Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-01-21

osha and wife, of parent and child and ali The ,;a
OF fraternal kf,dsed which had been FORMED viii,
ue saves OF the country Upon this subiect ap
" 'ne observations Of every gentleman In tie
Ioh'nunty'and contsdeuly ask, if il is no, mater
mat comes within his own kno,yfeesge 49,, ,L~s
iourths al least, o. the matrimonial ror,.c,;.
that take place among the free blacks arr.
win the slaves. This nee esarily he the case
WINE tnere exists no legal or moral restraint TO
such connections They are cut off both hv H.
laws OF Virginia and the force of public onin;on
rom intefmariages with the whites; but this is NOT
'he case IN reiatioa TO our slaves. Hence il mich,
even be safe TO estimate the number of their matr;
inohia connections with the slaves over those of
."ei own Glass; IN the same proportion that the
whole number OF slaves bear to the whole nun,ber
OF free people OF colour in the United States iii
| Is upwards of six TO one "eii
anu can II oe necessary that should reu;,,I
your intelligent correspondent, that these ,,ot,,
0' anu oo",eSl1c relations, are the ties thar hind
eoee'I 'ose'her ana constitute the strongest liza
mem oy which man Is bonnd TO his fellow, -
More potent by far than all the artificial
oi society put together. Yet these bond of CO..,
"ecuoh are considered as presenting no dfcu,r
ana me whole Tree cooured population of the H.;
'e" 't"'eS, are presumed 10 be in readiness e.ao.
"'9U'e ana await the bidding of wild fana-
'elsn', men Is to transport them 10 tho r.,
OF their fathers, elevate them IN n L;nh- .''
non OF political freedom, and finally 10 carry q;
ihi.''oh ana refinement 10 their benicbted bre,bre
IN africa! these indeed are the beau,if,I 49,,
supi''ha'ed pictures OF philanthropy, ske,ched will
- NIu' u enthusiasm, and published, mo dout,
win all the sincerity of religion. Rut Ia, ,,s |
De deiuded by sound. This "a +, ,roa,;-, -
iiticai question, demanding at the hands NJ an -
Iee''ns men, rational and just consde.s,o,
Let me men renew the enquiry, is it likely tia. ali
'"ose natural ties are 10 be easily melted down
N ,"' 'oo 'oF 'he sake OF such abstract and pro
missed blessings And are the free neeroo. af ~
nn WI, Il
moral influences can be made TO operate viii s,
CESS II Is uue, The socIety has succee..I in tho
course OF ABOUT SIX years, in obtaining the consent
OF between and 400 TO emsr a,e But ,yirbout
nHS P@'ueoiar information the subject. I
'hhI may venture 10 assert, that out of the rln,
number, scarcely an instance exists ,vbora ;StS
iohSt who had fixed matrimonial conrsc;on ,;,i,
sia'e' mas freely and voluntarily abandoned s,,cb
connection, to embark in this enterorize r. 80
Joriiy OF cases II Is believed that those who b.
y'e''et '"e'r consent have done from the infIu
ehce OF religious enthusiasm, and are i, re.I;,r r.
De9' P'ruoh oil our coloured population while tho
I'Zy and Immoral part still remain ,yi,bor, ~
most distant nope OF ever obtaining their conso,,
10 Become volunteers in this scheme. ,,n,ess r..
soo'h' 'hey should be made so, as am told v,In,,
are sometimes made IN Ireland, by a little com;
Pulelon. And here allow me 10 preJict ,b, :;
me future movements of the society per.;s -
ui'hcHlty, not even thewant of funds ,b,, I'll, -
rent more serious obstacle than this nm ~, =
81 consent. Already, if have been corro..I- :;
formed iias The resident gent been un,le- ,Lc -
ceSs'y oil teasing ihe different Auxiliarie for nb-
Jects OF transportation: especially since ,boa.aa
s'"n 10 their funds, from the collections ON the 4,h
oil July last: Thereby presenting the sino,la- 80,
unnatural spectacle in society. of cLo,jt9, b.o,i
or Objects though the land. But let ne brio
oil these promised blessings TO the opIv t,pe tas,s
" !, il''ni'h WISDOM an unbiased judgment, and a
usP"sSoha'e reason And as it is one of the chief
lions OF Op.mus and his society. I sbau :,
inc hrSi place, examine that beautiful sentiment i,
winch II proposed, 10 return the free peonle az
colour e" 10 the land Of thei, fathers" For ,lis
purpose viii take the liberty of assuming s,nv
P'oPo'i'us' TIE case OF Opmius's body servant ar
coachman' Tor we have his own authority for con
sIderins him slave older.O Let us s,,noosoL ~,
removed IN the fourth 18th generation from his
native African ancestors, and already enancinated
by his master, and shipped to frica for The rnI
gratihcaloG OF visiting the land OF his fathers. and
sharing with the barbarous Inhabitants of those re-
sions t"g miserable and scanty comforts of life,
which TALL 10 ilie lot of these sons of HIM,
In what an awkward and deplorable condition
would he md himself: No books of heraldrv o. even
parish registers have preserve ed the memorials NJ Li
nailo"' or his family. In vain will he oppIv ~
'ne head men OF The tribes Of Sooso Mendineo
Ashaniee or Guinea, for the home of hi. cs.he,s
or any Snowledge OF his kindred III is true ,be
came from the great continent of Alrirs all =,
las now tue unspeakable pleasure of se,iI;n, =;
some Iltle spot on the quarter Of The cobo in
winch about ISO Or 200 years ago lived his foycs,
'eis IL Is also true that during that fine his Ian
gunge, ms religion, as well as his moral and tnvs
cal capacities have all been changed; and aI,ocs,
every trait OF the African character corrected bv
ciFhHa'l0n. Let US suppose this subject of bs
masters benevolence, landed there too durino ,be
rainy season, or at period when the dreadf,l
Ii"H'alt@h ~ mas are prevailing. Unsheliered
and exposed TO these scourpes OF Heave, Lo ,,,II
ptiously make signs Of distress and beo for fern,,
snip IN some neighboring clan. But he head mo,
decide IN gropd paiGuer, that he is a stanrer i,
theb 'and, and perhaps some troubled spiri, ,vIo
mas been conjured into existence for the des,ruc
ton and overthrow Of their tribe. Under tbis i
preston OF his character, should he escspe dea,t,
IRON their clubs and hatchcts he yvoulJ probsIJv
have to encounter 1t in a more terrible form f,o,
munger and the climate. Yet all these conslers
lions avail nothing when opposed TO The Measure
ana d.lgh u returning to The Iand his Catbers.
but lorOear TO press this view oil the subject farther
ana have only anslyzed this beautiful sentiment
tiat OPlmius might contemplate some OF the e,-
cesses OF bis club, whilst held - the mirror up
to Jolly"
Ba il swopo.ed TO elevate this class OF our COM
muniiy to higher condition Of political freedom
han they can with safety be permitted 70 enjoy in
These certain destructive winds which are
supposed 90 arise from the face Of the great Lybial
DcsGrt in Africa; AVID which though OF not Iont,
continuance at any tine, visit most parts of tho
continental least once or twice year; not even
tie seat Of the new colony excepted.
The opinion has boon entertained by some tn.
they contsined poisonous properties; but This is
probably an error and their blighting effect on We