Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-09-03
E'ssE.1I EGS.
ADDRESS OF SENATOR WRIGHT
GCuycLupYp.l


Dor. One "l The earliest features the policy adopted
by Grtat Britain iu@ards her American co!unirs was
Tie firm aud extensive establishment within them Ui he
institution q" domestic slavery Al the lime oi which
We speak. he institution EXISTED in large majority OF
the Northern and Middle States and from the cltcum.
stances OF climate. pursuits habits, and various other
accidents ut established and settled society. much
more extensively and FIRMLY Incorporate with hetxst
encr and prosperity oi tlr Southern States Hitherto,
the slavery existing the colonies had been subject
over winch the c'lunsrs had had control and ior
which they Could be held in way, responsible
The policy Of the mother country marked and
settled. and lis pursuit determined and unvIeld
ing. Every attempt on the part of any OF the
c"lunIrs 10 check the growth, ameliura,e the
don OF The institution, or even TO demonstrate against
the policy met the stern rpbuke end the indignant
ifown OF power at home This state of things had CON
""ird for mnre than an hundred years wh.h the ter.
nlnninn al the war oi the Revolution ,ade The colo
FREE and ndr pr nden Then, for .hr first time, il
devniv"d upon them To manage and direct This tasty
rooted firmly established and widely d. ,emHard EVIL
forced inheritance from unkiUd molher, II was
upon their hands Incorporated wIh the very nr.ra-
zat"n Ut ih.r snc-ly habits and pursuits. 1t thus
placed as much beyond The reach of hrn and violent
Remedies thrt disease Of The human body which has
It's srat IN The heart and Gllustd wh The blood over
every portion of he system The idea of a republic,
therefore, must he entirely abandoned the sremirg
anomaly must be- encountered, Of organ,zng a free re
publ c"niederacy. with the extensive existence Of
slavery within The ) aies winch should compose H. THIS
TIE alternative presented the convention OF ~
Gould the patriotic delegates who composed that bUty
men whose devotion 10 liberty had made them the
frncphI and prominent advocates inr tho OF the
H. y"ld"n and the independence oil the colonies. most
OF whom had voted themselves To and encountered The
perils 81" the public Throughout that pr0iracied
and desperate sruo Gle and many of whom with ilrir
Gstt"us PiesiCrHt at their head had followed the for.
tunes of The aud freely offered their lives as The
price n he liberty they conrendei fnr; could such men
doubt what was their duty what chnce tIev should
make The TACT Of The slavery, or hr Of
strncr in tie country not III BE- effected certainly
not strengthened or magulrd by the pGlu of
right and The opposite alternative an utter
ahanunnr Of all effort urganiza Republic, mr.h,
indeed. have avoided the apparent contradiction u
free government wIIh the ole o domestic slavery,
by continuing the white endless suhiectIon
drsp"lIc and arbitrary ruwrr similar that from
which hey had Just dschnnrd tn, mselves by The force
oi arms. aud immense expenditure of blood and
TREASURE by makrg them The enduring objects Of he
upprrssnns. rx"cnns and cnnlumey Of sncl power
and thus constituting tor them slavery, not perhaps
as p"rirct. but considering The condition OF The tno
races lar CALLING unprdurahe them than is
that 10 thu African, which holds inn III involuntary
vuudr hen TOO, might African slavery have pre-.
served lis EXISTENCE lis Iuil vignr, tins
ddy, IN all the States where IL Instituted Were
Revolutionary fathers To he hr nrs of superaGdt
evils like these Ia their country. and their fellow c
zrns ~ yer The delegates assembled in conyen-
ton did choose and nur present free and happy Instu
tinns al government the rpsu of their choice. The
present greatly Increased and rapidly increasing pnpu
iaon and wealth and power OF these States the ns
OF thai choice. AVID dues any hn hears me, does
any American, who loves his country, her institu
tons aud her prosperity brrvr feel that the choice
thus made vas n"wse ~ un a'fi",ic: Can any one
MAKE Im,s'lI believe that III" venerable trainers Of
tons''iu'rm Of ih unird States WIRE !rss lovers of
their country and nf iirrty than their desc al
the present g,Errniltn That they less pure aud
patriotic and conscientious than are: And yet
DR. ihr circumstances IN which they found themselves
placed, lhey did not consider IL fatal lmprncnen, OF
iheH Republican principles. violent outrage upon
" /
bpcamr essential to The establishment Tree Govern
mrt't for the ire ciz.ns Of ihrIr country
Tbs was NJ that lime, great aud commanding in.
ieres' III The States ui the con'rdrrary Oar proud
aud pr ptIuI aud free. Slate then an eAien
svr h"d1r ii durrstic slaves Such, al that period,
wa the fact with many other Of The present tree States.
Tn interest. therefore, 10 be COMPROMISE by
the Convention their Iahours useless
lermIraIIun They did COMPROMISE il, and hos:
The nature "i The institution was such required
that lis plicr should be tit uncnndilInnalY with the
States here existed. II left Its continuance,
Ambition, purely matter 81 Sine interest. hen
the police devnirfd up"n their local Governments
and when all questions Of private property were, Of
questions between The State and czrns aud
were, Ike all other qresIlnmS reference 10 all de-
srriplr'ns ." property !" I'll The States. be l The
State administrations So lar lht rrtte the only duty
OF the Convention mol 10 interfere with the Suite
sovcrrirntr Yet there other corsils raii,ns
nPctPd with ihs delicate and trouble subject hic
could not fail 10 be pressed upon The Convention and TO
require then action The laws at the slave STATES
cugni2rd The laves not oHIy bat
and lar they p'rtnok of Tie latter character they
necessarily formed nnrrdirn that basis Of repre-
sen'a'"n which established upon population aune
with u, reference to property. recognition, too, al
tn, institution. It's anomalous form, 10 III" provisions
al ihr Federal compact, was matter Of vial interest
with the States If the South ~ here slavery existed
most broadly. aud most drPply interviewer with the
existing al society The basis al Federal
popular representation and taxation adopted in The Con.
slunn b compromise OF the Convention upon these
! points aud il will MT la 10 he remarked that while
the free SAFES may feel that the rule of representation
is unlavorahlr them, the slave States forget
that ihpy pay Tor any advantage they receive the rule
! of nxailnn. The terms Of Ihr provision are
= r. representatives. and direct taxes shall he appnrnn
! ed among The several States whch may r. included
within Inns Union, according their respective mum.
bcs which shall be- deter mined by adding t. The whole
rumhrr ." free persons. including those bound 10 s@r.
/ wee for a term Of years ard excluding Indians not
| taxed. three fllhs Of all other PERSONS
A further concession YIELDED hy the Convention
iiis urra, interest for most valuable equivalent IL
wa valiy essential that the pnwer ''n regulate com
mere with foreign nations should b" conferred upon
the national n as neither internal peace ana
harmony nor xrrna quiet and prosperity. could be ea-
scuahly hoped 10 be- secured without THIS grant The
appre hensiors If The s|ngehrldnG interest formed
strong impeachment 10 success. and compromise with
! that inr-pst rfi1crd in the following provision
'fie migration importation Of such persons as any
sof The S'ars existing shall h'nk proper 10 admit
shall moi be prohibited by The Congress PRIOR 10 the
year thousand eight hundred and eight, but
lax or duty may be Imposed on such importation, no.
| sexrrpdiur dullrs Tor rach p.rsun
Here again il will b. that the power Of axation
In hunted EXTENT gwen. Tor the temporary priv
/ lrgr conferred limiting the force and effect of the
clause 10 'hr letter If It's terms: But IL is
matter al history and universally conceded, that the
TAR construction q" The provision 10 Congress the
power alter The time limited Uei-) 10 prohibit the
putiaon If prsus md thus 10 cut Up the foreign slave
trad- afnrether without being Compelled resort Tor
tina. important power Ia The general grant Of power
i.In regulate cuEimrrcp with iofrIgn nailors ne
pracrica Of Government. under ciansr has ore
since The rxpratiun of li- period II limitation IN con
fnn,iy with hp construction here declared ana IL IS
hn 10 IN hot