Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-01-19

take IN the discussion of this question was one of
Gohcy--nay, sir, of SELF preservation. Tho advo-
cales OF siovcry-while drunk with prejudice, ex-
clain--wc are sobcr-It has too long been tho
pleasure of those who arc welded to a system of
slavery to brarL all its opponents with opprobrious
cpithets. IL represent them enemies TO good
oroer' as persons dcsirous OF tearing up tho foun-
dations Of society by tho roots-thercby cndea-
Vourlng to render them odous-to bra and them with
intamy-to avert from them tho public ear, that
'hclr voices may be lost in air 'as the voice of ono
cry ing aloud in the Wilderness" This of itself is
an incontesablc proof that they are conscious of
the weakness OF their cause. No man, who is firm
ly convinced that he is sustained bv reason and us-
tice, hesitates TO confront his adversary IIe and
he alone, who stands selrconvictcd sbrinks from
he acts unwsey i'm INV hum.
Ole Judgment, who avoiding Il dspassion ate consi-
aeration OF subject, seeks TO cnrcn CHI himself be-
nhd tho false opinions and prcudices of socicty-
Sir, 1T IS tacit admission that reason and ;ustce
arc against him, and that no 'wants none of their
rcproof-"
This, Sir, is grave arr important subiect-one
That ought to DC, and ,ciI be considered Its mn
Portancc demands that it should be considered and
"'o1'cu hcre' ana not, as some gentlemen think,
reason that 1t should be passed in silence, and
acted upon in secret. No, Sir, our action should be
calm and dispassionutc-but OPEN bold and man
ly. Sir, tina, 1t is cvil--a great and an appallnr
oVh-hc dared believe no sane man would or could
uo"y. NOR ar can 1t DO denied that it deprivcs
us oi many OF those advantages, facilities, and
W
dense white population. That it is a blirhtinp
whitening curse upon this lands clearly demon
slratcd by this very discussion ITSELF For gentle
men nave told us 1T had created morbid excite
mehl throughout this whole Commonwealth
winch 1t was of the utmost importance to allav.
we have been told, also, Sir, that the action of
inns House had induced Louisiana to pass laws pro-
nlotihg the introduction of slaves into that State
surely gentlemen cannot be serious in urging that
proposition, when every gentleman must be aware
OF the TACT, that that law passed before this sinh
lcct had been agitatcd here at all. 1t is evident
that the law OF Louisiana had grown out of the
Tragic occurrences of the last summer 4 he same
observation Will apply to the excitement amongst
our own clliZens, ot which much had been said
i'll this debate.
Ii he thought that any remarks of his would add
aught TO the excitement now existing throuuhout
FirgInIa-he would not utter ono word--no sir
noI one: but permit the question to pass by silent
ly. lie believed that tho excitement vos olrcodv
aDroad-had been long abroad, and had its origin
IN occurrences anterior to the actions of this
House, IN any way whatever The feeling Of Sc
curly SO absolutely necessary tn tho reposo OF
society was gonc-iorever DESTROYED.
The confidence of the people was utterly lost
NOT Or, can tins house by refusing to act, in
some way or other, ever restore to society that
feeling, OF sccurlty-thlt confidence which it once
without which it can have no toIern
die existence. Nor does this want of confidence
ana ieellng OF insecurity, result from any craven
fcar-No Sir, it results from the noblest feelings
OIL the human heart,-and it is no partial feeling,
but is felt by all. Who, that has mother wife
sis.tr or Child TINT has not felt, whom seriously
rejecting upon this subject, pangs little short of
deathi
Yes, Sir many brave man who would face, with
out shrinking the terrible array of battle and with
fearless heart spur upon tho cannon's mouth; has
felt his blood, iii icy currents, flow back upon lis
source from the chlllingthe fearful thought, that
whcn he should return to the home he had left
surrounded by all those domestic blessings which
i'ake ne so dear, lie should be greeted not with
the smile OF JOY, and of welcome but by the man
gicd corses OF his butchcrcG famv-Shall we
say, thcn, That there is nothing to fear when such
feelings as those, but yesterday agitatcd the bra
vest Oh us. IL Is true, that VIC told to be at
say gentlemen the very breath of the
noStrils OF the slave, is in the hands OF the master
nat The late deep tragedy, had been the work of
fanatIcs ony-true, but have gentlemen any philo-
sophica rule by which to graduate fanaticism? have
they any arithmetlcal rule, by which to calculate
the tie, the place, the force when, and where and
how violently it will burst forth. No sir they have
not. fanalcism, OF all the horrid passions with
winch man is cursed, is the most wild and ungoyern-
aHc IN It's character, and is the peculiar child of ig-
noFance Ignorance is tho necessary consequence
Oh slavery; and we all know, sir, that our slaves
are not only extremely ignorant but extremely ia
hatlcal, and therefore,, always dangerous. These
arc truths, truths that force themselves upon us;
and forces off our most valued, and valuable citi-
lens \ cs sir, it drives into reluctant exile the
good, the wise, the generous, and the brave, who
value the rich Onjoymcnts of domestic happiness
which entwine themselves about their hearts with
a force more powerful than the iron grasp with
which tho child of avaricc ciincs to tho unfortu
nate slave. Yes, Sir, it is such citizens who are
driven from this Common wealth-men who would
be Nrginia's ornament i'll peace, and her shield in
war.
There is yet another evil growing out of our
present system Of slavery. 1t drives from us tho
man-the honest, industrious poor. For
sir, tho slave holder, whether no rcaps profit, or
sustains a loss by the employment Of his slave
must support him. He must provide for him, "food
and raIment" aud s':atcr from the weather.
furnish him with medical aid in slckncss-in short
he must do all things necessary for his comfort
alike i'll sickness and in health. TO enable him to
DO so, he must have his slaves taught various trades
they must be coopcrs, carpenters, milIers, black
ntils, ditchers, &c; which necessarily excludes
The labouring white man from all of them to Il
great extent; and dcprivcs him of those means
which Inc would otherwise enjoy for the support of
himself and his iany-so that he, too, must seoh
more favourcd land. The small freeholders are
irvcn oil also. They arc men, generally, who
own small portions of land part of what their
athcrs once owned, and who had exhausted il by
lie miserable cultivation generally attendant upon
slave labour-drd these men, unable TO support a
Irowing family, from the mcagrc product of their
unds, they find all other occupations filed by slaves
md the road TO elevation, thereby closed against
hem. The hard struggle they have TO make for
he bare ncccssarios Of lifc-to say nothing Of its
uXuries, puts efcctual cxtnguishcr upon all tho
humble aspirations of their ambition. The sparse
ness of the white population, opposes almost ar
obs'a clo in tho way Of tho educa
ion OF their children. Cfhs, sir, is no ideal evil;
for have seen many men of twcuty-nay, forty
and fifty years of age, who could not writo their
names; and sir, | will almost hazard my vcracity
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