Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-01-21

rct contained in the resolution il is proper that The
ana country should know the reason, and the only
oo", on which this motion is sustained The gentle
ah WI" onered the motion has thought proper 10 Law
"9"n .e chart and limit of our action. He has declar
t Inc acuon OF this Legislature must be confined to
.roI su.a'ions, and the passage Of laws to con-
1ui o"h cftizens or those within our limits And
th's ne declares the full extent of all we can do II is
on Ibis ground that he has called us TO sfe this re-
soiuu0n ana 10 refrain from all Inquiries such as are
proposed by It, Now if the House Shall affirm thai on
non is declaration of the House that we can do no.
lhng ana ought 10 do nothing than 10 pass munich
DaLEeguaons 10 control citizens or those who
! may come among u.s. And then It would behooye the
House to consider and compare such Limitation of oil.
duties with the opinions and wishes indicated BY the ,eo
pie in their primary assemblies What were The onn.
Ions OF the people in their primary assemblies. The
gentleman from Northampton has given samples of
he public sentiment in large haber of counties and
said Mf ask leave to add the catalogue
VILE read an extract from the proceedings of the ci-
zens OF Richmond; and while read this extract ! will
say, that il is universally agred-for not here
myself-lhat the meeting constituted of persons
without distinction of partytat the jealous unity
prevailed among hem in giving force the sentiments
expressed IN the rcsolutions ad in endcavor give
10 The Legislature, by whom one the threatened nya-
SION could be- expected to be met every argument and in
"ucelhcnt 10 act with energy and rmncss for the sup
preston OF the evil! The second resolution Of that
meeting in these words
RrS0red: That we have Just claim on all the nom
aveholdng States for the enactment of suitable and
efficient laws TO cprcss aud put down by adequate pen
al,es, al iAcendtary sedi.ious associations whose
avowed purpose is to disturb peace and excite nsur
rcctlon among our slaves. and We confidently rely
the wisdom and rmness of the General Assembly, bya
proper appeal to those States 70 procure the passage Of
such laws
The gentleman from Buckingham would have told
inns meeting. had he ut that time entertained the
opln!sns which he expressed to-day You are going
beyond your powers You have right to ask the Lee
gsialure 10 dictate laws for other Snes, have you
any right 10 cgsfate upon his subject excepting far
rs to pass municipal laws restrain and punish your
own citlzens."-'The gentleman from Prince Edward
might, Perhaps have said the same as he has told u.s.
that in the meeting in which he acted chairman he
disagreed with the resolutions adopted But sir. there
evasion in the meeting of The citizens uf IiS
mond as will be seen by the following extract from their
proceedings:
Ecsored. That the Chairman of this meeting be re-
Gucsted TO hand the Senator from this District and
the Delegates from the county of Henrco and city of
Richmond copies of the preamble and resolutions adopt:
ed this evening" with request that they will all due
rxcrtons 10 carry into fleet the recommendations
tanned IN the I'd and Sd resolutions
BY this latter extract therefore, stand pledged for
the sentiments of the second resolution II appears then
that the people arc not satisfied with municipal
laws upon this question, which cannot believe tho
opinion Of the House. and which shall hardly believe 10
be their sentiment after the vote should they agree
the motion for indefinite ostponcment Let me, said
MIR. s., call the attention of The House to two of the
most extraordinary haucinations that have ever heard
oil and which will Sc&, the strongest light the utter
diversity Of sentiment which exists among those who
oppose this resolution. The gentleman from Henry
dcrstands that there is precise of senti
men as to the final action upon this suLcct and seems
to Think that if this resolution could be set aside, ul
innate legislation would be perfectly harmonious Now
beg to ask the gentleman from Henry agrees with
the gentleman from Goochland, who says that
need be done; and that the people of the Northern
States have done all and will do all that can be required
upon this subject.
Mr.. FosrAlSx. No-I cannot say I do In speaking
Of the Of all in the final action this SUBJ
jet, intended 10 that all concurred in wish 10 de-
fcnd their common country.
Mr.. SrANARD. Let me, then, call attention 10 the
opinions of the gentleman from Goochland 1t is good
reason for that gentleman to se enquiry upon this sub
lcct, that he believes further action is required but
it is not good with the gentleman from Henry,
who does concur in the necessity Of acting according 10
the will of the people. And these gentlemen cannot
concur with each other u the nature Of the action
required, unless it be the ground that municipal
laws all which pass. How you,
unless on the ground taken by the gentleman from
GOCchand declare that there is necessity for going
beyond that point; md how you say that you agree
in the necessity of action 10 rcpcss the fanatics of the
Morrill, and at the same time declare that 90 no
further than 10 pass laws to operate upon our own c
zcns These Of the nconsiste developed
by the various modes of opposition TO this resolution
which its advocates have adopted. put the question:
said Mr. S., to the House, whether it in the
opinion Of the gentleman from Buckingham, that the
action of this Legislature is 10 he confined within the ter
ritoral limits Of this State. simply TO put this
question, in order that disguise should be thrown
the debate upon this motion, and that should fall
into error as to the effect 10 be produced by it.
MIR. MANSON said that the gentlemen from Northamp
ton, and Richmond, had alluded to the meeting in his
county. The latter gentleman audes to the fact that
did not vote for the resolutions at that meeting,
evasion did not understand the gentleman TO make
that charge directly, but his language conveyed such
inference. ~,
Mr. SrAsAnD. did not say directly or indirectly l.
there was any evasion in the vote of the member from
Prince Edward.
Mr. MADISON. Did you not use the word ernsions
Mr.. STAwARD / said there was no evasion in the
Richmond meeting.
Mr.. MADISON understood the gentleman 10 say so,
in comparing the proceedings Of the Richmond and Pr
Edward meetings | will take this opportunity 10
plain my in regard to the Inter. saw, said Mr.
NJ, that there were things drawn up in the preani
bic and resolutions, which highly absurd, and l
believe there few who would contend that they
not Yet they were the most harmless things in the
world. One Of the resolutions proposed Southern
Convention Of mcrchants-anL for what? To tie the
hands Of the Southern Merchants, to prevent them
from purchasing goods at the North, and require THAT
they should obtain them directly from Europe. Now,
this appeared to Mr. NJ very absurd proposition, the
inevitable consequence of ud be that the merchants
who adhered the restriction would often pay ten per
cent for their goods than those who purchased
from tic North. Mercantile pursuits end politics arc
two distinct things. and not generally be consider
ed in connection with each other. Would any merchant
he silly to purchase his goods in such manner,
that his door negbor could sell Ten per eentum
lower than he: II he were, he might suck his claws
for the balance of his days. while his neighbor, more
than he, would be growing rich at the expense of
his folly: gentleman who is entitled to be called
leader of the Democratic Republican Party, in the
ty Of Prince Edward, conferred with Mr. Nj. upon this
subject; and being a merchant as we'll az HIMSELF they
agreed in opinion that while that proposition was one
Of the most absurd, it perfectly harmless, as they
knew that no such convention would ever meet. we
saw that this proposition part and parcel OF series OF
measures hich the same party had been using tor long
time to excite the South against the North, and that it
belonged 10 scheme for getting up southernConfed
racy for the purpose thought to prevent Inc e'ec