Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-01-17

maticn of tho world. His reason bcclouded M il
is, tells him that to hold him in slavery is n viola,
ton of his natural rights; and considering himself
as entitled to full remuneration for his labor. he
does not regard it fault, to appropriate any
part OF the masters property to his own use. He
looks upon the whole white population as portic
patiRg in the wrongs he endures, and never scru-
pies to revenge himself by nuring their property;
ind he is never deferred from tho commission of
theft, except by fear ofthe punishment consequent
on detection. The dcmoraizing influence of tho
indiscrninaie intercourse of the scXes among our
slave population, need only to be limited at, to be
fully understood. Can it be expected sir or will
it be contended, that where large a mass of the
population of the country is corrupt that the other
classes can entirely escape the coniagion7 Sir, il
is impossible and tho dissolute habits of n large
number Of our citizens especially of the very poor
est class, is too notorious to DO denied and tho
cause of 1t is too obvious to DO disputed Far be
it from me- Mr.. Speaker to assert, that virtue and
morality cannot at all exist among tho free where
slavery is allowed, that there are not MANY high
minded, honorable, vrtuous and patriotic ndvidu-
ais even in those parts Of tho State, where tho
slaves are most numerous. know there arc many
such. I only contend, that it is impossible in the
nature of things, that slaves can be y;r.uous and
moral, and that their vices must have to some ex.
tent, an injudicious influence upon the morals of
the free.
There is another, and perhaps less auestona-
BILE evil growing out of the existence of slavery in
this country, which cannot have escaped the obser-
walton, or failed to have elected the profound re.
grets of every patriotic and Rejecting individual in
tho Assembly. allude sir, to the prevalent, and
almost universal in,lispostion of tho free popula-
ton, to engage in the cultivation of tho soil. that
species of labor, upon which the prosperity of
every country chiefly depends That being tho
species OF labor in which slaves usually employ
cd, 1t is very generally regarded as mark of ser
vitudc, and consequently degrading and disrcpu-
table, 1t follows of course, that the entire popu-
iation OF the State must be supported by the labor
of that half which is in slavery and it will hardly
be denied, that it is TO this circumstance principal
iy, II not solely, that to ascribe the aston
ishing contrast between the prosperity of the non
slave-holding, and slave-holding States of this
U"ion. How many eases do around u.s. of
men In moderate circumstances, who too proud to
TIL the earth with their own hands are gradually
wasting away their small patrmonal estates and
raising their families in habits of likeness and ex
travngance? How many young men, (who, wero
1t not for the prevailing preudices Of the country
might gain an honorable and honest subsistence by
cultvatng the soil,) do see attempting to force
themselves into professions already crowded to ex-
cess, in order to obtain rrecarIous subsisencel
and how many of these do resort to intcm-
perancc to drown reflection, when want of success
has driven them TO despair? We learn from those
who have had ample means of deciding, that the
situation of the yeomanry of the middle and north
crn States, is, in every respect, different from that
OF the same class of people in the slave holding
States. There the farmer cultivates his land with
his own hands, which produces all the necessarics
and many of the comforts of lifc in abundance
tic rears up his children in habits of industry un.
exposed to the alurements OF vice, and instead OF
beng a burthen, they assist him i'm his labors Ii
err we compare the face of the country in Virginia
with that of the Northern States we shall find the
result greatly to the disadvantage CT the former
We shall see the Old Dominion though blessed Inv
nature, with all the advantages of a mild climate
a fruitful soil, and fine navgable BAYS and rivers
gradually declining in all that constitutes national
wealth. In that part of the State below tide-wa.
Ter, the whole face of the country, wears an an
Pearance of almost utter desolation distressing 10
the behodcr. Tall and thick forests of pines, are
every where to be seen, encroachng upon the once
cultivated fields and casting deep gloom over the
ianu, winch looks as 1t nature mourned over the
misi9rtunes of man. The very spot on which our
| ancestors landed, little moro than two hundred
yecrs ago, appears 10 be tho eve of again be-
coming the haunt of wild animals. No man cam
doubt SIR but that the deterioration in the appear
ance OF the country, is owing mainly to the care
less manner in which the soil is cultivated Inv
slaves, and the Incidence of the white population
nor can we hesitate to ascribe the 1ourishinp con-
dition of the non-slave holding States, which are
every where covered with highly cultivated farms,
thriving villages, and an industrious white popu
lation, to the absence of slavery.
third consequence of slavery is that it detracts
from the ability of country defend itself AGAINST
foreign aggression. Every slave occupies the Mace
of freeman, and if we regard them merely ne non
portion to their numbers But we cannot rational
iy regard them Deutrals for the desire of free
dom ~ so deeply implanted i'm the human breast
that no time or treatment entirely eradicate il
and they will always be disposed to avail them
selves of favorable opportunity Of asserting their
natural rights. 1t will consequently be necessary
to employ certain proportion of the efficient force
OF the whites to keep them in subsection What
that proportion will be, will not undertake exact
ly to determine; but 1t may be safely assumed that
wherever the slaves are numerous as the whites
1t will require half of the effective force Of tho
whites to keep them quiet; and such is the fact as
to the whole of Eastern Virginia And in those
such Amelia, Notoway, Greensvillc
Charles City, King William, and some others, in
when the slaves are more than double as numerous
as the whites the force of the latter as to defence
against an invading army, may be considered as
wholly Inefficient. And for the same reason. the
counties of Brunswick, Charlotte, Mecklenburn.
and many others, in which the slaves are nearly
twice as numerous the whites, could spare no
part oil their forces to contend against an invasion
OF the State. L hope, sir, that my mentioning the
counties have enumerated, and the proportions of
their different kinds of inhabitants, will not be at
tributed to any disposition in me- to shew the
slightest disrcspcct either to the people of those
counties or their representatives on this floor.
am contending that where the proportion of slaves
10 the freemen is great as it is in those coun
ties, and can satisfactorily scw it will be throueh
out the State, in less than thirty years unless we
do something to get clear of the former. that il
wholly lDcapachates country for defence against
foreign enemy, aud mention those counties bv
way Of illustrating my argument And. M
Speaker, think it can hardly be contended, that
have estimated the force necessary for kecping tho
slaves in subsection too HIGH when it is rccolected
hat they are intimately acquainted with all the
secret passes, strong holds, and Businesses of the
country, and being restrained by no moral or potr
Att will ho