Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-01-21

Itself, deliver him up TO the injured Government TO be
punished, or justify the citizen, aud incur the conse-
quencc. Sir, i have too much respect for certain North
crn Governments within this Union, to believe, that they
will, upon reflection, tolerate any longer, the publication
and circulation . the dangerous and incendiary produc-
tons, which have oflate issued from their press. If, how
ever, in this l am Disappointed; and if, from the peculiar
organization oil the Governments under which we live,
there IL no mode oil peaceable redress secured to us, | de-
clare, on the responsibility OF the public station | now oc-
cupy, that rather than submit TO the continuance of evils
like these, without the hope of redress, | would appeal to
tcdr, and deem it the lesser evil.
But | have depressed. | return. in search of the lights
Of the age, to which the gentleman from Rockbridgc has
so eloquently alluded. Does il cmanate from that great
fountain Of radiance, which should ever ilumine and di-
rect the councils ofthis body-the will -four constituents
Sir, from our wide -extended territory, and hundreds of
thousands OF population, but ttco memorials have been adj
dressed to this body, on the subject RECOMMENDATION; one
from the county of Loudoun, and the other from a society
oil Quakers In Hanovcr-who hold no slaves-who have
no common interest with the great body of our people in
this property, and who advocate its abolition from a dis
charge of what they conceive TO be a religious duty.-
Late occurrences have attracted the public mind 10
the contemplation OF questions like this and had
the people decided this matter, gentlemen cannot per-
suade me, but that the people would be heard. Sir, the
community entertains no such sentiments, as those oscrib-
ed TO III in this debate. There is, in the great body of the
people, a principle OF abiding justice, which will repudi-
ate them. There is one question, on which, | think, the
public mind is defnitively setued; that is, the propriety of
removing the free colored population beyond our limits
The subject OF abolition, is one which has not engaged
their serious attention; and when they shall be informed
that we are here, Engaged in solemn debate upon il, and
that, too, on the principle, that their slaves are not their
tEGN'NEf iHNWNN - Hrh '" 81 ShNNh III phbiiC stlu-
ment, uncqualled since the days of our Revolution. Mr..
Speaker, what portion OF this Commonwealth is il, which
demands this measure at our hands! Not the East, Sir;
Tor they rise mp, almost as one man, against it. Is ii the
West! i hope not. | invoke TO my aid, on the present oc-
caSion, those high and %ennobling sentiments, which have
already been protested by Western gentlemen. Sir, the
East has been offered a ''cGrte blanche on this subject;
and | indulge the confident expectation, that the practice
of gentlemen will accord with their professions. II is a
question in which the East is vitality, and, l may say, al
most exclusively interested; and do not feel that i am
illiberal, when | ask Of the West, on this subject, to con-
suit or interests, our ieelings-nay, Sir, our prejudices,
If YOU please.
Has the West any direct interest in this question: With
bali our territory and nearly half our white population,
they possess but n few more than fifty thousand slaves
Their prosperity and happiness would not be promoted by
a diminution OF this number; for, they are not more than
enough 10 perform the heaviest and most mental Offices of
labor. Butt If the number be augmented, it will be at their
own option and discretion-tee will never multiply this
evil upon them. Sir, emigrants from the East do not set.
tic IN western Virginia. When the spirit OF enterprise,
or the pressure OF misfortune breaks us from our mornings
here; when the misery and wretchedness, OF which gen
tlemen so eloquently declaim, become so oppressive, as TO
turn US from the graves of our fathers, we do not "halt by
the way; but far in the depths of the Western forests do
we "pitch our Ebcnczers," and there, under more happy
auspices, attempt to build up anew our shattered fortunes.
Western Virginia need not lear emigration from us. Nei-
Their need she ever fear an undue growth of her slave popu-
l9iion. Her climate, hersoil, andh her agricultural pursuits,
all forbid ii. Slavery will never exist to any alarming ex-
tent, except where the planting interest is predominant.
Does she fear for her safety from Instructions among as?
She has an amulet OF protection, and an impregnablc bar
rier for her security, in the lofty mountains which sepa-
rate us-from the summit of which she may look down
win complacent security on the devastation of the vale
below.
Do the pccuniary or political interests of the West de-
mand this unjust sacrifice at our hands, Sir, the moment
you divest us Of the property in our slaves, YOU DESTROY the
greatest and most efficient element of taxation. The in
tcrnal improvement of our State has ever been a fayorite
object with the West; and has ever, more than any other
question, divided our counsels. They cannot be effected
without means TO build them, and national wealth to sus-
tain them: but take from us our slaves, and you destroy
our ability to pay-You impair the value of every other
species oil property we possess-our lands themselves be-
come a "caput n~,ortuIm'-and the country itself be-
comes desolate and deserted. Think you, Sir, a country
IKE tins would encourage a splendid system of internal
improvements?
But, the gentleman from Buckingham is willing to see
MS stript of this property, TO the amount of $50, 600, 900, be-
cause "it has heretofore been a bone of contention be-
tween Eastern and Western Virginia, and this Govern
ment and that Of the United States" If the gentleman's
position were true, j humbly conceive he would be pur-
chasing peace at a most eNorbitant price. But | qucs.
ton the truth of the gentleman's position. / am aware,
that in the late Virginia Convention, on the ques-
ton OF the distribution of political power, this proper
ty gave rise to some eXcitement; but, under the operations
otthe Government, | sec no cause why it should excite
dlssentions or dissatisfaction. The West do not envy us
in the possession of il; and | will do them the Justice
to say, that tChepeUer questions 0ftdrdtion hare come an
they hare most frankly admitted that slaues mere yyo.
PeTty. It's true, thoy sometimes contend, that we ought
TO pay a tax of 35cts. per head, instead OF 25cts. for this eva
liable Propcrty,'-hnt so long as we would pay enough,
and apply IL property, they have ever, heretofore, been
content that we should retain our slaves, and enjoy them
as property. In relation 10 our connection with the Ge-
neral Government, and the influence of this property on
our interests, in that connection, il is necessary that |
should say but little. That Southern interests and the
eternal principles of justice, have been sacrificed under that
Government, to the cupidity and avarice of a rapacious and
unrelenting majority, is the settled and conscientious OPT
MON of Virginia. We suffer enough, God knows Sir,
from its unjust and oppressive operations, notc. But /
think | hazard butlittle in saying, that were it not for the
political power which the possession of this property Sc
cures to the South in the counsels of that Government the
oppression under which we now labor, would long since
have crushed us to the earth. Yes, Sir, il has not only
given US the means of meeting its unjust and cruel exac-
tons; but it has aided in giving us on the floor of Con-
gross a talented and fearless representation, who have
not hesitated TO thunder our wrongs in the ears of our OPP
pressors.
Mr.. Speaker, gentlemen have entertained us in the
progress of this debate with long and labored dissertations
on the epils Of siaUery, and the abstract questions of its
Justice, piety and morality. The gentleman from Rock
bridge, in an essay, historical and statistical, has con-
Quoted us from the early ages OF venerable old China, by
regular gradations, up TO our own degenerate times. Sir,
/ have been entertained and instructed; but I cannot de-
bate these questions with gentlemen. ! stand not here
to argue the abstract question Of slavery, or its morality,
or its immortality. III the subject under consideration pro-
posed 10 lcgalize the SidUe fTade; or the gentleman from
Rockbridgc can shcw me that the present generation is
responsible for the existence Of slavery within our limits.
will most respectfully consider the argument he has adj
dressed TO us. But, Sir, il is as unkind as it is unjust to
reprOach a generation for misfortuncs transmitted 10 her
by generations before her, and from which no exertions of
hers could relieve her. To whom is Virginia indebted