Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1840-04-02
THE ABOLITION QUESTION IN Isae-an.


At The lale Democratic Festival IN Richmond,
John Leieher Esq. OF Rockbridge delivered a
speech. in tie coune "f winch he stated tia, this
per was, il The winter Of 1892 warm advocate Of
tue nancipsion scheme, of which Nj. NJ, Dow.ii
was such jealous champion, and he took The lib
cry II adding thai nee would, HI that Time "hAve re-
J"crd 10 see Slavery removed from the State, and
all property ~ Starcs abrogated"--The w,i,er OF
this artiee was then IN Richmond, aud had oi course
no opportunity oi,eieshng his memory IL reference
TO the epea,s That period, by recurrence To the
flies OF The Vngin,an. But he distinctly reeoll, cted
that he had dtermtatd 10 take part in the discus
SION OF that question. when ~ first CONNIE need, and
he was under the impression, though wcwas not
absolutely cett IN. thai he had adhered 10 that de.
termination. Aud 80 hr replied al the time-say,np
Ma, 'ahe V"g'nIan, took no part, or. il any, VERY
casual AND SLIGHT, in the discussion Of the ALo-
"non question. eon,entiug itself with the rubliea-
" ton oi some Of the speeches on both sides"
Weil-what dos Mt Le,cher now do, in order
to convict us Of having made an eioueous s,s,cncu,
though we are pr, Pared now after refer nce TO
our h's TO show that /, subs aniialiy tue IN
the FIST place, he copies the concluding sentence of
an article, Uriuen in SEPTEMBER 1881 to show tina,
we dd not tel the truth when NC SAID that VIC took
no part IN controversy that did arise until 1899
We had 10 idea, in September, 1881 when in the
conelason OF an atole agains the Northern fanatics
we declared our then conviction that Slavery was ,
great eyli aud eurse,-wc say, we had NOT. a, thai
time the temotesl epon that the subject would
ever be agitaled in the Virginia Legislature. win
MI fletcher tell US how article written in Septem
bet, 1891 proves that did take par, in the discus,
sion OF January 1882
But II so happens that Mr.. Lr'cher docs find an
article IN the Vreinian Of January H. 1882 in which
we repeated the conviction that Slavery was u erea,
evil, aud expressed an earnest desire tina, pIan Of
gradual emancipation might be speedily dew sed--
AID on one olh"i occasion only, during the discus
si'n IN The Legislature, did advert to it,-on the
18Th OF Janoay-oa which occasion we said-"l, is
"aqneson Of great delieacy, difficulty and impor.
lance and IL bekoores ne legislature 10 touch #
" 9Th a cautious and guarded hand" Will. w.,
repeated the wish that measure could be devils
ed 10 elect an object which we then believed was
called for by the best Interests of the Seuih we de-
clared that we were equally anxious that nothing
should be done 10 aeiiate unpleasant feelings or 10
Infringe The right Of property. No scheme I've
addedl will be sanctioned by The people M, indeed
ought any TO be sanctioned by them, ,chich ,riii
. not amply remaaerdfe The Shareholder for tie SIM.
render Of his property. But we leave the diseus
sion oil the subject to wiser heads than our own.
We shall publish the leading speeches on The
SUBJECT, on both sides and leave the matte, for IN,
= decision Of those who ale so wildly Interested in
ut"
We asserted N the atiicle VIII ch has elected Mr.
Leieher's comments, that We ..took no patt NJ, If
any very slight aud casual onr." ~ the discussion
Of the qaesIion III 1891. The result of on, ex.mi-
nation shows that tie pat, which we took in that dis
cuss'"n teas slight and casual alhou. our opiuious
were decis'se-lst, that Slavery VAS an evil and
2dly THAT although IT was an evil, it was not compe
ten, Tor the Legislature TO "obrogate" il, without
ample remuneration 10 the acknowledgements
ing from him in the ast-his doctrine being tha, IN.
State Legislature had the right 10 abate slavery n.
nuisance, aud tot4ke slaves Gom their owners
eittout compensation.
Having thns vlnJeaied our verac,ty,-,o the salts
faction, We hope. of Mr.. Letcher hirself,-wc beg
leave 10 make one or two remarks. We have peye,
denied, thar, IN 1882, We we're socitous in common
with hundreds If Shareholders in Virginia to renoy.
what we and they then considered to he one Of the
""ic'eo' ana We" were sufficiently acquainted with
pubic sentiment at that period. To Know that even
among those who were most decidedly opposed 10
legislative actioh upon the subject were many. wb,
ssreed with US touching the GIRLS of Silye,y hut
VINO we're deteiiel from undertaking is removal by