Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1832-03-15
frosa the Constitutional Wig.
s...sF. 49, Hnrs rNrT


SCI the House OF Delegates. Many OF its
Objectionable features were modified 70
more. humane standard, but several OF them
ate sidl oppressive II IS rather an ind'ca
ton II igor than rigor, that the trial by jn-
nv is taken from the free negro, and he 40
that respect put on footing with slaves.
Had Coagress adopted an equivalent step,
we should unquestionabiy have lsard II re-
urobaie, IS an invasion Of the Constitution,
and The note would have been fret struck,
aud londest .onnded, by the peculiar cham
pions Of this bill We have long observed
Thar these who most dislike the exercise Of
dogbtfll powers by others, are not the slow
est 10 assuDe them themselves We do not
assert the fee negro - wronged by tbs
change; that the Courts will moi give him as
good justice as juries; but the change IS
against liberty; IS a recession towards desPo
tism; IS wholly unjustiiied BY any new iacis
and IS odlous from ITS spirit, II not from hs
operation
Another provision Of the bill is still more
oppressive, and far more odIoms, because IN
direct and insidious. The General Assembly
have refused TO compel free negroes to emi-
CRATE. and have thus, either re- ognlsed a
want oil legitimate power in themselves TO
employ coercion for such an object, or con
man TO resort to IL No other construction
can be put upon their expanglng the com
pulsory feature from The deporllng bili, for
the policy OF Kidding the State of the pre-
sence Of Tree negroes, l. concluded by nearly
all. But what says this most Christian 70
lee iilllP--Gt must he most Christian, since
a most Christian citizen Of Petersburg, was
vouched as authority upon he floor OF the
House of Dele gates, for It's excellence-he
II seems, who SO unIies Christian and Phi
lanthrophst, tpdrniiy approved Of it, What
does II say? That those free negroes who
have refused to avail themselves of the
means oifef' . by the State 10 go TO Africa,
shall be oenied the privilege of exercising
their handcrait artsl Most Tristan it,
deed And not less Statesman ike than
Christian. How are these people 10 lveP
Did ever Government before upon the face
Of the earth, deny TO It's hjects or c,izras.
the means Of acquiring an honest llrel.hopd9
Did ever Government before instead 81 en-
couragng Industry, prohibit itp But, the
Bill meets the warm approbatiou OF pi-
Gus gentleman OF Petersburg, and we sup
pose less pious people have no. right to say
nay.
II cannot be presumed TO he the object ot
the House OF Dele gates 10 starye these PEG
pie nor yet 10 drive them into subsistiag b,
rogu ry as they are denied the means oil rs
ing honestly Nhat then is the otecio In
donhtedly to compel them by taking the
bread out OF their mouths, and those OF then
children, TO fly 70 Africa, 10 eatort that Gu
voluntary consent" OF which we whilon,
heard so much from gentleman who has
marvellous knack of reconciling his actions
to his professions Now we appeal conf
IDENTITY. buoyaniiy TO the generous spitit of
Virginia IS not this species OF legislation,
lndeienslbly lille, both a, il regards lis cha
racter and objectp Has not the Con. mon
wealth declared that she viii not dilectiu, !
compel these people TO leave her soli? And |
all shs ia three weeks alter The generous
declaration, seek TO do that slyy, clandes
hpd,, by udlrectior which she refused TO
do openly ana avowedly? and great tieaveul
dc il ho,e' BY prohibiting the exercise oi ,he
mechanic arts, SO necessary T. the colnmu
nifty, and patroniscd 10y all Governments as
most worthy from their utility, OF encourage
ment. Verify, We say again. a mot Chris- |.
tan and StatcsmanlIke Bill which our pos
terity, when they see II on the Statute Doos,
will he proud Of, as illustrating the expanded |
views. and comprehensive beneYolence Of !
their progenilOrs. Another provision re-
qnIFes the cefiihc ate OF 4 freebooter To eBa
hic free negro 10 sell what be has raised |
and annexes penalty upon the purchaser
without the exhibition OF such cert iicatc: the
effect Of which will be, that nobody viii re- |
gard 1t, except Gas shfewd head in The
House sagacIously observed the malci,u. |
who may have spite sgainst his neighbour.
This law, If 1t become a law, will mol he
executed Public opinion will elsdain 10 car
~ such law lAto execution. The man who
shall enforce against the mechanic free ne
gro, the provision which forces him 10 rehn
qulsb his hont At md-,stIy aud thus t. fl, the
nountry which he is helping ~ ouid be damn
I'd infinitely beyond all poss.i ihty Of recuve-
ry lie would he glad after such basr ex.
arcise Of power, to exchange skies aud con.
litioHs with the humble being whoui he on
pressed Nor II gentleman wants a pig, a
iozen checkers, or a basket OF eggs, and
knows the free negro, viii he condcsrend 10
equire the certificate Of discreet freehold
Another provision subjects 10 penalty the
person who sells TO slave any article, with
rat a certificate from his master. which j, the
commission of such slave to purchase.
our pence ball penny cannot be sent ry
'0ur slave 10 market without certificate of
Does any man imagine thai
uch law wall he respected for a moment?
Tor one. we viii take the utmost pleasure m,
nd first opportunity Tor, vi lating IT,
The state of the country requires un
oubtedly, many OF the provisions " hleh this
al contains, and IL is to he lamenird that
he salutary portion Off, IS Contaminated and