Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-09-12
MIR. w. C. RIVES.
from The Richmond Enquirer.1

From the ftchm0nd enquirer
To THOMAS RICHIE, ESQ., hope you will not
consider il impairment in an humble individual
like myself TO address to you few queries up
on a subject which in my humble estimation, IS
of vital Importance to the people of Virginia.
First-is not MIR. w. c. Rives in favor OF
Abolition?
Secondly-have you not in your possession.
letter from him from Paris, recognizing, IN It's
fullest extent. that doctrine2
Thirdy-Will you favor the public by max
ing the same publc2
Fourthly-Will you answer the above queries
affirmatively or negatively! WING.
The above article appeared in the Wing some
time since-in addition to which, il was said that
Mr. Gholson had, in one of his speeches, spok-
en- of such letter from MIR X. 10 1. X. We
thought il our duty to lay the subject before Mr..
Rives--as we had not preserved the letter from
paris at least we could not find it among our
oaners-and VIC had no right, even if We had
10 Law a private letter before the public, without
the writer's Consent. Mr.. Rives enclosed TO US
in reply the following extract of letter he had
previously addressed to gentleman. who had
written him on the same subject. The extract
corresponds with the contents of The Paris let
ter, as nearly as We can recoect them:
Extract ofa Letter 10 H. 4. g., Esq.-Aug. 30h,
1884.
clam no Abolitionisi, and never have been
one In common with every American patriot
have deplored the existence of slavery in our
country. and would rejoice TO see any safe and
feasible remedy adopted. if such could be de-
vised 10 mitigate or To remove the evil. But
would never give my sanction 10 any remedy
which would disregard the rights oil property
10 the slave owner; which consider as heiu I'M
der the same guarantees OF the law ana me
PROSTITUTION, that protect every other right OF
nrnnertv did not approve Of any Of the
Schemes which were proposed in the Legislature,
=, the time the subject was under consideration
in that body; but, on the contrary, saw ihsupe,
Fable obieclions to all of them. The pohcy l
have favored, as both the most safe and prac;i-
cable is that of the colonization scheme, winch,
10 gradually draining the country of its free CO.
iorsd nopuiaton, and Of slaves who should be
,,oluntarily manumitted by their masters, would,
~ rho same time promote the interests oil the
sIave-owners themselves, by removing great
source of corruption and disaitectlon among
tha slaves. and by keeping down the aggregate
n,mher of slaves, would place the problem OF
~ ultimate extinction of slavery at some re-
vote neriod Of our future history, more within
the mower Of suspicious contingencies whlch the
course of events might present"
mThese are the views have always enter
tanned. and repeatedly expressed. They are,
as far as can rec"llect the views eAprssSeu uy
me in nv correspondence with my friends, whlle
was in France Alive as was, during my
residence abroad, to every thing which affect.
ed the feelings and interests OF my country, l
could not but be deeply moved by the horrid
catastrophe which occurred in Southampton,
i'm the summer Of 1881 saw that public aiten-
ton had been every where in our State, AVA
kened to the great question which that event
had forced on the reflection of even the most
careless and minimizing. Under these circum-
stances, have no doubt that, in my commun-
cations with my friends, ] expressed in strong
terms my sense of the evil Of slavery in our
country, and an anxious desire, if any remedy
fur il could be devised, to see some sale and
nrudent measure adopted to lessen, if not re-
hove it, felt at the same time, all the delica-
cv and difficulty ofthe subject which well re-
coliect TO have expressed, and to, have declar-
ID NV conscious inability at the distance was
rom the scene OF elaboration, and deprived of
any interchange Of opinion with Others to Judge
thsv are the views l now entertain; and feel
satisfied, that there was nothing either in my
letter to Mr.. Richie, or to any otner OF my cor
reSnondents, inconsistent With the explanation
here given Of those views"