Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-03-28

people, is direct attack on tho representative
principle. 1t dcuics that the General Assembly
is a fair exponent of the will of her constituents.
1t denies the efficacy OF the representative princi-
pie, in cmbody,ng and rejecting the popular will
The sanctiy of this principle, is essential to the
preservation of our political institutions 1t is
the great characteristic, which distinguishes our
own frame of polity, from the tumultuous dcInocra
cics of ancient days. Ii is the solitary invention
oil modern times, in tho abstrusc, and complicated
SCIENCE OF government. 1t is the great, and pow
criul principle, which, enables the gentlemen from
Brooke and Norfolk, to cooperate ON this morncn.
touS occasion. 1t is the ciicacious principle which
enbodlcs in our federal counscls the statesmen
of Boston, and of New Orleans. 1t is the pcryad
ing, the veal principle, which diifuscs itself
Through our whole system, imparting life, and an
i'm uom, tn the entire body polite. Impair the
energies OF this principle, you introduce anarchy
together with those turmolS, aud commissions,
which buried in ruins the Republics ofold.
The habit OF referring questions to the pcoplc
VIII necessarily dcbaSc the representative charac
ter. lnstead of having these seats flied with
arm, manly, independent patriots ready to incur
th't Just responsibility, Numerically, and nsepa
rabiy, incident Ia their situation; our counscls will
be guided by men, ever seeking to avoid that re-
SponSlbity-cvcr ready To screen themselves, by a
call tor the expression of the constituent will Sir
IL hccomcS us as men, to whom are couidcd the
great interests orthiS great community, promptly
to rcpudiatc this fatal suggestion; and to proceed
ON our own responsibility, to the decision of this
ugItlting subject.
MIR. SpcIkcr,-in the discussion ofthis question
gentlemen have indugcd in learned reflections, on
the evils of slavery III tho abstract. They have dis
cusScd the moralitv-thc religion of the thine
as though we were celebrating on its original in
PRODUCTION. shall not initiate their example,
with all my rashncss, all my folly, shall not pre-
sumo To enter the lists with these learned Thcolo
gans-l am content to rest that part of the subject
ON the beautiful effort Of my friend from Peters
burg, (Mr. BrownD 1t is true, that have read of
the curse OF Cana1n-" cursed he Canaan; Il ser
want otscrvants shall he he unto his brethren" II
is trnc that have read in Holy Writ, the cause
OF that curse, it fell originally from the lips of
Noah 1t is true, that have read of the blessing
OF Shcm, and the prayer for the prosperity of ia
phcth. 1t true, too, that | have pcruscd some
sage reflections, in which it is insisted that the
Europeans the supposed descendants of Japhcth in
the act OF selzng OH this continent and of cxtcr-
innating the dcicncclcSs aborigincs, have forced
themselves into the "tcnts of Shcm;" and that i'm
the persons of the Africans, we hold as our .sscr
wants the descendants of Canaan. But, in the dc.
clSon OF this great question, attach but little con.
sequence 20 these learned dSqusitions 1t is su ii.
Gent Tor me TO know, that the thing exists among
us-and exists in form, not to be controllcd-that
| II dld exist in this land, and in form not to be
| controlled, at the time when our ancestors wero
called upon to establish our organic law. | know
we cannot control the irresistible force of circum.
stances Slavery, Sir, has been denounced, as Il
heavy curse on any nation. The distinguished
gentleman from Dinwidde, (Mr. Brodnax,) en-
phaiicay pronounced it To he 'the hcavisct curse
which an angry Providence could, in his wrath in
iict upon sinful people" L may not controvcrt
this propositions; because / no Thoologran-
certainly can atfX no limit TO the Omnip0encc of
Divine Providence
Gentlemen have adopted the REASONING of pho-
sophlcal writers, and political economists, demon
srHtln9 That the labor of the slave is less productive
Than that of the freeman. | shall not assail this
reasoning. But when, for illustration, resort is
had To JdctS resulting from the organization of our
SocIcty-trom the relation of master and servant
snail take the liberty of examining those facts
Numerous statistics have been exhibited for the
purpose OF showing the deficiency of exports from
the slave holding states, when comparcd with
those from the non-slave holding States: and from
thcn 1t has been inferred and argued that the Ia
Dor OF the slave is less productive than that of tho
freeman. state, IN the spirit of frankrcss and
candor, that ] have confidence in anv ARGUMENT.
rounded on the notion of the balance of tradc-but
least OF all, can accrcdit one founded on an exhi
OH OF tabular statements, shelving the mere amount
OF exports, from particular ports of the Union
ana lnierrlng that those commodities are reared in
the states from which they exported The fal.
lacy OF such reasoning must be obvious, to anv
COOL candid and thoughtful mind, engaged in the
investigation, and calculation of truth We know
positively, That the mere amount of exports from
particular ports, Will not enable ascertain the
productive power of the Strtc, in which the port
may happen TO be located The staples of the State
OF North Carolina, are, in Il great degree ycndcd
within the limits of this Commonwcalth-and are
IN inf
or to argue, that the labor OF Virginia produces
these staples! The products oithc land and labor
of South Carolina, North Carolina and yirginio
are exported in large quantities from New York
The tccmng abundance of Ohio and Kentucky
mas It's way to the Atlantic, through the lev re-
| gions OF the North--or is waited on the broad
bosom OF the Mississippi, to find Il market in New
Orleans. 1t must be obvious to every member that
Louisiana and New \ DIRK, not entitled to the
! credit OF having reared these commodities and il
must be equally obvious, that any argument which
extends to them that credit, is entirely unworthy
of our confidence But there are circumstances in
! our commercial history, to which / invite the at.
tcntIon OF those gentlemen, who deriGe the Dro
mate the value of all labor, by the amount of
commodity reared for expectation. The cotton
tobacco and rice of our country, are produced al
most exclusively by slave labor They are grown
IN the slave holding States. The entire population
OF the u. States is l2,S56,l5l souls The sJo,c
population is 2,0l0,629 souls; less than Oaesirth
OF tho entire population. In the year 1926, which
was lar average year, selected merely because
happened to have in my possession, the necessary
document; the entire exports of all our domestic
productions, was S53,U56, 40. The exports of
COTTON tobacco and rice the products of slave labor
exclusively, was S32 2S9, $50; more than three
JIWS oil The entire exports of domestic productions
he House then discovers that less than O1e.sirth
OF the entire p0pnlatioR, has produced more than
WFce;hthhS OF the entire erpOrtS-and vet gentle
men who estimate the value of labor, by the amount
oil commodity reared for expectation, dcride the
productive power Of slave labor, and denounce
slavery as the greatest curse, which an angry
Providence could in his wrath, inflict upon sinful
people"
The gentleman from Konawha, Mr.. Summcrs.)
as an cNcnpliication of the infcriorty of slave la
Dor, has challenged our attention to a comparison
OF II " States Of Kentucky and Ohio Does the
thoughtful sagacious mind of that gentleman, dis.
cover nothing III the condition of those States TO
winch the disparity of their growth may be attri
Dutcd, save the circumstance to which he has at.
Lractcl nlLnnLinnl knnlrnl.,. G. l.z ...---.