Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1850-12-13
VIRGINIA FREE PRESS AN FARMERS REPOSITORY:

precedent should * established by the decsio
!. soe ea1se m Haanrei unEayor1ble 10 The compa
~ ana p ne STATE i is 10 b faarxd Thai Il wonl
eaeesuaiiy and foresey preTent lie bridging a NJ
oa.o. AZ @ anywhere below the city Of w heelinz
The General assembly al its Iast session. sati.
81 nat ne proceeding sgainstthe Wheeling bridv
Vas Ee1alIoas aadOppressive. prompted BIZ he SesI
ooses Of Pennsylvsnis. and stistaiped n fu,Ls 81
legations enacted thatlhe bridge should Be deeme.
q awful height Bur il il asseried 81 Pennsylya
MA tast her rights are paramount, to the au,korii,
q FHgni4s and that The act Of this State is there
Iofe Hxaids though il spplieai0E Is entirely con
hsed within her ovn hogAdaries The claim thus
put ieryard e1fends oFer the whole riFer which
iofFns The Western boaEdary of our Stale Il ka.
been insisted that The ordinances Of Congress Pass
Ell ia 1851 declaring thar the lead
log into tie. Mississippi shaiihe common higAways
= appiicabe u this case; that il s even within Var
gna Of superior obligation 10 her own legislation
and thar under il Pennsylvania entitled y main
tam his action These 20 are all contested
were all sound, such an ofdii e, when regarded
e rule Of action hsl S,atlS fought not 70 BE- 50
construed as 10 deprive her % The authority e e.
tablish works Of pnbc utility and 10 me auain-
Of this objeci impose limits on ting exercise
of the right of navigation BY her own efllzens e
/ quay with others. Oh the Prupriey Of lhe limits
actually imposedby the construction Of The bridge,
by the declarations ofthe State, she i the proper
II and sovereign judge.
II will be perceived thar the principles involved
in this Of the graFesf moment The rights
land interests of the Common wealth; and i may be
we'll q lestioned whether private company should
trresied and id coniendBg for decision, ln Wnleh,
II obtained The Stale must be the chief benehelary
would therefore recommend such Legislative ac-
lion a. will protect citizens against oppress'
ourrghiful fur isd tion against successful
rnent and will not leave the whole weight Of otale
duly ON the shoulders eta private company
The Legislature last year made a handsome do
nation TO aid the Colonization society in its fabors
of philanthropy. The money appropriated under
that law has not been called for 70 any great extent
and the subject still demands your earnest attention.
The free people Of color occupy an anomalous posi-
tion amongst US. They have now scarcely any OF
freeman's privileges, and not much OF the seeuIl-
II pertaining toslayes in whom they excite feelings
of jealousy while they are regarded with suspicion
By the whites. Examples of intelligence, honesty
and worth, are not wanting amongst them; and
probably for this reason the harsh measures often
proposed in the Legislature by those who feel the
evils Of the increasing numbers OF these people,
have not been carried into laws. That this popula-
tion has grown 10 be an evil all admit; but how it
is to be remeded, few agree. To banish them BY
law of the land without assistance or provision,
seems harsh and cruel. To allow the mischief 10
grow still greater is contrary To the dictates Of wis
dom and sound policy
| would propose thar al equal sum with that now
appropriate ny law TO the Coldnzation society be
set arart, TO be expended in the following manner:
Whenever il shall appear 10 the satisfaction OF the
board now authorised 10 pay The money appropri-
ated to the Colonization society, that Tree person
of color has removed beyond the borders Of this COM
monwealth, and has actually purchased land, then
ii shall be their duly 10 advance 10 the person or
pers onsf so removing, tie same sum that would
have been appropriated or his or their transportton
40 Liberia under The present law /Ths would at
once hold out to the better class Of these people,
II inducement and the means 10 go and settle them
sseyes where the preludiees and Jeaouses fell here
Shave no existence. With prpvison of such mu-
nfcenee as this, The Legislature would be snly JUS
tihed in resorng such coeTcye measure for their
removal as under other circumstances wouidscarcez
" find sanction in public opinion al home pfabroad!
/ would also recommend the passage Of law super
sedng expatriation 10 the punishment for every
conviction OF a free negro for petty larceny The
details OF such law would be simple and ellcacl-
| Gus.
received sundry resolutions some Just before and
some since your adjournment, from different States
touching the subject OF State rights and The aSita-
/ lion Of slavery They are herewith communicated,
III am persuaded that the safety and welfare OF
Virginia demand at your hands some mild, eoncili-
| atory measures calculated to show the non-slave-
holding States that we are resolved TO coeree re-
Speet at their hands for rights and ourproperty
| The slavery agitation is direct attack upon both ;
and the Connecticut resolutions are fair Indication
i Of the Northern sentiment We may be allowed TO
work a beneficial changen their minds. But in
the meansime, should show 10 them BY our acts
that we have the peaceful and lawful means at our
command, TO reialiate upon them for their gratui
| tous intermeddling with our slaves, A necessity
now exists for increased amounts Of revenue, and
earnestly recommend TO your consideration the pro-
pnety of laying tax upon all the pEuducls of the
n-sareholding States offered for sale within our
territory. Ii can be easily accomplished, and will
| in my opinion constitute the most persuasive of
all Arguments TO ensure aProper recognition Of our
rights.
I Let inspectors be appointed for each county and
town in the State whose duty shall be toexamine
4 all manufactures brought into their districts; ard
let tax Of ten per cent be imposed upon such as
4 are found TO be manufactured or produced in The
/ non-slayeholding States II should be provided,
moreover, that all merchandise be taken and regard
ed as The production of on-savehoding States IN
less sufficient proof TO the contrary is afforded BIZ the
Kender. ! would also recommend that such tax
be imposed upon foreign goods imported through
non-slavehodng States, as Will offer eifeclual en-
enlargement 10 direct importation into our own
ports.
|. And this brings me to the consideration Of our
federal relations
Since your adjournment, Congress has closed the
most proracted and important session ever held ug-
der the present constitution OF the United States. y
| Its deliberations were marked by feeling at once
acrimonious and sectional, andes pecay character
lied The part Of the Notthefn representatives. BY
a spirit of startling aggressions upon the rights 81
the South and the institution of slavery. The re-
\ suit OF their action has been 10 place The Union ID
The most momentous and difficult crisis through
| which i has ever passed Some oil ils enagtments
have produced feeling OF deep and bitter dissatis
Eaction at the South whilst the law for the recoys-
! nv OF fugitive slaves has been met with reception
at the North little, if al all short of open rebellion
and utter defiance, This siateFo things has grown
oat Of an uhwarIantable Interference the part Of
Congress with the subject pf slavery, and is anoh-
err proof OF the great danger which must ever follow
any attempt on the part Of that body, to transcend
the clear and well defined limits set by the censttu
i iion TO govern and control their action
That restless spirit Of ianaticism which, for the
last twenty wears has been fosteTed in the free States
and directed against Southern slavery, has; at las,