Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-03-30

casscd with incendiaries, who would gladly light
the torch to burn our dwellings the heads of our
women and children? Could such imputatons re-
suit from any thing but strong sense op the part of
those who INDUCED in Them that they were in error;
and because for their persisng in il having
failed, their only refuge was abuse and delracton.
For his part, he wanted no better evidence of the
power of dccp-rooed prejudice over the mind of
man-no better proof of the obGquity of human
reason, than was to be gathered from such denun-
Citations.
There is, sir "still small voice." which speaks
the heart of man in a clear aud distinct TO
be disregarded Ii tells him that every system of
slavery is based upon injustice and oppression. If
gentlemen disregard lit now, and lull their con-
sciences to sleep, they may be aroused to of
their danger when il is too late repair their error
He thought right for him say thus much TO repel
the imputatons of gentlemen. So far Inc
personally concerned, he had done with them He
would occupy the attention Of the House with few
remarks upon the course that western gentlemen had
pursued upon the question under consideration.
They had been roundly assaed. They had been
charged with desire rob the east; and the com
parison had been made between their and
that of tclon who should attempt 10 rob the Speak
or OF his watch Had western gentlemen manifested
any desire rob the east? No-he thought not. Ii
was true that he thought they had INDUCED impro-
perry in the discussion of abstract right and abstract
principles, and pushed their views beyond practi-
cal point; but they had not, he thought expressed the
hostile sentiments which have been attributed TO
them Eastern gentlemen have declared this sec
tona question. They have said the west had no
interest in, and should take part i'm it; but should
stand aloof and silently witness the progress of an
evil which is bringing ruin upon this commonwealth.
Such an idea seemed TO him absurd. If we arc
all Nirginians, all Interested in this ques-
ton; for, unless 1t is arrested, its curse must be
common to the whole state. The west is, then,
interested i'll the qucston-deeply interested in
devslng some preventive measurc-somo mea-
sure that will rescue the west from this mllcw
Western gentlemen called upon by every
l1nrof Of,
from their children this heavy curse which mars the
fortunes OF their eastern brethren. He happy
to see that those gentlemen true to themselves
and TO Virginia. Although he compelled to con-
denim much they had said, he rendered them his
thanks for the aid they had given upon this occasion
to the friends of reform He looked upon them be-
fore as his brethren, and he greeted them now Ms
doubly his brethren. lie placed them before high
IN the scale OF humanty--he now ranked them still
higher They have contributed their share 10 eman-
cipatc Virginia from the letters which have so long
bound hers and they deserve the thanks of every To-
yer of his.c country.
But, to return 10 the question in debate. Gentle
men have told us that we have need for action
tor say they Virginia is increasing i'm populations fer
tility and wealth. He denied that Va had increased
IN populations fertility wealth as she ought to have
done--as her facilities would have enabled her to
do, II she had not been trammelled bV slavery Her
increase had not been like that of the miser who
continually adds dollar after dollar his hoard-nor
yet like the regular increase of the careful and pru-
dent man; but on the contrary, like the spendthrifi
she he'd neglected her true interest and wasted those
riches which nature has so bolnflllv ayished unon
her. She has not taken that tide at the food which
has led many of her sister on to fortune All
that is necessary to establish the truth ofhs position
is to compare Virginia with those states If SLAYER,
be not the cause of her tagging behind why is il
that all the slave-holding states are depressed and
all the non-slave-holding states prospcring beyond
all historic parallel? The ready answer that gentle
men give is, "the tariff" Why then, let me ask,
Tho clio
press the slave states? Why, sir Just because one is
iree from the curse of slavery and because the other
b not nn was no advocate of the tariff but these
them. gentlemen manifest great want of obscrya-
walton and very little knowledge of human charac-
ter, when they say, that they would resort to arms
before they would submit any measure TO free the
state of slavery Who would gentlemen fight? Why
they would be reduced TO the awkward necessity of
fighting themselves Should they, in the hour orther
WRATH fly TO arms, like the famous Knight of La Man
cha, they would strike their own cost Should the
wnc-bagsb he severed by random thrust it would be
at their own eXpense-for such step could fail TO
bring certain ruin upon them. Notwithstanding cas-
tern gentlemen have waXed so warm, Sir, there are
many, very many, in eastern Virginia, who had ra-
ther resign their slaves grauitousy than submit to
the ills OF slavery many who had rather turn them
loose, and leave them behind, while they should
seek happier cIime-a land alike a stranger to
slaves and TO slavery. He might be told that the
law would not allow individuals to emancipatc their
slaves and leave them here but what difference does
1t make whether they are liberated or sold? If the
negroes are left here, and the whites go awav GER
tanly the proportion of the negro population is com
parativey increased and that OF the whites lessen
ed--consoquently the evil augmented. There had
been singular idea advanced by the gentleman
from Halifax (Mr. Bruce.) He stated that "the ne
groes OF Virginia were the only capital of Vrgnia
and 1t they were sent away, should have nothing
left" The gentleman then values the land of Vir-
gina at nothing rare idea Suppose YOU re-
move the land-what woHld our negroes be worth?
Such an argument needs no answer An idea had
been suggested to the House, which had considera-
BILE weight from its pausbty, and had startled from
its magnitude. He alluded to the statement made
by the gentleman from Petersburg (NIr Brown)
that any measure that could he devised for remov-
ing the slaves from Virginia, would result in posi-
tive loss to the state of one hundred and fifteen mill
lions OF dollars. Mr. Speaker, it will take wise
man to prove that estimate true, and he thought
man must be very far gone in prejudice, or of very
obtuse faculties, who could not see the fallacy of
such an estimate. Why did he think so? Because
II 1t should once be known that il was the policy of
Virginia to get clear Of the negro population null
utude, which no man could number would be sold
and sent OIL; and every female sent away, and they
would be sent off in the greatest numbers, would
diminish the increase; and because of multitude of
causes, which he thought it needless to cnumcrate
as the two first he had stated proved all such nu
mcrcal calculations necessarily Incorrect and that
was enough for his purposc-for any calculation
winch carried the proof of error along with it, can
have but little influence upon reasonable man.