Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-01-24

brunswick, (Mr. Gholsou) could rive rs any assn.
'ancc that ii would not increase until il reaches
point which II is horrible to contemplate, might
&c induced 10 acquioscc in the course which their
pathetic appeals suggest. But when they know il
rs oth"rwiSc-whcnthcy know that each successive
1Iiow IS dctracting from the small space OF ground
lct' between us and the angry ocean chatting at
our i"rt, how they asviSc uS--how can they
'driS" their own constituents to remain stin, when
III" hcN, advancing wave may ovcrwhclm thcm
'hu NJ, IN hopeless ruin and dcsolNtion!
S!r, II The gentleman from Mecklcnburg was
not satisfied when he submitted his resolution, he
must more be WINGED that this is one of those
questions which parliamentary adroi,ncs, can
Smother. The spir, of Free Enquiry is abroad
upon tho earth, and governments and all the ns;i
tutions connected with them, must he sustained
not by any mystical and supcrS;ious reverence FOR
them, as crisiing institutions, but they arc as
ccrtaincd after severe and rigid scruinv to sub.
serve She grca, ends of POPULAR ,ccGi. The same
question which is now convulSing Europe To it's
ccntre-which is purifying that most gifted coum-
try from the GCSpolism which for inauY ccEtu-
RES has hung IL, is in ii somewhat modified
shape operating uron the present enquiry. AS
with them, it is asked, why have we so long to-
ieratcG tie unequal aud oppressive institutions ol
our country'-why have we suffered ourselves TO
be ground in dust that others might be pan,pcr-
cd III luxury and case! of what use arc crowns
ana hereditary ariStocracicSl Do they answer
any great end of socicly!-do they coiiducc to the
happiness Of the PEorLE!--So with us, the cuuui-
y
the prosperity Of nation promoted by nourishnr
within her bosom, half million Of bouds,ncn ali.
en- 10 her in interest hostile 10 her in feeling and
prepared 1T any favorable moment to delugo Your
country in blood, and dance upon the rains Of
your liberty? I'm other words, are we better with
or Without slaves! 1t must come to that
point ut last. II slavery can DO sustain
cd institution conducive to the great
interests of society, it will he tolerated. II
not it must bow before The majesty of ,ha. ROW
mi cir WI. ,,,I -,
every effort TO sirangic this enquiry. You might
as Wei ottompt to chain the ocean, or avert the
avcngng thundcrbolts u! lIcavcn as TO drive the
people from any enquiry, which may result in their
better conoltion. This is too decp-too cngross;nu
subject of consideration. 1t addresses itself too
strongly TO our inicrcStS--to our passions and to
orr feelings. There is not couutv-not a
town-nota newspaper -not ircsdc in the State
where the subject is not fully and icoricssIy can
VaSScd and snail We, the constitutional, inquest ot'
the commonwealth, sworn to make Il true enquiry
INTO all the grievances Of the people, and To tho,
best ofopr abilities apply the rcmcdy-shall we,
alone, hc found 10 shrink from this enquiry, And
here permit me To advert TO Il remark which fell
Tam sure inadvertently, from the gentleman from
Brunswick. Because, iorsooih in asking this en-
curry, VIC have chosen To depart from the folly of
orr ancestors, and to discuss tins q,Icstiun-not
with closed doors-not in low and broathless wills
pers--nct with all the mur,mcry of al oriental
Dtvan, we have been told tina; are treating the
subject '.f'PpGntig"-not was done in the better
""gS of the Commonwealth. If fppancy, sir in
the vocabulary of that gentleman, signifies free
and open discussion of that Which concerns the
people, and which they have right to know,
p!end E"iity TO his chargc-most certainly no;
otherwise.
Sir, there was one idea advcrcd to by the gen
tieinan from acknowledgement upon ycstcr-
day by the gentleman from DinwidGe, (Air. Brod-
naN,) and not untrcqucntly announced upon the
tioor OF this House, which l feel constrained to
noticc;--a view OF my relation to Ibis great qucs-
ton, which If ever true, will take the liberty of
showing the !lo@gc is now no longer so. | alludc
SIR, 10 the intima,iou thrown out, that the whole
question of slavery is exclusively an Eastern gucs
ti0n-a question over which the gentlemen from
the East should enjoy and exercise exclusive lie gis
latlon, and that we of the West should content
ourselves with being mere ''lookers on in We
nice"-not actors or speakers in this thrilling and
important drama
Sir, upon this delicate question of jurisdiction
between TIE two portions OF the State, l shall
make but Il single remark. 1t shall be OK.
planatory of ing coursc-I Will not under
take to speak for others. My creed is this
that at the same time, that I am disposed TO ac
cord to the East, exclusive legislation upon tl.is
and every other question, where the consequences
oftat Legislation can alone affect themselves so
III the same spirit Of Hbcrulily and Justice, do ]
claim to be heard upon any and every subject,
where the effect CT your Legislation most f;luda
mentally and vitality concerns my own people
Upon any question touching slavery, per!laps in
Difference 10 the cXclusvcis,n winch by prcscriu-
ton the east has heretofore enjoyed upon that sub
iect, might make my creed still more liberal
Illus IN the Valley wchavc a large slave interest
yet greatly subordinate in amount to the samc spc-
cios OF property held in the country east oEe D!ua
Ridge In all the details then Of any scheme of
emancipation; in providing the requisite checks
and guards FOX property, should be disposed to
defer mitch 10 the wishes, opinions nay, if
you VIII have IT, even ,hc prcjldces of the east
But when You approach the simple and naked
question shall there be scheme OF cnan.
c'patIon? shall there be some check given
to this growing and all difFi.sing evil, l will
surrender to 10 man: for 1 maintain il, there
Is no portion OF the Commonwealth more deeply
moro vitality Interested in that question than the
country west ofthc Blue RIdgc-more particular.
iy the valley country claim TO know the int.
rests OF my constituents and knowing them, feel
myself bound icaressly to maintain them. We are
now In the situation in which your section oC the
country was SIP, something like ccnt,iry ago,
when Impressed with the growing evils OF slavery
you n0piorcd the British throne to forbid the fur
Their introduction OF slaves iato this State. That
petition was sFurncd. And history records the
consequences consequences to thom-ihc con-
sequences to you. This is the crisis Of our fate.
" e may now arrest the further march OF slavery
to the west--wc may "transse the infant Hercules
IN his cradle. Ii Is III my judgment the solemn du-
ty OF the Western Delegation to do so-or we
prove faithcSs TO that people which has entrusted
It's dearest interests TO our eatckce ping.
Sir can it he possible, that I correctly under
stood a gentleman from the Valley 20 say on the
first day OF ihs debate, that he instructed TO
vote against any and every possible scheme Of c.
which might be brought forward this
winter? May be paTdonod for asking that gen
!cman by whom aud when those instructions were
-:Ycn? l ask for information only, for did
not suppose there was that single individual west
Of the b'uc Ridge, who vas not disposed to COOP
orac with their eastern brethren in the accom-
?!i5hWont oft;s great and bonoEiccnt obiect-stiil
.S i'ir d'd iHect sucn rccTcancy from The