeni, only by holding out induce
mens to their voluntary abandonment. With tn,
Missouri Question, too, the Society had nothing fC
do as body. The principles involved in that
celebrated question, were wholly unconnectet
r with ITS objects. And so far as its feelings In
relation to those principles, are to be infer.
red from attendant circumstances, the opno-
si'ion OF many of it's most active member.
to the proposed restrictions on Missouri would
authorize conclusion, directly the reverse of that
at which Caius Gracious has arrived
On The subject OF Mr. Kings resolution in Oh,
Senate Of the u. States and of certain Other rs.o
Iulions, adopted by some Of the non-slave-holdipe
states, most extraordinary degree OF excitement
prevails amongst portion of our southern politi-
clans II the spirit aud design of those resolutions
were TO be inferred, only from the angry coromen-
tsries to which they have given RISE we should I'M
agine nothing less than a most unholy combpa-
ton, for the purpose of destroying our propertv.
and involving our whole southern country in the
honors of a seryile war Ard if the Ingenious
speculaions of Caius Gracious are 10 he taken for