Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-01-26

| ihH 10 Te>trIil them from mischief
| 'hcy act the procmrcrs at news and the
carriers o: intelligence, aud by ,hr,r presence
hHa aSs'ciatinn, are continually r"mind!nu
| The slave, Ct the difference in THEIR
condition and tho bondage in wh'ch nr lives
| Now, Sir. Il this l."C;s,'urc shall determine
TO remove the f?,c to,or"d population, ii is nj
, n.j ct which canrot be effected under period
often year,, even in the opinion of those in favor
oi the highest rate OftaXa,i"n for that object,
during Tins period, il will absoih ali The d,.rosa.
Die means Of the State; and financial arrange
incits Tor other purposes, must ool: bey' nd tina,
| tiinr. Then, Sir, where is thc reason pr neces-
tsfy f'r Tin" in2a'i 'a:c AMI pre:ioi'ancy Of
gen..emen' We might esi>atc on The SUBJECT
~ slavery to omr heat con,rni; bat it w.:u:,
b. useless nn'l inope.a'". Nay, worse. for
should |. M. m.ct Will, pih,ic apo;Aha'ioa Won
VIII have inflicted III iriu:y. which time itself
can never cute: aud should the public mind BIO
SOW prepared FIR such iscasura, Il few months
delay wil h.t chaLSe il, ar impair the uscf.lncss
| at subsequent lcgi.!u;i,p. We have already
awakchcd the public mad To is ;Etcscs' in this
sihlcc', and hear lily agree with scn,lcmen
al 1t Will. not soUa slGmbGr again. Gcnlc-
nicr, wish 10 ascertain the public w.l-b,,t &
lEile patience, NJ Speaker, AID they will hear
The great object of the gentleman from Alhc-
mafie. in Proposing his substitute is TO allay the
pub!." apprehension of danger and restore tina,
sense og security which IS lost-hc Processes TO
r:islatc for The benefit those of us now on earth;
ana the necessity for Immediate leg s!aton s just
He'd hy Il rcicrcnGa 10 tho tragicai history of Au-
gust last, and tho consequent imminent danger
Under which VIC live; and what the measures
proposed Ter tle accomplishment OF these p.cgcu,
am" pressing Objects! 1t is, Sir, to make lcgisln-
i've cnnc'mcntS, which can, by possibility, sub.
serve the purposes OF tho present generations hu,
must operate only on our children and childrem's
| children. We arc told, that dangers press clnsu
ufrn uS--'hat an snctny isia oAr .esy honsci."d de
that we sleep inscnsih,o Of the threatening nor
rors wt:ah surround ~; ana that friends, they
must arouse UP from onr lcthargy, and save from
| apcnting ruin. Sir, feel gratcfu--but we
doubt whether Il law, which is TO commence it's
operation fwenty nine years finn this iime, will
meet the demands of emergency so pressing
and inportunntc. We doubt, whether laws enact.
cd tor the preservation of tho lives of succeeding
generations, will avail much, in shielding ms from
the impending and almost immediate murder and
| massacre, of which we have heard % much. IT,
| however, were TO estimate dangers, from
| the projection oar friends cfcr US, and not from
| inc accounts they give us of them, I should he
inclined 10 indulge the hope, that oar condition
Is rot so desperate rs they think il. If We may
| judge the opinions uI ..a thysicisa from tho
| medicines he administers his a.cai.t IF the dis
ease Is rather hieh-wrousht and exaggerated.
| III, however, Mr.. Speaker, gentleman have zeal
~ persuaded themselves that this prospective
measure Of emancipation will suppress, allay, or
diminish the spirit of INSTRUMENTATION which thoy
contend characterizcs Our slave population at this
Sine, think they mistaken. If the spirit of
revolt and iasurrcc,ion is ecal so deeply Impressed
upon their minds, is thought and intimated |
tho measure proposed will neither satisfy nor
pr"pitIatc IT: 1t argues but little knowledge of
human nature to suppose, that reconcile one |
generation to seryitude and bondage by telling it,
that that which is TO follow shall he free. The |
! very declaration encourages and auTmcnts the
dangers Of the present time. We give color and
sanction to the forcblc acquisition of that to-day
which VIC proclaim we ought in justice % yield |
| fSsmoTo'r If one insurrccsion has been sutlci-
c"' 10 secure The liberty ofsucceeding generations,
might 1t not DC inferred tha; dnothcr would achieve
inc freedom of the present? ] know, Sir, that |
such an inference would be drusive. l knew
mat The result Of any insurrcctioH in Virginia
TOT centuries to conc, DiHst be- tIa O&tGrml ina
ton ni its perpetrators: and olian rcpenica ii.o
'ota' destruction and qEnihilaion of the slave po-
pQls:ioa. Kat speak OF the influence of timid |
anu tcmporIzing measures the minds and scnti-
mcnts of the slaves themselves. One act of insul.
ordination has created in the minds Of gentlemen,
apprclensions of danger from the whole class of
slaves now in cxis;cncc--thcy propose by lo.iSa-
lion 10 remove the danger. IL the apprehension
TO well founded tho proposition ofthc gentleman
from Albcmarle cannot remove the dangcr.-If it
W not wcl-f"undcd, there is necessity for e-
gislation noo.
This subject, Mr.. Spsg.4r, above all Others de-
madE The n'si cautious Legislation, the most vgi.
liant ciFGiimspection at hands. Ii should ne
ver appear, that excitement or apprehension was
the motive which impcllcd To action. If the
slave he our enemy, let Gs not inspire him with
confidence III his .EcJS:! ty ready concessions.
made tho very Mt that ;nsurroctionary sp1.
rit displays itself. If we do sir all hope Of quiet
| and security must be Abandoned: one concession
but lays tho foundation of demand FOR another
partial Instructions will follow each other in Guck
succession; until the awful drama would he closed
by sweeping from tic earth, poor ignorant dc;p-
dcd, and III sghidcd people. IL is Subject which |
ought never To- be publicly discussed, Until the &C.
neral sense of the community strongly incli- |
ned 10 efficient action, and tho time, the mode,
aud measure OF such action generally understood /,
and sanctioned, Above all, sir, ought we never
10 excite in the mi';dF az ts ignorant class CT our
population, dclusivc hopes and e: pcctaii,ss 1ou
! make chem more unhappy, and ourselves less Sc
! cure.
| But the proposition under discussion. and lis
agitation here, while il wiIl-shuuld it tnil-hqvc
'nspirco such hopes and cSpcctatons-iS liable in
J thc event OF its adopior 10 even more serious ",
| lcctions. l. proposes to omancipats all slrvcs
born in Vrgia, a|lcg tilc 1ih Of :uy, 1910, at the
! ages of twcnty-onr, aud cigt+ccn-5as thcy arc
| males or females, unless thcy RE CARRIED
i'"yond TIC llits OF tie Stie, before they rsach
| those ages 1t leaves in absolute aud rnccn-
| ditional slavery, all living, who riay
be born before that period. This, Sir il
| the scheme which is 10 disarm slave
| population of lis dingcrs-its iusnhordina; ons--
! snd its nclrrsctiqnary spirit and also TO restore
| an alarmed, di.iuetcd, qnl unhappy community
to the full enjoyment of safety, contpl2ncc and re-
Frosc. These the avowcd objects of gegtlc
JaSn-and submit il to the wisdom q! ;js body TO
determine, whc...ST this measure W.sl accomplish
them. 1T proposes 10 yccanSle ouy slaves to bond
agC--wliOsc hearts, they inform u.s. arc nGw lpltn
! ing with the desire of frecdom-and how by in
forming them, that though the next generation
may bc free fkcmsclga3 yccd hope no moderation OF
their cundi1Qi a. our banh--that as they born
| slaves, they shall die .lavCs. AHd think
you, Sir, That this will lnaka !hc slave sub
| inssivc, and the master cafe! Far better were
4 1t that silence had gcaIcd lips. by the
declaration, you admonish him that but
course is lct open to his pursuit, and he will fol-
tl, sI. :