Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1832-02-02

| principles ana eastern interests, that | CT
press my conviction that this question hs
become measure Of vital pelicy with th
west II 70 With Us a necessary measure O
sell defence IL we are 10 remain united a
enc .people--and the gentleman from Dnwid
Ole has proclaimed kis maxim to be s'Nirgini,
one ana indivlsiben--what my maxim mai
ne Sii' w'li depend upon events (Which nov
cast their shadows before them" II we ar
10 remain united, we must have some guar
antee. that the evils under which you labor
shail not be extended 10 Us. To my mind
there are but two modes by which this guar,
antee can be made satisfactory either by
doPting gradual scheme Of emancipation
which viii necessarily check the evl-of by
allowing us the privilege of forbidding the
further introduction Of your slaves west OF
the Blue Ridge mountains.
CIR, what is our condition. mean the
present condition Of The Pest speak not as
theorist-l speak as TO facts. Sir, the west
ern part OF this State now aifords-of viii
from the course OF the legislation adopted in
our nelshbouriag States, very shortly stford,
the only outlet to your redundant and over.
howing slave population Compare that fact,
with those statistical results which have been
made manifest in the course OF this discussion,
to wit:
That the toaiie population increases in a
RATIO OF one per cent. while the black popu
taftoa increases In q ratio OF three per cent,
per auhuu,
That IN forty years the black population
will exceed the white population, in The coun
try between the Blue Ridge and Ocean. ut
least four hundred thousand souls --and 10
what conclusions will il lead? Either that
you must find some means OF getting rid oil
this rapidly increasing black population, or
in the course OF a few years there will not be
a white iuhn htaBl IN this region
Heretofore the Wesiein part Of this State
has been protected from this redundant slave
population, by the character OF its grazing
and agricultural empoynents, and by the
innumcrable outlets. through which it esca
ped to every portion OF the Union This was
our protection; and pronounce it, Sir, our
only protection Bat now, Maryland, en- the
North, has closed her territory, against the
further importation of our blacks -Pcnnsyl
vania Is engaged in lcgislasing, with view
to the same result Kentucky has taken the
alarm; and the Southern markets are closed
against us What, Sir, will now bncome OF
that immense expectation Of slave property,
which annually subs'racted from, yet could
not keep down, this prolific and rapidly in
creasing racer VIII the gentleman from
Brunswick inform me, what is TO become oil
this redundant black population? Occluded
from the Soutb-eTcompas,ed by the Ocean
on The East = tho Pennsylvania portcul!is clio
sed-the North and West guarded ca.tled
and sen'inellcd what, TASK, Sir, is to b, come
of itf The result is as inevitable as that
great law OF physical nature by which fluids
seek their level Sir, will not the waters, thus
crammed mp, flow back to the farthest Yves
tern extremi,Ies Of this Commonwealth? WiI
not Tire Pyrenees Vaaish? Shall we not become
one universal slave holding and slave destroy.
ed peopleP
Sir uniformity 10 political views, feelings
and interests in all the parts Of this widely
extended State. would, admit. be exreme
~ desirable But that uniformity 10 purcha-
sed at too dear rate, when the bold and in
trepid forester of the West must yield to the
slothfnl and degraded African--and those
hills and vallies which until now have re echo
cd with the songs aud industry Of (reemen,
shall have become converted into desoiation
and barrenness by the whitening footsteps oil
slavery Sir, our native. substantial, indepen-
dent yeonanry, constitute our pride, efIicien
cy and strength; they are our defence in
war, cur ornaments IN peace; and no popu
lation, will venture 10 affirm upon the face
Of the Globe, is more distinguished for an
elevated love Of ireedom-for morality, vir-
the, frugaEty, and independence. than the
Virginia peasantry West Of the Blue Ridge
Sir may Heaven protect Us frosl that curse,
bg which alone, so noble a race can be ex
terminated from their castles and inheritance!
Sir, If the proposition was now submitted
10 this body. to prohibit the further introdnc.
ton Of slaves west OF the Blue Ridge. think
yon. that such proposition would meet the
concurrence Of the gentleman from Mecklen
burg, and those who act with himp am sure
il would not, Sir. speak sdvisedly when
say know that that gentleman would vot,
for division OF the State, before he would
support such measure And whyp Because
i you thus deprive the East of the only mar
l,et now open to them, for the disposition o
their surplus slaves An era or commercia
intercourse is now fondly anticipated in tn.
fancy of these gentlemen, between the Eas
and the West New ties and new attach
ments are now TO connect us more closely II
the bends OF an intimate and fraternal Uni
on. Human flesh is 10 be The staple of tina
trade. Human blood the cement of that con
nexfon And in return for The rich product
Of our vallies, are we to receive The rlcel
measured and graduated limbs OF our species
Sir, a sagacious politician in this State, O
the evening Of the debate upon the presenta
ton and reference of the Hanover petition
remarked TO me, "Why d. you gentleme
from the Yves, suffer yourselves to be fame
INTO such tempest of passion when the sut
| ieet Of slavery is introduced IN the House
The time will come, and that before Ions
4 IL L. ..~sx. 49,