Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-01-21

10 action; or, as II tho panic, which never was general,
ought to be considered as still ~pervading the whole State.
Can any man tell us what good effect Is likely TO be pro-
duced by this coursel Now, the fact is, that although tho
deepest sympathy was felt throughout Virginia for the
People of Southampton, the fear OF any farther insurrcc-
ton nerer did extend oyer any thing like half the State;
and even il il did, those who now choose to write on the
subject might surely employ their pens better. than i'm re-
presenting that Jear under such aspects, as to fill the
minds OF the slaves themselves with still 6lser notions than
they have ever yet entertained of their relative strength
and capacity to do mischief. Many free negroes. and
slaves too can ana do read newspapers. Would it not,
then, be a far wiser course, by such plain, simple state
ments as could easily be made, to demonstrates, az least
as far as any such subject is capable of demonstra-
ton, the utter madness of insurrection, and the entire inn
possibility of the most general one that could be organized
resulting in any thing bud the total destruction. not only
of all the negroes who might be concerned, but of hun
dreds and probably thousands of such as were innocent?
Mr.. Editor, it is a most deplorable fact, that the good of
our beloved State has been materially retarded.-I may
say, sacrificed, in this as in other most important matters,
to that deadly enemy OF all good Government-pdrfy po-
hties. Do you want the proof in the case before us?-
Take il, rs IL appears to me. Had one half the writer's
for the Enquirer taken the same pains some wears aoo
that they are now taking, to vindicatc the principles and
designs of the Colonization Society, our free NEGROES
would nearly all, by this time, be ont of the country
But party politics then said,-Ne: certain members of that
Society would possibly have been made too popular by such
a COURSE, and it was, therefore, necessary 10 denounce the
Society. Take notice, my good Sir, / am no member of
that Society, nor have l ever agreed with its leaders in re-
neral politics; but | know many of them well. have ,
thorough knowledge of their worth and | avail myself of
inns occasion to protest against the good of my native State
being in the slightest degree retarded, through prejudice,
either against these men, or any others in our country
IL this were the only case, 1 should not, perhaps, have
noticed II; but the entire policy OF our State has OCCASION
a'iy suffered from the same paralizing cause. Internal
improvements ofevery kind,-and especially that greatest
oil all others, education-have been compelled TO wait un-
vi some iavorite party politicians should take q fancy TO
promote them, and then the popular cry has too often been
elected in their favor, not so much from their real tendency
to secure national prosperity and happiness, as, from some
supposed effect which the project ~ostensibly designed for
their promotion, would have in making a President of A..
or {, and excluding from that office, ID, E orr.
whether or not party politics will be suffered to decide
TINS Tree negro and slave question, az it has done many
others with which ii ought to have nothing 10 do, | cannot
take upon me TO affirm. But it requires very little of the
prophetic spirit to predict, that the public hope will be ut.
terly disappointed, il the members of the present Leeisla-
ture should divide themselves into the same parties which
existed IN our late Convention. PUBLICOLA.