Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-03-10

Mr.. BRowN's Spccch-ConcluCled.l
Having arrived at the conclusion, that emanc patton is
mprachcable it would superfluous pursue the
SUBJECT iurtier Our deliberations, l humby conceive
ought never 10 have boon carried beyond this point. Oh
what avail Is II TO demonstrate that slavery evil
less be shown il possible TO ret nd OF m This
dlScusson however, has taken much wider range.
ucmcn have congratulated themselves that the seal of
crecy Is at last broken, that the prudent example set by
our ancestors oil celebrating with closed doors, has been
disregardcd, aud that they liberty, only TO ex
press their opinions, but send them forth TO the world
rhey have availed themselves fully of the opportunity.
ne subject has been considered i'll all its aspects rea-
uons The right of the his slavche mmorali-
~ and injustice of slavcrythe misces incts on the
unhappy negroi;s pcrnicous effects the character in
tercsis and safety the white man. have all been dcscan
ed on, with unmeasured freedom aud severity. have
been utterly astonished Sir at the character his debate
mas assumed The gentleman from kauawha, few weeks
since calling Tor the publication OF certain corrcspon-
dence, informed US that he should interfere this mat
Mr.. Summers rose to expain-IIe had stated on tho
occasion alluded that Ire had no plan TO proposehat
he should wait Tor the propositions OF others and that
meanwhile all the Information that could be Obtained was
desirable
Mr. Brown resurncd-I did intend to mpute to tha,
gentleman any want of candor Twas under the impras
sion enormously, however, satisicd) that
he had declared himself dsncrcscd on this subject aud
being under that impressions surprised, when he
sah III his eloquent speech Of yesterday that he would
glory III coming down TO lead forth the oppressed from the
land OF bondage, through the waves the Red Sea
iis explanation is satisfactory TO me, and doubtless
the House no matter, then, by what means this dis
cussioh may nave been Produced il is too late now TO
change its character. The charge has been made and
the issue is joined Ii any thing can be said i'm defence of
slavery, the occasion certainly demands it,
Ana Is there, them no apology Tor slavcryi Is it sin
oil so deep adye that dare vindicate III For my own
part sir, am not the advocate of slavery in the alb
sract and IL the question upon introducing it,
should be the very last to agree to il; but yet to
DC convinced, that slavery il exists in Virginia
Is either criminal immoral. IL was cast upon ms
by tho act OF others. 1t of the attendant cir
eumstances under which we were ushcred into life.-|
It was condition charged the of existence
II is our lot, dcsny-and whether in truth il be
right or wrong-whcther it be blessing or curse the
moment has yet been, when it was possible for m
10 Tree ourselves from it, This is enough to satisfy nv
conscience. The powers of man are imited-impossib
hes are not expected of him, will ho be required to
Who does the best that circumstance allows does we'll
ACTS nobly-angcls could more"
We told that the fault OF our ancestors II moi
our own-ihat the golden bait gcred shores and
Tiers We're race ofn06e and virGous men cake them
for all in ALL meier shall look upon their like again"
unjustly They did originate the slave trade We
nerable bishop of Chapa regarding the negroes as an in
crior race-irom mistaken motives OF pilanhropy-re-
their introduction into South America for the
purpose of relieving the Indians from the burden of work
ms the mines Some rowing Spectator, disappointed in
market elsewhere, brought his wretched cargo 10 our coast
The temptcr came, unlimited, he did into Eden, aud h
man ailty yielded TO his scducons Even them was
INDIVIDUAL cupdi,y alone that generated the evil The
government, resting the basis of PUBLIC OPINION,
was always opposed 10 it, Twenty three statutes were
passed by the House of Burgcsscs prevent the introduce
ton OF slaves into Virginia. and all ncgatived by the
British King. IL is TO this inhuman of his prcrogatvc
hat indignant aIsion is made in the declaration OF indie
pcndencc. As the revolution began, Virginia pro-
ibcd the slave trade, and it one of the first acs OF
her independence, 10 make il punishable with death When
the federal constitution presented 10 Virginia for aop
ton, twas objected to- the ground that it did pro-
h5it the states, immediately from allowing the further
importation oil siavcs-a traffic which was indignant
ly and elOquenily denounced by the ablcst membcrs
OF the convention. When Virginia gave the union
that priucey domain the northwestern territory which
now constitutes the states OF Ohio, Indiana and Illinois
she annexed the condition, that slavery should never
exist within its limits The celebrated ordinance of 1855
the future government Of the territory and the perpetual
Introduction OF slavery 1t drawn by Mr. jeder-
son. and passed by the vote of Virginia. Georgia and the
two CarOnaS, together with four other Satesany two
OF which, by voting i'll the negative, might have caused
its rejection.
This brief reference TO tho history of slavery prove,
not be controlled. Every effort made suppress it,
and when that no longer possible ehectua measures
were taken TO prevent its propagation elsewhere. What
was brought upon US without our agency, and tolerated at
first, from unavoidable necessity has become essen
al toour happiness and IS not inconsistent with that of the
slave himself In what code of ethics, human divine
is it written that slavery is offence of odous charac
ter that no circumstances paiac itnO necessity
it, Whence is derived the authority for saving that
bound TO pluck ii from her bosom, though her lfes blood
should gus after IT, Sir there pure and holy who
have looked upon ii without adherence. Even that
APOSTLE from whose mind-as arc told by the gentle
from Rockbrdgehc last shadows of sin and error
were CndSed away ny licdNcn d not condemn
slavery. So far from it, ST. Paul sent home TO his
master Philemon, Ga minister of the gospel a run
away slave whom lac met with at Rome, with let
ter asking forgiveness for the fugitive, and apologize
ing for having temporarily taken him into his service
The Saviour of mankind did condemn it, He appeared
in province of the Roman Empire, which filled with
slaves Their number was estimated at forty millions,
and their condition abect and wrechcd in the
The exercised without restraint the power of lie
and death the slave and exposed him, pleasure
the scourgc the cruciGx and the sword of the gladiator
The slave responsible with his life for that Of his
master, and put to death if the murdered
no matter by whom. Christ these slavcs--thcir
numbers and their yretchcdncss. Nothing escaped his
pervading eye. He into the world reprovc sin
and he did reprOve it, in all the diversified forms i'm which
it appeared before him. Yet he rebukcd slavery
by cxhortng masters 10 he kind 10 their
enoinng it to be faithful and obcdicnt Il
hcir masters. Shall we, Sir, affect a morality more
pure and exalted than that Of the primitive christians,
even the blessed author Of faith? Slavery prevails
over all the worldirom the Gauges 10 the Nile-roT
Indus TO the Pole. The principle exists every where
and is virtually felt among those who are called
free. Where Is the community in which there arc not in
dviduals who i'm dragging out Oilsomc and wrctchcf
mans contumely do not and feel that this world
made for Others? md who say that this partial evil
is not conducive the universal good, or, i'm man
ner subservent the bcncGccn purposes Of all
Providence? Nations stricken down under the rod o
affection and bowed low, for centuries the footstoo
oppression; but let IL iusfy the ways Of God 10 man,
that in the endless vcissudes Of human affairs c balance
may, at last, be rcdrcssed and rctrbuvc Justice done &
all We, ourselves, the slaves Of circumstances an'
if, in submitting to this universal ordor Of social being
do sin, let repoge with humble confidence DO th