Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-02-04

gsluturc. Sir, did the gentleman, allow his neat
q, fancy to roam so wildly into the regions oil 70
nance, us really to suppose, that such an event
was within the rangc-not ot probabiiitics--nu'
even Of possibil,cSl | felt, Sir, when L heard the
suggestion, an involuntary shudder; and even now,
can with difficulty divcst myself OF the dreadful
impression il made on my mind at tho moment
Mr. Sneaker looked at you when this hcart-chiu-
inc prophecy was pronounccd,-I then looked on
this Assembly of reverend, grave and potent
scigniors," as they were yesterday termed IN that
round of compliments which they received.
looked at the usual concoursc OF respectable and
inicllipcnt visitors who crowded your gallery and
lobbv;-And last, but not least, Sir, looked on
that fair portion of our auditory, whose presence
here at,cSts their deep interest in these proceed
inus--on those fair ones, who are ever nearest to
our feelings and dearest TO hearts, when scenes
of danger are talked oi.-Sir, with what feelings
did you reflect the spectacle, when you inagn-
ed TO yourscfa knotty patcd, sable African, nsurp
ing the Chair, which you NOW occupy, ana prcs,d-
inT over the deliberations OF negro assomOiyl-
Sir, iorbcar To carry out the sombro picturc.-
Better would il have bccn-tar less grating to our
feelings, or dreadful to our imagnaions-tor the
gentleman, while rapt i'll the scraphic spirit, to
have looked still, further through the vista o! future
time, until in the language in which one OF the
ancient prophets describes a desolatcd city-"the
grass shall be growing in the streets, and the
foxes pccping from tho holes" Better, Sir, that
Inc should have looked even still iarther-to the
time when the very existence of the city of Rich
mond, shall have become matter of history,
with that of Balbcc, Pcrscpolis, and Palmyra
When travellers shall visit the remaining ruins
these romantic hills, and another Nolney shall be
seated ON some broken fragment of one of those
beautiful pillars, which now adorn and support
this splendid struc;urc, amidst the dcca wing rub
bish Of this capital indulgiug ingenious specula-
tcps as to whether the temple Of some heather
Color the State House of some civilized raco,
had once occupied the spot-or, if history had
not yc, become quite so dim--inditing in his jour
nal, that he in land where there existed
some Tabled accounts-somc obscure traditions OF
one washington, who was said once to have lived
in this then desolated wilderness, to have been
first in peace, first in war, and first in tho hearts,
of this ancient pcoplc-to have "illcd the measure
of his country's glory" and TO have "rcad his his
tory in nations eyes" Perhaps, Sir, in the por-
trait, you could see somo curious Antiquary, VIII q
had travcrsed the Atlantic is haunt up amidst those
ruins, some small piece of the marble which now
forms part of that noble statue in your vcstibulc
raised to the memory of Virgina's proudest son,
and preserving it as precious relic with all tho
conSccratcd solicitude and devotion, of catholic
superstition. Sir, had rather, in fine, that tn,
gentleman had extended his rapt vision even tc
that rcmotest Of all times when
"'Ths great gobe ITSELF
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve,
And Ike the baseless fahIi. of a vision
"Leave no. ack behind"
Sir il was with unqualified astonishnont th,
L heard any supposition advanced of the possibjIi
iy of successful instruction by our coloured
population. 1t is true there has been great ex
cItcmcnt and much unpleasant apprehension OF
danger am happy TO have learned that all this
is TO considerable extent subsiding. Ii demon.
*trGtcs certainly, however, the propricty the nc
ccsslty OF our adopting measure to re assure
public confidence; and prevent as far as practical
pic the recurrence OF scenes similar to those Sc
often alluded TO. L certainly am not without IN,
Tears. But not the craven fear | trust; but tina
which dictates the cxpcdicncy of LOOKING Guarded
~ at every thing before us, so as to be best pre-
pared TO meet or TO ward off approaching danger
DO believe, and such must be the deliberate iudr
mcnt oil every rejecting man, thrt unless some
thing Is done in time to obviae it, the dav mus
arrive when scenes Of inconccivable horror ,:;us
inevitably occur, and of these two races OF
human beings, will have their Threats cut by the
other. 1t is impossible that things can always con.
tnuc TO flow Oh in their present current without
some radical change IN our policy towards the
African caste. This consequence must result nm
less something can be done to remove or mitigate
the tremendous evil.
But when illusions have heretofore been made
to this horrible castrophe, did it enter into the i'm
agnaton of any body, that me 1chifes were TO he
the ultimate victims! that any successful orc nera
conspiracy ever could occur? No, sir; beg vor
to understand, that however dreadful either alter
native would bc-howcvcr anxous-howcvel
painfully solicitous may be, TO provide some
efficient measure of prevention, ii is not founded
OH the supposilion, by Il human being in the re.
gion more Immediately concerned that our negroe.
are ever to exchange conditions with u.s. or make
laws for sublugatcd province? The real extern,
of the dangcr-and God knows that is bad
enough!-is that in insulated ncighborhoods a few
misguided fanatics, like Nat Turncr-or reckless
infatuated dcsperadocs, like his followers in oto
ignorance of the extent of such on enterprise. o,
OF the means necessary to accomplish it, NAV, in
moments of sudden excitement make desncroto
attempts, and commence partial excuses of pillaUe
and massacre. Much mischief-(yes sir as inn
pGrtant 10 the wretchcd individuals assacd, as il
.nl, fI,n, -NrlI
an inc world was involved -much injury might
be inflicted before the insurgents conld he me-,
with and arrested. But so far from their over
whelmng the whites, conqucring the country.
ovcrturning our political dynasty and usurpino
the seats OF legislation, tie rcry ack of their en-
Godying, 1COHid be the immediate sjpDaL FIR tbc;r
aHHh'tdtio". SIR, assure you, that whatever lit
tie OF military information NAV possess confirms
and corrohorates this obvious view of the subject
The only difficulty consists in fndiDg hcm-'rbe
danger to &c apprchendcd is entirely of a tcmporo
ry character, and while they advance unseen and
unopPoscd. The idea of military force invading
and conqucrng any country, without uniting in n
mass, or by avoiding the opposing force Of tho
invaded, would be ridiculous In truth. there was
never single moment, from the commencement
TO the termination OF this celebrated SOUTHAMPTON
instruction, in which ten rcsoute, well armed
men, could not easily have put The whole down =
win the relative moral, intellectual and scientific
advantages winch we possess, the numerical supe
riority OF our slaves would have to become at least
'"eh'y 70 ohc' before any probable prospect could
exist, OF successful general rebellion ShouId
the dIsproportien ever become uery great, the God
OF Heaven who governs the universe, only knows
what might happen. The only serious apprehen.
SION 49, that now and thcn-pcrhaps after intervals
OF many yearS-Pdrtiat attempts at local insurrcc
rcction may be made, much mischief nav be done
IN small districts, until, repeat it, one or the
other party viii be cxtcrminatcd Another attcnpt
soon alter the recent one, would, in nv iudpmcnt
lead the way to an indiscrimirate slaughter of ali
inc Oiacks' whether concerned in it or not. as
sure you, sir that at the close of thai which la
passed, and when The public mind was excilnd al