Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-02-04
VOL. xXVHhs.---No. So.

PrcSS-l
palladium oil hbery-iti is sheet anchor in every ma
honal storm. AS long reason truth and Justice arc
permitted TO wage an equal against error, prejudice,
and Intersections need fear it. The march of liberty,
science and virtue, has becn for ages past measured and
graduated by its freedoms and delicate and Important so
unlmed and underlined is that freedom that he who first
raises the cry OF Righteousness is almost certain 10 he
its first and greatest enemy Every attep 10 tram
mel the liberty of the Press has been hached in dark
ness and nururcd by crime, and ultimately evenaed in
an extension OF light liberty and happiness 10 mankind
For myself Mr. Speaker had not intended TO debate
TINS subject Knowing its decacy, had resolved as
thought ircvocably that any plan, scheme or PROPOSE
ton, which might be presented 10 give silent vote of
aye or no, and TO have prevailed many as pos
slbe, to do likewise The very luminous view taken by
the able gentleman from Dnwddie, (Nlr. Brodnax the
Chairman OF the Committed proves TO my mind that
scheme might have been presented TO the House, which
would have challenged their respect and attention. and
avoided all the excitement which cxists;-but that
hope is gone-gone forever The honorable gentleman
from Meckenburg thought proper to arrest this subject in
tho even tenor OF its tranquil course through the Com
mtee and toss it on tho tempesuous of excited de-
BATE God grant that may be able pour anquzng
oil on its angry billowsHe has thought proper TO raise
the whrwind; God grant he may have the power to d-
rect and control the Storm
know not Sir, what are the wishes or opinions of NV
constituents on this subject They did not, they would
not tell ne-they shall now know mine-I lay il down
as posulaum, that free white people, free blacks and
slave blacks cannot and ought not TO constitute one and
the same society. Tho why they should not are
so obvious and well understood that il would be but n
waste OF time TO recite them. As member OF the Commit
tee 10 whom this whole subject referred contributed
my humble towards the formation of scheme TO be
presented 10 The House Tor removing, the first place
all Tree blacks from the Commonwealth. That done, Sir,
Pdt PdSu means can be devised and the able gentle
man from Dnwddie has proved that they CAM in
mvor TO me extent OF those means OF sloc, gradual,
CERTAIN and energetic system for the of all esan-
GPdfe or purchased slaves from the Commonwealth, till
me 'dt'o 81 population between them and tho whites,
atains, at least, that equilibrium, which, in all future time
VIII give to every tcife in the State that certain
srance that his ms couny which every Shareholder
should feel, and ever shall feel, far concerned
mat his SLAVE is HIS OWN PROPERTY. will, TO
complsh this great and desirable and | believe feasible
of he of
blacks the whites, go far he who goes farhest
-keepng steadily and IN sacred re,o the right of pro-
peTty, which their masters have in them Whilst on
this subject let me say passing word 10 the homo
rabe and eloquent gentleman from Berkeley, (Mr.
taulkner,) who entertained the House Saturday.
Mist admired the warm sentiments of exalted pbian
thIopy which he uttered, may l be permitted TO say.
that they have nothing whatever TO do with this great
question oil State poicyMay DO permitted TO tell that
gentleman that he addressing the Legislature of Va
on national question and not Court of Justice mere
case OF ".eum and tlunn." Whenever gentlemen come
into this House and apply e law principles in
tended only for the regulation Of private contracts
preservation of private property TO the chartered sacred
and vested rights OF tho community for one, will plead
tho jurisdiction of this high court; question the
competency OF any aoess EARTH and challenge even
THIS enlightened and impartial jlny--What, Sir let me
ask the gentleman from Berkeley, have his common law
m9xms oil csc "fere tuo at non aen,m lCsdas," and
'dahaum aOSque inJtuid 10 do with establishing right
IN this assembly TO take from private individuals eighty
millions oil dollars worth Of property without payment for
n-S il the gentleman wants law for such procedure
he cannot lild IL la any ciU' or municipal code that
ever iomed-hc must so to the law Of nature and of ma
ions-hnd there he win find nothing bear him out but
the Suprema ier, the law of necessity; and the "salis
posH', the safety OF the people The time Sir has not
arrived when either these laws operate; but it does
me- that unless tho present generation fakes some
energetic stand on this delicate subject posety wilhave
at no distant day. TO submit TO their hard and Irresistible
operation Ii is TO avoid that dreul day, that am anx-
ious TO adopt scheme of relief, by slow certain and
gradual dminuton of slaves whereby no mans property
viii be seized, and by the operation of which, the able
gentleman from Dinwide, has clearly proved it would
he enhanced in value now, publicly, call on that gen
eman i'll the name oGvirtue in the of his country
ana In the name OF posteryto fiji out the details of that
scheme, which he so lumnousy and sangunely skechcd
TO US few days ago, and lay before bis countrylay
on the table of this House.
Mr.. Speaker, gentlemen have erected windmis mere
~ to LET us SEQ how gallantly they could fight tcm thew
have called up spirits TO let hear how coquenty they
could exercise them. The gentleman from Brunswick,
(r GhoiSon think, expressed his fears that the Lee
gsdture would take his property from him, defiance OF
the great principles of tho bill Of rights and all the prov
sions OF the State and Federal Laws which sanctfy il TO-
his use and enjoyment. Sir, whatever gentlemen may
say here, under the influence of imagination and
excited feelings, do not believe that there mem
bers OF this House, who contemplate such violence Tho
gentleman informs that until lately he had really been
under the impression that hc the of his own
slaves. beg leave TO inform that gentleman that own
considerable number Of them, and am now and ever
have been, perfectly certain that they mine, and am
sorry TO add, have occasionally, though not often been
compelled TO make them feel the impression of that own
crship The gentleman further SAYS, he has recently
purchased four women and ten children, in whom he
thought nc had obtained great bargains but he fears
1t was very bad one; for he had really supposed they
were his own property his brood mares. | take
odVe 10 INFORM mat honorable gentleman, that both
these descriptions OF property and value them very high
~, and viii Dover to the passage Of any law which
viii violate his just right 70 either ! would not touch
hair on the head OF his slavc any sooner than would
hair IN the name OF bis horse, without paying him the full
and just value thereof
Mr. Speaker, am Informed that il is now out of order
TO comment on the scheme which the honorable gentle
man from Albemare has laid our table but az the pro
vous discussion hasturned much its principles and il
was avereg all hands by those who have taken part
IN the parliamentary manOevres of the morning. that il
was not hclr intention to suppress debate hope may
be permitted, whilst passing to that it cannot have
my sancion-that do not like is eaures-that is OBJ
jcctonable in several points and particularly in us pro-
posed reference Of this great subject to those who have no
tciolC feeling for And here Sir would remind the
gentleman from Albemare, and the gentleman from
Berkeley who, on Saturday, talked much and feel
ingy about compromise-tiat compromise on tbis
great and delicate question deliberately and SOL
EMMY made in the late Convention which was held at the
instance of the western peoplethat they are soemnIv
bound by lis princplesttat is too soon TO attempt
to change them that they be cgiimaely chang
ed but by another Conventon-tha the East then for the
sake Of harmony, went far she could 20, and will
go farther.
Mr.. Speaker, there one view Of this whole subject
which has controlled my opinions and brought my mind
there in that small portion Of Yrginia's terrtory
which lies between her Blue Ridge Of mountains and ber
shore, $4,000 whites than blacks: spce that
tine, we have been constantly engaged from this same
district in cOOnllng with blacks tc States Of Georgia
South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee Louisiana Missis-
iPPi Alabama and Florida and yet IN 1880 there were
IN that same District where this majority Of % 900 whites
then cNi'tcH, maOrity3i 900 blacks-sfowing in
crease In 10 years, Of 10000 blacks n Sir with all the