Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-02-04

popery in their future increase Ifthe rights of property
In slaves in being, be admitted to be proper ~ vested
by law which the Legislature cannot constitute nay take
away how il can be reconciled with the integrity of
mon sense that the right OF property in their future
crease assured by the laws, equally vested
iuyiolable surpasses my comprehension. One gentleman
as he was understood denied that there could be any
property in slaves; by which, as he afterwards explained
himself he meant any constitutional property in them;
that any property secured TO its by the cons-
tuon slave property according to him. is only statutory
popcry the Legislature is competent to sepeal the sta
tucs whereby vested and so to dves abrogac
this property. The novelty Of tho distinction is its only
merit for deserves not the praise of ingenuity There
Is particular kind of property mentioned III tho consti
tuuon and specifically assured TO its owners Tho con-
stuon intended all kinds Of property its
crs against the power OF the public take away with
out fundamental prncipe of all the 90
OF Chrscndom principle, which Louis XIV.
Napoleon, in the pcnude of their power burst
openly invade All property Invested and held under
statutory common law; and, the Legislature has,
surely the power to repeal the the other
should like to know what property to be regarded
constitutional property and involable If there
be any property which, according TO this odd distinction,
can be regarded peculiarly statutory property it the
landed property oil Western Virginia. all OF which was de-
rived under statute law and modern statute law may the
Legislature, by repeating the land laws take that property
away from owners il shall imagine any cause
do So and resume the disposition of il according to
Its arbitrary vilThe constitution ordains, express
terms that the Legislature shall pass "any law where
by private property Shall be taken for public uses with
outjust compensation to obviae which stern inerdct,
1t has been suggested that the abolition of slave pro-
perry, by scizng into the hands OF the commonwealth,
in order OF its profits delay ihe expense deport-
ing il, is not taking il away for public but for the
good Of ocners, however they may think to the
trary! specimen of jesuistry that would have startled
Igratus Loyoia himselfBut ga voice has boon heard
from the West-a voice from INSTRUMENTATION and
overpowerng those" cloud noises in the Heavens which
were heard by Nat Turncr-a voice from Berkeley pro
claiming the notable discovery that slave property
a''H,tisdnce, and may be abated SUCH And this
on which seems TO be the result OF confusion OF
Ideas laued absolutely conclusive 1t is remarkable
that this nuisance is offensive in direct
Its distance from the complaining party in an inverse
hood That "magazine Of gunpowdcr'' in the town of
Norfolk, Is nuisance to the county of Berkey, and
all the people of the Vest The people of the West, in
which there are comparatively few savcs-in which
there never can be any great increment OF that kind
property, because their agriculture does require IT, and
because in great part of their country, tho negro race
cannot be accnatedthc people of the West find slave
property in o." planting country where it valuable,
a"nuisance' TO them This the proverb that
men bear the ills CT others better than their own have
known men sell all their slave property and vest the
proceeds in Stock and then become jealous for the abo
ton OF slavery And would be curiosity 10 scer
tain lift could be DONE the aggregate ohe slaves
held by all the orators and all the printers who 50 n
to abate this nuisance of slave property, held by other
people, suspect the would be very short The
doctrines that have been for many years continually
preached In Pennsylvania may, for aught know have
rendered the slave properly held in counties living in
near neighborhood TO that State; 'snusance to its own
crn wicn case am sure they have known howt get
1d oil 1t without the process of aboonand the same doc
f1nes preached here, may if take no care of our
Selves make our slave property nuisance to us-But
the great argument by which the constitutional power of
the Legislature abrogatc slave property has been
indicated is the plea of necesty strong nvncibe abso
Lutte necessity And Of neceSsifv what's bc
The late massacre in Southampton the rackng sense of
Insecurity, the benumbng panic, tho unextngushable
terrors which it has produced throughout the principal
slave holding districts of the State The ecessifu which
our western brethren under, violate our rights of
slave property to extrpate slavery in tme and to be-
gan the work without delay is the necessity of relieving
US from this melancholy OF fear which las thew
nave alleged and repeated thousand mes) the advocates
.s Ssi rights o slave a themselves rspssen
avouchcd And these having really Gt seems) INDUCED
united themselves Gas the phrase s) and thereby imposed
letters on their mindsare fn bear the taunt which
Is offered as an argument for the injustice.
Strange all this seems there has been language held
In these debates, yet more marvellous. shall collect
few specimens from the printed speeches of the advocates
oaboliton in order that the public may clearly apprehend
the prudent care they have for domestic peace and
security The gentleman who opened the debate that
side OF the question: very, very modeate only
feTed TO the declaration in the bill Of rights that all men
are Cy nature free and equal and applying it to
our slaves, said, cit truth held sacred by every
" American and by every republican throughout the
'aworld And he presumed it could not be denied in
That hall, as general principle, that il is of in
justice tyranny and OPPRESSION TO hold any part of
the human in bondage against their consent That
circumstances may exist which may put il out of the
power of the owners for time grant their slaves IL
berry, he admitted to be possible and if they do exist
in ii may ercuse but not j,tsf the owner in
holding them The right to the enjoyment of liberty is
one OF those perfect Inherent unaenablc rights which
pertain to the whole human race, and ofwhch they
never be diyested except by an act of gross Injustice
Another gentleman, after having said with equal nodes
~ and truth, that He admonshed by his youth and
inexperiencc, that this a demanding the most
profound experience and the greatest delicacy
and that therefore, he had neither those requisites ne
." cessary Tor its decision proceeded pour forth strain
oil defamation, whereof give the following specimens
as proofs oil the great caution and delicacy which he
thought "the matter dcmanded: -shis question of slave
" ry, Mr. Speaker, is which seems i'm all countries
and ages III which has been tolerated, directly
indirectly, TO have called TO its aid mystic sort of right
and supcrstioIs sort OF veneraon, that has deferred
= even The most intrepid mind from Investigation into
a" me rights and an exposure Of the cr0ngS which il
" has been sustained Cd esteem, Mr. Speaker, the eX-
hibion before eyes, and the aspect which this
" hall at this moment presents the gandest revolution
" OF the ago. great moral revolution in which our minds
" and opinions have rumphcd error and interest
" and lett our judgments free 10 decide, and our ton
free TO speak, the principles IF justice and The poice of
d" hnndnHy"-1Ie argued that "saves, which were not
property by the common law, made so by statute
ny enactInents; statutory enactment which, by the
operation of mere law, has erected they This opponens)
suppose insurmountable barrier TO those natural
and unalicnablc rights, which we cannot dvest our
" s.c,v"s Of aud Of which others can divest us
IHe SfdOe mas natural right 10 regain his IT,
= beTfB and tcho has higher right to reduce them
" to slavery again!" Look, Mr. Speaker, TO France
Though we may dcplOre the through which she
mas passed, are there here who does not rejoice AT
" her revolution! rejoced, Mr. Speaker when her op-
pressed people tore down every of her former
kingy greatness rcoiced when all that ,cds vener-
" dOie ana ancient was Frustrated in the dust" TWhat?
the good as well the badthc Christian eipon as well
as the Roman Catholic hierarchy1 al reioced when
saw foreign Prince the throne oftle ourbons And
Mr. Speakcr,i those who slaves here were not what
" they are- Mr. Speaker, they were white men in on
" ""esson anu ""ndage, would rejoice in revolution
p. r,, r.e nh God and Nature has drawn be-
ffween US in their color nat the ""Oahng consequences
such result. deeply ear' ~ 'o'ep