Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1829-11-19

brethren of the West upon that OASIS Si L va"
jortv Of the white population.
What has been the leading spirit OF uhs
:, tie ever since our independence was Cd
.,incdo She has always declared herself Ia
favor of the equal rights of man. The Reyo-
luton was conducted on the principle fet
there was at that time slave population IN
Virginia; we hold them In the condition IN
which the Revolution found them. And what
can be done with this population? u they
were extinct, or had not been hero, white per
sons would occupy their place, and perform
all the offices now performed by them, ara
would consequently be represented. II ihe
other white citizens were not taxed, they also
would be free from taxation. If you set them
free, look at the condition OF society, emanci-
nat, them, aud what would be their condi-
tion1 100000 poor, without one cent oil pro
pcrty What would become Of them? us
organization must follow and perfect coniu-
sion They are separated from the rest Oh
society by different color--there can be no
intercourse or equality between them.--Nor
can you remove them. How IS it pracu cabieE
The tGng IS impossible: and they must re-
IA IN as poor, free from the controul oil thelr
r4istt-Ts. ana must soon Gall upon the rest oil
.1ci.t,- and resort to plunder for subsistence
kv4s Responsibility CT emanoipains them, n
;ae,. nv the DmUr. md what would be
I. Il condition, snpposiag they were einanci-
pl.c4'-'ihc experiment has in part been
~ a! --.'hcy have eiaigrateo TO Pennsylvania
~ - Il numbers. md form part Oh the Pc
rlltl IA of Philadelphia, New York, and bes-
iSa
BAT those who were the most ardent advo-
Gates of DEMONSTRATION liz those portions OF the
Cniqn have become shoe ged at the charges
,f lnmnta;nir z them, as wei as 1T TIE effect
OF their example; ray Sir, look at OHIO
whathas she recently doneo Ohio acknow-
hedges the equay rights Of all; yet she has I'M
ven them Oh from her territory. She has
been obliged 10 do it. If emancipation be
possible, / look 70 the Union to aid IN ehec-
hHg IT.
SIR, what brought us altogether in the re
evolutionary war? II was the doctrine ofequaf
rights Each pait of the country encouraged
ard supported every other part OF 1t; none
took any advantage Of eaeh others distress.
And five find that ti:ts evil has preyed upon
the Wit ais Of the U...on, and has been preJudi-
cal to all the States where 1t has ever existed,
and they have all declared this IN their sever
al state constitutions, and Their various Bills
OF Rights, why may we not expect that they
will mite witt VS. IN accomplishing its reno
yais If we make the attempt and cannot ac-
comrlish It the effect VIII at least be to abate
the greater number Of petitions and memorials
which src continually pouring IN upon the
government That matter Is before the ma
ton, and ilsc principles I'M oived init have great
weight. But, in the mean wine, sell presers
walton demands of us ',nion IN our councils.
What was the origin as our slave popula-
tom the evil begun when we were IN our
colon n state hut acts were passed by our
Colonial I legislature prohibiting the importa-
ten Of more ihte' the State-I'be law was re
iected bv the Grown. We then declared our
Independence Virginia was the hrst State
which instructed her Delegates to declare the
Colony independent. She braved all dan
gers From Quebec to Boston, and from
Boston TO Savannah, Virginia shed the blood
other sons. No imputation then can be cast
upon her IN this matter. She did allthat was
in her power to do, to prevent the extension
of slavery, and to mitigate It's evils as tar as
she could.
As to our western brethren; feel as deep
an ntcrest.for them as those on the Atlantic
border. / have so long represented the Com
lnonwealh, that | have 10 sectional feeling.
! look at the commonwealth, and seek the
welfare cf the whole.
As~to the question OF boundary, what was
the conductof Virginia? Like The other Co
ionies she claimed tbs boundaries and the ex-
tent Of tcfqitery granted 10 her by her char
ter Virginia stood ON the same footing with
the other States. They all held under their
charters-But, as the Revolution advanced,
it began to be contended by those States
whose territory covered with population, THAI
tres VINE held vacant lands should throw
them into a common stock for the benefit Cf
the whole: and this contest was pushed to
seS. az extent that menaces OF hostlitics be-
gan to he uttered. To quiet this discomfort,
Virginia coded to the United States the terri
tory,she held on the North west OF the Ohio,
out of which three States OF the Union have
since been keutuclly, then also .
distant part Of her territory, but separated by
nIountans from the rest of tle State, claimed
independence. Virginia consented to this al
SO; and what did she fix as the boundary Of
the new State? The Ohio river and the Cun-
berland mountains. All the residue of her
boundary was left as it stood before; that all
the inhabitants might be held by common
interest. What has been her course as to
settlement quite up to the boundary lineP 1t
has been ever fair, upon, manly andgenerous.
She has seldom refused the erection of a coun-
~ wherever it was sought'for. So at least, /
am told, for l wa. absent at the time, nor can
] be expected to recollect the details of this
subject. She has been guilty of no oppres-
sion; as | have heard acknowledged here;
where, indeed, have witnessed with delight
the mutual respect and confidence with which
a gentleman ON opposite sides of the disputed
question speak of cack other; and most ear
nestly hope they viii remain firmly bound to-
0ether