Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-03-07
MEMORIAL.
To The Honorable, the General Assembly of Pr

ginia
Your memoriaists, citizens of the county
OF Augusta, a part of your constituency, re-
spectiuily represent
That of the sirty thousand free people of color,
the supposed number now in the State of Virgin
ia, str h,ndred, one huudredth of the whole, re-
side within the limits of our county
That here, as everywhere, with few sexcep-
toEs, they are an Improbable class, both TO
themselves and others,-add nothing to the pro-
dnctIve labor OF the cOmmunity,-derive their
subsistence from other sources than the results
OF their own industry,-exert an injurious inllu-
ence directly on the slave population and on pub
lie morals,--from their anomalous position, are
subject to no influence, and are ainenable to no
law,of public opinion, and are destined, by
their rapid increase, to become at no very dis
tant day, Cumbersome as paupers, and iormida-
bic In force to whatever interest they may op-
pose themselves
That prudent foresight to define coming C.
Wis, and liberal enterprise TO control them, be-
long to the wise and the brave History, then,
furnishes IFS with lesson distinctly announced
on this subject, and compeis us TO understand
that political economy, public patriotism, the
peace, prosperity and happiness of our children:
all require that some measures should be speedi-
! ly adopted 10 provide against HE existence, in
| our community, of Il lO,rer caste, powerful by
their numerical force themselves neither mas
| ters nor slaves, who yet are citizens, distran-
chised, under disabilities and degradation from
which we can never relieve Them while they re.
main amongst us
That as our interiors, and subject TO the des,i-
ny we may mark out for them, we owe them
something. As men, capable like us of progress
i'll time and destined to immortality, we owe
them much, to direct, elevate, ennoble and save
them as a part of the great brotherhood of the
human family
That the "Republic of Liberia in Africa now
opens to the colored man a theatre for enter
prise, labor, selt-governmcnt, and noble action
which may secure TO him there, whatever it be-
longs to man to acquire, possess and enjoy, of
property honor, or personal privilege-which it
Is impossible for us to secure to him here, if we
woodland which, with all the attendant evils
to ourselves, we would not, il we could
That. hence, an obligation OF justice and
claim OF benevolence urge us AT once to seek his
removal that we may improve his destiny.
Deeply impressed by these considerations, and
looking to the high destiny of the Commonwealth
OF Virginia, which she claims at our hands
your memoralists respectfully ask that the Leg
lslature, now convened, may in their wisdom
Immediately devise plan, which may embrace
the object here proposed, to provide the mean.
by an appropriation from the public Treasury
that may entirely remove, with their own con
sent, the free people of color from Virginia and
settle them in Liberia in africa. 1t is believed
that an annual appropriation, judiciously appli-
ed, could effect this great good for them and for
us, within course OF years that will enable us
to feel the benefit of its beginning and progress
mmediately-and to see its completion attend
ed with great pecuniary benefit to the Common
wealth
If, however, it should be deemed inexpedent
at the present time to make appropriation
from the public Treasury commensurate with
the object contemplated, your memoralists
would suggest as an alternative propositions that
law shall be passed embodying the following
principles =
1. The County Courts shall be authorised to
raise annually by an assessment on the property
and titR1bles OF their respective counties an a.
mount not exceeding ten per centum on their
State tax, to be applied to the removal of such
free negroes may be willing to emgrate to
Liberia under the auspices of the Colonization
Society.
2. No free negro shall be at liberty to migrate
from one county into another without the con-
sent entered of record, at the levy term after
due netice, OF the Court OF the County into which
he proposes to remove.
3. Five years shall be allowed to all other free
negroes TO leave the State of Virginia and in the
event OF their failure TO do 50 within that time
they shall be liable to removal beyond the limits
OF the Commonwealth from tipe to time at the
discretion of the Court of the County,
4. No slave shall be emancipated unless the
owner, or some one else, shall make provision
for his removal beyond the limits of the Com
monweath.
5. Power shall be granted to the County
Courts under restrictions similar to those which
now exist to permit free negroes possessing ex-
traordnary merit, or whose cases present cir
cumstances of peculiar hardship, to remain in
the State.
g. A poll shall be held at the next election
day to take the sense of the qualified voters of
each county whether the provisions of this law
shall be applicable to their county.
Such law would, i'll the opinion of your me-
morlalists be recommended by considerations of
justice and sound policy AS TO the existence
OF the evil complained of and the proprety of
adopting some measures to cure 1T. there is no
difference OF opinion. The grievance however
is much greater in some parts OF the State than
IN others. Some counties scarcely feel it, while
others are oppressed by it, If, then, a general
system of legislation is adopted it will operate
mequally. Some will be paying to remove an
evil from other parts of the State from which
their county is comparatively exempt The
measure proposed makes the burthen voluntary
In each county. Its own tax is expended exclu-
sively for its own benefit, and it is proportoned
to the extent of the evil i'll each particular county
The mole of raising the tax also seems to be
equitable. 1t is to be assessed on persons and
property. Property holders are not the only
persons whose interests are inluriousy affected
by this class OF our popuation-tle mechanic
the day-laborer-all indeed, whose capital con-
slss in their labor, suffer by the competition of
Free Negroes Ii IS proper, then, that these
classes should contribute something for the re
moval of the evil, which jnjhres them. We pro-
pose that the landowner, the STAKEHOLDER. and
the laboring man. shall all contrbue-but that
the two former classes shall contribute double
measure by paying both a property and CAPT
tation tax.
The remedy suggested is mill, and at the
same time cbectuat 1t removes, i'll the first place,
those who are willing to 90. 1t then gives fair
n limo of fr,