Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-01-12


Ana II the State does not give rcracdy agains,
him, there IS no longer such a thing as freedom
IN my country. Liberty is gone-it exists no
longer &c have, indeed, Unidentified the loser in
some lie" cases, whcre the public necessity was So
great, so high, undenable rs TO ovcrsten all OBJ
igd;oni OF lower duty. But, then, we have in
!einied for the act OF our officers the character
o! trespassers--and we took into own hands 10
inquire whether any such necessity existed. but
once admit the right OF 4 mere military officer
whose sole Power is the parchment in his pocket
and the cpauiette upon his shoulder TO seize and
impress, whenever he may think proper and YOU
give TO TINS creature OF YOURS authority over eve
ry slave holder in the Southern Statcs-.ie NAV
set them all at deiance-and am asked TO say
will assume his acts. Sir, am not prepared TO do
IT. Yet must do il If this amendment passes; for
TIE principle, and the only principle on which we
can grant compensation in this case is that we A.
dopt this iawess act of Inpressmcnt as the act Of
TINS government, and pay for this slave under the
petence OF state necessity; and That the officer
pleased TO call the salvation OF the country Sir
cannot even attempt 10 run out the cunse-
quenc's OF establishing such monstrous pfinci-
pe, anu so vitality fatal 10 large proportion of the
Union. II a General may 90 this: a Colonel NAV
90 II; II Colonel, then Captain; and If a Cap
tam may, Sergeant, and so NAV every sIbItern
down TO the lowest cotton tasscl in the camp-
Ana II an officer from the Southern States may do
II, SO may an officer from the Northern States
Sf' II these dcctfines are sanctioned, it shall be
done without my consent. lis a dangerous doc
| trine admit il for moment and you strike
DO" AT the security OF the whole slave popula-
( iaiion OF the Southern States. It is the same
case IN principle as to allow the impressincnt, of
an infant apprentice, or servant in the NortI,ern
states. II there is any reason in it, then every of
hccT oitne y - may at pleasure Tor in circunrstan-
ces OF which he is to be the sole JudpeS sever
me pond which unites master and servant, which
binds together parent and child He MAJ. enter
our dwellings, drag our children from the frcs;in
and, regardless of mis- fathers will or his ,nober
cries and tears, force him TO the camp-and when
here, put nm under martial law. He NAV do This
and, when he has done it. We forsoo,S arc IN
'oiunteer INN an indemnity, TO step in his place
ana assume these deeds rs acts OF the Government
Sr, you never provided for such case-1,cr 70,
authorized our apprentices II be enlisted J,,itbo,+
;., eoi.Seit Oh ihcir masters, and our children
w!uiouI the consent OF their parents You allowed
inns tie to be severed-Ghouch the rirbt of . e,
ulet over the person OF his child IS as perf.ct n
tHat OF any master over his servant ond far more
tShuer' though grant that the ties OF master and
slave may sometimes be of tender kinJS-b,,.
you never thought Of granting then, commemorate,
on arc asked 10 make it in a case by no means en-
strong. You are asked 20 DO that for one soctisn
VI uie Cnioh, winch you never thought of doino
lor 'he otner. ADOPT this principle OF iinpressmenf
and yousanctiop what may al some f,t,,ro da,,
iead 10 consequences, in one part of this IJrion
WIZ not speak OF, nay, which will not permit nv
sen even 10 thnk upon. The report OF the Com
ton. S "'''4 ''i4S ques-
Inc honorable gentleman from, Iouisian, was
IN my OPINION rather hypercritical in his examine
uoh ana construction OF that report-all that the
cViiiiIttee SAID, was, that slaves were never con-
sidered as that species of propcrt,, which 1,os %
ne paid iorby the existing laws of the tiovornment
ms was mere statement of the flct-it touched
not inc abstract question at all; and, as to the
warmth OF discussion, which has been drawn out
ny the gentleman from Louisiana / In,,st bo -
it'ou 20 say, that in my Judgment the plav is not
worth the candle. l think il would be far roore
Jo',is,r 10 reject claim which is extremely
. II ph,
To- III rs character TO say the least of it. and
et inc question rest till you are compelled TO meet
~ IN some other form, and under some more imne
riois necessity.
hr- Drayton Of South Carolina. said. ON risino
SpL'H 70 inc question: that, concurrin.- in the
concluding sentiment of the gentleman from No.,
ORR, who had just sat down, he TOO. could VIII
tnat the necessity should never occur of disces;
Tue question which had been raised in this dehofc
out the necessity has occurred: and the ro,,io
man from New York himself had cop4r;I,,tsI ~. :.
as nluch us any other gentleman who had enca~nJ
IN the debate. And Mr. j. said with an i,rs9i??
oie respect 20 tao gentleman, he would endeayomr
III @ rainier ms precept than his cxampe
WIZ 'o' discuss the question whether the master
mas not night IN lIis slave. The gentlemen, f., "
~ iIqucsteu tlat II should not be discussed and so
say g hhpresslyely as 10 command attention:
ana yet, alter he had asked this had br,snifaiyn3
Ahd,Isteu the question. l undertake 10 s,,av (sa;l
Mr.: ~: That, Ii this question is ever IN ba so;
ouSiy discussed III this House then This Uo.,so
WIN De empty oil all those who represent the Peo
IeTs 80, Si,' property in slaves. This Union it.
sen "ould be dissolved: and why would Il he;
because the Constitution win have hen oros.I..
Yioiated' II rights, which are secured by the co.!
s'!luuoh, must not remain unCucsnoned a. IT, &c
mat constitution cndures. Is it not o,o ,rs;ci ~
e constitution, that private property shall not ba
iakcn for public use without a lust con,nens,,i5
- II not another article of the Constitution ~
the citizens oil each state shall be entitled 10 IN -
privileges and imrnunities of citizens in tbe 500
ih states! Andis his property TO be ravisbed for,
.Is 'oou1leIn owner, upon TeiInemenfs and suI,,,e
,ieS 'hat VIII not bear the test Of examination; If
me proposition now under dobate were s,,br1istaJ
ulShhcty TO this House, what would If hos IL
nou,u Dc THIS; whether person whose proncrfy
mad been impressed into the public sery;co sy
entitled TO compensation for the ini,,r,, Lii, "a"
iaa sustained in consequence of it, This sail AZ
N'' aver 10 De tile question. Would the Eo,,ea
upon experimenting the question clearly nor,5or r -
moment as 10 the answer 10 be pjyen5 Tu1t'
take 70 say, That, If they do ponder for ,no,,ot ~
suCh quesuon, ine pause would be .jlat ,,lioL
inccSGss ule Wmriwind and the tempest. when
the fabric OF this Government will b, soo,, -
ing toits base, soon 70 otterNnd fallinto,,; IN,
SIR Is aquestlon which hoped never tobove bo,3
lhtroluCed INTO This dOuSe--a Question 1,b;cf -
ter the manner in which have heard Il b,iIi
especially as Il has becn by The rentIor,,r, e.
ne" DIX, VINO first spoke, and, NOT with sf.,,;
lic cree U ms doctrine going TO the utter sr1er
calmly, so tar as tits susccpib of orgprot ~
out' sir' when heard such scnfirenfs ac o.
winch ne aVoWcd when heard froro H. -
uiile5 pregnant with such ruinous cops.,,,,,.,,,
Ug win the fate, will not say Of o,r,,;r- -. II
sovereign and independent States conc,ssJ 80
uefed. when heard doctrines cooll,, a,,o,,.ol !
'ne consequences OF The recognition Of which
aid civil war, trembed for my, count, 19lt
we're those doctrines That he -Ern;sI =, " ma