Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-05-01

.nol these rrcmediable calamites had been brough,
upon Them by as sincere lovers of mankind as ever
.ie world produced; yet such must be The kind oj
I"'cta'oh, II any, and such the kind of erculpatort
pea on the part of those who have been the unpro
''Aed authors Of all this incalculabe mischief As
y: tue course pursued by many OF our newspapers,
~ regard to these subjects, have viewed it with
uegrec OF pain, only to be equalled by the indir
,'oh ana disgust which it was powerfully cal
u'Iteo TO excite. In view, it has been marked
~ 'he most unqualified disregard of the feelings of
'io parties chiefly interested, by settled detcrmi-
tioh 10 excite odium and detestaton of their prin
|P'es ana characters, both of which have been out
rageouSly misreprcscnted, by frantic daring of
U'Viy Such danger, as SOBER rejecting men would
:'oip''c' from the public agitation of such ques-
oS ana projects, as our last Legislature brought
-Ot'h' and by an utter rccklessness of the
Consequences to the peace, safety and hap.
PlheSs OF the whole Community. Much as
we value tho liberty of speech, and of the
reSs' and decidedly opposed are, TO all at
.'",p'S oy law, such wero tried, to restrain
It's RIGHTEOUSNESS, feel the deepest possible con-
'cioh that the evils which the litter has Lrought
ana IS now 6rInging-not only upon Virginia but
on the whole nation, will utterly destroy all the
blessings heretofore achieved by the former, unless
WIS righteousness be restrained by the only proper
cotrective puOlic 0piRion and that the only
iair mode of ascertaining this opinion, is by public
meetings OF the People, i'll all the different Coun
ties OIL the State; that it neither is nor can BE- ex
pressed oy anonymous writers for ncwspa pers, or
NA'0iS themselves, VINO claim TO DO organ,
1--WE Know not on what ground is almost a sclf.eyi.
dent proposition; for they, as we'll as the countless
multlthdes to whom they address themselves know
perfectly, that the number of those who neither
Gd" nor ac'H' write for newspapers, is to the num-
per OF those who do write for them, includinr the
Editors themselves the drops of water in the
ocean are, TO the ITSELF and that tho silence
Oh ths immense multitude should never be consiru
cd INTO an approval of opinions and doctrines
winch have no other foundation-no other sanction
s.IrSI IL
newspaper Editors, and their namccss correspond
ents: Therefore,
L. Resolred, That the abstract right to hold
slaves, was in no imaginable way involved i'm the
discussion OF any subject, which could rrhtflily
come before last Legislatures; and that Tho late
introduction of it into that Body was not only MT
terly needless, but altogether unauthorized and
dangerous to the peace and safety OF the Commu-
nitv.
.. Rcsolced, That we will delegate no man TO
represent us, who will not to the extent of his
power, oppose any attempt, either direct or indi-
rect to abrogatc this right, which being right OF
property, cannot be taken away, even for public
uses, without ample compensation from other pub.
itself
5. Res0tred That The Legislative remedies pre-
scrDcd by that portion of the Assembly called Abo
htionists, especially when considered in connection
with the language of the Prescribcrs themselves
Tor the alleged evils of negro slavery, were if pos
sb!e worse than the evil ITSELF sore and grievous IS
we admit that to be-
A. ReSOirea, That for the Members of tho Lee
glSiature to dcfAme calumniate any class or
classes, OF our citizens, done in our last AS
selnply, with respect 20 the slave holders among u.s.
was not only fragrant usurpation of power, but
proceeding almost irrcsistibly tending TO make Bit
ter, lmplacabla enemies Of those who ought TO be
friends, us we'll as to distract and finally to divide
the State.
5. Res0lreG, That f.tlere be any thing but i'm.
pcty in the adagc that ''thc voice Of the People is
the voice of Cod" or any truth i'll the maxim that
''the safety Of the People is the supreme layv"-the
hrSt can never be raised in better causc-nor the
last consulted in more sautary eifactual manner,
than III reprobating, with the utmost severity of
language, all such RIGHTEOUSNESS, either of speech,
or OF the Press as'will endanger the peace, safety
and happiness, of the People themselves.
o.NteSOlred, That we will neither subscribe for,
continue, nor refrain from discouragng by all fair
means, the circulation of any newspaper, or public
Journal wherein the doctrines, projects and speech
rs OF the Aboonists i'll the last Legislature, shall
hereafter be advocated, either by the Editors them
selves or by those who write for thcmA
I. heSotred, That will neither subscribe for,
nor refrain from discouragng, by all fair means,
the circulation OF any pamphlets, containing the
speeches OF the Abotionists, since we consider
them full as well calculated 10 excite instruction,
Of any thing can again do il as any of the Aboli-
ton pamphlets and newspapers from the Northern
and Eastern States, which have been so universal
ly denounced throughout the whole Southern coun-
try.
3. Rcsolccd, That we hereby invite all our fell
low-cltlLcns IN the other Counties of VIRGINIA to
cooperate with us i'll such expression of senti.
Ihens, relative to matters OF such general and mo-
mcntOus concern.
.. Resolved, That copy of these proceedings
be sent 10 the Editors of the Richmond ENQUIRER
Constitutional Wing, Jciicr sonian and virginia
Times, Political Arena, and Virginia Herald, with
request TO publish Tn I'm in their respective papers
AUSTIN BROCKENBROUGu, Chm'n
GEORGE WRIGHT, Scc'ry.
~ The Barbecues proceed mcrrily in S Carroll