Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-02-18

- = -. ,,.., of the slave States -
Why l. Congress pe,itionedf i nc ;..,;,,,,on.
=, r,ore porer or right 10 interfere WIN . ..s:
j, the slave States canhded TO ohe La. 70 m |
G.,,., ~ those States, than they wou'" ns'e ~ "
~ ;,xt,tutions existing IN any foreign eoun-
80 V;,a, would be thought oil the iof"'uo" " %
s;.,,es 10 Great Britain. the issue oil numerous ~"
0.mm,,ory publications. and me seno'hg ou' " W.
49,. ,h,onrhout the Kingdom. denouneinS ana
:, ~. destruction Of any OF the institutions OF
r,,rr,f Would they be regarded as procee"-
i,,s varrantcd by good ncighhorhood! or "nA'
vouId be thought Of the formation OF soe,e"es
in the slave States, the issue OF siolenl and 'a"
F..,orx tracts and the depuiafion OF MISSIONARIES
.;rs on, ed Accommodations against ins'i-
,u,cps under the exclusive control oi the IRE" Saes'
Ia their purpose To appeal TO our understandings
and 10 attuate our humanity! And 90 'iey sAP.e'"
ACCOMPLISH that purpose by holding us he seo'n.
sud coutempi and jsestalion ~ me hee S.''es Nv"
the whole civilized world I The slavery ~h'ch eS-
i.fs anon us 10 our affair, not ihetrsi ana they
have no more Just Concern With than they have ~uh
slavery AZ IL exists tbroug boui the world WHY no'
l.,,e i, 10 u.s. as the common Constitution OF our
country has left il. iobe dealt WITH, under ,he gu'
dance of Providence. a. best we may or eau!
Tue next obstacle in the way OF abolition arises
ant Of the faet Of the presence the slave States OF
fhfea millions Of slaves. They are there, dispersed
CHOU, the land, part and parcel Of our popu'a-
ton. They brough into the county original
IL uuder the authority II the parent Government
whilst VIC we're colonies. and their importation was
continued in spite OF all the renions,ranoes OF our
ancestors fthe question we're an original ques'
ton ~he her there being slaves siihin the eoun-
try We should introduce them, and inee rofatr ,hem
into GU, society, that would be totally ouiete"'
ouesi,on Few Il any, OF the citizens oil the unHed
State, ould be found TO favor their Introduction
No man in II would uppose. upon thai symposium,
their admission 18th more determined fesoieuoo ahu
conscientious repugGanre then should bu' 'n"i
il not the question. The slaves are here no ptac'
a 4pu
has been yet devised or ptol o'ed and the true IN
qury is. what is hes, TO be done with them Ia III"
man affairs a. often constrained bs the '"fse OF
circumstances and the actual state Oh ih'nss TO 90
sbst we would not do II that state OF thugs uo not
exist. The slaves here. and here must tenain
in some condition and, repeat, how are they 10 be
hest governed What is best 10 be done FOR their
happiness and our own In the slave St,tts the A.
ternative lie, that the white man must govern The
black, or the black goy,rn the White In several Of
those States the number ofthe slaves greater ihan
that Of the white population. An immediate auoii-
ton Of slavery in them, these ulfa-aboliiions's
propose would he followed by Il desperate struggle
Tor immediate ceuJancy Of the black race over TIC
white race, OF rather ,twoud he iollowedby ins'an-
izneous collisions between the Two races "hieh
would beak out into civil that would end m the
exiermostion subjugalion OF the one race or tue
other. In such an alternative. who can hesitate -
il it net better for both parties that the exsing stare
ofihings should be preserved, instead OF exposing
them TO the horrible sirics and contests wheh wou'd
inevitably attend an imine dafe abolition TINS IS
our ground Of defence lor the continual existence of
slavery IN our country. II IS that which our kevo-
Iutionary ancestors assumed. II IS that wieh. ~
my opinion, forms jurisdiction IN the eyes OF al
Chnstendom.
A third impeJimeni 10 immediate abolition is TO be
fonnd in the immense amount OF capital which IS
invested IN slave property. The total number Of
slaves in the United States, according 10 the last
enumeration OF the population. was iile upwards
oft~o millions. Assuming their increase al a iaiio,
which II probably is, of five per cent. pei anpum,
their present number would be three millions. The
average value OF slaves nj this time stated by per
sons well informed to be as high rs five hundred
dollars each. To be certainly within the mark, let
US suppose that II is only tout hund ed dollars The
total value then, by thai estimate. Of the slave pro-
perry is diffused throughout all classes and condI
tons Of society. 1t is owned by widows and or
phans. by the aged and nhrm. 10 we'll as Tie sound
aud vigorous. II is The subject oil mortgages, deeds
Of trust. and family settlements. IL has been made
the basis Of numerous debts eontatie upon is hih,
ssd The sole reliance. IN many instances oi creditors
within and without The slave State, for the payment
Of the debts due to them And now il is fashy pro-
posed by single fat OF legislation, to annIhIlie
this immense amount Of properly To anuihllae
without indemnity aud .lout compensate on 10 lis
owners. Does any eousld.ra,e MIN believe It TO be
possible to edcc, such object without CONFUSION,
revolution bloodshed
know that there is n visionary dogma which holds
that negro slaves cannot be the subject Of property.
shall not dwell long with this speculative absirac-
ton. That IS property which the law drclars 10 be
property. Two hundred year, OF legislation have
sanctioned and sanctited negro slaves property
Under all the forms Of government which have exls
ted upon this continent during that long space of
time--under the British Goscrnment-under the
Colonial Governmcnt--under all the State Consi,-
tutious aud Govcrnmegts-and under the Federal
Government itseil-they have been deliberately aud
mi 1nlg sol fha hHtf anht aI
ofpropcry. To the wild sprculations of theorists
and nnovalors stand opposed the jdct. that in
interrupted period Of Two hundred years duration,
nnde, every form Of human legislation, and by the
departments OF human government, African negro
slaves have heen held and respected have descended
aud been transferred, as lawful and indspu,ahle pro.
perry They were treated properly in the very Bri-
fish example which is so lnumphanily appealed as
worthy Of our imitation. Although The West lud,a
planters had no voice IN the united Parliament OF
the British Isles, Irresistible sense Of justice
tored from that Legislature the grant OF twenty mil
nous OF pounds sterling To compensate the CO.
lonisis for their loss OF the property
II, therefore, these ultra abounis,s are serious
~ determined to pursue their schemes Of immcdi.
ate abolition they should once set about raising
fnnd OF twelve hundred millions oidollars. to indem-
nhy the owners of slave property. And the taxes
10 Faiso that enormous amount can only be justly
sessed upon themselye upon the free States,i they
can persuade them to assent to such an assessment
for II would be mockery of justice and an outrage
against all equity levy any portion of The tax upon
the slave States to pay for their unquestionablc
property.
II inc considerations 10 which ] have already ad-
sehca are not sufficient TO dissuadc the aboliionsts
"om'anhef perseverance, in their desg ns.,he interest