Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-01-06


and body of man are hardly kept together. by the
.he,nest and coarsest materials for human stbsist
ence and the body lef, with scanty covering. or
mn covering at all. In Virginia, generally, the
slave is we'll clad in coarse clothes, suited 10 his
condition. In England the poor labourer not
within poor houses, is clad with the scantest
ve,inc. In short, the slaves 10 Virginia have all
the comforts for all animal ndulgencies, win fewer
1 checks to population, than any other Of hu-
man beings known to the writer. Accordingly,
they increase in population faster, than the free
,abourers in any other country in the world, faster
than their owners. As consequence Of this con-
dion, the slaves in Virginia are the warmest. the
most cheerful, the most musical race of human
beings- possibly the most happy, so far animal
iodulsences constitute happiness; certainly, more
20 than the vouptuares of Europe, who become
'pampered and equity by the artificial reinements
lof cookery; more so, than their commisserators,
who make themselves miserable, because they
not made themselves happy. In relation to their
RESPONSIBILITIES to criminal law, II IS known
,hat in all trials for crimes, justice il administered
10 the slaves, abundaukly tempered with mercy. The
current of sympathy and of moral sentiments of the
country, sets strongly in their favour, in all the
dispensaions of JUSTICE respecting them; whether
for offences committed by them, or for wrongs
done them by others In such cases, the slave
rener ally finds his master his real friend His
master generally stanls by him, defends him, far
behalf There is natural sympathy growing out
of the relation of master and slaves generally seen
lin Virginia infinitely beneficial to the slave
than all the visionary schemes OF all the fantas,ica
commisserating ameliorators which ever have
BEEN or ever can be, devised for his relief In re
gard to the relative condition ofthe slaves In Vir-
GINA and in Africa both in relation of soul, mind
and body, the comparison affords still more con-
solatory reflections The first reflection which
presents itself in relation this inquiry, Isl that
the Africans, originally removed from their own
country to Virginia, have derived more benefits
from the removal, than have ever fallen to the lot
Of any other description OF emigrans, within the
writer's recollection more than did to The Israel
ties of old, in their emigration from Egypt to the
promised land. The descendants of these Israel
ties are now scattered over the face of the whole
earth; and many Of them have, at all times, been
shut out from the light Of the Gospel; whereas,
the emisrant Africans originally brought
from a state of utter darkness and savage bondage
and were placed in land, inhabited by civilized
man, and blest with the light Of the Gospel. These
benefits fully enjoyed by their posterity to the
present day. The writer calls, most reverently
upon the reverend clergy, and all pous Christians
to put proper estimate upon these great benefits
II the subject be examined without passion, and
solely with philosophical inquiry after truth, it
becomes all pous christians to do, the writer has
no doubt of their affirmative verdict upon the ques
mates the blessings of the light of the Gospel so
highly, that he thinks the extension of the true
4" Religion of our Redeemer' sufficient induce
linen, with him, ia itself, TO justify the Panama
Mission. This goodness on his part too, is intend
ed to enlishten people, who already claim foI
themselves absolute monopoly of all canonical
light and knowledge, and exclusive orthodoxy
IN the true doctrines OF "the Religion OF the Re-
deemer'-whils, the President himself is suspect
ed, by some, OF being he,erodox in his own creed:
That he is more Greek than Roman Prefers the
Unity to the Trinity. Suppose our diplomatic
Congressman at Panama or elsewhere, should pro-
claim to the South American bisoted Catholicks,
that they were sent there for the purpose of ex-
tending the " true Religion of the Redeemer, -
amongst the Catholics of the Roman Greed; and
that they would fad this true religion in the Greek
Creed, would all the sanctity of International law ,
claimed for the protection of these new-iangleJ
Congressional iiplomatis,s them, from instant
immolalion? Especially, when il, is recollected,
that at the very moment the President was envel-
oped with these sagacous cogiatioRs, an account
was received from Buenos Ayres that English
Protestant, meeting Caholick Procession of the
Host, without showing it due reverence, was, for
such reverence, instantly beaten to death by the
intolerant infatuated bearers Of the Host. What
then, would be- the probable fate of the Congress
sional diplomaiist, who should dare TO tell the OBJ
ect Of his mission; who should dare tell intoer.
them for the purpose of converting them to i" the
true Religion of the Redeener'- especially if it
be to the Greek Creed. Is not this extraordinary
notion of intermeddling diplomatic President,
who prefers treaty regulation, depending the
will Of another, to a municipal one, depending on
his own, caught too, in his own trap--a novel
and most singular specimen, both of his wisdom
and of his ncerity-what will the pous christians
think of il? for whose use it was probably EXTEND
ed! Let not, then, this potent consideration,
" the true Religion of the Rsdeemer," be UNDER
rated. The forefstbers of the slaves in Virginia,
were themselves slaves in their own country.
Their bondage there was attended with every ag-
gravation; whereas, here it is attended with every
alienation compatible with the principle of slavery.
1t is believed, that the proportion of slaves the
freemen in Africa, is three slaves to freeman.
Every master there is himself unfeelng savage,
and every slave the drudge OF some unfeeling saw
age. There the slave is protected by no written
law. Here he is. by laws both just in themselves
and mercifu in their administration. The slave,
removed from Africa to Virginia, is, by such re-
moval, improved in religion, in morals, in intel
iects, in comforts. lie lives, perhaps, in good
dtDetiing, and in much style, as the negro
king of Woolli, or the Moorish king of Ludamar
Whilst (" kouskous," the common palawum of
Che Africans, is seldom plenty during the year, is
often scanty, and sometimes altogether deficient
The writer's objections to the slave trade or the
removal OF the slaves ftoIn Africa (and bis objec
tons extremely strongly are not grounded upon
COMMUNICATION foi the removed slaves, for their
condition would certainly be improved by it., i'll
that condition, in other places be like their condi
ton here; but upon commisseraen for the whites |
whose condition would become essentially |
injured by the removal. This injury would arise
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