Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-02-13
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURES.
ROUSE OF DELEGATES-T Thursday, JAM IA.
~ rI.AN l:,rllNS
DEFESRED DEB.3TE.-lCoS

pEFESRED DEB3TE-lCoSrrsuEpl
HOUSE OF DELEGATEs.-M Thursday, JAM H.
ABOLITION RESOLUTIONS.
Mr.. Wl-csyS said--Mr Speaker, II 1t be IN order
I Will say word or two in relation to the Ptea'no!e
etTssei BY the gentleman from Mcckenours. That ID
there declared, sir: Why that the rights OF the
e-n people their slave property were never so wen u
derSood well secured as they are nj the present mo
ment Now, sir ask if gentlemen are serious IN Tins
declaration | ask them if such be the case why ti!s
extraordinary legislation? Why has the gentleman from
Meckenburg offered his resolutions: Why is the public
nsitated BY this question: Why do we call upon the
North to punsh the abo,onsts, or to stop their pro-
ceedings by penal enactncnts, IT. as gentlemen say
"aer the most careful investigation, they tnd that our
rights better understood or better secured:
Either the preamble the resolutions OF gentlemen ust
be erroneous Both cannot be true But dare not trust
myself, sir, to speak upon this subject dare hot
trust myself to comment upon the gross lnconsSten-
cies and perversons of ti:e views OF olhrrs wh!ch
have been uttered upon this floor during the last lew
days. Gentlemen may attribute the difference nl OPT
MON express 10 my want OF sagac'ty ana ae''lY 10
fa.hom the proundity Of their views: for confess my
self incapable of discovering the ProprIety OF The ea-
sues the business OF their reasoning But look at
tee indications of the times. Look at the petitions
which are pouring in upon Congress this SUBJECT
look at the $50 associations of these diso:ganlzersat
thei. weal,h-the books and pictorial representations
with which they flooding the Northern States Look
these things, sir and then tell Inc how much truth
there is in the declaration, that our rights were never
better understood and secured than they at the pre-
sent aomcnSr, there is no truth IN the dec!aratlon
and the facts 70 which have alluded, have compelled
the gentleman from Meckenburg to come in with hls
resolutions calling upon the North 10 protect us And
he the other day referred to certain bills which 1t was
proposed present TO the Legislature upon this subject
and if could Judge Of them from the portions read
legislation was ever more severe and arbitrary than
he deems the circumstances OF the times require Then
comes in the gentleman from Goochand with his healing
balsam-hs salve-his praise of the North Sir would
not speak of the disposition OF the North towards us, had
illusions upon that point been made by others
menls have been made in this particular which hold TO
be erroneous and which feel myself called upon as tar as
in me lies to prove to be know there is an Indg-
nant feeling at the North against the abotonists but
know also that there is not individual north OF Ma
so & Dixons line. who is not in his heart an opponent
of slavery. They do not quarrel with the nboltionS
sir for the efforts he is making to abolish slavery but
with the which he takes to obtain this cnd. llr
W here referred to the visit made by the abolition anu
colonization agents England for the purpose OF raising
funds further the brcs OF their respective societies
and described the contest which took place IN England
between these agents, both claiming to have the same
end in view but differing to the views OF attaining it,
The abotions asserting that the scheme OF the colon
cation society would but perpeuate slavery, and The CO.
lonizationis affirming that the measures OF the Abolition
Society," premature and must fall short OF any good
end because they reused the opposition OF the South and
endangering the Union This was precisely the icel-
ing of the Northern people. They were all opposed to
slavery but Gid not sanon the efforts OF the abolition
sts because they premature and might lead to-
the history of events at the North during the last few
months, they would find that at all the meetings which
had taken place upon the SUBJECT those who were term
ed our friends, had always admitted the right OF the
aboonsts to discuss this question, acknowledged the
enormy Of slavery, and expressed their desire to see
it extermnacd; only opposing the plans Il" the abol',
tonists the ground that they dlsorganz!ng and
endangered the Union The South these our friends,
will not submit to give up Slavery and thus We shall
lose all the glory Of the pus all the advantages that we
now enjoy and all that might in future result from the
political compact. But fear sir, these considerations
will never again operate upon the minds vi the Northern
people Gentlemen have told them that their citizens
may form these associatl0ns--may coubInc-do what
they please, and that nothing shall produce dissolution
of the Union-hat act OF these citizens can be consl
dered sufficient for seeding iro;:l the Union
that the Union will he maintained ut every hazard:
There is another reason said MIR. W., why we should
urge our claims upon the North this particular PERIOD
and without delay. 1t is well known do not make tins
alusion party grouadS) that the Presidential cleo
ton is coming on and that candidate for the ocr
of the Chief Magistrate resides in the North and another
in the South Both have their trieadS, wlu are equally
DESTROYS of getting al! the votes they can Tor the Sc
pa.ate candidates. We'll, the candidate at the North
cannot succeed without the aid Of the South; and such
being the case, have we not every reason TO breve,
that IF make demands now scltlntcrcst wild ope-
rate most powerfully upon the Northern people a mo
tive for ucceng to hem' On political grounds, and
Judging according TO the usual course OF human action,
I am inclined to think the North will be more disguised
TO exert themselves in our behalf than they VIII be
is the suspicious moment 10 make them. The gentle
from Isle Of Wight at the time the resolution vi
the member from Abemare, under discussion, had
connected this subject with tho election of certain in
dvidual at the North. The gentleman had said that he
had doubt the Wings intended to make this question
a mems of inurng MIR. Van Buren,, and that it
cessary and proper Tor that gcntemans friends to ward
off the blow.
Mr.. HoLLEMAN ] said parties here were suspicious
of each other and that the proposition Of the member
from Albemarle, being an extraordinary one,
rally suspected Of having particular political bear
Mr.. WIrcHER: The gentleman said that attempt
had been made by this question to pull down MIR. Van
Buren, and that his friends Justified i'll holding him
up-warding off the blow aimed al him.
Mr. HoLLEMAH: might have said something Of the
kind.
MIR. WIrcmER continued: Here were set Of re-
soutions specific in their character called ior by the
great body of the People the demands contained in them
were made without any distinction OF party In what
way then, did they aim blow at, or attempt to pull
down the candidate of gentlemen? How could their
candidate be injured by the resolution They only
asked what the large portion of the Democratic party
allowed they had right ask. MIR. w again demand
ed how these resolutions could nurc the Northern
didate--or how that individual became mixed up with
them in the minds of gentlemen, unless indeed he
friendly to the schemes of the Abolitioniss? Would
gentlemen dare say that Mr. Van Buren, would be in
fured by these resolutions? Were they afraid that state
of things would be revealed by investigation of this
subject that might operate inurously upon MIR. Van
Ruren's prospects? Geutlemen evnced a shyness aud
farfulness upon this subject which went far towards
showing that all was not rig-that there was "some
thing rotten in the state of Denmark If So what apo
logy could gentlemen offer for not probing this subject
the bottom! Gentlemen said they were justified in
wardng off the blow aimed at Mr.. Van Buren, What
blow These resolutions! An enquiry into abolition
Were gentlemen afraid that the Northern people would