Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-01-21
Speech Of Mr.. GNOLSO.N Of Erm,spick.

iCuNTI>uEp.1
have underworld to Shcw that private property
!s 'tcrc!-'hat slaves and their increase are pro.
ny, and thu high and orcr.rumg necessity
cASiS for taking them from their owners. IL I
have succco ed sir, | have done enough; and l
oo%h;, perhaps, here to close this argument IL is
hcr" that the powers of the Government over this
subject end. Thus far may We 90, but no far
thcr"-"Wc stand on our chartered rights"
Bat gentlemen, in pursuit of their favourte the
ery, have advcnturcd on the boumdcss ocean of
= CT, eTpcd. eHcY, and even speculation: and as
tnry have taken along with them on board nv
rights and property, hope shall DC excused If /
rU,>nc them, though tic is rough ard ,i.c
voyage dangerous.
The gentleman from Pockbri6g. has aamenish
81 II" tAnt VIC carnot resist the lights of the age
nar, Sir, tlES good old Common wealth. 'the bics
tcd r";''cr ~ uS ALL, has been hkcucd to the an.
silent nnstie, Saul OF VarSus-that she is strck
cn To the earth y the light of heaven, on account
q tt7 many-iod transgrcssions, and that we must
ru6 ais.
MIR. Speaker, fhavc heard of these lights cforc.
hU! have looked for them in van--I have never
t"cn them. The wrctchcd and miss guided fanatic
who excited the horrors of the lalc Southampton
Massacre, tho ht he saw them. 1t proved, how
ever, dclusvc meteor. aud conducted him to
G"ath--and now, all has lights, and all his nspira
toms. are shroudcd in the darkness Of the grave.
N"rl.rrn ~ hts nave appoarcd-nceodiary publ
cntiohs INC scattered their illuminating rays
among MS, to conduct the slave to massacre and
tloGdShcd. But these are not lights of the age or
lights ir"m hcavcn--t is the glare OF Avcrnus>--
darkness visib!r" in The light of which, demons
and dcy lis al"uc, delight to dwell l most ardent-
w hop" tbdt these RO,(hcrH LIGHTS will be disre
r.r'cd or overlooked 10y the Southern Republics of
ms Union SIR, they must be cxiingui>hcd, or
tie MOS: mclIuchulv consequences will enSlic-
Already, do fear their Vaccinations have sue
CO. r,s in iuIuSing unto the minds of our slaves
'p.ri o: rcSt!cSSncsS and INSTRUMENTATION. These
~" tho true authors of all our approximations and
uuaapPjncSS; and in the voice of my constituents
/ cal upon my Government TO iuierrosc all the
u n it's com Sbi ,l,c
from the evil. These tanatical miscrcauts are not
only violating the statutory laws of Virginia: they
arc violating the soundcst and busiest principles of
iutcrnat!onul law itself, and weakening and break
ing 0suudcr those kind and amicabe relations
which should subslst between sister States of
tie same conrdcracy. Among civilized govern.
mrniS, in friendship with each other, when a ciii
zen or subject of one power cXcucs scdition or re-
lclion in another, it is Just cause Of complaint ON
the par. of the injured Govcrnmcnt-and | know
al but three modes OF redress: the Government Of
the offending subject must either punish him iiseIk
deliver him up To the injured Government to he
punished Justify the citizen, and incur the con-
sequences. Sir, have too much respect for GER
tain northern Governments within tins Union to
believe that they will upon reflection, tolerate any
longer the publication and circulation of the dan.
CcrouS and inccndlary productions which have of
late issued from their press. II, however, in this
ara dis appointed, and if from tho peculiar orpani-
cation of the governments under which we live
Their" is mode of pcaccablc redress secured to
AS, declare, the responsibility OF the public
station now occupy, that rather than submit. TO
the continuance OF evils like these. without the
hope OF redress, would appeal TO 'car, and deem
It che lessee. evil.
Bn' have depressed. I return, in search of
tAa L@"'S y TIC ""c, to which the gentleman from
Eochpridgo has so cloqucntlv alluded Does il
emanlic from that great fountain of radiance,
which should ever illumnc and direct TIC counsels
O. dis body, Tie will Of our constituents? Sir.
from our wide extended territory and hundreds Of
thousands of population, but tuO ,ne,porjaIs bavc
altlr a hOIv tl,o e
cw1ucj patton; one, from the county of Lomdoun
aud the other, from Society of Quakcrs in Hano
YER, who hold no slaves, who have no common in
fcrcsl with tie great body of our people in this
property, and who advocate It's abolition from n
DISCHARGE of what they conceive to be Il religions
duv. Late occurrences have attracted the public
nd TO the contemplation ofqucs like this ard
E1' The people decided this matter. gentlemen can
no persuade me. bat that tho people would be heard
81, tic community cnorans such sen,i-
lnun's those ascri5cd To it in this debate. There
is, ia the great body OF the people, n princplc of
abiding Justice, which viii rcpudatc them. There
is question which think the public mind
is dr!ritvcy settled, that is, tho propricty of re-
moving the free colourcd population beyond our
liW,is. The subject of abolition, is one which
has not Engaged their serious attention; and when
they shall Sc informed that here. engaged
in solemn debate upon il, and that too, on the
principle that their slaves not their property,
predict it will crcatca shock in public sentiment,
uucGpal!cd since the days of cur revolution
Mr. Speaker, what portion of this Common
wctlth is it, which demands this measure at our
hands? Not the East Sir for they rise up, almost
man, against it. Is it the Wcst2"I hope not
invoke TO my aid on the present occasion, those
lgh and cnnobling sentiments which have area.
dy been protrsScd by Western gentlemen. Sir, the
Last has been offered carte blanche on this sub.
scot; and indulge the confident expectation, that
The practice of gentlemen viii accord with their
professions. II is question in which the east is
vitality, and | may say, almost exclusively inic-
Jcs,ca; and do not feel, that am bcral, when
Isl, oIihc west, this subject, to consult orr in
tcrcst-our f-clings-nny Sir, prcjudccs, if
youp'cnsc,
II the West any direct interest in this cues
tom With half our territory and nearly half our
"hi'c population, they possess but few more
hrpn would not be promoted by dlminution
Of Ile number for, they are not more than enough
TO ICr!orm Tic heaviest and most mental Offices Of
labor. But i. the number Hr augmented it will be
tn,r oy.n option and discrction--lre will
novcr multiply this evil upon them Sir, cmigranis
from the cast do not settle IN western virginia
Whom the spirit Of enterprise, the pressure of
ri,Iur,uuc breaks from our mooringS here
y ben the misery aud wrctchcducss Of which gen
fvl;cu so c!oguoutiy dccaiu, become so opprcs-
fivr, f. turn from the graves Of our fathers
do not "halt bv tHc way but far in the depths
of the western forcsts, do we "pitCh our Ebcnc.
zvTs," and there, under more Happy auspices, at
tr,uyt 10 build mp anew, shattered fortunes
Nrs'rrr Virginia need not fear emigration from
MS Neither need she ever fear an undue growth
&c az slave popu!ation--hcr climate, her soil and
Ter nrr'cu urHl pursuits all forbid it-Slavcry will
never yai-t 10 any alarming extent, except where
the J'ru'Dg interest is predominant. Docs she
f.nr ior her safety, from Instructions among
az ,Hc has an amulet OF protection, and an IN
-. ruHric barrier for her security in the lofty
lroua'1.rs winch separate us-trou the summit Of
which b" may look down with complaccnt sccuri