Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-12-04
CHARGE OF lEDGE RElD.


Long before Tie exciting aud fearful question OF ''y
ina uga!ed our hitherto peaceful land; long oe'U'e
IA of slaves sUug't to be eh'I'. ~
means US unconstitutional as they DANGEROUS !" 'I
safety of the and destructive 10 the h"PPtS 90 "
| the slave; law whic originated IN proper "nu
ous sol.ciute, upon the part Of your representa-
for the security OF your rights ana ihei'': ,,,I
now constitutes large portion o! lhe P'oauo''''
| Of cur State. ~, ;,.
This law declares othut if any person shall he en'!'y
Of spducng or cncin; any slave, to leave :,s Ia"Iui
owner or rosscSsor, and 10 escape To paris "i"u' ~
limits of the Stale, foreign county OK S"a "aH'
~, furnish mr. aid or assist furnishing i"rGrh
PASS Of freedom or any other forged paper, p"rorns
to be deed %! enamel patton or VIII! or oiher HIS" ~
bcrating or pn:Poung TO oera'e any save ." sna' ~.
any aid nr assist SUCH slave III INA" MS
p such owner or possess0r 10 another State or foreign
cnumIry, any person offending SHALL on c"h''con'
be 81 nicGced 10 confinement in the ai! aud pehitetay
OF has Commonwealth. period not less tEaa Two H"
mere than twenty years, and 1t any person S''a oe
pmil!y OF entcng slave abscond from Inc SET we
OF lis her owner or possesSoF as Aforesaid :" S!'
conceal any such runaway or abscond1ns save nhoM"s
il to be such within this state every person so oehos,
in addition to compensation TO such owner or PosscSS"r'
shall be halle indictment, or preSen'nleht al
grand jury, and conviction, be liable 10 pay r VI
no, less an 6ily more than SIX llunCfeu uoes
In charging yOu grGllemen, as TO the existence OF tS
law and inviting your attention lis penalties, shall
be perdnned for denying that the condition vi our slaves
is such to require the kind offices oil lie hlHtrfn uoo
lsnists Have we .mu22led the OK that teGGe!h on'
nrauv vi cur white nrghbors whose symPa!ies are en-
listed in their favor II the interest and Tie duly OF me
master DOES not induce him 10 treat his slave hn'ahe?,
the Legislature has ordered the Judge OF The lrcui'
Court 10 direct such slave TO be sold and the proceeds
paid 10 the Formerly. slaves were Ted "l'Nou'
the intervention ct grand or pelit jury ana ho" sue"
is.the humanity oil our laws as II Regards all uu's, "
yoivng their lives, that they are placed upon petect
ronniv with their masters; and made Tie duty OF
the Judgcs when slave rs ntraigned II the masters ne
gec 10 employ counsel in his defence, to assign IL ''r
him whose compensation Is liked by law; lie Hs'l, y,
peremplory challenge, and all those incidents cohecu
with the important right OF TRIAL oy )ofy are ~
tended slaves. They capi'ay pun'shcG out LOT
few Offences. while for tie commission OF all "''t'S'
stripes are inflicted aud for many OF whca 'Ee o"''t
wonld be Gen, the penitenary Tor years:-a prom
Tia. cur Legislature has acted upon lie principle, 'ha'
where "much is given, much is required
canno believe that any co9n'f6YSs dne more t. anne
ed BY christianity eS n Cf its slaves than Kentucky
l,'a'e indeed happy, and if left alone would still re-
nam Where Ignorance is bliss, 'twce iuIy 10 be
wise The efforts of their pretended friends 10 EDUCATE
them and eancpate them, among US, in the P'esrn, STATE
Of our laws and OF public opinion, render their c"d
ton worsethcy rivei,ing the fe,iers which they
irigu believe rksone and CALLING still stronger; and
freedom like the OF 1an.ulus, though presented 10
The ip is Sill withheld, and s! further removed iron
iiuitiDn.
The relslian Of master and slave i; so wrought Up in
social and political existence, ,hnt IL ought not to be
ampered with by any and every political or religious
pmpyric The consequences OF s sudden disruption are
alarming to the real trnds Of Icedon 10 The rhi!an
ihrapist in every cline. IL sncred relationships ii
existed among the Jews auI Genies, long before The
coming OF The Messiah, yet it is a;nnag his protested
disciples that find many Of those whose sympahirs
seem enlisted ia favor OF educating aud emancPa'ng
slaves
am mistaken if they not pursuing course con
rary that marked out by Saviour, or his great
Apostle The GentiIes all tina, rdddc The subject OF
! fquuiity, TO The country Notwithstanding.
! iWuuld any OF you, said Jesus Christ, "who has
seTraat plougt;ng or feeding CATTLE 10 him on bis
return from the EelJ come, Immediately, aud psce
yourself al the table; and not rather make ready NY
supper gird yourself aud me, uHs have eat and
drunk and afterwards You may eat aad drink: Luke
81
We are answered by those who jealous in the
cause, it servant, and nota slave. Was IT, nsk
yerraai that the Apostle Paul found belonging TO Phe
.lavr: have been laughi TO believe 1t was
Philemon Stare; and to show by example what we
| oush. TO do-the Apostle taught him christianity and
| sent him home 10 his master.
Rest assured tha. those who think they are doing Gud
service, by meddling with the slave question, and ma
king il les mad in their career as was Saint
| Paul himself be!ure he waa better taught
30 not that they deficient in education or
Philanthropy know better; they be Ike him, bred
at te feet q Ganael, and ''more wise, more learned
every !Ing, On all other sutjrcis hut on 'iS
may be permitted to say as he did, after lie sa"
hir in his uuh"y er!and, 10 bind and pe:secu!e
christians. they are wholly ignorant
viii add, thai II his example Is worthy al beng tot
lowed by Hose who call themselves disciples, they
!
their travels IL promote Christianity. Bat, instead oil
this course, fins: every that can he devised IN
direct hostility To- The clra;cst PRINCIPLES Of justice, re
sorted to-soCiecs formed &c cuiGoc wh and !nmeE:
over Tie ancic card fate, and unfortunate condition OF
savcs printing and cavica,uIIng in many instances drs
Gliding and depicting scenes which rocesly ioOaS me
10 mention in order 10 excite public Indignation against
aveholders calculated to Dive shares 10 Instruction.
especially these taught 10 read and wri'c; periodicals.
and addresses sent by mail containing Incorporate !an.
gnnge, and snguIay unjust and iase charges as 10 lie
ireatmen! of slaves and the ao:a Consequences How.
ing from the existence at slavery. fo!'''c;a!s ana
Dvines circulating incentives sTvic w"r, a"d Save
holders excluded ItJGa the Communion iaGie t! coz
Saviour.
A dsngnished d.orean;zrr, | viii not dignity hiln
b. soing this paper with bis name, as It q: cfmncG 10
cus!rip al! his cUicmPorarss in abuse and delfactGn
has recently said, ia .tt,T r9pUhShcd ~ our news
papers, that American Shareholder ""a"i u be t.
cIYsd io"ns Of equality by any OF he c'v'i,s.
inhabitants Ct E;.Tapr. An aiiaCG.a that will nat &c
adopted aud cherished By many. among the Aboil-
liogis in this .snds5CinG the OGi source fo'' winch
il comes These and thousand other "forg' we heel
aud have received at the hands Of soEe oi our brethren
here in favor o.! Abolition. call them tTStt'sG We
are all OF one family, 51u&a together by common orlgn
having the interest in the glorious inheritance
transmitted Us b. fathers who having achieved our
Independence, f,5tncd the Constitution 81 which our
right to hold slaves is recognised and confirmed
Gentlemen although jurisdiction is Limited by ths
bounds Ct Mason cc":,g, yet IN consequence {" our
being di:ird from ouT brciircn OF Ohio by river only
il becomes necessary equeGiy 10 speak c Fundamentals
principles in order keep them IN Emory, es al any
| lime un should let ii.cm slip
| Many oi the frs, in the world may review This
days preceding We wish them 10 know that ''we ar
pea. to the natural Justice and mag:ni!y OF oGr bie
hren ard conjure them By the lies of common Lin
drcd TO disa7ow their asuT alions and suffer Us 20 en-
oy our property peace. secured to US by the Con-
slu,ion-an instrument which time EaS taught us 70
reverence, less than language, no" speaking US Il
were from the grave, Q! him who was first n war,
first in rsace and rs, in tie hearts Of .s country
| Hear il:
"The unity OF Government which constitutes you one
,nn,l. s bis., now dear 10 YOU II IS Justly So Cor il is