Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-01-12


which, his partial friends may have discovered his
transcendent merits, while they have yet escaped the
eyes ofhis colleagues or his countrymen?
But we do ask, how il comes to pass, that because,
as free and independent Editors, we have expressed
our sentiments upon II subject, dearly connected
with the prosperity of Virginia, we to be pro-
scrbcd-mectngs are TO be held--and a bold at
tempt ~ to be made to muzzle the Liberty of the
Press? What CRYING sins have we committed. that
the vengeance OF tie People is thus to be invoked
upon our heads? We have expressed our honest
OPINIONS I'M the most moderate manner-and for this
the Liberty of the Press is "to be cloven down.,
suppose this gratuitous recommendation carried
INTO tull ctfect-suppose the People, who are well
enough able Judge for themsclves,shoud follow the
advice of this most "potent, grave aud reverend sep-
nior"-supposee rery hing-this paper put down-tRe
Enquire stript of all its support, and after weather
ing so many storms abandoned to shipwreck be-
cause its Editors were honest enough to speak the
truth, to speak it i'm the most discreet manner to
speak 1t for once upon subject of all others the
most important to their native land; what follows?
The Virgnians had better look out at once for srcb
men as the servilc freedmen of Old Rome, and not
the independent freemen of their Republic, to con-
duct their papers.-1f any one man, be he who he
may, whether Alexander the Great, or Alexander
the Coppersmth, the " honorable" Senator from
Mccklenburg, can at any time raise the cry of Der
secution--and at his bidding Cruelty him-Cr,,-
cry him"-what guaranty can politicians have
OF the liberty of tho Press? twill degenerate into
sounding BRASS or unkling cymbal"-thc capri
esy to speak the truth, the spirit to vindicate the
rights of the people.
We shall not analyse at any length the statements
OF Mr. Ale says, it "has existed in our Govern
ment from its origin."-But what saws Mr. Jefferson
IN ISl4, in an eloquent letter now before us (neyer
yet laid before the publicly "Thc quiet and monoto-
nous course of colonial life had been disturbed by
no aiarm-'fet the hour Offs advancing
IN the march of time and whether brought on by
the generous energy of our own minds, or -,
Is a leaf on history not yet turned over"-We for
bear repeating the strong language of Mr. Jefferson
Mr. A. declares, that it "has never been considered
so horrible or inconsistent with Republican nstitu-
tons, as some gentlemen imagne."-What would
nc say, If we were to repeat Mr.. Us opinion i'm this
very letter?-But Mr.. A. does not do us Justice
we have never presented the subject at all as re-
CARDS the slaves. We expressly declared, that we
were no fanatics-no .4is de noirs-that our regard
was for the whites ony for the great interests of
Virginia herself.
lie affirns that call sane men admit that for wan,
OF means, it is utterly impractcable to effect any
safe scheme of emancipation" If Mr. A. erect
himself into the standard of SANITY what miserable
unatics were Thomas Jefferson and James NIndi-
son!-Be assured, the lazy or the timid man is ns
bad as the drunken man." He exclams that emo
thing can be done"-and he does nothing We
shall not now go into examination of The means
we nave at our command.-It is q discussion that is
more suitable to the Legislature than to the Press
we have respectfully called their attention to the
subject-it is that must be touched with doll;
cate hand-and Mr.. A. would do more miscbief Inv,
provoking a long, and passionate and pubIic dis
cussioh, than II we were to write thousand such
articies as he has denounced. That article can
stimulate TO no fresh of violencen It p,o, 90,
the wise men of the land to thinking and do;na
something hereafter,-ifnot this tme-and this IS
all that 1t could do-if it were left to itself
But he says, that those "who have not property
IN common with the slave holders, ought to Ter
them alone."-And i'm another place he sneoks of
our being regardless of the safety and property of
others. as to hres we may truly say, that we have
as many persons, dear to us, take care of as the
gentleman from Mecklenburg-and az to properfu
though we may not have quite as many slaves as he
has, yet some ofthose that do own NAV be as yaI
able TO US his TO him. We NAV add too thar
there are persons the dearest to us who at least own
as much of this sort of property as he does-But
does the gentleman really think, that we are indif
ierent to the rights and property ofthe people, among
whom we have lived all our lives? Wherein does
he ma tins evidence of our recklessness about the
property of others? Not slave should be loosod
from his bonds, until he is fully paid for and will
lingly given up by his MASTER We would not ia Ike
step hut upon this condition.-I}ut we think the
legislators OF this land who have received the pet-
non OF the people, and selected Committee for con-
sderlng them might well excuse the press for
breathing some solicitude the OCCASION and re-
specially asking whether such means cannot be
iound-aye and for saying, did say "Means
sure, but gradual systematic but discreet ougbt 70
be adopted for reducing the mass of evil which is
pressing upon the South, and will still more press
upon her, the longer it is put off,
AS 10 the motives attributed to us hy Mr.. Alexan-
der, we scorn TO give answer. Our course has
been before the public for the last twcnty-seyen
years, and they will judge u.s. 1.-THE wind now blows
TO the HeStT we have been too late i'm finding il out
or awaiting ourselves of it. For though we hold our
western citizens as brethren;and Virginia as always
zone and indvisble," yet no paper has been more
opposed on federal questions and their fvorite mea-
snrcs, than this one i've cannot yield our princi
pies to the East, or to the West-Dear as is Eastern
Virginia to us, we ought not to yield our principles
even TO her.
The West dcfniiiyey chalked mt In tho
e"s ~ me ~ OF on the nth inst, Of Western Mem
oeTs thus LITERALLY declared himself ~
"Mr' Williams, OF Harrison, Western member rose
10 STATE mat on this important topic, Western member RS
would give their Eastern brethren a carte blanche with
that some efficient asure might be adopt
ed, towards which they 0he Western memBer0 ,yorId
give hGlr most hearty cooperation. They had often
been indebted to the lbcray ofEasern gentlemen in
ryng objects in which the West alone were interested
dthey would recprocate the good will thus displayed
by going the whole with the East in any measure they
might devise on this subject"
TT is singular enough that the paper which contains
Mr. As appeal to Eastern Virginia. places under his adj
e aohg and angry article against for our supposed
hoStty to western nercsts-an hostility that we have
never ielt-interests that would support by State
means, as far any man.
"a hIr-A VERY PALPABLE HIT"- Shakespeare.
FOR THE ENQUIRER.
49, "A PARALLEL-trOnid impartial SDeefafor
10 me People of the Senatorial District coupo,ed or
HolVdr and yHeckien6,lrg counties.