American watchman and Delaware advertiser., 1827-01-23

he,s If IN. E.neral Assembly but the solemn
occasion on which we are now convened calls me
TO the per rformance Of oner duties and 10 REIN
qnishmen of thai connection " hieh has eSisieo PC
tween US as members Of the same department 10
the service OF the State. While aoool 10 com
mence the task assigned to me- ! cannot ou.
observe that there are many present tor whom !
have formed strong personal attachments, as 'heif
integrity of conduct and honorable zeal IN the ser.
sce az their fellow czens have ever claimed my
highest espect and esteem and that any separation
from the m cannot, TO me- be unattended with regret
Yet shall bear With me hence the cheering con-
sderation that the same superior ability with which
you have heretofnre supported my feeble but hon
est efforts for The public good. will not tai 10 Sc
cond them in future and that the same charitable
and generous feelings which have ever cha'ecter-
lied your department towards me, will induce you
10 cast veil over and deficiencies IN my al.
minis,rs,sn which inexperience may occsslon
In the free interchange of sentiment which ex
listed among US while had the honur OF a seat IN
,he Senate Of this State my own views on most ol
those subjects, in relation to which have deemed
legislative interposiiipn to be at present fequile
have been already developed Bot p-rmit me- now
10 express the hope, that you will no, remit your
exer,ions 10 effect speedy accomplishment OF the
important work OF revising and dgesng oar sta
tue book, which has hitherto engaged your suen.
tion The necessity o. comprising and classifying
our laws under common and general titles. becomes
more apparent in proportion 70 the progress which
is made in their revision, The business OF re
examination and amendment has. indeed, supetin
duced the necessity of more methodical compi
lation as ancilssy II not indispensable ts The at
iainment OF its own object. Many OF those nu
merous acts Of Assembly which scattered
through six volumes, have recently been repealed
and frequently, sections and sentences, and even
parts OF sentences, have been abrogaed as The wol
OF revision has advanced II must be adr1itlea
lhat this stale OF things, however incidental to oil
Inevitable in the execution 81 the laboraus duty
which the legislature has Undertaken TO perform, j.
extremely embarrassing TO the public and has ex
lated as an evil 10 greater or less extent. during
the last Two years. Hence, whatever difference o.
opinion may have prevailed, before the general re-
Vision OF those laws was sttemplad as to the ex
pedIency OF executing the plan OF compilation
originally designed by the legislature, there is
it 10 presumed, ent one sentiment on the subject :
And il for he purpose ot effecng he desired OBJ
lect it should be found necessary to protract the
present session beyond The usual PERIOD sill il
conceived hat The importance oI the end 10 be at.
tanned VIII Justify the expenditure OF time and mo
ney requisite TO 10 accomplishment for ii will b,
recollected that much time mast necessarily b.
consumed in the printing and publication ol tht
digest, which cannot commence until The lapse o
smother year unless the work OF revision be com
pleted by III. present General Assembly. Shoule
The ancipations OF those be realized vino have con
ceyed that q volume presenting compilation o
our state laws condensed and carefully revised, cx
GLIDING all imperative clauses, and designating ths
British statutes remaining IN force, may be furnish
ed al such moderate price will enable every
citizen 10 possess copy Of The mucicipal iegula
ons which peculiarly interest him, need moi sa,
that the appearance OF the work will be hailed b,
he people as an important acquisition 10 their uris
prudence and as lasting blessing to themselve
and their poslerity.
As inciJen, to this topic, will sod that The re
view Oi the laws affecting our black population il
Hhirh you are al this time engaged materially con
Germs VS. as q slave holding State, Conscious OF III,
benevolent motives which will ectuale you gentle
men, while dlscharging this delIcate and arauou
duty shall avoid any fenarks en- the existing pro
visions in relation 10 il except SO far a. m be ne
cessay 10 sdsering TO single evil, requiring, il
my humble judgment legislative correction, which
fsls directly within the range OF those reflection
growing out Of the subject OF TIE security d
slaves properly deneanng themselves y hich yot
hsye not yet disposed Of. j. is true that your pre-
decessors have by severe penalties, prohibited th
exporaion OF slaves without license from twt
Judges Of one OF the courts exercising cemmon Law
jurisdiction. Ii is also true that the Judge, inyeste
with the authority 10 license exportation have exet
cised y with ntegFy ard that they have nyatiah
checked as soon as they have disco,ered, pariicu
lar attempts al those impositons to which our exs
Ting regulations have subjected them. But the Law
has not defined the cases in which such licens
should be granted Sit makes no provision for III
tuli ard impartial trial Of The slave and il enlsts s
the sssrieious feelings g his master agans' him =
Expoftaton is punishment which though iusll
due 70 crime is ore OF the srversst that can be in
hicted on iellov being,-a punishment whi4h ban
ishes him from al that We hold dear in thi. vol
excludes him from the hope OF repression 10 hi
friends and lsm'ly, 6xes lasting stigma ca his bar
acter and leaves him, not merely as an ou,cast ou
perhaps victim to despair. Yet il 10 not provide
that the slave against whom complaint is made b