Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-02-18
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURES.
DEFERRED DEB.fTE.--[CoyTrSuED.l
HOUSE OF DELEGATES Friday, Jan. 10.


DEFERRED DEBATE--[CoSTrSuEDl
HOUSE OF DELEGATES Friday, Jan is.
ABOLITION RESOLUTIONS.
The House resuued the consideration of the Report
of the Committee the subject of Abolition, the ques-
ton being Mr. Watkins motion to strike out the I'd
resolution and insert series of resolutions submitted by
him.
Mr. SrASARp said before he proceeded to the task he
had unteraken that of showing that by the amendment
offered by the member from Goochland the most mate
rial opinions expressed and rights asserted by the people
IN their primary assemblies, passed by, evaded
renounced, he begged to be INDUCED in few prelin
nary observations topics connected with the main
one by very close atinities. ~.
indulge hope, said Mr. S. that the good humored
and indeed sporve address OF my friend from Albemarle
will In some have caused abatement OF the
excited feelings which have been exhibited in the earlier
stages OF this debate, furnish well-grounded
expectation that camer Judgment will be exercised on
the subject before the House the more readily
indulge this expectation because there has been within
the last two or tree days, an abatement OF hostility 10
some oil the leading propositions contained the resou
lions which have been offered by the majority and mem
bers, who, from the commencement Of this debate have
most earnestly deprecated an application to the
holding States as supererogatory and improper,
cur IN the propriety of making the demand look this
fact as good omen, ustiyng the augury that shall
at last agree upon some measure which will satisfy pub
tic expectation, and extent the certain mis-
cei which has been produced by the extraordinary
ner in which this subject has hitherto been treated by
the House. IL is with feelings of regret modification
and chagrin taa have compared proceedings in re-
lation to this question: with those OF the neighboring
States with whom are equally interested on this sub
ject LOOKING 10 the South, i South Carolina
(Which Till very recently, has been the seat of the
hercest party strife that threatened to sever the
Unon,) passing the resolutions which have come to us
from that quarter, with the perfect unanimtv
and concord NullGer and Unionist have met topeth-
er, and without the shew dissent
hnve agreed upon the propositions which have been
before us. Look at The State of Georgia. where
the rival parties almost Lalanced excited by recent
political struggle in which parties have been BROUGHT
nearly to an equIPoisc more than moety taken from
the of the dom.nan party and where the
dominant paryIs threatened with overthrow at the next
election; and yet the Legislature OF Georgia una
nlnous upon this subject Look North Carolina with
parties arrayed and inpeed by fierce, uncompromisny
hostility on political questions connected with the AID.
minstration of the General Government, and where
parties placed IN peculiar attitude for while The
majority in the Legislature is in favor of the Admins.
tration the vote of tile State for members of Compress
shews that majority OF the people OF the opposite
opinion; and yet ia that State there has not been the
semblance of diversity OF opinion upon the more i'm
portanf questions belonging this subject On some
single question of constitutional law, like that which
came up here yesterday he right of Congress to eman
cipate IN the District OF Columbia there may have been
little controversy, but upon the great and primary
question OF abolition, none. In all the Southern States
tns subject has been acted upon with unanimity and
celebrity and without any developement of party feel
ing All seem TO have concurred in SACRIFICING ndi-
vidual and party considerations in order TO rive torce
10 the measures adopted upon this important matter
Why cannot we, standing upon similar grounds do
something to mitigate the evil which our dssentions
have caused In order TO do ths-to discover q reme-
dy ana the best means of applying it, Mr. S. said it
would be necessary take of sentiments con
veyed to by the people in their primary meetins
and ofhe past proceedings Of tile House upon this snb
ject Let them in the first place ascertain strictly and
accurately the sentiments of the people in reation IN
this great question, and having done that adopt such re-
solutions most truly expressed those sentiments
mould their action so as to conform entirely the viii
OF the people Let them do this, and although The past
might still be subject of regret yet the mischief that mad
entirely obviated.
This subject, continued Mr. s., was put early in the
session. into the hands OF committee. Various causes
rofu dQH he rrftu - a
brought It's abors TO termination, it presented to the
House set OF resolutions moulded TO the expression of
popular MISUNDERSTANDING scrupuousy from all par.
~ alusOns from every thing calculated 10 creat. die
sension-presenng extfaneous question nor dey,at
ing into any collateral topics and predominant tvns
the wish to avoid all unnecessary subjects of dssenson
mat preamble was Declined because it feared tina,
while might agree conclusions we might difI
an the process which led to them.
These resolutions were oferedby committee the ma
jority of which composed of members Of the dooi
nant party IN this house dhe resolutions were laoed
an handsaocessIbe every member of The con,,ni,,
before the Foie except on the two 6rst resolutions was
taken as 10 their adoption rejection by that body
Ample tiiae given for consideration When the ,e
solution came before econmitlee for It's final action
spe fst proposition "es unanimously adopted. The Sc
cond, after Intellectual attempt had been made 10 sb
stute almost equivalent, was also adooted Tb.
third was agreed to without dissenting voice TIE
fourth likewise adopted ia n suiilar Inanp,.r ~
fifth encountered single objection, and that was The
coupling with The request the North the mode fbv,na
aa nhibiiIon) IN which they should suppress these OBJ.
dhSvoihuons otFike the words Deuni
inhbitlon and all objection to the 5th resolution van
ishes For the 9th resolution IL was PROMISED 10 snbst
tote one nearly equivalent taken from the ef passsd b
the Legislature Of North Carolina This o5osf;oo 4,
Substitute wrs tried but failed, and tie resolution ,ss
then adopted. The 7b then considered and adoof.
ca win but one disseng voice; but Immediately ATE,
the decision another member (ibe member from Bnck
angham, mr Booker) Of the committee expressed Some
doubt Of its propriety
The resolutions being thus passed upon seriotp on er
tort wos made 20 take the question upon them asa whole
but u was rejected o. beng oct Of order oroposi.
ton was next made 70 supcrsee the resolutions bv or
rather 70 prefix 10 them, preamble which has since
been presented to the House IN ipe report Of e nioo
ny; iiat was also decided IN the negative and hence
a SAID Mr. y, these resolutions became tie GnsI sc,
OF the committee beg members OF this Houss ,cbos
minds have not been Ghomcd by the events Of Inc Ioe
lev days (OS whose minds having been so paa,ed bavo
cooled down 10 enable them ifnpaallv 10 exercis
their JudQmenD 70 bear these facts IN their foiud Az
the action which have stated Of the committee came
the report n five members Of the minority snd yet
these gentleman DID object 10 the entire fcno,y 81
the committee, they bad not objected oil TO the major
part oi ~ give this history, said Mr. Stsnard Ia
show That tbe infusion Of those preqdces which have
ied TO the headlong and niemperste hostility to he
report Of the committee, s feerfable 10 some inau
cnce that disfegards The merits Of the report