Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-01-12


non OF the mass of community 1t may continue
to be the opinion of the well inormed bot it is
cessary TO call your attention to the danger of ianau
cal spirit which may hereafter arise is necessary
to remind you ,haou constituency embraces
I'm the community twentyon years of agc-it is
not necessary, to tell you that in community where
slavery does exist and where il is generally looked
upon with abhorreucc,where the dcclanlations of
husasts listened 10 by ALL that those who nav make
slavery the subject of their denunciations will find will
ing auditors, and may fasen ready hold the feel
ngs oil those who hear them III is not necessary for
TO be told that sentiments opposed such state will
find their hearers susceptible of convictions and that
those sentiments will be Of propagation This be-
ing Of the laws of Nature we cannot prevent such
results and IT Is 10 see, that when il shall become
subject OF public agitatonwhen the contagon shall
nave commenced spreading, there will be found dcma
yogues enough, ready to iaSen upon it, and turn it TO
their account There will be au emuation no, among
the well disposed but among the seekers after Office the
hreings OF party TO seize upon this feeling and
IN favor of some political asrirInt And unless the
south be true 10 ITSELF will prove like the fanaticism
OF masonry, like that ianaticsm in England, by
which nearly thirteen millions of people have been led
almost with one voice to demand the of her colo
dred.
Sir, said Mr.. s., it seemed me that these were the
sentiments of wisdom, which looks the past a guide
for the future; and dcvouty hope, that wisdom will
not he deemed ungracious when addressed the Gene.
raj Assembly of Virginia thus address il to the House
IN order to show the ncorectness of the of
those who argue that there is u GOODNESS towards the
permonency of the Union among the individuals who
endeavor TO urge on the South secure, by timely
activity the victory which has hitherto perched on her
bannesto show the of the assertion that
senseless ana unrcasonng prejudice against Nort,
is the Impeding cause of our movements upon this
subject
The proposition which has been submitted TO the
House, freed from the perversions of passion and sus
picon, presents two simple questions They are these
IA correspondence with the Executives of those States
IN which incendary associations are known to or ISL
and in which they STILL carrying on their machina
tons against the South limited to the mere function of
inquiry to what will be the probable action of shoe
States upon this subecThe other proposition is for
correspondence with the slave holding States confined
IN ike manner to the requirement of Information as TO
/ q n kpnh v flaOa St,tn. s.
the designs OF the Northern Abolionists which we of
course are Interested because make any action on The
part OF the South eiiectua that action ought TO be har
inonious These are the two unambguous propositions
of the resolution.
Now, sir, before enter into considerations of n,pcb
greater Importance than the resolution tself-for our
proceedings have given TO it importance incalculablv
greater than 1t possessed in its simple elements when
first presented to the Houselet me alude 10 be
ner IN which this propositions limited objects which
have before stated has been treated. How sir has
this resolution been received? WHY sir the oe ntlema
from buckingham (Nlr. Booker thought proper while
he IN terms asked day delay, that he MIGHT cons
der lis Objects TO make il the subject of gratuitou
persion, by declaring il to be part of system of false
alarm the subject of Abolition Until the resolution
mad been so characterized and Illus made the object of
damning jealousy, no one had pretended that il afford
ed peg wlereen to hang suspicion While the gentle
man thus called upon his party rally he dealt out in
direct denunciaons upon this proposition covering his
aesig" OF raising party question, with request for
lay aud expressing fears that were proceediny foo
raPdiy-telng us that caution and prudence should
teach us slow and measured pace. And vet we find
the same gentleman the next day assuming an on.
treiy different consolidating the house that this
resolution was supereregatory il unnecessary
the Information required by it being already in posses
SION oil the Governor, and urging immediate inn
and the gentleman read an xtract from the
message 10 sustain this statement. called attention 10
the message at the time The greater part of thai nor
ton OF the document relating to this subject was read
and no ntmaiion was found in it, that the corresoond
ence required by this resolution had taken place So
far from that being the fac had been satisfactorily as
certained first that such correspondence had taken
place; ana second, that 1t was impossible that il ever
could have taken place.
But there was another part of the earnest address OF
the gentleman from Buckingham which deserves again
to be brought TO the notice OF this onse and TO his
notice-to show how far that gentleman has allowed the
concentrating influence of party bias 10 mingle in The
consideration of this question: and TO render his vicvs
and sentiments inconsistent end contradctory IL is
not TO be forgotten that the gentleman urrrd NJ Mi,
fiery zeal to proceed a once-that with notsnur inn
patience he exhorcd us TO place the South in an i'm.
mediate position OF defence or Yet, at the
same time that he thought proper, from circum-
stances not explained, to make the Governor--whose
message to some extent concured with the gen,enans
amended views of this subject, and who had zeal
ously served the State this very questonhe
proper say for that very 10 make the loyproor
the oDlect OF censure and dIsrust 10 intimate that
could not safely be trusted and that he would if cngao
ca IN this correspondence, involve the Stnte i'm min
Whence these frars9 What has the Governor done?
is ne TO be denounced because he has led in course in
which the gentle from Buckingham has but followed
or rather which he has retarded: Does the gentleman
suppose that he is 10 aid in the defence of the State
against its ASSISTANTS, by making those who have done
their duty faithfully the objects of sco and conirnn,s
In order 10 shew IN bold relief the influence of that sp.
n
ham is acting, it should be remembered that in he
very address which contains these apanst
The Governor, he tells the House that sufficient nfrma
ton has been obtained by that iunctionarytha his MOS
sage Is full and satisfactory he concurs i'm lis
mennatons, and that the Legislature can now proceed
to final action the subject
To the gentleman from CainpbeU said Mr. G al
dress myself with feelings the kind aud cordial
have great repngnance to saying anything which
would give one pang to his feelings. That gentleman
belongs TO class, TO whom this State look in times
that nuy not be far distant for council in the cabinet
ana perhaps, Tor services the field IIe is Of the cu-
Gated youth OF the country, from whom the statesmen
and patriots of the Commonwealth will hereafter be Sc.
lected He has not yet had and God avert hat he
may ever baVe-hs feelings hardened by the friction Of
oihcc-brokers or political lraders-The pulses of his
bosom still flow unchecked by their selfish and rper.
eenary maxims. Therefore, / shall say only what
deem necessary To shcw him the Injustice of
some OF his romarks-and hope hc will think
say what do, in sorrow than in anger
In this spirit, appeal to his better fccngs-not
to his present passionsbu to those sentiments which
VIII assume their dominion when the mon;cntarv
excitement has passed / appeal to him ,yholbsr
1t was ht that he should offer the ndignitv he has
offered TO the eminent citizen who holds the Office oc
CbIei Magistraie OF this Commonwealth? Was il n fit
suggestion from him. that this nlccbar cal function
tor tic performance Of which the Executive IS the
which That fnnctiokary could safely be trusted, Was
II ut lat he should suggest that The Governor should be
ucPoscO, on such grounds and subordinate aoent
lhtInsted with the performance Of this duty? TO on
s@id MI - IS this indgny offered? To one who has
Deeh the slave Of faction the selfish aspiran for Officer
NO. SIR ~ Is offered TO one who has been remarkable for
his simple and transformations life--who has boon re-
marsable for his freedom from sycopj,aney or sob;s
sion to power, while others were seeking The rewards
and benefits Of Oifce-who has been ds,inau;ehed e.