Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-01-19

them The master then, will DO obliged TO
hold to his .ves on these hard terms, or leave
thcm and leave them no will. The passage of this
obnoxious substitute, would DO decree Of Danish
mcnt to every slave holder in Virginia The pro-
Plesy ot the gentleman from Rockbridge, would
Sc fully realized, and wo might n6ecd expect. Mr..
Speaker, to sec the chair which you occu-
pv, filled by n black presiding Assem-
bly, of sable Legislators. have no hesitation in
expressing 1t as my deliberate opinion, that the
effect OF every system of emancipation, that can
now or may hereafter no devised, will be to drive
our FREQ white population to the distant and x
porcd regions of the West. But let suppose
that the advocates of the doctrine OF
had the power of removing this population; sup
pose that by the speaking of work, this dark and
dense cloud could be hoated to another hemis.
phcrc what then would be the situation of Virgil
mia! Is il true as gentlemen imagine, that wo
should he every where greeted by white faces
and smiling villages, or should not tho
other hand, find our country deserted and lands
Wilderness? There are but two circumstance s
that invite the redundant population of other
countries amongus. The first is a large accumu-
lated capital, whereby labor is attracted and re-
wardcd; the second is cheap and fertile lands, by
the cultivation of which plentiful subsistence is
gained with little labor. There is perhaps less
tive capital i'll Virginia than in any state of tho
Union. The little commerce within its limits
and God knows that is little enough, is almost all
carried on by foreign capital Labor therefore
can expect but little encouragement from this
source, and inducement here offers itself to the
cmigrant. Our soil j fear offers sill less 1t
is almost every where exhausted. It's charae-
ter is written in indeliblo letters on every hill
side in the commonwealth; no who runs may
read, and the traveller needs no interpreter
TO tell him, that all is barronness and exhaustion
Think you SiT that the oppressed of other nations
on reaching our shores, would mistake this FIR the
land of promise, and attempt to wiring n hard earn
ed subsistence from barren soil7 No, Sir he
would look around him but instant, and tarry
moment to fortify his resolution for still further
n or Wo,t
to that vast and fertile region where his labor
would DO hight and his subsistence cheap. There
TO" our own population would 60: the abstract
love of natal soil would be the only barrier to pre-
vent 1t, and L nccS not say to this House how
weak it is when interest invites beyond it.
1T does appear to me Mr.. Speaker, that interest,
policy and every consideration that ought to have
weight with this House, should induce us prompt
ly tn adopt the resolutions of the gentleman from
Mecklenburg. What authority have we, Sir, to
lcglslatc on this subject? l. for one, have no in
s'ruciions from the people 1 represent, and have
not been so fortunate to hear any gentleman de-
clare that he had. These instructions ought not
to he implied; they ought to be plain, ineligible
md direct. The will ofthe people ought not to be
guessed ut; or derived by implication, but explicit
ana known. The truth cannot for moment be
disguised that we have come here ordinary
legislature for the purpose of ordinary legislation
instead of which we boldly assuming power
not within the most distant contemplation of our
constituents. Instead of evying axes, we are de-
stroy;ng the most fruitful source of taxation, in
stead of passing laws for the well being of the
State, we AFRO deliberately destro ying ninety mil
lions of property. We are here trum phantly ask
ed ii we would stiflc enquiry and suppress all in
vestgation. know Sir that there is magic in these
names; they more formidable than all tho mr.
glment that has been brought to bear this sub
ject. IL will readily occur, however, to every
man OF reflection, that this is no specu alive sub
Ject, that may be mooted with IMMUNITY. 1t ad
dresses itself 10 the feelings and tho passions of
men, 1t is species of property that its Sc
curly TO public opinion, it is based here, and the
moment you shake this foundation, the whole fabric
will tottcr and fall.
But, MIR. Speaker, investigation is unnecessary,
nnd cannot conceive what possible good can re-
suit from it, Tho ingenuity of man, tho mind of
man, nay SIR the imagination of man has never
yet been able To devise a scheme which has upon
ITS lace even the semblancc of plausihty, and vet
VIC are gravcy asked to refer it to the Committee.
/ am a humble member of that Commit,e raised
for the purpose of devising some plan for freeing
the State from its free colorcd population. Whit
Sir, has been done? II has labored faithfully dill
gently and laboriously for two weeks, and even
it is doubtful, whether it can gree on the first
principle of action, which its future proceed
1ngs are TO be based. The subject which NC now
propose TO discharge them from, is hundred, nay
n thousand times more difficult. speak not tho
langnt ge of hyperboe but of sobcrness, and vet
gentlemen still say go on and report.
But, MIR. Speaker, this enquiry is not ONLY nm
necessary but 1T is dangerous not to property alone,
which Is nothing in tho opinions of some gentle
men, hut to the lives of men. The gentleman
from Buckingham, a few days ago, skctched with
graphic pencil, and in glowing colors, all the
horrors of insusurrection--he pointed to us tho
corscs OF men, women and children, butchered by
the ruthless assassin. With this horrid sketch be-
lore us, torturing our maginations and narrowing
orr tcciings we charge gentlemen to dismiss this
SUBJECT This is no speculative danger with u.s. it is
palpahlc and appalling, and if gentlemen arc found
on this floor, enly advocating general system of
emancipation, need we be surprized at the result7
10 those who reside in parts of the country where
siVcs are not n"merous, with the best feelings on
their part and with the most philanthropical m o.
tlveS 1T is impossible to estimate the extent of tho
dangers here it is real, it is felt. You are exciting
In the minds of black population hopes that can
never be realized You are holding up to their
de'uded eyes, the torch of liberty, which gimmers
Tor a moment, and rs then obscured forever. Their
happiness is converted to misery, their content is
changed to discomfort, and soon this rpens int o
rebellion. For their sakes, then, if not for ours,
beg, gentlemen. 20 push this matter no farther
lhero are some among us, Mr. Speaker who
while they dsclnim all expectation Of any benefit TO
he derived from these views of the Committee in
siSt upon the reference experiment from
an unwlIngncss to suppress investigation. To all
such, beg leave here to remark, that The enquiry il
dangerous enquiry, and the experiment full of ha
zard Our wisest Legislators and most liberal and
enlightened philanthropists, while they have de-
pFccated slavery, have, at tho same time, uniform
ly concurred in its necessity. They have al
ways resisted any investigation, believing it
uSc'css' aud in no way subscribing the in
t'rcs's ct policy or humanity. If this reasoning
WIS just then, how much more so is il now while
IhSnreciion The public mind is excited. and if
nc DacIEIpI fror v;g 81 al.