Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1827-03-01
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MARrINoBURG, MARca /. iS27.


THURSDAY, I'D February, 1877
After The meeting was organized, the cha
,xcter, progress, and objects OF The Parent So
cis,v we're fuily stated and explained BY Doct.
Tbomas DAVIS, and supported by Moses L.
Hunter. Esq. The following persons were
then elected Officers for the ensuing year;
PHrLrP c. PESDLEroS, Esq President.
EDwAaD cG ,aops Esq Ees-Prendsuts.
Doct TaoMAs DAVIS, Cor Secretary.
Ions BoYsR, Rec. Secretary.
JOIN K WILSON, Treasurer.
Nessrs Alexander Cooper, Moses L. Hun
Ter. Aaron Hibberd, Bernard G.. Wolff John
D,ll. John Strotner, c. p. Krau,h, j j. Brooke.
James NJ Brown, Almon Sortwel, Jsmes ".
Riddle and Washington Evans. Directors.
Extract from Doct Davss' Address:
Mr. PaEsIDESr:- propose to presens to
the CONSIDERATION OF this meeting, some OF the
facts. and some of the views, that led 10 the
formation in this place, of Society auxiiisry 10
the American Society for colonizng ;he Free
People of colour of the u. States, formed some
years ago in the City of Washington.
That slavery, as it exists among us, IS
great moral and political evil, Is an opinion SO
generally entertained, and 50 obviously true,
that have seldom met with a man who serI-
ously doubted it. The Dest, The wisest, the
try IS indebted for it, prosperity, whose names
are Identified with its glory, whose opinions
are entitied TO the utmost Difference and re-
speet: are, | might almost say, unanimous IN
this sentiment. The pernoious effects, and
formidable tendencies OF this system, are no
new discovery. They have long since been
observed, and contemplated with alarm by
statesmen OF every class and parry 10 our coun
try. So Tar back as tue year i7l2, the House
OF Burgesses of Virginia, were fully aware OF
the present detriment, and future danger, to be
spprehended from the introduction OF slaves
from Africa. as will appear from the following
extract from their petition to the King, pre-
sented April LIST, IVA
"The importation of slaves into the
colonies from the coast OF Africa hath
long been considered trade of great
inhumanity, aud under its present en-
enlargement. we have too much reason
to fear ,U'A ea,tangsr the very ersstence of
your majesty's American dominions."
I'VE are sensible that some OF your
majesty's subjects If Great Britain may
reap emoluments from this sort OF traf-
fc, but when we consider that it great
ly retards the settlement of the colonies,
with more useful inhabitants, and may,
in time, have the most destructive Inbu-
ence, we presume to hope that the ia
tersst of tcto will be disregarded when
placed in competition with the security,
and happiness of such numbers of your
majesty's dutiiul and loyal subjects"
Deeply impressed with these senti-
ments, we most humhly beseech your
majesty to remote all those restraints on
your N lesty's governor Of this colony,
Which nh'bit tier aSsenting to such LAYS
as ~ GIT cheek 0ery Psrn'ctotIs com
Me,ce." Journals OF tue House OF Bur
gesscss, page 81.
Ihls petition produced no effect, as
appears trem the first clause OF our
CONSTITUTION, where among other acts
of mlsrule, 1.-The inhumaa use of the
royal negative" in refusing US pertnis.
sion to exclude slaves from among US by
law, is enumerated, among the reasons
for separating from Great britain.
That the Legislature OF Virginia were sincere.
iy disposed to pat stop to the introduction OF
this perniclous kind Of population, IS manifest
from an act passed IN 1873, amid the tumult
ard contus on Of the Revolutions, watch upo-
ses pensity of two hundred dollars upon the
importer, and one hundred each upon the
buyer and seller OF slave.
MIR. Jefferson most forcibly paints
the unhappy influence on the manners
OF the people produced by the existence
OF slavery among Us, Tue whole COM
merce between master and slave, says
he, IS perpetual exercise of the most
boisierous passions, the most unFemit-
ting despotism on the one part, and Ge-
grading submissions on the other. Our
children see this, and learn to initiate it;
for man is an initiative animal This
quality is the germ of education in him.
From his cradle to his grave he is learn
Ing what he sees others do. Ii parent
had no other motive either in his own
phlanthrophy or his self-love, for re-
j stralnins the intemperance of passion
towards his slave, it should always be a
suiilclent one that his child was present
but generally it is not sufficient The
i parent storms, the child looks on, catch
eS me llneaments of wrath, puts on the
sane airs IN the circle of the smaller
slaves, gives loose to his worst of pas.
q SONS and thus nursed, educated, and
DAILY exercised in tyranny, cannot but
be stamped by it with odious peculiari-
hes' The man must be a prodigy who
can retain his mannars - "a =. -. l.. ~