Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-04-10
COMMUNICATIONS.
FoR THE VINO.

Il full-bloodcd al captandum-and for uncharita
blencss to opponents in opinion, is almost without
Il parallel. Pamunkcy says-''It was to be cx-
pccted that some of the large slave holders would
oppose the adoption of any scheme" for the aboli-
ton of slavery Indeed. and does Palnunkcy OK.
pect to gull the small slave holders and mddlinp
classes by making them believe the opposition To
abolition comes exclusively from the rich? Will
not all shareholders perceive, in despite of Pa
munkcy, the identity of their interests? Will it
afford any relief to the owner of but five, that his
richer ncighbor of fifty has lost his also? Would
not the loss generally be severely felt by the
owner of the small, as by the owner of the large
numbcrl And what is the fate of him who owns
nothing else! Ruin and bankruptcy-stript of
every thing at one "fell swoop." Pamunkey goes,
of course, the idea, (Which by the bye is the
true one,) that there is to be nay for the abol-
ished slave for he charges the opposition to aboli
ton, to avaricc, cupdity, &c. His quotations
from the Bill of Rights amusing, and his eulo.
gslns on them, just But what has the abstraction,
'that all men are, by nature, equally free and indie.
pendent" to do with this question? As understood
and intended to be used, presume, by Pamunkey,
our slaves are already free: the laws holding them
to bondage being i'll contravcntion of this article
of the Bill of Rights. There will be no need of
an act of abolition if Pamunkey understands this
part of the Constitution Alright; the remedy should
be Habeas Corpus. But Pamunkcy has also quo
ted from the Bill of Rights something about the
means of acquiring and possessing property" l
hope Panunkcy does not mean to garblc this sa-
cred instrument and that he will allow it to have
intended to protect property well us persons,
even from the crusade of fanatical injustice,
waged by a combination heterogeneous as any
ever known, and for objects not less dssmilar,
than the elements are discordant used to effect
them. Pamunkey has the hardihood to maintain
that "majorty" may effect any measure; and yet
IN the same sentence almost, he speaks of consti
nationality. Does he not know that Constitutions
are intended to guard and protect minorties-to
restrain unprnciped and crusading majortics, and
to limit even 'patriOtic currents" within certain
banks or channcls7 Yet, according to this sapicnt
writer, written Constitution is of no avail if the
majority wiH measured / will not follow Panun-
key in all his meanders; indeed, there are some
shd!lotcs deem 1T unnecessary to ,cdde through
will, however, take brief notice of his criti-
csms on the memorial sent from the county of
Hanover in opposition TO abolition, which he With
ty designatcs the ''Court- House" memorial and
general ordu.." Why this latter military dcsig-
nation is given to the memorial in question, l am
at loss to perceive, unless to stimulate the preu.
dlccs OF the Friends, who now, ever, as far as
know, are opposed to slavery and the military
profession. But it is Court House" memorial
and ''lnstigated, if not actually penned by Apo
mattox," according to the uncharitableness of Pa
munkey. He suspects Appomattox to be the au-
thor because of the ''ear marks" and his having
''vindicatcd its sentiments" A parity of reason
ing Except the ''car marks") would make Pamun.
key out tho author of Jefferson. u has also been
discovered that this "Court- House Memorial" was
signed by persons of 'various ages and cond-
uons," ola men, beardless boys, &c. Now Pa
munkcy having objected to memorial being
signed by persons of ''odrious ages and condi-
ti0ns," will! you be pleased to give the exact age
and condition which shall be acceptable to you?-
Did Pamunkcy ever hear of the maxim that she
who lives in n glass house should throw no
stones" or is he really ignorant of the pedigree of
his favourte Simon Pure, which he would impose
upon the public as the genuine and legitimate off
Of he of M;rbt bo
permitted to enquire who its sire? Where
was it written and who paid the fee for producing
1t? Will Pamunkey deny that it was written in
the City of Richmond by person who is neither
an inhabtant or voter in the county of Hanover
or indeed native of the State2 Yet Pamunkey
with these facts, known presume to him, modest
ly lnsinuates that the "Court House" memorial as
he calls it, not the real production of the Coun.
ty, but had been ''instigated" If not penned by
Appomattox! And shall it be objected to n paper
demonstrating with the representatives of the peo-
pie on a subject of the most momentous character
That 1t was publicly read at the Court House of
the people who signed it?-that it was open to free
discussion and debate7 And shall it also be object
ed that the signers of such remonstranco were not
OF any particular class of PERSONS but that the same
was signed by persons of 'UnriOuS ages and condi-
tions!" Pamunkey's favourite was signed by
Large and respectable class of slave holders and
shareholders alonc"-nonc of 'various ages and
conditions" l presumc-none of various seres
suppose. Now, although there were various CO.
pies of this memorial privately circulated in the
county for some time, and every means used to OBJ
tam signatures, yet but about eighty were procu-
red, men, DOmen and all. Pamunkcy asserts that
frequent attempts have been made to confound his
tavoritc HanOuer memorial, with that of the society
OF Friends, and charges Apopmattox with an mac
curacy in this respect. The error of Appomattox
IS only in this that the memorial of the society of
Friends came from Charles City and not from Han
over as might have been fairly presumed by Pa
Epv CHI 10 - II
known that our worthy and talented representa-.
tive MIR. Roane, presented the Hanover memorial,
md on the same day, and at the time, he pre-
'ented the memorial of the society of Friends not
Of Hanover, but of Virginia, and that this memo
rial was signed by their secretary, at a general
meeting held in Charles City."-Thus thon on the
same day, at the same time, and by the same gen.
tleman, and may add, for the same purpose, these
memorials were presented to the Legislature
How 1t happened that the genuine Hanover me-
moral got into such good company, wot not
''brds of feather flock together" The Friends
memorial no doubt asked for simple act of abo.
Iltlon That excellent and unsophisticated people,
are opposed to slavery principles; they would
the same principles if there were but a
thousand of these people in bondage; and they
have too much candor and good sense, to pretend
that the owners of the slaves ever be paid for
them. They are actuated from conscience, not DO.
Icy, which ''sits above conscience" But is it so
with Pamunkey and the motley band of crusaders
enlisted in the cause of abolition? No, alas! con-
science cannot even restrain them from their mis-
chievous efforts. But the Ladies and Gcntlemen's
memorial, that delectabe paper elaborated in Rich
nond and circulated in Hanover, petitions for a tax
on slaves with which to create fund to buy slaves
hus making the owner ofthe Stare pay for his otsn
slave with his oDn money, and pay a tax gatherer
INTO the b1rgain!! Was ever such monstrocity
proposed by men and women in their senses. to
operate on themselves! They could not have been
lware OF the dangerous and true character of the
memorial; they must have signed it under a mo.
ncntary impulse and without due reflection, and
will hasten TO abandon it when they perceive. as
IN they will fo hnn IL