Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-01-24

rxhr'. ! will, to accomplish this groat and de,i.N
raoo. believe, feasible object of gradual DIM.
MUTTON oil tho present excess Of blacks over TN.
wn.ss' go AZ far as no who gees farthcst-keeping
'.""ty on" IN sacred pietc the right Of pvoperfv
winch their masters have i'm them. Whilst on MI.
su"Jec', 'ot mo say passing word to the honors.
o,S ana eloquent gentleman from Berkeley, Mr.
(Fauikner) who entertained the House on SATIN,
day. Whilst l admired the warm sentiment, ~
exalted philanthropy which he uttered NAV IN.
permitted to say, that they have noting. w,r,.vsr
TO do WIN tins great question of State policy
May he permitted to tell that gentlemen l,.f h.
addressing the Legislature OF Va. ON n,t;or
al question aud not Il Court of Justice on n mcr.
case of "msum and tunm." Whenever p.ntlomen
come into tins House and apply tritc common law
principles intended only for the regulation of pr;
vatc contracts and the preservation Of private pro
pcrty, to the chartered sacred. and vested r;yb,,
"l tho community. for one, will plead to tho u
r'sct'"a IF even this high court; question the com
pS'cncy uf any ,ritnsss on earth, and challcng,
even this enlightened and impartial juyv-
what sir, let me ask the gentleman from Bcrkley,
nave ms common law m,Xins Of 'sxie utere tho ~
non d'emnm iodos," and "damnmm absgus inju,is,s
.ouo WIN establishing right in this assembly tp
'ak" from private individuals, eighty millions oS
"".,ar" worth Of property without payment for it
ST. u the gentleman wants law for such pro-
ceuure nc cannot find it in any ciriI or muncipol
codo that was ever forncd-he must yo IN ih.
law oil nature aud OF nstions-and there nc will
nhd hothing to bear him out, but the ..smpyea le
The law OF necessity, and the "saims popui," tho
'Niey of the people. The time, sir, has not arrived
when either Of these laws can opc rate: but il does
seem 10 nae, that uass the present takes
some energetic stand this delicate subject Dos.
.er!y WIN nave, At no distant day, to submit To.
their hard and irresistible operation 1t 10 to avoid
ina. d'retui day. that 1 am anxious to adopt n
nc"c"e oil relief. ny slow, certain, and gradual
d,m'nut'on of slaves. whereby no mans property
wiz oe seized, and by the operation of which the
able gentleman from Dinwiddic, has clearly proved
m""iu DC enhaced In value. l now, publicly, cali
in x.( -
name OF his country, and in the name Of postcri-
ty-to fill out the details of that scheme, which
he so LUMINOSITY and sanguinely skctched to us.
10" uays ago. and lay 1t before his country--lay
1t ON tho table of this House.
Mr. speaker, gonilomon have erected wndmills
merely TO let us see how calamity they could fight
them' t'ey have called up spirits to lot US hear
how cloquontly they could exercise them Tb.
gentleman from Brnnswick, Mr.. Gholson, } / think,
expressed his fears that the Legislature would take
:" property from him, in defiance of the great
pnepr' OF the bill Of rights. and all tho provisions
OF inc State and Federal Laws, which sanctify it
20 MS use and enjoyment. Sir, whatever gentle.
mon may say here under the influence Of warm
imagination, and excited feelings. do not believe
that there arc ten members of this House, whs
e eon,o"pla,. such violence The gentleman in
forms us, that until lately, he had roslly boon
under the impression that he was the owner
OF his own slavo-. bog leave to inform that zen.
0cman, that own considerable number of them,
and am now, and ever have been, ,erfectlv Ger.
'ain' that they are mine, and sorry to add have
occasionally, though not often, been compelled to
make them feel tho impression of that ownership
The gentleman further says, he has recently pur
chased four women and ten children. in whom he
thought he had obtained great bargain, but he
now fears 1t was very bad ono, for he had really.
supposed they were much his own property m
are his brood mares. take leave to in form that
honorable gentleman, that I own boil, these do
seriphcns OF property, and value them very high
~ ana Will never consent to tho passage Of any
law which will violate his just right to either. I
would not touch a hair tho head of his slave
any sooner than would hair in tho mnne of his
morse, without paying him the full and just value
thereof.
Mr. Speaker, am informed that it is now out Of
order 10 comment on the scheme which tho homo
rablc gentleman from Abemarlc has laid on our
table, but ~ the previous discussion has turned
much on its principles, and it was avorrcd ortalI
hands by those who have taken part in tho arlia-
mcntary mannuvrcs of the mornins, that it was
no' their intention to suppress debate, hspc Emay
DC permitted, whilst passing to say that
not have my sanction-thNt do not like its fea-
tures-that II is Objectionable in several points and
particularly SO 81 its proposed reference OF thi,
great subject to those who have no feioir feelrng
for US. And, here, sir, would remind tho gsntIs.
man irom Albemarle, and the gentleman from
nerkeicy, who, on Saturday, talked much and feel
ingiy about compromss-that a compromise or,
'his great and delicate question deliberately
ana soiemnly made in the late Convention which
was held at the instance of the western people
that they are solemnly bound by its principles
that Is too soon to attempt TO change them that
they cannot DO legitimntcly changed, but by ano.
ther Convention-that the East then for tho .ako
OF harmony, went az far she could go, and will
never 20 farther.
MT. Speaker, thers is view of this whole
subject which has controlled my opinions and
brought my mind to its present conclusion. 1t il
this: that in the y"ar 1870, there were, in that
small portion Of Virginia's territory which lies
between her Blue Ridge of Mountains and her soa
shore, 20, 600 more whites than blacks since that
time, we havo been constantly enga gcd from this
same District, IN colonzing with blacks tho States
OF Georgia. South Carolina, kentucky, Tennessee,
louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida and
yet IN 1884, there were, in that District,
where this majority of 5000 whites then existed,
msJority-Sl,O 900 blacks--showiDg an increase
in 40 years of LOG, 900 blacks. IT, sir with all tho
advantage of our thousands Of scavenpers, in tho
shape OF negro buyers, who have been constantly
and scduousy engaged in tending and nursing this
filthy drain, this onderfnl increase has occurred
what are we to expect in the next 40 yoars7 The
candle which has been burning so rapidly at ono
ond Is now lit at the other, and IL melting under
kecncr and briskor bla1e-all tho Western States
are prohtting by our misfortunes, and whilst they
WIN CLOSE their doors hermcticslly to the further
introduction Of slaves, will open them wido, and.
stand in their portals, with extended arms to rive
tho Paternal ombYacs to all white cm;praut.; whs,
40 assure you, Sir, if the patriotic Legislature Of
Virginia will do nothing. and aay they can do nsl
thinC, TO rid her fair domain OF this gloomy and
Paraiizins ourse,will o1patrac Themselves by hun,
drcds and by thousands. Look Al these facts.
Mr.. Speaker, and say whether posterty has moi
some claims on us TO arrest evils certain end Sc
dircful.
1t ~ needless now 10 Wow this M an abstract
question:; to turn aside and enter into the meta.
physical doctrines Of the natural equality of mar.
or tho abstract moral right of slavery. II Iwas
TO do so, might shock tho tender nerves Of many
N annle fnr zca a.. II. L..