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

ivy Pio'cst against The circulation OF ADohtlon
ne"SPaPersf Is it not that they dread tho conso-
quehces OF discussion-not upon the minds of the
oiaVes-but the People themselves? Do they not
Toll Slavery ''as sweet morsel under the tongue"
ana are they not disposed to counteract whatever
has remote tendency to remove III
II the People of Essex can do without this paper
Nas no doubt they very we'll can) this paper do
equally well without the People of Essex. We con-
slider their Proceedings extra Official as design
Gu TO control the Press in its constitutional, and
guaranteed sphere-os, to accomplish this purpose
addressing the bascst feelings of the conductors OF
the Press, ther fears and interests-and as far as
'hey are intended to apply to us, VIC reject their
lecture, II intended admontion and contenn
It, itintendcd as menace. We mean no possible
disrespcct to the People of that county but wo GER
tainIy shall go on as we have at all times DONE to
take our own path in politics, governed by what
we believe right, and in the full persuasion that an
independent course, is not only the most praise.
worthy in itself. but even ultimately. the safest-
Were all at the Meeting in Essex, and all who con-
Cured in it, to withdraw their support from u.s. we
have little question, that in that county, indie
pendent spirits enough would be found to stand up
for the Liberty of the Press and indemnify any in
significant injury we might sustain.
COMMUNICATED.
AT a large and respectable meeting of the citi
zens OF Essex, held at their Court House on the
day OF their election of u Member TO tho Assem-.
bly,, (Which meeting was advertised at March
Court,) to take into consideration the PROCEEDINGS
of our last Legislature in regard Slaves and Free
Negroes, as well az the pursued by several
of our Public Journals in relation to the same-
Doct. Austin Brockenbrough being called to the
Chair, and George Wright appointed Secretary
on motion the following gentlemen appointed
by the Chair to prepare preamble and resolutions
expressing the sense of the meeting in reference to
the objects for which it convened; to wit:
James NJ. Garnctt, David Pitts John III. Upshaw
James Scmplc Charles G.. Layton, Arthur l..
Barnes and John NJ. Garnet, who having retired
after some time returned and presented the follow
ing, which were unanimously adopted, except the
9th and 9TH resolutions, from which there were
only two disscnticnt wholesome to each. Tho
first disscnticnt declared III conversation with tho
Chairman of the Committee, that he disapprovcd
as much as any one, the course pursued by the
abolition newspapers, but deemed it hest that each
person should manifest his disapprobation for him
self, not IN concert with others. The other said
he was equally opposed to the circulation of such
pamphlets as the resolution condemned, but did not
thnR them quite as pernclous as those which had
beer sent among us from other States.
whereas we deem it both the right and duty of
the People i'll a Government like publicly to de-
nounce all such abuses OF the liberty of speech and
of the press appear either injurious TO the charac
tiers ana rights of individuals or dangerous to the
peace safety and happiness of the community; and
whereas IN our opinion, abuses of this have
been committcd-not only by portion of the
members OF our last Legislature, but by many OF
the newspapers of Virginia, in relation to the
rights and characters of slave holders as well as
TO the peace, safety and happiness of the Com
monwealth: we, portion of the people of Essex
having assembled to deliberate on the subjects
above stated, and having bestowed on them ali the
attention TO which their vital Importance so Justly
entities them, now beg leave briefly explain the
grounds of our utter Reproduction of such proceed.
Ings, and to invite fellow citizens in every
county OF the State to cooperate with that not
even the shadow OF pretext may be left for any
thing similar at the meeting of our next Lcgisla-
turc.
| The abuses of speech to which we particularly
alpde on the part of portion of our Legislature
1--WE cannot say Representatives, are the uncallcd-
tor, eXtra-otfcial, and At snch tune, highly dan
gerous discussion Of the abstract question as to the
right OF holding siavcs-thc uncallcd.for extra
official, and at all ti1nes, highly dangerous obloquy
cast upon class Of citizens living under the
same Govcrnncnt-the unsailad-f for, extra. official
and at all times, highly dangerous attempt to dis.
turo right OF property which has been acknow-
lodged, settled and sanctioned by our laws-not
only ever since the existence OF our present Co
ycrnmcnt. but while we were colonies of another.
We consider the discussion uRcalied for, since we
have never seen the slightest evidence 10 prove
that the People of Virginia had the most dis
tant expectation of any such discussion; or indeed
THAT Legislative dCtOu was expected
quence OF the southampton instruction, which
was the sole prctcxt, than additional police
regulations III regard to our slaves, and possibly
some practicable pro cct for removing the free ne
groes ont OF the State, which measure we believe
would be approved by all We consider the discus
sion ertrn-0EciaL, since none of the duties of an
ordinary Legislature in relation cithaS to slaves or
tree ncgrcs can, by any conceivable possibility re-
| qulrc 1t Tor their proper fulhlment And we look
upon it as highly dangerous at such a time, be-
pth no
when we consider the intlammatory language u>ch
on the occasion to produce a repetition of the
atrocities such as were pcrpotratcd in Southamp-
ton.
We consider the gross abuse Of shareholders,
and the Outrages attempted against their rights,
uHcdlLcd for, since those who were guilty of this
most unJustlfiable conduct had not much the
pretcxt OF instruction to authorize it, even suppo-
sing that any portion Of our icow-ctzcns could
! be utterly regardless of tho characters and
rights of others to attempt such a awlsss dcs-
perete delegation of power. We consider this
abuse eftTd-oBciGL, since the authors of it neither
hare nor can acquire the right to pcrpetrate such
acts. And deem such conduct at all times
highly dangerous, since jeaousos, animosities, and
lasting enmitcs must inevitably grow out of any
legislative speeches whose manifest tendency it is
to ALLEVIATE the attachment OF any ono portion of
the People of tho same State from any other por.
ton.
The attempt to disturb the right of property in
our slaves, consider unclLicd far, since not Il
shadow of testimony even of so little authority as
| fathcrcss newspaper intimatons, had been seen in
! its favor. We view it ertra oiFcioL since no re-
preventative body, with less than the plenary pow
| crs OF Convention, to make or amend Il Const-
tuition, had could have, the slightest prccncc Of
authority, TO meddic with the right in any such
! way as TO invalidatc if; still less therefore, had
they, could they have, authority to assert the
right of abrogating it altogether: and consider
such attempts to disturb this right of property in
slaves (howover great believe the evil Of slave
ry to bc,) as Mt all times hghiy dangerous; because
the right is dependent for It's stability, precisely
81 ,t.y,,,,