Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-02-24
TO THE EDITORS OF THE En-

some structures which appeared i'm your paper of
the 10th, on the Hanover Memorial under the sig
nature OF jefferson" have given me an opportun-
~ OF stating few facts with which, if the publica
tlon OF that memorial had been accompanied
should have remained silent.
The memorial was adopted at a meeting of the
ci'iZehs at thelr last court The weather had been
bad the whole of the preceding tav and NIGHT and
early OH that day it commenced showing. The meet
ing was OF course thin, but the memorial was re-
ceived with almost universal appreciation, and the
lew voices IN opposition to it could scarcely obtain
n hearing. That il has only forty-sx sirnnfres IL
to be ascribed to the inclemency of the weather
and to the desire that it might be presented TO The
Assembly before the discussion terminated: desire
winch was frustrated by decision of the question
on the day of the meeting. / think | am NOT mis-
taken in saying that the memorial speaks the senti
ments of nne-tenths of the persons i'm the county.
a proportion which, believe, on the question of
.'' III less than twelve month, will exist
throughout Eastern Virginia.
Ii has been said, the terms of the nemor;oI o,.o
notrespectful Many of the signers, if not ALL are
averse to the use of intemperate expressions and
would ieei moruhed to think the charge correct
l. ne language Is strong, but had we not from the
Assembly, provocaon to speak i'm strong Ianpuooe?
Our title 10 our slaves had been questioned and this
carries with 1t the charge that live in the constant
Pracuce OF injustice. The butchcry of our fellow
citizens, which calls for sympathy from the most nm
feeling, we We're told, was in the holy cause ofliber
ty; and few illusions made to Poland and
France, and some hint thrown out of leading the
oppressed from the land of bondage even through
the Red Sea.T-Now, these words and ,nonv Others
Just Violent had been uttered before the lime If
the meeting i'll Hanover. They were known to the
people, and the debate i'm which they had been spok
en-, was supposed to be then in progress Were
they not right to call this sporting with the lives
ana fortunes OF the people, to term the Ian
SuaSe Ihcendiary, and to urge the members of
the Assembly TO terminate such debate and to
return to their constituents? 1t may be said these
strong expressions i'm the Legislature were mo
of dol n
But this heat is not TO be confined within the walls
OF the Capitol, nor to one side only in the discussion
Let it be remembered that the excitement against
me saVe-hodersi offensive, lin every sense of the
Word)-lhe warmth on part is defensive
jefferson" asks, "Is il not stra,ee that fortvs;v
individuals could be found i'm the Commonwealth so
regardless of the rights of their feoyycitzens ne IN
uueraKe TO consure to direct, and control the Gene
raj Assembly From these words, suspect he is
a member This question sounds stranceIy indeed
to my ears Shall the freedom of debate and of the
press be allowed in the utmost latitude as if we
had no laws, and the freedom of remonstrance be
denied to the people? And shall not the terms
OF mat remonstrance be strong as the lanouage
which calls II forth? Yet our words are moderation
compared with the passages from the debates have
quoted.
The writer proceeds: "The Lords in England, in
protesting against the Reform Bill would use more
respectful language" This alusion is not bappv
we, the signers OF the memorial are of the people
lhe Assembly, from its relative situation, NAV with
more pfOpflety DE compared to the House of Lords
ana would ask If, in the debates of that BODY on
the Reform Bill, one single expression can be found
that IN violence approaches near to one hundred that
can be selected from almost any of the ATTACKS an
Eastern Virginia. To pursue the comparison-tbe
BRITISH House OF Lords is not more i'm opDosifion to
the interests and sentiments of the people of their
country, than is the tone assumed i'm the Assembly
10 tie interests and sentiments of the people of at
least the Eastern part of our State Such lano,,a nc
rs should not have been used to n respectable mi
noriy, or indeed to any portion of the people has
peen applied, to what aver, is a decided majority
IL VIII, hope meet with the disapprobaon of eve
ry part of the State and Of the speakers themselves
when they have reflected OH ali its consequences
The memorial says that every scheme of emanci-
patton is impracticablc Had there been doubt about
IT before, little remains since the publication of the
debate. "
Appeals have been made to the mechanics and
inc non-slayeholders, as if their interest was differ
ent rom that of the shareholders, and the large
shareholders especially: they will not respond to
Inese appeals. The mechanics are better paid here
ior helr labor than in any of the free States II is
not from slaves, but from another quarter that fhev
have to fear compeGtion-a competition. which
they know would, if our slaves were removed nro
badly drive them TO another country The rich
men are generally the owners of our fertile lands
they may be cultivated when wise legislation has
condemned the country around to lie waste-they
can always be sold for some price not very far be-
These expressions referred TO only il will be per.
cciyed, TO Fcpcl al atfack -