Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1832-01-20
THE GREAT QUESTION.

and his tirmness. Let him adhere 10
this ground, and fulfil the great benefits,
he more ,han any other living man, has
in his power to confer upon his country.
We will fight by his side, in this holy
cause, to the jeopardy, Gf need be) the
Toss of all. We are no enthusiasts nei-
Their. We despise the sickly philan-
thropy which at distance, weeps at
what it does not comprehend. We go
for the 'chites and the country. The
slaves will be tcOrSted.-Rich. Wing.
FROM THE ENQUIRER.
Yes-something must be done-and
it is the part of no honest man to deny
it--ofno free press to affect to conceal
it. When this dark population is grow
ing upon us; when every new census is
but gathering its appalling numbers upon
U.S. when within period equal TO that
in which this Federal Constitution has
been in existence, those numbers will in
crease to more than two millions within
Virginia when our Sister States are
closing their doors upon our blacks for
sale, and when our whites are moving
Westwardly, In greater numbers than
we like to hear of--When this, the fair
est land on all this Continent, for soil and
climate and situation combined, might
become sort of garden spot, if it were
worked by the hands white men alone,
can ,ce, ought ,ce, to sit quietly down, fold
our arms and say to each other, "Well,
well; this thing will not come to the
worst in our day. We will leave it to
our children and to our grand children,
and great grand children, to take care of
Themselves and to brave the storm %
Is this to act like wise men? Heaven
knowsl we are no fanatics-We detest
the madness which actuated the Amis
DIES NOirS.-But something ought to be
done-Means sure, but gradual system
attic, but discreet, ought to be adopted,
for reducing the mass of evil, which is
pressed upon the South, and will still
more press upon her, the longer it is put
of. We ought not to shut our eyes,
nor avert our faces. And though we
speak without hope, that the Commit
tee or that the Legislature, will do any
thing, at the present session, to meet
this question, yet we say now, in the ut
most sincerity of our hearts, that our
wisest men cannot give too much of
their attention to this subject-nor can
they give it too soon.
The stand taken by the Enquirer, in
the foregoing, called forth the follow
ing note from grave Senator, Mr.. A
lexander, from Mecklenburg
9th JANUARY, 1882.
MeSsrs. Editors Owing to the late
publications in your paper advising the
gradual emancipation Of our slaves, you
will discontinue sending the Enquirer to
my Post Office, and consider me no lon
gera subscriber to paper so reckless in
its course, and so regardless of the safety
and property of others. Yrs. &c.
NATH. ALEXANDER.
Messrs. RIrcmIE e. Cook, Eds. Enq.
To which the editors made the fol-
lowing piquantreply on the same paper:
SU.-Your paper is discontinued with
pleasure. A note so RECKLESS" in its
assertions as this, is fit only for the hands
which penned it. We have no further
occasion for it. RITCHIE s. COOK.
Whereupon Alexander waxed nigh
ty in wrath, but weak in discretion.--He
forthwith issued an edict thro' the Wing,
calling upon the people Of Eastern Vir-
ginia to meet at convenient places and
prescribe the Enquirer! Like the SOL
der who climbed the cliffs of the Hud-
son, he was hugely eleuated.-"Atten-
ton the Universe by Kingdoms to the
right wheel-march p'-was the ex-
preston given to the emotions of the
soldier. Nevertheless "the Universe
stood still and unheeding, So we guess
it will be with Eastern Virginia, so far
as concerns Mr.. Alexander's edct.
The editors of the Enquirer have
since handled Mr.. Alexander in their
paper, in strain of just severity. We
are gratified to state that the editors
stand firm to their ground.-Their
course, as far as it has been known here,
has elected the warmest commentator.
1t is generally remarked in the newspa-
pers that the present winter has been sim
guiarIy fatal TO aged persons. The Ports
mouth On. Hampshire, } paper observes that
thirty-one deaths occurred in that town in