Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-02-11


liberated at eighteen, and the males at weny-ono years
of oge and with this compromc, with this permission
hold slaves until they shall arrive at these respective
ages are told that we should be satisfied. Because
say the gentlemen, the subjects which the law propos-
to operate not IA eSSe, and therefore, cannot be
regarded property IL Is true that they are not ia
at the time of the enactment Of the law but they
must be SO before it operate, and they will then, all
purposes, DO property; depnv walton OF which, would be
fragrant violation OF rights, il it were
upon those In possession. But Sir, any
seriously believe, that the people of thiS Commonwealth
are so destitute oil common sense to consent TO submit,
10 the care and expense oil rearing slaves, when they
20 be wrcscd from their possession they shall
arrive at age capable OF rendering efficient service
under the operation OF this scheme! The time Sir, would
arrive when the holder would have in his pos
session but the old and niirn, those of tender
age, winch, so lar from being source oil emoumcnt,
would be that OF trouble and eXpencc; and principle
Sense would induce Immediate surrender of
the property What does it signify them Sir for pen,le
TO tell that this only proposes 10 operate
upon the atcrhorn, those eSSe when its effects
will be 10 desloy the value OF the property aud force
surrender at The hands OF every individual in the Common
weal, IT, Sir, you have the right 10 lcgsate the people
ont of the Increase OF this property, YOU have the pow
10 attack that which IL in their possessions; the litter
Is not secured by higher authority than the former For,
the principle, that pdrtits Scqitr pcnhen, has been
sustained by the force OF common throughout all
ages. by similar process OF reasoning this Legis-
iaturc wo1d have the power 10 declare all white per-
sons who might be born after the 1910, slaves.
II would be in vain that their descendants sboud an
peal 10 the Constitution which had been framed by their
iNcr aud bcqueathed legacy TO them: would be
senccd by the argument, that they IN at
oppreson-An extension of the principle, Mr. Speaker,
would lead 10 the destruction right now
cured 70 me citizen the proceeds OF his labor might be
coniscated The increase OF his property wrescd from his
possessions and the interest accring upon his money ap.
Piled any purpose which might be the pleasure OF this
august assembly 10 direct. Sir, YOU NAV disguise this
proposition in any form in which the ingenuity OF man can
clothe it, but its ostensi'le object deprive the people
oi ts commonwealth of their inherited and vested rights
orr In tue popular commoons that often agiated the
Republic OF Rome demagogues presented themselves " no
advocated the adoption of Agrarian law. But Sir,
when That measure actually carried into effect, when
an the established principles of the Government vio-
lated and the progate citizen the rank of the
most provident there was rejecting mind, that did
oonsuer Us poending the ruin OF the empire, the pre-
inonitory symptoms oil political CONFUSION that
snake the Government to its cenrcand in what, sir does
this measure differ from that? That did carry pon the
face some scmbance of Justice as much as it proposed
an equal division of property. But this has no such me rit:
u Is arbitrary in its operations and threatens total annih
iaon oil the interests which the people have in the future
increase OF their property But gentlemen say they have
ma right to do this because from the rapid increase of the
slaves, they may in the of time endanger their
safety H. SIR this be sufficient justification for the
rignt 'hoy would violate, let extend the principle,
anu see The consequences TO which it would lead-It
WIN be admitted that the Eastern and middle sections of
me state combined, would have the political asccndancy
IN thS body and il is aPprehcnded that in the event
OF another political revolution, Ito wit the call of
ConvenIion) the West might gain the power Now
or, In order TO prevcnt this, would according TO
thclr own principles, have the right TO render their
ahd Naueess by heavy system of taxation and there
by prevent the increase OF its popuation-bu is il not
apparent, that legislation this principle would lead
w Il Votai obstruction oi property and finally a
VERSION oil inc Government: In any view, Sir, in
which this substitute presents ITSELF regard as mprac-
ana destructive 10 the chartered rights Of the
community was aslonlshcd, Sir, yesterday, when
heard the genteman from Montgomery, in the eloquent
enusion OF bis excited Imagination, assume the bold and
might add non,tous position that slaves were not recoa
hSGu as property by the Cons,ituonbut were held as
such only by the statute, which subject at any time
10 be repealed at the pleasure of this Houseand their
ehaaeer as property thereby destroyed The train of
reminded me OF what has been said OF another 6e6rv;
equally "thena, and not less susceptible of demonsa-
ton.
Who" Bishop BolAey said there no matter,
h%a proved d IL was no matter he said
Too subtle for tho wscst human head.
iiut' Notwithstanding his system of refinement must
neg 10 dIier from him as il regards the tenure by
which he supPoses hold this property II ia mo-,
held, in my humble opinion, by tho iiaii tenure of
statute that can he repealed at the pleasure OF this House
But the right is derived from the highest source Of mover
IS cngraed upon the Constitution ofhc Stacyea re-
cognised and specifically protected by the provision of tho
Constitution of the United States itself By reference
or 10 mat Instrument will be found, that il recognises
the right opopery in the slave, by providing for their
enumeration in the ratio of representations and nv const
,ulng them objects OF taxation it not only recognised
properly IN slaves, held at the time of adoption but IL
guaranteed The right OF the people of the United States TO
import them from abroad for the period of twenty years
ms sir, should suppose would be sufficient IN can
vince the gentleman that derive the right from bio
or source than that which he has been pleased to
the claim. ftcn, Sir, ain correct in the view Thai
nave submitted In relation the constitutional protection
OF sproPey, the conviction forces itself upon my mind
at 10 proceed in the manner proposed would be an ac
uSuIpduoIl because inc Constitution oil the
Stae expressly prohibits The Legislature from passing any
law whereby private property shall be taken for public
uses without Just compensation-and this, suppose is
scarcely contemplated, when the gentleman from BerLe
icy tells us that they have rh TO abatc il as nuisance
Sr' we were furthermore told by the gentleman from
montgomery, that this sectional question; that The
west were as deeply interested in its result as The East
ana no consideration but of duty had impeIed
ch 10 acuon on the subject Sir il may not be so in The
esllnauon oil that geneman; but the force of circum
stances renders it suchand the evidence oe fact must
be 100 apparent 70 have escaped the detection of the most
careless observer Look Sir, the last censtsond vo
nm mat mere are only tltythrce thousand slaves i'm the
western DIVISION oil the State whilst there are more than
iour hundred thousand in the East Is il not evident Sir
from TINS consideration, that the East almost
interested IN The result Of the TO he adopted.
anu mat gentlemen are sacrificing interest i'm this mar
luminous effort of their philanthropy? Suppos, Sir that
tins system should be carried into effect? 10 what section
oil Tie country would its operation be chiefly confined, In
many oil Inc Western counties it would scarcely find
subject on which 10 act 1t vii! be recollected that rn
the dcHDeraon OF the Conventions this question formed
prominent feature IN the strife that yyaged for political
power; ana mat gentlemen then willing 10 ruaran-
c It's projection by constitutional provision in the event
"a' me representation OF the country should be based
upon ils white population But now, with the exception
OF inc clano Mclvcr, who have never levied black mail
upon their lrcnds they assa il with violence uuprece-
denied IN the history Of legislation. Can gentlemen cal
Cae upon producing the impression, that their oppose
uoh 70 slavery springs from elevated sense of lib
cry man that which aDinatcs the bosom of Eastern Vir
gh'a' 10 Sir; because the time has BEEN when senti
mems oil very opposite character were heard TO cmanao
from The Lofty SUBMITS OF their mountans.
When proposition pending before hi. House in |
u"yS mat nave passed, TO remove the restrictions that have
DC upon the further introduction OF this proper