Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-02-14

whch he alluded, now applied. IL so, he would ask why
has that law been carried into effect Because its
provisions in violation Of the feelings of the
and II the legislature were to pass thousand laws
character they would fall TO the ground useless and
imperative, because they would not have the sanction of
public scntimcntBesdes. it inc xpedient aud unne-
cessary TO resort TO system of compulson in cec,ng the
removal OF the free colored that
sure ought to be regulated according TO the capacity of
the State TO apply funds for that and to the
ainy OF having an asylum to which they be transport
cd-Certanly, * you have determined TO send them out
OF the country by force it will be necessary first to have
provided place for their reception That, he should
suppose, would be preliminary STEP For were we
say that had resolved to drive them from this State
the first question should be asked would be- to what
asylum they were TO be conveyed Ii true the there
was one green spot the western coast of Africa which
invited these unfortunate beings its shelter and
10 afford them hope OF peace and security. But if we
pass .s compulsory BILL they cannot TO Liberia To
mat colony they can only 20 with their consent The
use oil compulsion in sending them hther is against the
principles oil the Colonization Society, which stands ped
cd not only to Virginia. but the whole United States
not TO receive individuals unless with their own CONSENT
III, therefore, pass this BILL we have no pace proydcd
Tor those whom ii is to operateBut unneces
sary on another ground As great a number would be
found willing TO CO. could be received the Colony or
as the means Of the State could transport thhcr MANY
would doubtless be obliged take the 35 proposed to be
given to those who possessed worldly goods; there
are others who have property which they dispose
oil before leaving the country; and win you force
ong er property into the market all at to be
cnhcedby aprccipate sale MIR. MS friend from Din
widde, with whom he rarely dsagrecd,-but with whom
he entirely variance had said that il would
DC more lar and intend 10 make of
compulsion, say first fso the in the fable did
not proceed correctly, when he made of turf in the
hrst instance to drive the boy from his iruree. He
ought to have said to the young rogue, 81 will use turf
hrs and II that will not do, will resort stones" He
chose to make use of the turf, and finding it Intellectual
he then appealed to stones and served his purpose
well as ii he had at first declared his intention IT, in this
case alter trial of lenient proved inc
al, and compulsion should become necessary Virginia
would stand excupaed in the eyes Of the world, Tor
measure which, if adopted now will appear harsh and
cruel There was one principle of Legislation which
ed 10 nave been lost sight Of which Of high mpor-
lance All laws should be suited the feelings the hu-
man hearnor should they run counter to those feelings
nor outrage public sentiment public sympathy. But if
compulsory law emanated from this legislature, they
would excite against all those whom it was immcdi-
aey operate, and all those who friendly to the OBJ
ect in other States. 1t would be impossible TO an
interchange OF sentiments among these classes For al
though you may stop the circulation Of sedtious pam
phes you might well attempt stop the circulation Of
blood In the human SYSTEM to the sympathetic cir
cuiaon oil feelings and opinions such a subject They
VIII learn the opinions OF their friends in the Northern
States and this knowledge will create great hostility
he measure. Those who would have gone voluntarily,
Will oppose the oppressive You will have
passed law which carries punitive feature its face
law as vndctve in its character the revocation of the
Edct OF Nantz Prior to the revocation Of that Edct the
victims oil that cruel policy had lived saety and
when !ney were driven forth into distant lands they
RED with them the arts and sciences the rcnements and
embellishments OF life. Those who are living among us
on The faith OF your laws, and whom you will drive from
our shores, will not carry with them these-but thew will
carry what be much more annoying TO youa deep and
mpacabe feeling of hatred for the land of their birth
These people have vested rights among u.s. they are
entitled to the enjoyment of those rights unless they have
forfeited them by misconduct, or are living in the
Commonwealth in violation of the laws. Against such
he repeated, there were al
ready FROM these views, he argued that necessity
existed for the retention of the compulsory feature of the
BILL while sound policy dictated that should not be sane
toned.
Mr. Fisher said that the first question TO be considered
was as to the necessity for the removal of the free negroes
e could not penetrate the reasoning of gentlemen who
who oppose the removal of this class, who possess
all the EVIL tendencies OF the slaves, and in greater de-
gree The gentleman from Fauquer argued that we had
not Tor their But has that gentleman ever
made any calculation Of the the of
retaining this population Does occur TO him that the
whteshave mainly support them There are SO 600 free
negroes in the State. In the county Mr. f.
he did not think that half the free blacks supported
themselves by labor Surprising that the proportion
was TO be found in other parts the Satehen 25 900 of
these people live by stealing and inducing slaves to steal
from their masters This number be supported at
less than Ia per den,-at which rate tev would
cost the Commonwealth the of 1925 500 annualIy-
men, the amount oil property stolen from by this class
people, were appropriated TO the objects of this BILL we
should remove them from the State in short time. Mr. F.
differed from the gentleman from Fauqucr who believed
that the law of 1906 provided sufficiently for their re-
moVa mat law had been imperative; and il these ndi-
viduals were TO be left to their WILL their removal
could never be compasscd But said Mr. F. does not our
danger consist in keeping this class among Certainly
10 hey not form perncious association with slaves'
Have they any ties to bind them TO the white MANI Do
they enjoy the rights of white menu No. They are on
raised above the slaves by the enjoyment Of personal
lbery and that personal liberty used for the eleya
ton but rather for the degradation their character In
case oil any commoon we should find that these people
would join the slaves against their masters; for thew woJ
know that il the slaves gained the advantage they would
be more benefited by siding with them than by taking
part with the whites. He believed places could be found
TO which they could be sent and that by their removal we
should consult their comfort and happiness He did not
thak with the gentleman from Fauquer that no asvIun,
can be found 's
Mr.. Marshall explained He had not stated that NO
place Tor the reception OF the free blacks could be obtain
ed--but that no one had been provided at present
Mr.. Fisher resumed. He did not think The ,ne,ns
would at first be provided for the removal of greater
number than could be received Lber and as that ter
tory became settled other regions could secured for
the purpose. The gentleman from Fauquer was of opinion
mat our laws ought to be made in accordance with the
feelings oil those upon whom those laws were to opc-
rac-Dut th' principle did not apply in this case. II
we wait until the free negroes consent to leave the
Stafc we shall wait until /" time is 10 more" They
never VIII give their consent; and if the House a.
mends the bill proposed, their will be oh
famed in the manner pointed by the gentleman from
Dnwiddie-and 1t is grave question whether we shall
iorce The people to extor their from them i'm this
way. lie believed If the compulsory principle were
stricken out this class opeope would be forced to leave
by the harsh treatment OF the whites The people in those
parts oil The State where they most abound were de-
temined-as far he could learn through the pewspa
pers and other sourcesto get rid Of the free blacks and
he thought far better that the object should be
by law coercing their removal, than by false humanity
10 call down upon them crueles and priyaions which
they might escape. He well convinced that If the
Legislature determined get rid of these people This
provision ought to be retained in the BILL and although the
gentleman from Fauquer argues that have not now
the funds, seemed proper Mr.. f., that the funds
should be provided; and had now the same reso
ces that shall have hereafter He trusted therefore that
The amendment would not be adopted.
Mr.. Bryce OF g., would very willingly accede TO the
amendment, if modified TO interfere with the pro
vision that those who should be freed hereafter. should