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

my footsteps by the LIGHTS Ol hls understanding
We entertained diNtrcn, viows-wc sought the ac
compllShmcut of different cndS--wc were ncccSsa-
ruy guided by different COunScs. lie mad Ire
qucniIy dec AIRED to the house that, "thc people de-
maud that something must he done and although
he has made Il powerful attack on inc ""snc"y ana
JFIc"dicSS proposition # the gentlemen from Al
bomarlr Mr. Rludulphl yet great portion OF the
same speech, is devoted to the demonstration, oil
OF the prIcticabil'ty of cmancpating' ana export
ing The slave population oi TINS commonwealth
He has rcLukcd tie folly OF my proposition, de-
clnrng it jn,rpciirH 10 lcg'S'"te ." ne S"b,ccf-
He has reported from the committee that, IL IS M
crrcdieat Ia lcgiSla,c on The mbjcct-and we know
he Will sustain that report 10y has vote.
1 have been charged hy the ardent gentleman
from Hanover Mr. Hoanc,) with having unncccS-
Sarllv provoked this discussion. lie has not hest.
tatcd to declare that have rashiy thrown the
subject an the house IN ITS most hidc"HS form
Permit tn remind !hc gentleman, OF III" course
which | pursued, on Offering my resolution. |
sent forth nay offspring, To meet ITS destiny III the
black gathering storm, without even the benefit
! at Il fathers bcucGIrion. 1t was not until the
gentleman from Nhcmaric (Ir. Randolph,) had
! offered his amendment, that made any remc rkS
/ to the houSr-and then far from provoking discus
| Siou-ar from raShlv entering the field of this
| wide, and Wild debate, was content to suggest
such reasons. as Thought demonstrated the inn
| pruprictv of the discu#slen-and | coulurcd the
/ house 10 abstain from 1t But there were others
here, who stood plctgcd to The world, To force the
consideration of this QucStIun-who did force It's
! consdcraion-amd Who, assuming to them
selves the responsibility Of the debate, can only
manifest magnanimit,, hearing some proportion
to the StupcnduJs maguiticcucc of their designs
So little am obnoxious this charge, that others
have actually accused me of attempt to sup
presto slllc debate. From this attempt to Stlilc
debate certainly should have been restrained, by
an entire consciousness of its iutiliiy. But the
two charges wholly Incompatible: the one is
an ample rctutaton of the othcr-''aon u0s trntdS
comPonere WeS."
Mr.. Speaker, was somewhat surprised by the
formal accusation of the gentleman from Hanover
(Nlr. K"anc) OF my having assaicd the liberty of
the press. The conductors of the public journals
here know, and knew the position which | as.
Suined. That position was, that the press had
drawn improper mtcrcnccS from own acts: and
that, being itself deceived il was commune atrnr
false impressions to others. To correct these false
mprcSSIOns-to furnish the press with accurate in
formation as to the real Judgment of the house,
deemed it necessary that the house should dis
! charge the committee. And vet were enter
tanned with the solemn and earnest manner of the
gcntIemam, in entering enthusiastically upon the
defence of a prcss--not assaiicd--not cndan gercd
and which, IT asSaicd endangered, is fully
compete mt TO It's own defence, without the assis.
lance of the gentleman from Hanover. When the
liberty of the press is really endangered, every ge
neroua son OF this republic will rush to its de-
fence with patriotic enthusiasm
Other gentlemen have embraced this opportun-
ty OF maneSllng their zeal for the liberty of the
press lHe.l 10 DISMISS tncir 3DpTChCnSOnS.
In this country, You cannot restrain even the cen-
uousn"Ss OF the press. No rational man will at
tempt ITS liberty. \ ct there who have
cherished the most violent opposition to certain
distinguished conductor of a distinguished Jour
nal, " no now ltud him with cNtravagant praise.
On" gentleman IN the tuncss of his gratitude and
admiration, has declared that, it the conductor of
lhat Journal had committed more crime than was
ever catered ON heavens register, against being
dead or alive-his merit in regard to this subject
forever oft he m, r1l Ern
OF nothing in the ordinary and monotonous occur
rcnccs OF human life, to which his transport NAV
be compared. IL reminded me Of tho rapture of
rcconciIcd iovcrs-who having long cherished a
strong passion have been kept apart by some harsh
o5truslon. At last some favorable incident occurs
Ihc charmcr is fortunately thrown into peril -
Ihe gallant lover rushes to the rescue,--and h..
wing cNrIcatcd the lovely fair one, rcapscs into all
the tervour of affection. Sir, was greatly intc-
rested to observe the cCStacy, with which the i'm
pISS'oncd gentleman from R1ckbridgc Mr.. Muore,)
hung upon tho soft, the tmd the abashcd--yct
unrcssiing--evor yielding Enquirer.
nat 1t may appear to the public, that have
filled the climax Of human fol!y-I have been
subjected to these grave, conflicting charges. in
regard To subject, which it has been frequently
asserted, that 1.-THE People demand that sometime
must be done" The gentleman from Dinwddie
MIR. BrodnaX made this declaration-and if has
ed the liberty OF the press, but | have made a de-
h5cratc attempt, to defeat the will Of the people
publicly cXprcsscd!! Sir if 1.-THE People demand
that something must he done'-why refer this Qucs
ton TO 1.-The pcopC!' Surely, gentlemen are not en-
titled to the benefit of argument founded on the
suPPosition, that, ''thc People demand that some
thing must he done" at the very moment they are
urging upon us, the Propricty of referring this
question TO 1.-THE People," II 1.-The People demand
that something must be dome" it cannot be ncccs
siry TO refer the question to 'thc People," If it
he necessary to refer it to 'thc Pcople"-'Ihc
People cannot have demanded, that something
must be donc.' The truth is, ''thc People" have
not Spokcn-a few voices have been heard-and
the member from Brunswick, (Mr. Sholl,) has al.
ready exposed the weakness of their numbers
Gentlemen grossly deceive themselves, if they mis-
take these gentle whispers, for the irresistible, ON
nlpoi"nt voice of 'ihc People"
Perhaps Sir, there is something spccious in this
suggestion, OF referring question to 'lhc People"
l lear that, 1T may hereafter obtain currency in
this lamd;-but beg leave on this occasion, to en-
Ter my most solemn protest, against the introduce
ton of any such practice. There are obvious reasons
sPringng up from the nature Of this subject, which
render 1t peculiarly improper, TO throw the East
under The necessity, Of discussing the topic in the
very presence OF our slave population. But the
practice ItSCIi, unconucctcd with this SUBJECTS
entirely objectionable, and inadmissible Icpis
intivc power he cXcrted Sofcly BY the lcgis
lature only. In the exercise of these powers
you cannot SgiCiy challenge the action of the
constituent body. The practice would be fraupht
vi d irightful Observation-Disclosures fatal TO Tho
PrbiIc tranquility. Take this question as a mere
example. In relation to it, the people of the West
are supposed by their representatives. to have one
interest. The people of the East, have conflict. /
ing interest. TO require the people TO decide the
question, would array one portion Of the conmu |
nIty. against anotHcr-and unavoihlby generate
heats, and fcu3s, cIlculntcd to relax and TO dis
solve the tics, BY which people are united
70 refer 90 the qualified voters Of this common.
" caliH, the decision of any legislative question,
Vs. Guild violate The principle OF the comorolnisr
Is 4. Cd i'm llN l.fp