Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-05-18
COMMUNICATIONS.
FOR THE E.NQUIRER.

TO THE PEOPLE OF vIRGINIA.-No. H.
The elect OF slavery national prosperity well
worth consideration Our political power is fast passing
away; relative influence in this union rapidly de-
creasng; and should it be dissolved (Which God avertD
with such canker preyng vitas who can foesee
the point of political imbecilily which we may ult-
matey arrive But no more Of this; my national love
coils at the view.
Whilst half population taught 10 look on labor
degrading, unable procure employment should
their pressing wants this feeling; the whole
class OF aborers have direct interest in doing saving
as little as possibe that they barely themselves
from punishment do say this Is always the case but
such unquestonably is the general effect; we COM
pare it with system. in which each has direct
teres In producing and saving much possible the
difference in the result throughout whole community
would be astounding Let trace the effects Of the two
systems little further, in picture, part of which
will be familiar many. Take the of man i'm Vr-
gnia having capital of 100000, vested in lands and
negroes with family OF ten children. 1t is sufficient,
whilst kept together for their comfortable support As the
children grow up, there of their steady labor
on the farm even they have been fortunate TO
cape the idea that it would be degrading The surplus of
the estate affords not the OF educating them, beyond
the ordinary instruction of country school. As they
grow up, they must initiate their neghbos in dress and
habits The girls find ample employment in making up
their own dresses little ornaments for their perSons
the young must have horses and perhaps slave oc
casionally feed clean them With neither emplov
ment intellectual amuscmens 10 keep them At home
they seek company at all the public places their neigh
borhood: money must he had and the of the
larn, drained TO the utmost leave capital for improve
ment should the father escape incXtricable ebar
rassment Finally the old people die, and leave, family
OF sons, unaccusloned 10 Labor unit
less and too probably vicious from Incidence The pro
perry is divided and each share, small support them
i'll their accustomed courses, until they determine on
what Is TO be done, Is most commonly wasted in vice and
| scnsuay.
View, on the contrary family of equal numbers and
capital vested in land aud stock, in nonslave holding
community The daughters compelled assist their
mother in all the domestic labor Ii there be son OF
spnghty and promising talents, he is educated pro-
lesion and thus provided for. The wants OF the farm
demand the labor of the others summer and in winter
they receive the rudiments of plain education until the
time at which they may be put trades or business
As they arrive at age respectively the small eaninos
industry the parents may have saved are applied to esta
blshng them in the pursuit OF their choice Finally the
parents die and leave the real estate burhened perhaps
with legacies TO the sons thus compelled TO Industry UNI
al they have families of their own, when the same pro-
cess Is renewed In this way is the community continu
ally supplied with industrious class OF aborcrs. No
capital Is disspated by the system, but continual accu
mutation; which, extending through a whole community
for series oyears, will sufficiently tor the differ
in prosperity between the slave and non-sIave hold
ing States, without resorting the tariff or the oppres-
siOns OF the Federal Government
These and other causes, which in the limits of few
newspaper essays, 1t would be impossible enumerae
must conhnuay cause our white population TO diminish
as the black increases But we are told this affords no
good ground Tor action nor for ALARM because orsooh!
Greece, kone and IN modern times the British West In
da colonies present instances OF much greater inequality
between the two classes, than is likely exist Virginia
for century True; hut those ancient nations have been
overthrown and low long might their fate have been
averted had the bodies of free citizens opposed rampant
TO their invaders instead OF miserable slaves who fled viii
]
the luxury and vice, resulting from slavery NAV have had
in precipiIating their downia But let all that pass No
argument is more ialacious than drawn from anao-
gy where the slnItude consists in grand
istic circumstance only. Sparta we all know was a
standing camp her whole free population always armed
embodied and ready Tor action. Notwithstanding this
she had frequently TO reduce the number of her slaves
! by unexpectedly assaing aud massacrcing them i'm
great numbers-si was her national existence moro
than once endangered by their instructions. The
Romans observed the utmost vigilance connected
with great cruelty, towards their slaves besides found
ing their security their immense military establish
Rents Even after all causes oil jealousy were sup
pressed, by admitting every Italian TO The privilege of
Roman citizenship, they supported standing army Of not
less than 10000 chosen troops in Iuly Notwithstanding
which perhaps the most dangerous to their national
existence ever waged, except that with Hannibal was
with their slave population As 10 the British West India
Colonies, know that security TO the white popul,tion
affords the only in time OF peace for supporting be-
sides naval force military establishment, at least equal
TO twenty regiments, TO keep down slave population bv
no means double ourown whist is universally ackno,y-
lodged that the whites indebted for their security 10
these precautions alone. But Notwithstanding these nre-
cautions, very dangerous TeVols have prevailed there
and the public awaiting accounts from thence TO as
certain the particulars of raging 10 most alarm
ing extent in Jamaica. And do we find in either of
examples, any argument for sccurityi Will il
suit the character OF people, the genius of our in
situations, to adopt any OF these prevention? n
is true fears the ultimate of rebeion and
II men, either white or black always took counsel rca-
son. this alone might calm minds. But, unfortunate
y passion is the frequent counsellor of the wo and
as man knows where the evil may fall so no man
is able reflect the subject without some appreben-
sion II is then subject of very great and Just alarm TO
witness the rapid increase of the black population amongst
us; and could any prudent gradual prospective system of
emancipation he adopted, and fully supported by public
opinion believe slavery might be eradcaed in Virginia
without serious loss Inconvenience 10 any one On
the contrary believe IN the next generation there would
not be found individual in twenty throue iout the
Commonwealth, who would rejoice al it, as the most
lasting blessing conferred upon people. But upon
no subject could lcgisIaon unless fully supported by
public opinion be dangerous this; and therefore
Tor should be decidedly opposed any step which
had not its most decided sanction. CiyIS
THE BALTIMORE CONVENTION.