Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-01-12
Va. Thursday, Jan. ~
PRESCRIPTION OF THE PRESS

cd population for "a years. We felt that none is
more delicate, and none more tese, with difficulties
But at length the outbreoking i'm Southampton
spread horror throughout the Commonwealth. We
saw the foodgates of discussion for the first time
taised, IN consequence of this unparalleled event.
What was TO be done? We saw meetings of the
Citizens held. Memorials were addressed TO the
Legslaturc.-Tho Press too, broke the silence of
nifty years. And we have the whole subject
referred to q Committee Of the House of Delegates
Tor their best consideration. And what is more re-
narkdote in the History of our Legislature, we now
see the whole subject ripped up and discussed with
open doors, and i'll the presence of crowded gale
ry and obby'-Even the Press itself hesitatinp TO
publish the Debates of the body. All these things
were indeed new in our history. And nothing else
could have prompted them, but tho bloody massacre
in the month of August.
AS soon as the discussion, which began in the feel
ings, was propagatcd by the understandings of the
people, 1t took wider range IL covered the whole
surface OF the subject. 1t looked TO the condition of
the free of colour; to the police of the slaves
and to the dminution of the evil 1t looked TO the
emigration of tho whites; the gradual multiplication
OF the coored people; the increasing depreciation
OF our landed property; and the reduction of orr
good old Commonwealth to the grade of n thirl or
fourth State in the Cnon.It was i'm this ondition of
things that we catechzcd ourselves upon the course
we were bound to pursue. We might have remain
cd silent. We might have pursued that neutral
course, with which the young Earlof Suffol, once
approached Lord Chatham, when that unrivoIled
Orator declared upon the floor of Parliament of
England, IN little pet very unworthy of himself,
that if she had been consulted by ministers he
couiu nave saved them from their errors" i" Had
seen dagger exclaimed the young speaker) pre-
scented TO the bosom of my mother and TO me INV
country lsdearertha my mother,I should have deem
ed myself the most unworthy of her sons If Jbod
wd'ted TO be asked TO tC1rd off The blo,cr' Were we
then to seek refuge in the shade? Were we thus Ia
avoid the ccnsure of the maevoent; and the cri,i
clsm OF better men? Silence indeed was the dictate
OF prudcncc-but, if we had pusilanimously weld
flpr
science, whose "smal, still voice" we must hear: and
whose reproaches we could not stihe We deter
mihed therefore, to throw ourselves upon the liberal
construction of our Countrymen-to throw orr
selves upon that manly good sense, which had so
kindly supported us i'll all difliculties-and TO
make one last appeal upon this most delicate this
most difhcu this most important of all tho subjects
oil STATE concern.-lf the article we penned on that
occasion be expressed with any feeling is because
we deeply felt what VIC said. If il expresses too
much, we are yet TO be made sensible of it. If il
wants moderation, discretion we confess we do
not sec H. n more moderate, more guarded, or re-
specuu arucie we could scarcely have pcnned upon
the subIcct-but, as il is before our readers they
will Judge it for themselves.
This article appeared in the ENQUIRER of Saturday
last We had done what we thought to be our duty
and were content-Not So however, was Mr.
Nathaniel Alexander of the county of Mccklenburg
On Monday evening, received from him the fol-
loving note, to which we have subjoincd our very
brief reply:
9th JANUARY 1882.
.HeSSrs Editors:-Owng to the late publications in
your paper advising the gradual emancipation of our slaves
YOU VIII discontinue sending the Enquirer to my Post
Office and consider longer subscriber TO paper
50 reckless in its course and regardless of the safety
and property of others. Yrs &C.
:, NATH. ALEXANDER
Mc'srs Richie Cook, Editors Enquirer
REPLY-(ON THE SANE pAPERA
SU- our papcris discontinued with pleasure A note
so reckless In its assertions this, is only for the
nahuS "hch pehhcd We have no further occasion for
IT, RICHIE & COOK.
1t seems, however that Mr. A. was NOT content
with this laconic correspondcnce-for. on Tuesday
Evening, he publishes i'll the Wing of this City the
following Address:
10 The People Of The Senatorial District composed of
HdtDdr and .Neckienbirg Counties
FELLOW CITIZENS: In assuming to myself the task
o ADDRESSING YOU upon the much agated subject the
slaves, is certain that shall bring upon myself be d.
pleasure of the Editor of the Enquirer and his emanca
ing has existed in our Govern
eni from ITS origin and has been considered by
As some and recently the Editor of the
Enquirer My purpose, however, is not TO NEEDLE with
ne abstract question OF slavery, but with the notions of
gentlemen ABOUT the emancipation OF our slaves All sane
men admit that Tor want of means utterly impract
cable TO elect any safe scheme of emancipation IL is
too, generally known 10 the slave population of VIRGINIA
that owing TO tile late instruction i'm the counf nj So
anpon efforts are making TO commence gradual svscIs
OF emanclPa'oni which cannot by admission all hands
take eectby act Of the present Legislature so that Inc
agauo OF mat question only have tendency 10 stimu
late the blacks TO fresh acts of violence with the hone of
tien Hecuom by exciting the fears OF the timid
ana by the and OF modern philanthropists.
consider Editors OF newspapers advising any change i'm
the relations between and slave dangerous 10 the
community, and must necessarily have the effect of
CHUNG bad feelings among the slaves II nothing will he
done as the Editors OF the Enquirer appear TO think WHY
agae the subject Not that any good is to grow out Of
H. Tor think 1t must DC apparent to all that it will have
deIent effect The Editors of the Enquirer say i'm their
last NO oil the 7li inst awe no fanacs"-t6e drunk
en- man says 81 am not drunk" The main object Of NV
ADDRESS TO call your attention., and hope the attention
oi Eastern virginia, to the of the ENQUIRER upon
INC SUBJECT o slavery; and it, like me, YOU and thew
u'pproVe oil their intemeddlng with what belongs 10
oes suggest that meetings be held 10 take into conside
a0 the popcty OF disseminating the use of that paper
%s Ue Ohiy encctual means of making them feel your
'PPiooaoh oil Their untimely interference with a mes
o when so vitality concerns the peace and hsppness NJ
Eastern virginia The STAKEHOLDER asks only TO he LET
aohe oy those who have not property in common with
nem-shaucs northern and domestic modern philantbro.
piss AS individuals, more pleased with the Editors
OF INC Enquirer than otherwise; and have always arcS
WIN mem ia their Federal politics. but thew like mos, n
he Editors, like TO find how the current sets. ond
a. tney, no doubt, think the wind now bovs ',ycst
Wardy, nave trimmed their sails accordingly v Inc ho
OF entering harbour Of safety; but when III too late
WIZ nn he western ports tempesuous and unsafe moor
lngs Tor their l bark, that they will either he yrec
ed there or founder their return passape IN The Fs
Its With reluctance that have addressed Won mon III
delicate subiect and should not have done 90 b r.. r.
discussion OF in the Enqurcr knowing as do the inud
Gus effect It must necessarily have upon our property
Your fellow ciizon, NATHL ALEX 6NnEp
we shall not stop to enquire by what right Mr.
a. assumes to HIMSELF the office of calling togo
thcr the meetings Of Eastern Vrrnia And vet yve