Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-10-06

! Far The Enquirer.
AT the close Of the Revolutionary War, ana
for few years thereafter, the Government, as
well as the people, were poor, and much in
debt. The taxes necessary, levied and collected
| TO keep the wheels of Government in motion
were heavy and oppressive. In order to relieve
the people of portion Of their taxes, Con-
gress proposed 10 the States TO cede their waste
and unappropriated lands 10 the Government. nv
the sale of which the Golfers OF the nation
might be replenished.
Virginia, ever attentive and obedient 10 The
calls Of patriotism, gave to the Government her
| territory Northwest of tho Ohio river, contain
ing several hundred thousand square miles oil
the richest lands in the world contribution
much larger than that OF all the other States.
| Out of this territory ivo States have been
formed and added TO the Confederacy.
With the consent of Virginia, the Ordinance
of 1857 was passed by the Congress of the Con-
federated Government, and BY her consent was
| that ordinance confirmed by The Congress under
the present Constitution, and approved of BY
| General Washington, The then President Of Tie
United States By tina, official act Of The great
| Washington, no one can believe that he intended
10 impair the constitutional right. Of Virginia,
and OF the south. Al the time Of the passage
OF The Ordinance of 1884, Slavery existed in
most OF the States, and the people Of the North
| having discovered that the climate was unfavor
abi, to African constitutions, and that their
mode Of cultiralins the sill rendered slave la
hor less productive or valuable than il was in
the South, commenced selling their slaves 10
the Southera planters, which redu ed them 10 a
number so small that there was but little in
convenience TO the States, or loss TO the own
ers, in liberaiing them The course pursued by
the Northern States, with regard TO Their slaves,
was not lnlerfered in BY The Southern States.
Nor was Congress at any time lierassed by peli-
tions or memorials on the subject. They were
suffered TO attend to their own business unmo-
Tested
Few yirginians have ever emgratce 10 the
North or Northwest-the tide of her emigration
has generally been to tn West and to the South
Early after the present Government went into
operation, Congress passed all of The laws which
were necessary under the Constitution affecting
Slavery. The subject was not moo,ed for
about thirty years, when All attempt was made
in Congress, in the year 1929 TO violate the
Constitution by what was termed the Missouri
restriction. This unfortunate affair was nd
justed by a compromise between the North and
the South, both agreeing that line North sc
degrees, 80 minutes, should separate tho Slave
holding States from non slaycholding States. :
By this compact the North obtained all that
immense tract Of country on the upper Missouri,
between the Mississippi river and the Rocky
Mountains, and on parallel OF North latitude
between Sc degrees 30 minutes 10 tie Canada
line. North 40 degrees. Since which time there
has been added to the Northern acquisition all
Of Oregon, part OF Texas, part of Calilor
MIA and n mart of New Mexico Yet with all
this they not satisfied.
A portion Of our Northern and Northwestern
brethren, calling themselves Abolii1nisis, are
elernaly harassing Congress with petitions and
memorials respecting slavery. These people are
dividei into Two classes: the religious aud Inc
political abolitousls The first profess that they
arr doing Gods service; The later, whatever
their profession may be, arc aiming 10 serve them
selves, and are urging The others on 10 ianatIci>m
10 subServe their ambitious designs. May ii moi
with pronriety be asked, whether the present de
scendants OF The Pilgrims are more celislo lhan
the early descendants of thai pous racr2 One
stole n. srocs from Africa ami sold them as slaves
IN America lie other are endeav0fiDs 10 pro-
iucc servie war between their republican
brethren 10 he South and the descendants ulthose
saves which were stolen and sold into avery by
their iUIciaihers. -. >, ,.tr,c,ns ,.to
slavery. They have OBJ. inel millions OF dollars
annually or more Than lweity ,caIs from SUu.h-
ern consumer, ot lhci. manufactures under pre-
;eetiye ,ar,H, besides all o; Tie coanlry North
~ q; leg. 30 mia, ana still want more. Like
Hannah o; old. although he was invested with
o,wer. surrounded with riches and all the means
of ciaI AMI domestic happiness, yet all, all
awaited him moi, 50 long rs MoTdeca' Sal a. me
k;n.,s oa,c w. c.