Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-02-24

which think have satisfactorily shewn but mere
y to call his attention TO the title, that IL doubt
TO that should be created, il may operate, in some
measure, in Withdrawing opposition to the removal
of the slaves. Let as Sir, in the investigation of
this titlc 20 back TO it's origin. Whence came slaves
into this country! From Africa. Were they free
men there? At one time they were. How came
they to be converted into slaves? by the str0tagems
of war, and the strong arm OF the conqueror: they
We're Vanqushed i'm battle, sold by the victorious par
~ To the slaye-tradcr, who brought them TO our
shores, aud disposed Of them To tho planter of Vr
Snia. Had the conqucror an absolute and unquali-
| he'd right 10 them? The gentleman from Campbell,
MIR. Danicl,) in arguing this part of the subject,
stated that ancient authors insisted upon two modes
| by which freeman might become slave, to wit:
ny voluntary compact and by conquest; but he was
IN the end compelled, 10y the of his reasoning,
To admit that these doctrines have been exploded by
modern writers. IL then, liberty, RIGHrFULLY, can
not be converted into slavery, may not question
whether the title of the master to the slave is ahso-
lutte and unqualified, and beyond the disposal of the
Govt? In general cases tho derivavc title cannot be
better than the primitive. II the warrior had alb
soiuic rg 10 the person OF his captive may there not
DE SOME DOUBT whether the Virginia planter has Il
better? What, Sir, would be thought at the present
! day, il am elephant taken by force or fraud
| from its true owner, OH the coast of Africa, and
brought 20 our country, and an individual Knowing
| oil the circumstance TO purchase IL? Would
you not say that he participated in the crime? Would
not the old adage, 'that tine receiver of stolen goods
is as bad as the thief" apply? Aud, Sir, is the
soning different when the subject is human he
\ ing! when a MAN has been taken by fraud force
from his native shore, and sold i'm your market? 1t
may he said that ancestors did not know the
circumstances under which the slave had lost his IL
! bory. hope they did not 1t will in mca-
sure eXtenuale the crime but cannot enhance the
title The truth is that our ancestors had no title 10
this property, and we have acquired it only by ic
giSlative cnactmcnts, sanctioned by the ssy of
! the case.
1t may he urged, that length OF lime has created
I a title. Some thirty fIiuntn which had
been captured from the French by the valor and skill
of our gallant tas, after having been brough, INTO
port, was refiited and sailed cruise she has
yer been heard of since Suppose, for Il moment,
that 1t was now announced TO this nation, that that
ship had ioundered on the of Africa, and her
crew, or part of them, were alive, SLAVES to some
petty Monarch that coast? Think YOU, Sir, that
we would listen TO the plea of length of time? No;
the voice of mighty people, with rcsistcss force,
would proclaim that free men never become
slaves, and the hum of preparation to demand our
long-!ost brethren, would soon Tcsound throughout
the land And, Sir but for the degradation and alb
sence OF nationality in Africa, one of the most in
tcreSting principles of international law might be
presented 10 the American people, which has ever
engaged the attention of the Statesman: A princi-
pie that would be advocated by the good and the
wise throughout the Universe. Were Africa erected
nro sovereign and independent State, and recog-
nzcd as nation by the Potcntates of the world to
make demand upon our government for her long
lest any enslaved children, accompanied with
they taken from their native country, it would
present claim too strong TO he discussed-a de-
mand too Just to he denied by the free born of
Nirginia.-These reflections | have thrown out Mr.
Speaker, in the hope that, if masters of slaves should
perceive some defect in their title, they may be
clincd " TO let them co."
The gentleman from Dinwiddie Observed that
the proposition of the gentleman from Harrison,
Mr. Wiliiams,) that the West woud give the East
BLANCHE in this NATTER fell upon his car like
soft and sweet music in the silent hour of midnight
and Sir, permit me 10 say that the pledge of the
gentleman from Campbell MIR. Rives,) that he would
give this subject his perseyering and abiding support
came like love upon my heart. / reciprocate with
him most cordially the pledge and promise to give
TO the radiance of my native State, of this curse, my
perseverng and abiding support.
| have, Mr.. Speaker entered into but few satistl-
cal details: the course of my argument, trust, made
them unnecessary. One estimate, however, will
menon-it is this that If the slave population in
it has for years past in the year $780,
less than so years hence, there will be i'm the seven
States of Virginia, n. and :. Carolina, Georgia Ala
bama, Louisiana, and Mississippi, something more
than 100000 Of slaves Of which Virginia will pos
scsS largely upwards of million-uu amount too
great too appalling for Statesman to apprehend
SOME danger from. acknowledge Temble for the
fate OF my country future day, unless we "do
something"
As other gentlemen, Sir, have stated what they are
willing 20 do, consider it due to the House 10 de-
clare what am. am not prepared to enact any
LAW this session | think sufficiently ac-
quaned with the sentiments of those we represent
TO Justify us in acting dcinitiyeIy upon so great an
extent of property. | am disposed TO adopt a reso-
luton preamble TO the report of the Select Com
mitee, recommending TO the people take this mat
ter into their most deliberate consideration, with
view that they may elect and instruct their repre-
seniatves this floor i'm the Legislature, upon
the great question of commencing a scheme for the
gradual removal of the slaves from the country. /
decidedly in favor of the principle of declaring
that all slaves born after 1910, their arrival the
females to Is, and the males d. if they remain in
the State, shall he forfeited to the Commonwealth
with view to their transportation at the public ex-
pcnse to Africa This plan would not touch the right
Of property in any slave in existence or born be-
fore 1910. 1t would affect the right of the master
in the Issue OF females born after that period: but
this to Il very limited cXtent-for he would still be
The absolute of the slave till the forfeited are
arrived, and might previous 10 that sell him uncon-
dltionally to- any foreign market that might be open
for the trade. Although am in favor of this scheme
am not disposed TO submit it to the people in the
gentleman from Albemarle, (AIr. Randolph that
This subject, in my opinion, must be settled
as Legislative one, by majority of the repre-
sontatlvcs and not by n majority of the voters
of the Commonwealth. We know, Sir, that the
people are unequaly represented this floor
The particular constituents of each representative
have right TO instruct him, and by their mandate
must he be bound. What good could grow out of
the circumstance of knowing what side the ma
Jory OF the aggregate voters are, cannot imagine
much mischief might arise from it. If a majority of
all the voters were opposed 10 majority of all the
representatives, it would be used as an argument
against the representatives TO recede from their own
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