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


mountains.
!. Sir, what is our condition. mean The prcxen:
cord't'O" ct ne West. speak not as thcorist--
speak as TO facts Sir, the western part OF this
State now a,lorls-or will from the course of l,-
gisl0,ion adopted in ucighbouring States, very
shortly afford the only ouict 10 your redundant
ANA ovcrnowing slave porG!a;ion. Compare tia;
fact, with those statistical results which have been
made nUniics, in the Of this discussion, 10
| wi.:
| That tho ,-Ihe popr'atioa increases in ratio OF
ore per cout., whiIc the Jidck reputation increases
i'll ratio of three rcr cent, Per annum.
| That i'll forty gears the black population wiz OK.
coed the white population, in the country between
the Blue lsdge and Ocean, ut least four hundred
thousand Scui-and to what conclusions will il lead
Either that You must find means Of getting
rid Of THIS rapidly increasing black population, OF
IN the of tc"' years there will not hc Il
white inhnhi,ant in thi. region.
Heretofore, tho Western prrt of this State hgS
been protected from this rcdGnGan. slave poaula
ton, lv tn" character ats grazing and u"ricn,tu.
! raj cmrlcymcns, and hy the ;nnumcrah!c outlets,
through Which il escaped To every portion of The
Union. This WAS our projections; and prom ouucc
il, Sir, our OnY protection. Gmt now, MaryiamG ON
the North, has closed her territory against the
further: importation of cur ks-Pcunsy.vana
is engaged il cgisatug, with view to the same
overwhelmingly has taken the alarm; and the
southern markets are closed against US. " hat,
Sir will now become Of that immense expectation
OF slave property, which annually substroctcd from,
yet could not keep dowa, this prolific and u
pidy Increasing race! Willthc gentleman from,
Brunswick inlGrm me, what is o.bccou,e OF this
redundant black population! Occ.u;.cd from The
, Scut,i-cncompasSCJl bv she Ocean on the Past
tic Pennsylvania portculiis cioscd-thc North and
West guarded, cast,cd and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES / ask,
Sir, is 10 become of il! The result is inevi,ahi,
that great law Of physical nature by which nuits
seek their level. Sir, will not tho waters, thus
danirc UP, fow bacl; u tlc tarlhcst Western en-
;rcmitics of this Commemorative Wa a0i tie
PyreaacS rGnith1 Shall not become uni
vcrsal slave holding and slave -dcstroycd pooplc'
Sir, uniformity i'll political views, feelings and
interests in nil the parts OF this widely extended
State, would, | admit, be extremely dcSrablc.--
But that uniformity is purchased ut too dear Il
rate, when the bold and intrepid forester of the
West mast Weld the slnthtil and degraded A.r-
| cau--and those hills and vallics which until
have echoed with the songs and industry of
frcemcn, shall have become converted into dcsola-
ton and barrcnness by the wi herring footsteps of
slavery. Sir, native, Substantial. Independent
vcomanrv, constitute our pride, efficiency and
strengths; they are our defence i'll war, our orna-
mcnts in peace; ana 4,o population, will venture
to'aiir; npon the face of the Globe, is dis
tinguislcd for Din elevated love of irccdom-for
morality, virtue. irusality, and independence than
the Virginia pcasnn,y West of the Blue Ridge
Sir, may Heaven protect us from that curse, by
which alone, so noble race can &c cXtcrninatcd
from their castles and inhcri;ance.
Sir, if the proposition now submitted TO
slaves west of tho Blue Rgc, think You that
such proposition would meet the concurrence OF
:Ec gentleman from ,Mcchicnburg and those who
act with hi2 i am it would not Sir. L
speak adviScdv when L say | know that that gen
tle:nan would vote for division OF the State, be-
fore he would support such measure. And why?
Because YOU thus deprive the Fast of the only
market now open TO them, for the disposition of
their surplus slaves An era of commercial inter
course is fondly anticipated in the taucy of
Lptw Tho nSt nd fi,n
New ties and new attachments now TO con-
meet us more closely in tho bonds OF an intimate
and fraternal Union. Human flesh is to be the
staple of that trade Human blood the cement
of that conncXion. And IN return for the rich
products of our vallics, to receive the nicely
measured and graduated limbs of our species? Sir,
a sagacious politician in. this State, the even
ing OF The debate upon the presentation and refer
ence OF the Hanover petition, remarked to me,
''Nhy do you gentlemen from the West suffer
yourselves 20 be famed into such tempest of pas
sion, when the subject OF slavery is introduced in
the iiouse?--iho time will! come, and that be-
fore long, when. there will be no diversity of in
tcrcst or feeling among us on that point: when we
shall all equally represent IL slavcholding inter
eSt?" Sir, it is TO arrest any such possible conse-
Quonce to my country, that l, of the iUmblest,
but not the least determined of the West
crn delegation have raised my voice for E.nanci-
patton. Sir, tax our lands-Yiliiy our country
carry the sword Of cXtcralinaton through our now
dctencelcss villages; but spare u.s. L imporc YOU,
spare the curse of slavcry-tha, bittercst drop
from the chalice of the destroying angel.
Sir, the people of the Vest, undertake TO saw
feel Deep lively, generous sympathy for their
Eastern brethren. They know that the evils which
now aitiict item, not attributable to any fault
OF thclrs-ilat slavery was introduced against their
wili-that indebted for it, TO the CONNER.
clal cupidity oil that hcartlCss empire which has
never failed to sacrifice every principle of right
and justicc-cvcry feeling Of honor and humanity
to ellie aggrandlsemcnt OF her commerce and man
uacturos' Sir have lands, we have houses
we have property, and we WILLING TO pledge
them all to any extent, to aid you in removing this
evil. Yet, we will not, that you shall extend 10
us the same evils under which you labor. We will
not that you shall make our fair domain, the rccep-
tacie OF your mass OF political filth and corruption
Mo- sir, btdorc we c;n submit TO such terms VIC
lent cUnvnisots must agitatc this State.
Sir, the Gentleman from Brunswick has made
discovery, for which the west must ccrtainiy feel
under infinite obligations TO hin lie has discover
cd that we havo.an actual interest in the rotcn.
ton OF the slaves source OF taxation; the
proceeds ofwhch nc triunfi asily remarks may be
applied TO Tie construction of Rail Roads Canals
and all other magnificent projects of Western ambi-
ton Sir surely, so exquisite piece OF irony must
have been designed by The gentleman from Bruins
wick, to relax The hcIvncss oE debate. Docs he
suppose that wo have forgotten the past
Legislation OF this State, upon the great interests
OF Western Improvoment?-.Ecir cold and step.
daE1c-!Iko refusal OF our prayers and petitions FOR
relief? Does nc suppose shat we had forgotten his
own very recent and eloquent declaration ofhostity
20 the loan? or the history Of the ancmded-I would
rather call it, sir, PHnjc Constitution of this Sla,:
ov which we have been constLutionaIly pro
hibtcd, mean by The distribution Of political pow
or, from applying that sacred fund TO an suc!, un
lawful purpose, the improvement of the physical
condition OF this Commonwealth.
Sir, take occasion to assure the gentleman
from Brunswick, that in the appca! which hc hns
made TO orr cupidi;y and ambition, Eo has nl:sia-
liz, lI.nl;r Of si,.,l 4