Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-02-21

better 10 act upon the financial question: than TO dc
eide either the motions made by the gentleman from Pow
hotan or himself III the House agreed 10 the principle
contained in those motions, they would then the
question OF the mode by which the funds be
cd; and he thought that that subject much discussion
would take place by the delay of which, the trouble would
be Increased. II that question first decided, much
time would be saved both to tho Committee OF Finance
aud to the House lie agreed in the views OF the gentle
from Powhaan. but not in the manner OF presenting
them, and II his motion pressed he should be oblig
cd TO vote ogaust il.
Inst to be settled lie desired that all, and part OF
the free negroes should be removed nc a compulsory
power was not given, to be used il necessary, he should
DC against The measure, as he opposed TO the appro
paon oil large for the removal OF portion only. He
thought therefore, that the House had better first act
the amendment agreed in Committee of the Whole,
as TO decide the compulsory question If the decision
should be against that principle, he should be in favor OF
the motion of the gentleman from Powhaan But he
hoped that motion might not be acted now. III the
mendment OF the Committee of the Whole mol adopt
ed, there would he necessity Tor referring the bill back
10 inc committee by which it was reported. lie moved
lay the motion TO recommit MR. Milcrs the table.
Agreed 10.
The question then occurred on the appointment offered
by hr bryce, 10 the amendment ol the Committee OF the
Mr.. Brown said he understood this amendment TO al.
nit the nieeasibe right of certain class to remain the
State. lie wished the gentleman would withdraw his
uo and let the bare question OF the principle UP,
whether they ought TO be removed or not whether
compulsory means oughtto be used lie opposed
the principle that money should be appropriated TO
those who have right TO remain lie hoped the qucs-
ton would first be taken the amendment of the Com
mtcc of the Whole
Mr. Bryce said, that this amendment was not
IN iou which would prevent The details of the bill
providing that money shall be applied for the removal
OF those who had no right the Commonyv cah
or provision that they should be hired until the sum
necessary for their removal should from their labor
This would suit the views OF all those who think that such
as have right by the laws remain, ought not TO be
compelled but that such have right, ought be ex
posed to the compulsory process He believed there were
many who were willing 10 compel those who had legal
fhntyx
living in the State under the sanction of the law. His a.
mcndmcnt presented this naked question
Mr. Campbell OF Brooke said, that the question
had been acted upon yesterday in Committee of the
whole. The amendment provided that all those who
should he cmancpatcd hereafter should be removed This
was unnecessary, the provision was already sufficiently
strong in the bill lie objected to the plan of coercion
being applied TO those who had been made free since the
year 1906 because OF the effect which would be produce
cdDyH IL would excite their feelings under the con-
scousncss that they be cocrccd TO 90 TO Africa
1t mattercd not 10 him whether they were here accord
ing TO The police law or not The object in view
prOvwc safe AMI era .ua measure, by which the end
should be attained without creating undue excitement or
sense OF oppression. II such measure were adopted
there would be sufficient number of volunteers to em
poy the means OF the State for years But f the
cocrcivc feature retained in the BILL the whole mass
would he reused against what they would look upon as an
act oil oppression, and that class would be made
VINO had not been SO formerly 1t was wise, therefore,
defer the coercive pocyeven lift should ever be resorted
'o-"nni future period-If this principle therefore,
were inserted in the BILL the very danger which they
wished 10 avoid would be created as it would be highly
injurious 10 the well being of the slave population In
the English Parliament the free colourcd pcope had often
been spckeno as barrier aganse dangers be appre-
hcndcd from the existence OF slavery But il seemed that
they were here considered TO he dangerous. Admitting
That they were IL interest remove as MANY
s possible without coercion, so as not TO create excite
ment among them. But when all those who would voun
tary go were exhausted, then and till them let us
resort TO the system OF coercion He hoped the House
would reject the motion of the gentleman from Gooch-
land because It still retained the compulsory principle
a lSiOp
Mr. Jones moved to lay the motion of Mr. Bryce ON
the liable without the coercive feature, this motion
would De nugatory The people OF Eastern Virginia
thought essential 10 their safety He thought with the
gentleman from Petersburg that the question was simply
whether any OF this class of people should remain in the
Commonwealth, after had been shewn that the public
safety required their removal.
Mr. Bryce of c., said, that there were three dileren,
classes which this bill would operate and the provi-
sons of the bill pointed the manner in which thew
were scveray to be affected As the coercive prnc-
pie was in full operation upon them now, the whole
class eancpaed since 1906 here i'm violation of the
law His amendment did not therefore, put in operation
any new act oil compuson they present liable
either To leave the State, be sold into slavery If the
bill were to be framed according to his amendment their
condition would be amcorated, because the manner in
which they could raise the transportation fees and 20 to
country where they could enjoy their liberty would be
pointed out To carry the principle of the gentleman
from Brooke, he ought TO to repeal the existing laws
Mr. Campbell OF Brooke, said the gentleman and him
sell differed as TO the nature OF the present laws He saws
we must repeal them But Mr. C. would not repeal them
as he believed those very laws conld be made TO operate
people 10 obtain telr consent 10 leave the
monwealth. Al present,r these laws are dead letter
laws in the West, and they will operate where the
free people of colour do harm But where in Eas
tern Virginia. they dangerous the peace of society
the laws VIII he put into operation, and these people will
be removed from places where their presence
and not from places where they dangerous and
whence there necessity for their removal Ii was by
those very laws that he would carry into effect the bill
which he held in his hand II the amendment of the gen
eman adopted, il would operate equally over the en-
tire State; but by rejecting this amendment the bill would
operate those sections which desired it, not on those
which did not desire it, There another reason which
he had stated yesterday and which was him concsiye
II was that the compulsory feature repugnant TO the
principles OF the Colonization Society, aud if that feature
people could be sent All the objects OF the bill could be
well obtained without, with it, while the objections
he had stated seemed insuperable
Mr. Bro1naX had hoped, with the gentleman from Pc
ersburg that the vote would have been taken on e ma
ked question, whether the Legislature of Virginia would
or would not adopt coercive PLAN The motion of his
friend from GOochand, well as that of the gentleman
from Powhaan could be decided hereafter. But let us
first decide the question which must be the sub stratum of
all our legislation He thought it could not be that the
gentleman from Brooke imagined that sufficient num-
Der OF this people would he willing be removed TO Afi-
ca Where did he obtain the fact? From what data does
he speak The census Showed that there were very few
Tree people oil color in The county from whence he CAME
Does he know the feelings OF these people on the sea
board where they tlrong3
Mr. Campbell said he had heard 1t stated in the COM
mee that there were applications the Colonial
ton Society than they could entertain.
Mr. Brodnax said he wished the very name of the CO.
onzation Society might be forgotten until this Legislature
had got through its action this question. We are Ie-
gslang Tor the State of Virginia and not for the Cooniz
ton Society. Applications, il was true had been made