Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1832-03-22


cd To think that . man might raise
what he pleased on his own land, and
enjoy whatever he did raise; but here
too, sir, We are controlled ~ the same
rule. No man would be permitted to
raise any thing on his own land, that
would be deletcrious to the public
he might be engaged 10 raising the far.
famed Upas tree; but he would Ger.
tainly be checked in this too. will
give another familiar illustration Of the
supremacy Of this rule, 10 regard to
the public safety. If q man builds a
valuable mill on his own land, and has
a pond annexed to it, which happens to
infect the whole neighbourhooJ with
disease, rs IS very often the case, what
Is the consequences The mill pond
must come down, even though all the
owner may be worth may be vested in
the milI, aud he gets not cent Of com.
prnsa,ion. What are tho laws against
usury, and many OF the laws with re-
gard to slaves themselves, but illustra-
tions Of the control which the Legisla.
ture exercises over all property, for
the public safety? Ii might 6e said
with plausibility that man 10 entitled
TO til. increase that any sum Of money
he may have will bring him; if il will
yield him 90, so or so per cent, he
ought to have it; having the capital
stock, he ought to have the increase;
but we know that all persons in this
State arc prohibited, under severe pc.
nslties, from receiving more than 6
per cent. And presume il will be
admitted that the Legislature might
prevent the taking Of amy increase or
interest on money. Ia this the use and
enjoyment Of property are controlled
by what is deemed the public veal
Suppose we declare that ell the chill
dren Of slaves which shall be born az
ter the year 1910, shall be entitled TO
their freedom on their birth, subject to
the following conditions: that they
shall serve the owners Of their mother .
Tor 20 or 25 years, or such length OF
time as may be deemed necessary to
remunerate them for the expense Of
nurture; then TO be hired out for such
length o! time as may be necessary TO
raise money to transport and settle
them; aud lastly, that they shall leave
the State IN some short time after all
these things are done. Here the own
er of the females will not lose any
thing; he will only be prevented from
making gain by the raising of slaves,
which would endanger the public safe
~. Here we prevent right from
Vesting. because it is dangerous to the
public We do not divesf a vested right.
Sir, slave holders may object to such
an enactment, because II will prevent
them from making gain by the raising
Of slaves; but, ~ my humble jndg
ment, there Is no sound constitutional
objection TO such al enactment. II
slave owners should not choose to hold
female slaves thereafter, subject to such
! conditions, they could sell them before
or after the commencement Of the ope-
ration Of the rule. | do not believe
that the adoption Of such plao would
lessen the present value Of slaves.
We secure 10 the present owners the
whole of the present stock absolutely ;
II certainly would not lessen the value
OF tue males ~ the least. All the chill
dren Of the females, for eight years 10
come, would lie slaves forever. and
those born after that, must remuneraie
the master. by service, Tor their Dur-
ture. The adoption Of such a system
would give stability to this property (;
1t would lrapqu'liZe the public mind ;
even the colored classes, seeing that n
settled policy wos adopted towards
them, would become more quiet and
reconcIlsd, and would abandon all vain
hopes and imag'natIons Of any general
or immediate emancipation. This
process would remove the evil gradu.
ally, and certainly would produce no
shock TO sOcieiy-the places Of the
slaves would be gradually filled by
lTeemen, aud the habits Of the people
would be gradually adapted TO the
change. Our pOsterliy will be most
interested N this matter, aud think
you, sir, they will regret the adoption,
by Us, Of such SYSTEM No, sIr-it
viii be the best legacy We can possibly
leave then. Had this been done so
or so years ago, would we now regret
IT. No. 81. Vr should now be ihe hap.
pest people On earth. SIR, I am sorry I
have not confidence ia the scheme Of
the geHtlcmsB from DiDwiddie, 10 re.
more this evil from among US. lie
states the annual increase Of the co.
Toured pOpUlalIOn, bond and free,
nov, ht about 5000, and he proposes
to raiss the sun Ut two hundred thou
sand dollars annually, TO delsy the
eIPen'e of removing aud settling this
bumuef ~ Africa. lie estimates the
annual increase If slaves nov a, 4, 500,
and he seems TO natter himself that
this number wiii be gwen Up annually
by their owners, 10 be eoionlLed. -
Wat will thcsc slaves be worth az
tue lInis they Will be ft TO be eoloniL.