Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-02-16


State conditioned pay oil costs and expenses, to pay
two dollars week for the keeping of the slave during
the proceedings; and in the event that The verdict oil te
jury is against the claimant, that he shall pay NIL costs
and expenses the fugves well as hIs own, and IN
addition paw the fugitive hundred dollars and all
damar es VIII ich he may sustan which damages might
be assessed by jury, composed OF Ahoilon,s's)
But if the master of the vessel alleges his
inability 10 give the bond lie is excused from doing so
upon making oath before Justice of the Peace that
he will not carry any slave out Of Virginia without, The
consent of his owner; and that he Will not depart win
his vessel, without being inspected. II provides, that
no New York vessel shall depart from our waters until
she is inspected TO that slaves concealed on
board II cifers standing rewards TO all pilots, and
ohcr PERSONS who shall detect any such vessel IN cur
ryng, attempting 10 carry, slaves out OF the o'eie
and It gives all persons claiming such rewards, or mas
crs injured, right OF action Oh the bonc ana zen
on the vessel.
The direct effect OF the law is to prevent The escape
of slaves in vessels and that is their principal avenue
OF escape The captain and owner of all New ork ves
ses having given heavy bond not 10 take any slaves
out of the Commonwealth, will not attempt 1t Tor fear
of detection Qhougb may not be very probable) BY
which he will forfeit his bond. lie will know mat
high reward is offered TO any person. even one OF ms
own crew, who shall detect him in any such attempt;
and that all pilots, under strong pecuniary STIMULUS 10
vigilance made sentinels to guard our property;
and the standing reward will make every man IN soc'e-
ty watch upon him.
ls it possible that remedy could have been DEVISED
whc more completely meets the misch'efsto ne PtoVi
ded against But the remedy is Prerentscc, ana II Is
the fate Of all such 10 useless when they are cf-
fecual The INSPECTORS have discovered no slaves at
tempting escape, and therefore the law IS SAID to he
Inefficient when in truth this fact shows that 1t has
answered its end in lettering slaves from attempting
escape and masters of vessels from aiding them IN IT,
But as well designed This law seems to be, II
was moi hoped that The efforts of few TO misrePresent
its scope and object would not produce some effect
It was expected that the few who were interested IN
the New York trade, carried on IN New orK sesse!s
would raise clamor against il; while the many who
req the silent advantage of its protection would not
know or appreciate the extent OF lis beneficial opera
ton and would be quiet. Few masters can know, 'hal
their slaves designed running away ana nave oeeh
prevented from doing go by want oil opportunity
The fidelity Of The slave and OF Northern captains 10
their duty and this law, produces the same result ana
il is probable thai the former has secured less lah
its share al the credit. o
But is said the inspection fee ("hch Is only Sio)
falls entirely citizens, as The New lofA
vessels raise their freight in consequence oil H. rms
would be So if there were none other than New YORK
vessels But the fact is notorious, and the Official uocn
mens show that one.twentieh Of the coastins llade
Of Virginia is not carried on ny vessels owned ID wnoe
or in part in New York. and is only TO such that The
law apples If they their freight IN conse-
ouence of the inspection, how are they 10 compete
with Virginia and other vessels? But suppose were
otherwisetfe increase would be the smallest traction
imaginable, for the fee is only ten dollars upon al
'"''S
they could increase their freight, some have ad Inc
folly believe, TO a much larger extent than the IN
pcc,on fee, is preposorous and needs no reiu'aton
But suppose il to be true! Yet, Virginia to Decline
to protect her rights from invnslons and Inc I"nstiu
ton from whence, because dong 81 size may ne pun
TO some SLIP hit inconvenience. it is with States as with
individuals: they can never protect EemSepes rom
wrong without Inconvenience TO themselves Aho
as with individuals with States the more prompt hey
10 redress their wrongs and vndcae their
&c, IOt hpms
gronrs they have redress and the more Their rights
are respected To submit TO aggression is put 10
in wife another. This objection made, when the bill
before the Legislature and II was then scon'eo
But the law designed Ia produce o'her eiscls,
and, although incidental, yet equally important 1t
was anticipated, that il would create counter party
in New York TO the Aboonisls. On tins point The
author of the bill in his advocacy OF before tie House
of Delegates said "The indirect effect OF the law will
not lie less be nefcal 1t will have tendency to create
in New York counter party 10 The Aholil'onsls Ire
portion the community vii! see, that they
subjected 10 harassng and expensive regulations
in consequence of measures adopted by their State au
hori,ies TO concate hem They will insist, that their
interests shall not be injured that the AboonIsts may
be INDUCED, relation to matter with which they
have nothing to do and over which they can assert no
rghtful control have already shown, that The great
source of strength of the Abotoniss, their position
Their support being necessary to party success, The
politicians have been asdIous TO the means OF
securing il. They were willing TO do anything TO
please them, long did not offend any OF their
constituents though in doing II, they violated the
Constitution of the United States But, as soon as
they find that they cannot indulge the Aboonisis
without offending another, and more worthy class OF
Society," they will pause in their aggression they
will be forced 10 repair those they have already made
When the commercial men find, that the burdensonie
regulations of this bill will be repealed, those
measures of New York, which have made them necss
sary, abandoned, they will require that justice shall
be done They will see, that we are right in pro-
I
and, they will no, complain of those of pro
tec,ion but of those which made them necessary
These anticipations, too have been literally fulfilled
rs will appear from the following article in The Albany
Argus Of the 25,i ut
1.-THE VIRGrsrA INSPECTION LAws-The restrictions
imposed upon all commercial intercourse between This
State and Virginia, under what are known as The In
speclion laws it will be by report the
subject OF petition presented by MIR. Cole yesterday,
in the House, from ship masters and others, of Rich
mond county, in this State. The petition, which sets
forth an aggravated instance Of the delays and
tons, incident TO Inspection sometimes conduct
ed, was read and referred TO the Judiciary Committee
to whom it is proposed 10 refer that portion of the Go
vernors message which relates to kindred subjects
! But the law was designed to produce still other ef.
| fects Ii was designed make the controversy be-
tween New York and Virginia practical question:
| We quote again from the same speech:
ais this bill calculated TO bring New York TO her
senses? Emnently so, in my opinion. Until we do
something 10 MAKE inns suI1eCl praCHcal one, the
citizens Of New York will take no interest in ii. Until
then, they will regard the whole controversy
Of words about distractions. Do we not that the
press Of tina, State already takes this view Of the gucs
ton? And have not seen them strengthened IN il,
by repetition Of il in leading press Of this Stae?-
The people of New York, emnently practical
people, and you will be able to bring them to
serious consideration of any question which does not
involve practical results. AS they see that
regard The of their functonares OF dangerous
character TO compel US 10 adopt measures harrass
ing TO them, they will enquire into the matter. And
can any one doubt what will be their conclusion I'm
less every feeling is extinct, which ought to charac
ter,ze the people of every portion Of this Union justice
will be done very large portion of the people OF
that State, have already expressed their conviction,
that their functionaries wrong. Their wsest ju
rsis express this opinion. Chancellor Kent, dsn
guished for his learning, and friend of Gov. Stewards
docs not hesitate 10 express this opinion, he has
done, in the last edition Of his Commentaries Under
these circumstances do gentlemen believe, that the