Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-12-15

Z, "' iuny Recognized In this regard by the S,
preme court. and the solemn and Off rencatoJ No
I'd ton of the General Assembly? 1t csnnot be Il,
III NED the right unequivocally exists the oues,o
10 is, shall 1t now be exercised
}, in presenting my views upon this subject. INNS
IL 's''i can your attention to the painful and dis
J. .esSinS iact' exhibited IN our criminal statistics
that the free negroes con ,tutinr about one ,yop
C ty-h'th OF our entire population perpe,ro,e ,bou
: TWO hihs OF the crimes ofthe State Does not tbi
ESTABLISH the fact that the free negroes are disorder
ana eVil disposed persons, and as such DANGEROUS
e 10 our peace and tranquility, to whom a genera
a,.aches' ana whose deportation is called
Tor by the highest considerations of public Juty
believe that this statement of the relative pronor
on ci crime In our State is in favor of the free no
gro His social positon-his nocturnal habits
the interested Influences which are too foouentlv
brought To operate In eilectng the conceament of
crime IN which he partlc patos prevent a very LARGE
proportion of offences from being exposed and
: brought under Judicial investigations The exs-
renee oil class among us So extensively lcmoraliz
Gu Is wei KNOWN Gan we therefore delay under
taking to remove them? In the emphatic LANGUAGE
OF the preamble to the Northampton act i l. net
called for by our regard for the correct government
OF our slaves and the peace and safety of our soce
ty!
The removal of this unhappy race is called for
oy other considerations. 1t is well known, gentle
men, TO you all that this is idle thrifiless and
unproductive; that general rule the labor only
gresnppy oitheir Indispensable wants ; and. not CON
tent with their own labor in pursuits of honest in
dus,ry, they prowl in the dead hour Of night and
hch the labor of others. Again, they perform
thousand little mental services TO the exclusion of
the white man, preferred by their EMPLOYERS. bo
cause OF the authority and control which they can
exercise, and frequently because Of the ease and
facility with which they can remunerate such ser
vices. venture the opinion that larger emiGra
uoh OF our whlte iaborers is produced by our free
negroes than by the institution of slavery,
But it is objected by some that the removal ofour
Tree negroes would be cruel and inhuman and of
fenslve TO the benevolent feelings of the age. |
Will briefly examine this objection The free ne
gro Is mere denizen, not entitled to the rubts of
the citizen lie is the object Of peculiar and ririd
legislation. Even if he resent insult at the hands
of 4 white man, he is liable TO severe punishment
Inc intelligent and enlightened being of proper
feelings and spirit would instantly abandon a com
munlty of which he is the subjec. of so marked n
discrimination; yet the free negro cngs to his
birth place. Can he therefore be rcuarded rs
competent Judge of his true interest? And ourht
his feelings TO be allowed to rule that policy bv
which those interests will be promoted Is it cruel
and lnhuman TO permit the free negro to learn TO
read and write, TO vote, to bear arms to resent in
suits IN short, to exercise all the rights and pIiv
ieges OF the white man Surely not Yet orr
policy will not allow him these high prvileUes.-
And II there be III his natura! character the elements
to make him great and good man it is hopeless TO
expect that they will ever be developed under our
policy. The lnhumanity then consists not in send
ING them from our State, but in retaining them q
rnnng MS 1t is TO me unaccountabc how there
should be difference of opinion on this question
ltere the free negro Is degraded by our policy-a
poNcy which we cannot relax, and it is in our bow
or to send him TO other countries where .education
society, and all the agencies that contribute to the
advancement and improvement OF mankind. are
within his reach, and are to be deferred from,
THIS benevolent undertaking by the cries of those who
Affect an overweight tenderness and humapity,-
say 10 those who SympathiSc with the ncoro who
mourn his moral degradation and look forward
with hope to the day when he will be elevated in the
scale of humanity and placed on footing of social
equality with the white man, that their hopes.
wishes and sympahes can never be gratified here
consider, then, that it is cruel and nhuman not TO
send the free negro away. We are bound to do it
as benevolent men, and as faithful guardians of the
I best interests OF our good old Commonwealth
Thoroughly convinced that this is a wise nol;cv
and is called for by the best dictates OF humanity:
that IL VIII be blessing to the negro and to our
State, earnestly recommend immediate steps to be
taken TO effect this important purpose.
! | recommend the passage Of a law providing that
the free negroes shall be removed by counties In
| removing them by counties, no social or domestic
| tie Will be broken. That it be provided when
law acts upon county or countless it shall be final
and complete: no free negro ever thereafter to be
allowed to reside therein. That they be sent at the
Puoic expense 10 the countries where slavery doe;
not exist as passengers i'm merchant vessels and
particularly to Liberia, if acceptable to her anthori-
ties. Such law, provided with the proper details
would be perfectly easy of eXecuon and would not
cost the State, am satisfied, sum per year rrcat-
or than that which was for many years appropra
ted In aid OF our colonization society Indeed have
received an informal proposition from the island of
Trinidad that she will pay half the expenses of ali
that may be sent to her, well as assurances from
other quarters tina, they would cleoriuy receive
them
The penitentiary institution is not rs productive.
1t seems to me, as it should be. 1t is difficult TO
understand why oil convicts coarsely fed clothed
and kept at hard labor without receiving any remit
neraon, should not pay profit. Yet such il the
fact they a charge to the Stale and have been.
believe. from the foundafrnn Of tho inot,.tiuai-
After some examination find that the penientiary
cost In It's erection, from the 9th of Nav 1901 TO
the LIST OF October, 1906, the sum of Si3j, $40 /
and from October 1916, TO October 1886 the sum
OF S1S.33G ID, an aggregate of S203. SS3 40
have not been able to find any charge on account OF
The buildings for the ten years from 1906 to 1916
he total disbursements account OF this insiitu-
ton charged to the pcniteuaTy from rs to 1917
after deductng the items charged within chat period
or building Is ofJD.SJO %. whilst the RECEIPTS are
Only S5l9.S OS. showing a loss of l31 033 n
This enormous and alarming result does not present
tte sum total of our loss, the period from 1896 C
1910 not being embraced IN thiS statement
Every year this balance is increasing MOI
is this all. The necessary security Of this instiu
ton calls for standing guard Of thirteen soldiers
from the armory, equivalent TO one sixth Of the dis
possible part of the whole command. I'm the States
! Of New Hampshire and Massachusetts practice
prevails, attended with highly beneficial results d
{ renting out the different workshops and hands tt
the highest bidder. ! entertain but little doubt tina
+ II could be done here TO great advantage. Indeed
have strong reason TO believe that institution
i II I'll. 4