Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-04-02


joymen life and liberty w;t ccung property in fine, that Of
property, and puSulne.y aud happiness
and obtaining happiness anu
safety
"Now the Constitution of Massachusetts, by virtue
of the above cited article held BY have
abolished slavery, and since 1880 It has no, existed in
that Commonwealth. Hence, If the doctrine of Mas
sachusetts was sound, slavery al this moment,
constitutional in Virginia But unconstitutional
law is no law. When person is claimed before an
upright magistrate, who believes in the Massachu-
sets doctrine, AS slave of a citizen OF Virginia,
he must necessarily he released. The claimant can
bring no law Of Virginia, which will not be set
aside by its supreme law. The citizens of Virgil
MA and Maryland have right By their own Constitu
hold slaves IN their territory, much less 10
recover them from other States. so much tor Tie two
principal border States.
| do not doubt that the courts of New York will car
nv these views, the law of that State Of the 9th
OF May last is permitted TO remain upon her statute
book. Acting under that law, they would be sustain
ed by high udica authority in dong il. The decision
of the district of the T. S for Connecticut in the
Ansad case, would sustain them in doing what the
Constitution and the law OF Congress does not author
ize going behind the fact that the ugitves held
in the State from which he fled, and in
vestigatng the legality Of the claim 10 that service
And The decision Of the highest judicial tribunals of
Massachusetts, would authorize them TO pronounce
slavery in Virginia unconstitutional and illegal
The decision in the Amistad procured By
the Abolitons,s. The fact of that case are briefly
number Of slaves in Havana, and under permit Of
the authorities of Spain, in which each slave was
named they started with them in the chooner Amlstad
from that place 10 another in Cuba After they were
out few days, the negroes rose upon the white per-
on board The Captain, his Stare and two
were killed. The negroes got possession Of the
sci, and compelled two Spaniards who wounded
TO navigate her By altering the steering at night,
they conrived 10 bring her the OF the United
States instead Of carrying her 10 Africa, required
by the negroes She was captured by the brig Wash
inrton and carried into New London. The Spanish
Minister demanded that the vessel, negroes, &c,
should be surrendered to their under treaty
with Spain That treaty provides that "all ships and
merchandise of what nature soever, which shall be res
cued out Of the hands of pirates robbers on the high
seas, shall be brought into some port OF either State,
and shall be delivered the custody of the officers Of
that port order TO be taken Of and restored en-
tire 10 the true proprietor.
The AbotonIsts Immediately took the case in hand,
and all their ympathes at excited in favor
of these negroes II is true their hands were reek-
ing with the blood OF white men II Is true they stood
before the court murderers and assassns But they
were black and their victims were white. That was
enough to excite the sympathy Of the Abolltonst.-
Subscriptions were gotten up Tor their defence An ad-
vertisement for thus purpose was inserted IN y. York
paper and in these times of pecuniary pressure Sl2
900 were subscribed in few hours The Abolitioniss
insisted before the that these negroes not e
guv held in bondage in Cuba because they had been
Imported since the prohibition of the slave trade. The
Spanish minister insisted that the courts OF the L > hac
no right inquire into the validity OF the Spaniard
title those negroes under the laws of Spain if they
held there property that sufficient for the
court aud the validity of their title, under the Spanish
laws could only be tried by Spanish tribunals. Blu;
the court decided otherwise; held that they l!!e
saly held as slaves Cuba and the Judge disgraced
himself by falling into the cant Of The Abo!i,ioniss
his judicial decislon and declaring that although they
might be stained with crime, yet they should not sigh
in vain for Africa
have shewn that the law of New York Of May last
which discussed in the report OF the committee, just
such law the Aboonlsts desired; and will also
be for what purpose they desired that should be
enacted.
But before | proceed further, and while have the
report of the Abolition society in my hands, will re-
which constantly hear made. We constantly hear
it said that The Ako,ons,s DO not desire 10 incite the
slaves to Instruction In noticing the argument that
the efforts of the AboEtons,s ould encourage insur
rection, the report
"Ifa ray of hope penetrates their gloom, hough Ae
chnk through which passes be never small, sy i'll
Danish all thought OF nsurrecton while il shines.
Though while hope of relief from some Quarter holds
OUT the slave will abstain from rebellion il isnot 10
be expected that they will continue do so this hope
shall fade away Once let them come TO an under
standing of their rights and the master will be forced
10 the alternative of giving them, or OF suffering them
10 be taken Though business is with the master
though il is for him and his political equals print
and ecture-yet have now pledged ourselves 10
prevent ,ehat IL is impossible should be prerened the
slaves from getting knowledge that We printing and
Iecturng After our operations have, for fair pro-
stationary space displaced all thoughts of instruction
By better hope of deliverance, if the masters disap-