Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1832-05-17

! MODE OF petttnS flu OIL our slaves Ut even VI
removing the annual increase.
Yes, sir, there is one mode-and only one
It has been pointed out by the gentleman
from Halifax, (Mr. Bruce) We can flee
from the country and leave them in posses
sion of our goods and habitations. We may
abandon our homes-the land OF our birth
the graves of our fathers, and wander with
our families, wretched and destitute, through
the wilds OF the West, in pursuit Of some
spot to lay our weary bones upon. And, sir,
IL abolitionists and ilLjudging philanthropists
will persevere in agltating this question the
time is not distant when the harrassed slave
holder may find it a relief to embrace even
thus alternative.
Having arrived at the conclusion that c
Emancipation is impracticable, it would seem
superiiuous to pursue the subject farther Our
deliberations, [ humbly conceive, ought new
er 10 have been carried beyond this point
| or what avail is ii to demonstrate that slave
nv is an evil, unless it can be shown that II is
possible 10 get rid OF itp This discussion,
however, has taken a much wider range,
Gentlemen, have congratulated themselves
that the seal of secrecy is at last broken, that
the prudent example set by our ancestors, OF
dcliberatiug with closed doors, has been dis
| regarded, and that they are at liberty, not
only to express their opinions, but 10 send
| them forth to the world. They have avaiied
themselves fully Of the opportunity. The
subject has been considered in all its aspects
and relations The right of the master to
his slave the immortality and injustice OF
slavery-the miseries it lBfllcts on the unhap
| py negro-its perniclous effects on the cha
| racter, interests and safety of the white man
have all been descanted or, with unmeasurec
freedom and severity. | have been utterly
astonished, sir, at the character this debate
has assumed. The gentleman from kanaw-
ha, a few weeks since, In calling Tor the pub
location OF a certain correspondence, INFORM.
ed US that he should not interfere IN this mat
ter.
mir. SUMMERS rose to explain-ile had
stated on the occasion alluded 10. that he had
no plan TO propose-that he should wait ir
The propositions of others; and that, mean
while, all the information that could be OBJ.
tanned was deslrable.l
Mr. BRowH resumed-I did not intend to
impute TO that gentleman any want OF can
dour. was under the impression, Jerome
ously, however, as | am now satlsted.) that
he had declared himself dislnterested on this
subject, and being under that impression, |
was surprised, when he SAID. ia bts eloquent
speech of yesterday, that he would glory IN
coming down TO lead forth the oppressed from
the land of bondage, even through the waves
OF the Red sea. His explanation Is ~satisiac-
tory to me. and doubtless 50 to the house.
No matter then by what means this discus
sion may have been produced, IT is too late
now to change its character. The Charge
has been made and the issue is joined. II a
ny thing can be said in defence oil slavery,
the occasion certainly demands il
And is there, then, no apology Tor slavery!
Is it a sin of 80 deep a die that nonc dare vln
d'cate ZIP For my own part, SIR, | am not
the advocate Of slavery In the abstract, and
II the question were upon Introducing II, |
should be the very last to agree to 1t; but l
am yet to be convinced, that slavery, as II ex
lists in Virginia, is either criminal or immoral
1t was cast upon us 10y the act OF Others, 1t
was one Of the attendant circumstances ua-
der which we were ushered into lille. 1t was
a condition charged on the tenure oil our ex
istence. 1t is our lot, our dest,oy-and wbe-
Their, in truth, It be right or wronS-whether
1t be a blessing or a curse, the moment has
never yet been, when II was possible Tor us
10 free ourselves from it. ThIs is enough to
satisfy my conscience The powers oil man
are limited impossibiitles are not expected
of him, nor will he be required to sacrifice
w hdppiHtos- NuO pftthaiJ upJret hR u
istence-in the vain attempt TO change the
face of human affairs. "Nho does the best
that circumstance allows, does well-acts no
biy--angels could no more"
We are told, that il was the fault of our
ancestors, il not our own-that the golden
bait glittered on our shores and attracted
from aiar the rnercenaiy slave trader. Let
US tread lightly, sir, on the ashes OF the dead
Our ioreiathers were a race OF noble and var
tuous men "Take them for all in all, we
never shall look upon their like again"
Their memory IS dear TO MS, and should not
be furnished, u~njustiy. They did not orIgi
nate the slave trade. The venerable bishop
OF Chiapa, regarding the negroes as an infe-
rior race-from mistaken motives Of philan
thropy-recommended their introduction into
South America, for the purpose OF relievin.
the Indians from the burthen of working the
mines. Some rowing SPECTATOR disappointed
IN a market elsewhere, brought his wretched
cargo to our coast The tempter came, un
invited, as he did into Eden, and human frail
ty yielded TO his seductions. Even then, it
was INDIVIDUAL cupidity alone that gesera-
ted the evil. The government, resting on
the basis of PUBLlC OPINION, was always OPP
posed to it. Twenty three statutes were
passed by the House OF Burgesses, 10 prevent
the introduction Of slaves into Virginia, and
all were ne.atived by the British King. II
is to this innuman use of his p~rerosative, that
indignant alIuslon is made IN the Declaration
of Independence. As soon as the Reyolu
ton began, Virginia prohibited the slave