Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-01-13


sec the Enquirer makes Mr. Webb say (uron
the presentation by the Speaker of tho petition Of
sunGry citizens of Nan,cmond on tie subject Of
free ncgTocS) that he (s1r. Webh,) CIV ould simply
''rcmark TO the House, that though the petition
''from NansoIno:d which had just been presented,
twas signed by some twenty or thirty persons only
''and seemed to have been entirely gotten up 10y
''hiS predecessors, Capt. John {. Cohoon, who did
"nOt think proper TO chtruot MIN with lis Frcscuta-
'ton, he nevertheless felt no hesitation in saying
''Lhat it Expressed probably the unanimous wish +
"thc people of Nansemond." Not SO, Mossrs. Ed
nors. change has taken place lately. AS cIti-
zen Of Nanscmond, and large slave holder ] take
the liberty TO say, that the people OF Nan2omond
are not unanimous upon the subject Of driving of
the free negroes. We do, Mcssrs. Editors, many
Things in times of high excitement, that sliud-
der at in moments of cool reflection, after the
mind has had time to reflect and calm Justice
again TO her scat in The breast of man: the
unfortunate affair in the lover country, too well
rccollccicd hy us all, has probably drawn forth
those as well as OTHER petitions but since tho affair
has somewhat wcrn oH, and C, rtu!r class of pco-
pie begin to reflect, Il mean the nonsia We holdcrS)
they hold this language; 'rivc oil The free labor
yet, you give INC security that the Southampton
Affair will not again he acted over. ! no better
OF than before. on iarass me by calling me ont
to pa'rolc, TO keep the slaves in order; yet, when
want to hire labor. I cannot get i: at fair price
because you slayc-ho!dcrs ask Inc enormous prices
for them, and under such circumstances, must he
entirely dependant upon you, while you not at
al dependant upon nc; but yet, "says tie Slave
getting clear Of all the negroes, bond and free
Will go heart and hand witt you; but will not aid
in driving of class tha, will benefit me, and
retaining another that will irjurc me, in every
point Of view; for' says the onsIdve-' oder 'swc
ara not UPON equal terms; you with your many
negroes, and with my none, can never DO equal;
am dependant upon You for occasional labor,
whiio You not dependant upon me Tor any thing
yc: put your many negroes into cash, and we are
the more equally balanced; for, all live by
labor, you, with your money, would DO compelled
TO employ me, and thereby, the divtincion which
once existed ill Virginia, between the rich and the
poor men, woCd lie done away with, and the non
Blavo-hoders would no longer be hcwcrs 6 wood
and drawers Of water" Yes sra, this is the lam
guagc held by The non-Slayc-holdrrs; and permit
me TO say, that / an old enough 10 rccocct the
time in some parts of Virginia, when, if the poor
man would approach of the large slave hold
and wealthy men of the country, he had 10
do it with his hat in his hand; he did it because
he was drTcndani upOa him for almost every thing;
and without gong into the mcrits of the question.
tnus. bihts arc simply made 20 inform the repre-
sentative from NanycmGad, flat Shore is Il large
class of people in this County, notc opposed to
sending off the free negroes, unless ono general
oft!:c black pCpulrtIOn he made. and dC@ht
not hut chat these the scn':cnts of ST tvc-
holders in other counties. SO the Legislature
viii OF once see tho very delicate situation in which
tbcy GSc placed upO1 Tie subject now be ,urc them;
you sec the vaTiouS classes Of PEOPLE tacy
have to please, and should a wrong move
tie made, Il viii he bard TO TctrDce it.
NJ own views, Mcssrs. Editors, upon this sII-
iCCt arc founded upon many years p"riCt!"g
and mature d2lihcration; It is doomed uurcccssi-
~ here to trouble the community with thcu; suc
fee il 10 say, that slavery Of itself is cdrsa, ard to
tho slavc-hrdcT what can he worse tijJu INFERNO
dato class of pCOpc between thc I"@>:c- and t3c
slave, those who claim The right Of locouofi,u.
but can enjoy nothing else; yet YOU SEQ il's non
f'avc.h"dcr claim TO let them r"uaa tlmt lac may
oLlvi4 the labor cheap and al all times when io
wants il, for they say they arc an advantage toi
them, in that point Of view; and truly sirs, They
are; and it will perhaps, scuca hat show the ad.
vantage OF free llbour, mean TO the people gene
rally; but wi aevcr may DO my opinion Of slavery
i, exists wonld ny means, interfere between
master and slave, or express an opinion concerning
the same but upon the subject of rsc labor owns &
villages cannot well be got along without it, C. n
some persons WHO have tie RICH: Of oco,no on, and
wiling to perform the mental Offices and various
LITTLE Jobs that required aboat cities that the
gs'ature would 90 well to prus0, and refer This
In-i:er 10 ho people, fer their final 'ecie;nn for