Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-02-04


with him. Here their sentiments, and the cnteman
denies their TRUTH and arrays his opinions against
them IL rs not my province To- interfere with the gen
teman and his constuents-I witnessed of this
ofncious Interference last winter, and would follow
the foul example. The gentleman will be fortunate, if
ne can persuade his constituents that he this
subject better than they do and that they po-
tcai heresy and untruth when they proclaimed their
right 10 call the nonslaveholdng States for the sup
preston, by penal nts OF these ncendiary and
scdious associations Let him 90 home and enter upon
a task which shall not envy. 1t is one upon which
should enter, before my constituents, with fear, trem
bling and despair.
Mr. BRowN, of Petersburg, begged to be INDUCED in
few remarks before the question taken. 1t might
be that the vote upon that question would make the first
disclosure of diversity OF views in that body and he
looked with lively apprehension TO such disclosure
such subject, he could not refrain from making
more effort to avert it, if possible and if not, least 10
make manifest the causes of il. When every member
of that body proicssed that there should
be perfect unanmty i'm its action on this allimportan
subJect-when such wish and expectation was known
TO be universally prevalent amongst the people, it
unreasonable to hope, that desirable contamination
might sun be elected! IL true they had signally
iacd on previous occasion, when this subject in ano
ther form, under consideration bring about har
mony ana concert, and very unobjectionabc PROPOSE
on plainly designed toprocurc information, and nothing
more mad been made the object of party denuncation
aug thrown cut OF the House. But what the pro-
misses held out in that debate, by gentlemen who op-
posed the resolution (Gilners p They said it had an u
terror designthat il had originated from party whom
they suspeced-that the whole subject was before com
miitee, and disrespectfu that committee to
touch the question in any shape until they had reported
Tor H. Let us await the action of the committee and
,hen we viii harmonzc upon its report, the general
language of these gentlemen. Well--the committee
had repored-and be 1t remembered, that it n
mittee composed OF majority OF the political and party
friends OF the gentleman from Mecklenburg, who now
come forward to oppose the report IL large
mIttee, and respectable committee whose recommc nd
atoms had been anticipated with much socitude by
House. The report of this committee was such as he
had supposed would be readily and unanimously con-
Cured IN by all parties. 1t had been as possible
stripped OF all Irrelevant and extraneous matter, SO
10 Tho n,-hil IF
The series of resolutions embodied only such prin-
ciples as believed be universally entertained
IN Virginia. They were fully complete, and so far
argumcnta,ivc to be ineligible and pcrspicuous
put nothing more preamble had been omitted lest,
in treating at large on the subject topic might be
touched which would create objections or awaken the
scruples oil some one other of the members Every
thing had been done for Cancellation and unity and he
had trusted the we-meant endeavour would have been
met In corresponding spirit But the aspect things
he regretted to say, becoming highly ominoIs
The gentleman from Mecklenbug, had assailed the re.
port OF the Committee with counter project and oI,
dy laid the foundation Of excited debate if not of
painful schism He wished the public see distinctly and
to observe how 1T was, and from whom this discard had
arisen Recent experience had shown that ndspen
SADLY necessary fora certain portion ohat House to guard
themselves cautiously against misconslrucon and msrc-
presentation When the proposition of the gentleman
from Abemare, which he regarded as one of the plain
est and most unexceptonable he had ever been called
upon to consider, up few DAYS ago its sunporey
were charged with party designs The gentleman from
Mecklenburg, said it evidence of deliberate pur
pose to follow up the practice of the Northern Abolition
nents OF the fanatics and intended TO enable p,rv IN
rae into power on the terrors of the people When the
friends OF the resolution successfully defended them
selves rom ihese charges, their opponents shifted their
ground towards the close of the debate and boldly de-
med that they had raised the cry of party The ec
tort was now obviously about be made to nersnode
the people that the supporters of that resolution were
responsible for the party character of that debate-
Notnlng could be more unjust, and lie believed
u wouia laiI' The people would through the ar-
fee, and reprobatc it, If he wished party TRIUMPH in
reference to such subject he thought it was within
ieach LOT IL was the opponents of the resolution who
ad made II party question: and the good of the
country was against such procedure. But he re.
joiced in no such triumph lie Iumcn,cd that such
oeoate had b'eh forced upon them, and would deem
victory over party at home but paltry attainment
and too dearly purchased by the of one particle Of
our influence abroad through the apparent dissension in
ranks If such another spectacle WINS now 10 he
presented, the public should know the oripin of IL and
place the responsibility where il was due Win tbo,
view, he begged 10 remind the House of the precise
question they about vote upon The gentleman
from Nlecklen6urg, had offered an amendment in the
shape OF substitute, and supported by speech which
so many topics wholly foreign to the substitute,
mat was necessary to distinguish between the speech
r me question: IN order to avoid Misrepresentation
ne Voie ABOUT TO be taken had relation many of
the subjects treated by that gentleman The second re-
solution OF The committee under consideration lie
mao an OBJECT IN liking attention would ead
" ReSofeed, That each Stale had originally the sole
and exclusive right 10 interfere with control or eoslate
upon the subject of domestic slavery within its uTd
tohai hIts-a right which, far from being impaired
is recognised and guaranteed by The Constitution of HE ~
St0S-and that interference Herewith by tho General
lie
invasive OF the rights of the States violates the Con
stitution." -
Now what he asked, was the objection 10 this resolu
on Let gentlemen scrutinize it, and say what there
was III IL tlat was not regarded truisni in Virginia
at least Yet the gentleman from Meckenburg had Of
ieIcd substitute to it, which read thus:
EeS0fred, That Virginia alone has the right TO cps-
late over tie slaves in her territory any attempt 10
change their condition, whether made by Congress- the
Legislatures, or the people of other States will be re-
Sorded as an invasion Of our rights"
The question To be decided embraced in those two
competing resolutions, and he entrcated The House 10
naf the TACT he other resolutions which the gentle
man hed IN ms hand and had, contrary 10 order dis
cussed, were not before the House. and were distinct
propositions, IN manner dependent on the 6rt Ills
substitute must stand or fall on lis own meritsand what
principle there in it which justified this force al
lack on the resolution of the committee? What impor
tat uHcence was there between the resolution and the
SUBSTITUTE tiat Inc gentleman willing TO incite de-
Da'c ana divide the House upon it, Ii the difference
was not essential there sufficient reason for Gre
atiug schlsm in attempt TO override the commit
Tee l on tie other hand there was in the estimation
Vi eehceh suihcient reason for putting all at haz
Iu' iet e act upon their opinions but let them pre-
pare 10 make good their reasons before the people -
MT D. thought there were differences between the
resolution and the substitute, but they were such ns do
cdedIy TO recommend the resolution. The committee
slid mat an interference with slaves by the clzeus
OF ohcr states, was an invasion Of rights The gel
uenan rom mecklenburg had objected to this and de-
med that the of the citizens of onv State 90.
such an invasion. But what said his substituteY Wbv
tat the interference of the people of other States was
an INVASION OF our rights. Surely he did not moan
10 say that the committee wrong in ascrbing
mat effect TO the acts Of "czens" who were a part
OF 'he people, which he himself ascribcd 10 The
= people upon his own grounds, tile Resolution
OF The committee ought TO Le more acceptable 10 him
IN ths respect, Than his own, because went not so
l: but lhcre was ono important difference between