Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-01-31
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FREE NEGROES AND MULATToEs.

FREE NEGROES AND MULATTOES.
Yesterday, Mr.. EroduaX from the Select Com.
mittec Slaves and Free Negroes, reported bill
davsing the ways and means, for dcportinr free
negroes, and such may become free, to Liberia.
The bill is Il long one, but its principal features
are, the appropriation of 100000 for tho current
year, and $20O,000 per annum, for succeeding
years, to tho transportation of free negroes TO
Africa. Tho Governor, Executive Council. and
Treasurer, constituted Il Central Board to SUI
perintond tho execution of the act, with power to
constitute other Boards at Norfolk, Frodcricks.
burg, Petersburg other places, to aid in the SUI
pcrintondcnco. While enough free negroes are
found milling to go, (or such us may be emanc
pated for the purposc) TO absorb the annual APP
preparation, coercion is not to be rcsortod to-;
otherwise it is.
fh,s last feature of the bill will, no doubt, be
severely criticised. IL is a little odd, that il should
have met the countcnancc OF the Chairman and
Others, who pGsSionately challenged the sonsti.
tutionality of the principle of emancpating the
after borr, as destroying vested right The old
difference between n'c0m and tuuln: Property must
be held sacrcd-property in human beings who are
to be born years hence, though it has no present
basis upon which even the imagination can rest il.
must be held sacred and invioable-a proposition
to interfere with it, is met by furious in
dignaton, and threat TO stand by their arms
but the rights of free negroes their constitutions
al vested rights TO liberty and oconoton, without
the prctcncc of any conduct on their part which
has merited deprivation, are coolly and violently
taken away, before even the passion occasioncd by
the other proposition had time TO subsidc! If this
be not straining at gnat, and swallowing a camel
VIC should like TO know what is. Are we against
getting rid OF the free negroes? Far from it; we
anxiously desire il: but the State necessity the
danger to the public safety, which alone can autho.
rise u measure of such uncquivocal, unaloycd and
unqualified tyranny, to compel free men, by
force, to leave the country of their nativity docs
not exist, nor will any man of understanding stake
his reputation for candor and sincerity upon the
postulate that it does c1iSt. The free negroes are
nuisance and annoyance, but who ever heard that
a nuisance constituted Il case for an appeal to the
Surema Ler? Who ever heard of martial law he
ing enforced 10 abate nuisance} II was only when
Hannibal in sight of the Forum-whcp the
danger imminent as TO threaten the erist-
mot the convenience merely of the State that
the Senate acknowledged case for the Suprena
Lcr, by ordering the Consuls to take care that
the Republic sustained injury. We however
who understand Liberty so much better than
the Romans--who at least respect property so
much more, and are so learned in the doctrine of
rested rgbis--,ee, are about to appeal to the Su-
prema Lex, and deprive $1,000 free Ieoplo OF bor-
ty and country, because s!oy~ $ occasionally
tempered with to steal bushel of corn, hen
roost robbed, by some Of these people! We neither
know nor care, what the Public may think of it
we conduct free Press and ,oW speak scnti-
nents-and in this spirit, pronounce this mca-
sure according to our understanding OF it, the
most lawless violent and despotic, attempted
in the u States, that have either read or heard
Of There but circumstance necessary to
complete its dcformity and consummatc its odious-
ness-namcly, that it should proceed from those
who when their own rights were conccrncd-when
their property lii human beings TO be born eight
years hence, was Observation-Disclosures aimed the
Public with swan-liEo notes and dying strains,
of violated Constitution, and invaded pri-
vatc rights. That circumstance has been added.
Some of these gentlemen arc prepared to
say with the utmost sang froid, the most philoso-
pho GOODNESS and cquanimity-that whole class,
possessed of rested 1chtS to liberty and rcsidcnc
shall be violently seized and doportcd to Africa!
Where is the necessity for it? Where is the dan
ger from this source TO authorize tyranny Of the
deepest dye, and to stain the Slatutc Book of Re.
publican Virginia with law which would disgrace
Turkcy-which may be paraellcd by the rovoca-
ton of the cdct of Nantz, but which, with that
exception, is unparalleled in the history of modern,
and civilized times? Have the people Of Virginia
called for the measure2 For tho renewal OF the
free negroes they have caIled-callcd we believe,
andor the influence Of excited feelings, and with
out pausing to specify the mode, or to calculate all
tho consequcnccs-but they have not called fol
their transportation by force.