Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-10-11
FOR THE Eve UiRER.
10 B,eshrod Washington, Esq. President 81 ne
.american Coiom-ation Society.

OR The high character when you sustain IN
uie country, as well your office as fFesiden' o
eiie American Colonization Society, wouia nave
indicated you in the first place the proper person
10 be addressed in any remarks upon the principles
ana OBJECTS OF your association, had not oeeh IN
nuenced by wish 10 arrest the propreSs oil grow
ing mischief, which had already approached tie
limits OF my own threshold. Il was Tor that rea'
son only, that my two former communications
We're addressed to the President and Members OF
the Auxiliary Society of Powhatan. | now besi
leave, however to redeem myself from this appaf
rent neglect, and to otter 10 you some small tokeI
oil my recollection of the part which YOU are acting
In this mschiey Gus affair; in which l shall tel
inmate, for the present, any further discussion oi
TINS subject, alter having very briefly pointed oul
the progress and the alarming tendeaey.of tn
doctrines which your Society is now engaged i.
propagating through The land
do not expect 10 be able TO change your OPT
mons upon this subject, or 10 make proseyte
you, by any efforts of mine Many consideration
exist to prevent the indulgence OF such hope
For, while all-unte, in according to you, an un
suled private Character, you known to holt
opinions In regard to the powers of the federal con
stituIion; and upon the subject of slavery, which
have long placed YOU in concert with those mos
anlrendly 10 the interests 9th ve-oding states
she public avowal OF these opinions, and the CON.
pilmenis which have been so Handsomely paid VOC
b. placing you at the head OF the parent association
must eohVface me now vain would be the atiemp,l
| TO overthrow an old mans 0oins0ns Thus sun
ported By his pride and his prejidees II is posi-
bic too, sir, in the discharge OF this duty may ia
dulge In freedom of remark and rigour of ex
animation, not altogether rtconciiSabe with thf
quiet oil your feelings, and OF those with whom yera
are acting. But, | beg you to be assured. that d
Snail not wanionly and unnecessarily seek TO in
ii'c, pam or uneasiness upon you. But " hen prin
S4p.es ana OBJECTS are avowed, which threaten thI
al he l..
Chion' ana, Tor the attainment of which, the feeders
CONSTITUTION Itself Is TO be violated il becomes lel
ou'y OF every coed Citizen not only to denounce'
ue WtSchir, but to point the finger OF censure ard
oisspproDauon at the authors themselves And.
should you suffer from SO unpleasant distinction
your ielecon must be, that lis correction is at all
times In your own hands
Bear with me then sir while 7 tracatho ,,,ooo..
Oh this nischleyouS sentiment which has recently
manifested Itself In such excess of sensibiIitv a, tho
existence oil Southern Slavery: and, while / marx
us advances from the smallest beginnings down TO
Inc present period, when, seterne itself under ,o
sacred forms OF religion and the auspices OF vour
II Is now actively engaged in scattering the
seeds oil misery and disunon in the Country will
| tons can give H.
In the contemplation of this subject, il will be =
source OF no tle Instruction to US To take a b,ief
view OF the state Of public sentiment. unor The sb
Jee OF slavery, as II existed the time Of The adon
uon OF the federal constitution, and from thence
UP ~ 'e period o! The establishment of your socie
| "; and 10 contrast The harmony and general tran,
guilty which obtained in all parts OF the TTnion
upon ms subject, with the alarming doctrines and
excited senslbiity, which recent poJiticaI ,ro,,o-
ments and the operations Of Jour society have
developed. nave
Is wen known TO you, that the Constitution of
.he oniea SAFES at the time of its adoption. was
'ne resuil OF Nneral spirit of compromise, not ONLY
oil moral and political opinions bur of the var;cu
and dscordant interests, which obtainel in ,l ,;c
ierent portions OF the Union. Upon' mo ona 81
1ect, was TINS spirit OF liierality and rnutnaI cor
cession more distinctly manifested than pnon ,Lo
suuJect OF slavery. Hence, the ORIGIN of that no-
vision oil the constitution, which, while it gives tn
me Nor'hern section OF the Union all the advanta.
% a.. -, e'seI sueJec Tor the appor,ionment
Oh uilecl taxes IN The South, makes our slaves m
| certain extent, the measure of re,re.a..,;' ~ 70
was the same liberal sentiment in ressr1 10 81
teres's oil the Southern States thar dictated 49,.
other provision OF the same instrument. hv ,bioL
the power TO restrain the importation of Isves 49,,
year lS0S. "A'ei 'ie
lI the same spirit of good feeling, did the subject
OF slavery continue to be regarded until reccr,l
when we behold, as if by some secret conoo-, 80
establishment OF your society, and certain ax,r.a
dihaIy political movements upon III -:
maniiesting themselves in the proceedines - ,I
redera' ana some oil the State Legislature or tIo
most alarming and dangerous character dn 80,
mean 10 y' or, that such concert actually erie.s
" u'"t YOU Sosie'y was originally founded with
any view TO the abolition OF sl,yery IN 81 ' o.
But, believe shall have but lille dfEa,t. o.
proving 10 the satisfaction OF all pn-o;. ,3 "a
,hihus' mat The original objects of your assoc,;,
nave been changed, and that views and ;on M
now IN contemplation, which formed no mort aF
your original purpose Aud that your soco,f, e."
It's very nature and tendency, has formed o., &C
,a.'eHS' around winch, all the elements OF discon-
tent and dsafecton upon the subiec, of s1..,.."'
have been gathered: And that the dsn,,oS 1,y'
cal movements TO which have had auso, ;S 1.
'he immediate result OF your association. H. -.
ceNeu countenance and support from vo,r L.
tTines, winch mark an identity of (eelinSs 81
common object with you To your mind tho 80
Oh the iacts upon which this opinion is founded ~
ho' DC necessary but TO the great mass of the
uu'iy - WIN De interesting; and the encroaehnnents
" ~" oe"y' IN the space of nine years. will
appear, II not wicked, at least extrao,i;no.,, W.
us Then see, ~ reference to the proceedings of IL
meeting held at Davis fiu,el the 2Is, If r.. g..
loio' IN winch your society was e., ..,
ana Whlch were published in the Nj OsshAeut
49, u '"S' period, the declaration. II; i '''ii'-
" e''e" 70 ihe world as TO tho ot;oa, Voc
Ii Inc meeting being oreanzo " your
C|'ieu 10 the Chair, addTesSs1 :. :. ''"u WI
.sDe ens'n as to its objects, and .. sonsile
." ,in salu 1t was proper and nece"sa o'ne'
llnciy to state, that he undors,oo dd'ses'afy dis
no par, OF the object Of this m esiinr constituted po
o,es,;o ,a'e IN the slightest degree. J,liC oueh
question connected with anou "oHcste,
Coioufeu population Of our co,,ntsP 10" Oh the
. " ueilDerate upon, or cor 80 rOs
any question Of emancipation. y, Ii'auer ai at,
ne,ed WIN the abolition Of slayeTy ug' was con
, taat condition alone, he teos s,'. 4. ooS ~pon
: gentlemen from TIE Nn,,tL ~ 80, thut malIN