Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1832-03-22

s,ons may have existed among the peo .
pie, before this debate began, were pro-
duced by causes anterior to any mo
ton on the subject in this House. The
tragedy of Southampton. had aroused
the people Of Virginia. from a fatal
lethargy on this subject. and I ardent
iy hope It nav produce some n. giori.
ous results for this State, a. did some
OF Abe tragedies recorded IN the an n al ;
of antiquity for ancient Rome. If the
gentleman from Mecklenburg. 10 not
entitled 10 the merit Of producing this
debate, he ~ certainly entitled TO the
merit Of accelera,ing il, and probably
OF giving tn IL much more expanded
and discursive character, than il would
have received. had ~ been deferred un
I'll the committee had reported I for
one, am grateful 10 him for IL. I To-,
Iievc It is high time that ;hls subIrct
! SHOULD De discussed. and considered
oy re PEOPLE of Firginia. believe
that the people are d,cokened on the
subject. but no. alarmed: I believe
they will consider il calmly. and de-
eide uPon il correctly. Sir. have no
fears now for any general results.
from any efforts at insurrecti.n. bv
this unfortunate class Of our populs
ton. k,o,c. that We have the power
to crush any such effort at a blow. I
know hat any such effort on their part
at this day, will end in the annihila,ion
OF all concerned in il. And believe
our greatest security. now. is IN their
knowledge ofihese things. in the know
ledge of their own weakness. None
but the most ignorant and faua,ical
viii attempt IL noV-the better Inform
ed knowing the effort is hopeless. des-
parate, will not make il. The South
ampton affair was the work OF the mos,
ign"rant, deiud~d wretchea on earth.
That was small affair.as il affected the
general safety of the State but IL was
a most horrible tragedy. The attitude
Of the citizens Of this State, in relation
to this danger, is one Of the most dis
tressing insecurity individually. We
are like crowd Of people. towards
whom single man should point load
ed gun. with the apparent intent TO
fire upon them. They know that he
cannot Kill them all. but each feels
that his own life IL III peril. Su here
we know not when. how, or where this
evil NAV assail us.
admired the philosophy mot TO use
q harsher term Of the gentleman from
Brunswick. which enabled hum TO turn
the whole Sou,hamp,on affair into rid,-
cule. Tie told US he had witnessed that
tragedy or a part of it, Sir. had |
witnessed that tragedy, am sure !
could never have thought Of il and
smiled. But, sir, although have no
fears for any general results from the
eff"ts OF this class IF our popula ion
noU. stall sir, the time will come when
there will be imminent general danger.
Pass as severe laws as you will, to
keep these unfortunate creatures in
ignorance, II - IN vain. unless you can
extlnguIsh that spark OF intellect which
God has given them. Let any man
who advocates slavery, examine the
system OF laws that we have adoptsd
from stern necessity II may be ssid)
towards these creatures, and he may
shed . tear upon that, and would to
God, sir, the memory of il might thus
be blotted out forever. Sir. we have
as far a. possible closed evSry avenue,
by which light might enter their minds,
we have Onl to go one step further, 10
extinguish the capacity to see the light,
and our work would be- completed
they would then be reduced to the
level Of the beasts of the field, and
We should be safe; and am not Ger.
tain, that we would not do Il. # we
could find out the necessary process
and that under the plea OF necessity.
Hut, SIR. this ~ impossible aud can
man be in the midst Of freemeu. and
not know what freedom iss Can he
feel that he has the power to assert his
liberty. and will he not do IL? Yes.
SIR. with the certainty OF the oUrreb'
of time, will he Ito II wheneVer he has
the power. Sir. to prove that the time
will come, need offer no ether argu
ment than that Of arithmetic. he con
illusions FROM winch are clesf demon
STATIONS on tins subject. The data
are before US al. aud every ran can
work out the pro, ess tor himself SIR.
dcith struggle must come between
ff. $50 classes, in ~hich one or the
"t.'i "'lI be ettrg1ished for, ,er. -
49, csn cOntempla such q cata.
ifoFt1 a. even possiO.e. aud be indif
tsrsut. Inactive: Su. ,ne riQht 81
prope N the coioufed las general
~, rss 20 brought INTO tins debate.
aud ava sVrry f,r it; q - not o. br
treated - me abstract. But I ,hink
our Eastern brethren a.s Z, blame lor
n they rather arroEAnuy idvan,s ii
their rignt Of properly. a, an insuprr,-
BILE barrier TO DOR dong any 'anz 10,
the removal Of the evil Of slavery. and
rather challenged an investigator 81
their title, add u has been ratAef radciy