Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-05-31


on the part of Congress. They have also shown, thai
the abolition of slavery ere 50 far from tending
ensure domestic trsnqui!!y wono nave a'fee' eeh
dency 10 produce domestic discard and Sioenee ahe
serve war, in all the s!aye-hnding states' hs these
consequences tIen would follow such action IN refer
ence to the Suites your committee need not say tha
instead Of providing for " the common ocishce ny H.
Congress would be called upon 'tn provide tor the com
mnn defence" in consequence NJ II, and 10 an e*'eh
which cannot be torcscen Seeing, 'ae' Una! Tue
American CuncJrrucy formed for the great o3}ecis
of providing for the defence ana general wei
fare, it follows, necessarily that Congress Is not only
restrained from the commission Of any act by which
these objects may bc frustrated but thai Is ohnha 10 sus'
tain and promote them The provision OF Inc Con
s,luon which requires ii call out the militia to sup
press nsnrrrclons unauestionaby imposes Inc cores
ponding obligation upon H. 10 commit 10 act by WHICH
an insurrectlonary spirit may be excited ihe same
provision which ennins il on HE Federal government
IL guaranty 10 each State Republican form OF 20
vernmen and aid and protect each State against DO
mestic violence t evidently implies The corre!aiire ab!i-
CATION 10 take step, of which the direct and me vita
bic tendency would BE 10 overthrow the State eoV'rn
mrut- and IL IL" vi~s tni in wide spread scenes oil
misery and desDatun. In worn, II Il; be the duty
Of Congress- it most clearly is 10 support and pre-
serve the Constitution aud The Union then IS mani
fest that il is bound avoid the adoption of unJ icgisa
ton which NAV lead IN their destruction Your commit
Zee consider these positions obvious to require
nent Illustration They consider il equally manifest
that any attempt 10 abolish slavery in the District would
necessarily tend to The drpiorabe consequences to which
.hcy have advcrled. Congress, t<reie, is bound, by
every principle Of duy which frbids il to Interfere with
slavery in uy Of the States to abstain from any snlur
interference in The District Of Columbia
Ynur committee have already advercd to the evils that
would necessarily result 10 Tie surrounding States and
To tie slave States generally, from any interference by
Congress with the institution Of slavery in the District
Of Columbia. The and magnitude ot lhnse evils,
however, require, that llrey should be exhibited
fully and distinctly The question is whether slavery
ough. be abolished in the District o.! Columbia Now,
suppose the affirmative Of this proposition sustained
" Congress, what would it be but indirect legsation
II rather drect interference. regards the lights
md property Of the Southern States And can any
uc imagine that such state Of things would be
patiently borne But this is not all nay, it is not
half, the evil that would follow. Could slavery be
abolished in the District without leading directly and in
evitably TO characterization and revolt throughout the
South And Gun any one desire to produce such re-
suits Is there who las forgotten the history Of ST.
Domingo, The insnrgrn attempts at Charleston,
the tragicaI at Southampton the recent and
lanirnabc in the States Of Louisiana and
Mississippi: or is there individual who would wish
them repeated and extended hroug bout tile entire
rinn Of the South: Why, then, will infatuated indiv
duals persist in pressing scheme which is only im
practicable regards the States but fraught with evil
to The very oLrcts it is proposed to benefit: True phi
lanlopy would avoid this subject, seeing the disac-
ton il creates and Inc dreadful consequences involves
IL would leave it TO those whom il most concerns, and
who alone are competent to upon it, X would trust
to time, aud the gradual operation Of causes which may
arise of themselves, but which neither be Produced
nor FASTENED b. foreign interference, the puwcr Of
this Government. Why, then. your committee earnest
" rcprat why urge a which is clearly nprac.
cable in itself which none but the slave -holdng States
have right to act on and which has increased and will
always increase tie hardshps and restraints Of those
for whose Imaginary benefit they wsging this cruel
and fana:ical crusade?
We have said that the scheme Of general emnncipa-
ton is inpractcab!c The slightest reflection must
tisy every candid mind of the truth Of this assertion
Admitting that the Federal Government had right
to act upon this mailer which it crarT has not it
tany never could achieve such operation without full
compensation to the owners And what would proba-
bly, he The amount required: The aggregate value of all
that species Of property is not less, probby than four
hundr, d Millions Of dollars! And how could such an
amount be rased Will the people of this country ever
consent the imposition Of oppressive taxes, that the
proceeds may be applied TO the purchase Of saveu:-
The idea is prepos:erouS and not only that, but it is
susceptible of demons! ratl0n that even II an annual APP
yrnprialon Of ten millions actually applied 10 the
u, chase and transportation Of slaves the whole number
would not be sensbly diminished al the expiration Of
aalf century, from the natural growth and multipca
ion of the race BuItlen the Treasury might it
you'd still be an endless expense and an nerlulnable
work And this view Of the subject surely is sufficient
IF itself to prove that Of all the schemes projected
" fauaticsm the idea of universal emancipation is the
most visionary and lmpracIlcabe.
But even if the scheme were practicable what would
&c gained BY etecting it, Suppose that Congress could
nancipate ali The slaves in the Union, is such result
desirable This question is addressed to the sober
sense of the people OF America. Would it be polite
advantageous? Would it contribute 10 the wealth,
grandeur happiness Of our country: On the contra
", would it not produce consequences directly The We
verse Are not the slaves unfit for freedom; notorious
y ignorant, servile and DEPRIVED and would any
ona man have them ustantaneously transformed into
rsenen, with all the rg his and privileges Of American
itizens9 Are they capable Of understa nding correctly
~. ,,,.i,o
single political right or psivege' Nay, would they
even be capable of earning their livelihood, rearing
heir families independently BY their own ingenuity and
industry: What then would follow from their liberia.
ton but the most deplsab!e state Of society," with which
INV civilized country cursed: How would
vice and immortality and RIGHTEOUSNESS, overrun the
land: How many jails and penitenaries, that sell
lon hold prisoner, would be crowded to suffocaon :
How many fertile fields. that now yield regular and
bundant larvests would lie unoccnpied and desolate
How would the foreign commerce OF the Sonth decline
md dsappear' How many thousands OF seamen, OF
whom Southern agriculture is the very life, would be dr
ven for support 10 fore On countrics And how large
portion of the federal revenue derived from foreign conf
nodi,ies exchanged for Southern products would be
lost forever 10 this Government! And III addition 10 all
his what would be the condition OF Southern society
ore all the slave, cnancipated Would the whites
that the blacks should be placed upon full footing
e equality with them! UnQuestlonaby not Either The
me class or the other would be forced to egrate and,
n either case tic whole reg ion OF the South would be
l of poverty and ruin Or, what IS still more
probable the blacks would every where be driven before
The whites as The Indians have been, until they were
rxtern.inat.I from the ea! And surely It'll unneces
sary to remark that decay and des0aion could not break
down the South, without producing corresponding
dpnrcssion UPON The wealth and enterprise of the North
crn States And here let ask too what would be the
condition of the nonslaYe holding Sates themselves
regards the blacks Arc they prepared to receive my
, ,s ., w aSoIs and mechanics WIN constitute
their pride and strength; VIII the States consent
that their territory shall be occupied BY negroes, instead
of the entcprsins intelligent and patriotic white popu.
laton Which is daily seeking their borders from other
norlions OF the unono Shall the yeomanry Of those
States be surrounded by thousands Of such beings and
l. ;s,Io Il