The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-01-31
THE NATIONAL ERA
WASHINGTON, JANUARY 2S, 1880
For the National Ira.
VIRGINIA.
BY S. NJ. IANNEY


o,ii the rood PEGS and from Khess. maid-
enlv condition The name Of Virginia was derived
Although rather pugnacious by nature, and es-
D,cially severe towards those who meddled Win
her domestic relations, she had many great and
excellent qualities, and was famed for her pohti-
cal slgacity
She had, however, one weakness: when some
what advanced in life, she fancied that she still
possessed the grace of her youth, and delighted
in receiving the grosssst adulation. For twenty
wears preyious to her death, she refused to look
into mirror, and when suffering with disease
in her extremiries that made it painful TO stand,
shc danced with the French ambassador, in order
that he might report to his master the grace and
vigOr of the English Queen.
Virginis has so long listened to the voice OF adj
ulatiou-it has been so customary to call her
utbe mother of statesmen and of heroes" to adj
vert 10 rae pefiod OF ner grvacest ren0-a O., whef
,,asn she stcsl Pre4RiEeRt- among SdNT si-'ar
States-that Il now requires some courage to
hold up true lOokiDg-glass before her, or to
point out the symptoms of disease that impairs
her beauty and hastens her decay. tits, however,
some consolation to believe that her case is not
vet desperate and that there are many true patri-
OTIS in the State who have the diseernment to per-
ceye and the oandor to acknowledge the causes that
paralyze her energies and impede her progress
la the eloquent address Of Governor Mcdowell
at the opening Of the Education Convention at
Richmond, he observed that
awe we're satisfied with the shadows of the
past, with the crumbling monuments of our re-
nown. We are decoyed by the fascinations that
lin0er around the tombs Of the illustrious dead,
from the actual labors and important duties Of
life, until nought remains but our children and
our story Like the prisoner in his cell, amid sol
itude and gloom, we console ourselves with the
presence of our shadow"
Is il not time TO arouse ourselves from this
dreaming lethargy, to awake to sense of our ac-
tual condition, and to endeavor to investigate the
causes that have brought down our beloved State
from the proud presminence-which has placed
her in the fourth rank among the States, and
must soon reduce her to the fifth in the Union.
Fer some years past, the Richmond papers have
tcemed with earnest and able appeals to the peo-
pie of Virginia, in order to induce effort to de-
yelop her great natural resources. II seems to be
admitted on all hands that the eastern part Of our
State has for twenty years past, been retrograd-
ing in population and wealth, and thu deplora-'
bic amount of ignorance exists even among our
white inhabitants. In order TO stay the progress
of decay and revive our declining fortunes, we
have been urged by every consideration Of inter-
est and patriotism to attempt the establishment Of
manufactures, the construction Of railroads and
canals and the adoption of good system Of gen.
eral education We have been referred to the
example of the Northern States and especially to
Massachusetts and New York, to show that man.
ufactures and internal improvements must enrich
us, and that good system of common schools will
effectually enlighten But none of these writers,
with the exception of the lamented J. III. Pleas
ants have touched upon the true cause of that de-
cay which they so eloquently deplore, and of that
ignorance they so earnestly desire to remove. 1t
is true they sometimes give hint that more is
meant than meets the eye and we msy infer that
there is q cause which they scarcely dare to
name-a cause so obvious that none can mistake
il, and 70 alarming that it can only be breathed
in whispers
But why should this mysterious silence be oh
served in relation to a question of such vast inn
portance as the existence of slavery in Virginia
question that the events of every day force upon
our attention and which must ere long, claim
our consideration, and be openly discussed among
1t is we'll remembered by us all, that in the
Legislature of Virginia, during the winter of
with open doors the evils Of domestic slavery, in
its effects upon both the master and the slave,
upon private interests and public resources, upon
wealth and upon morals were disclosed in many
speeches of SURPRISING power and eloquence,
Among the speakers we remember the honored
names Of Rives, Mcdowell, Faulkner, Moore,
Brodman, Marshall, Randolph, and Summers,
who depicted in glowing terms the biighting
effects of this institution, and urged the necessity
of measures being then taken TO effect its gradual
but certain extinction. Did any injury then re-
suit from the open discussion of this question in
the city Of Richmond, from the publication Of
those speeches in the newspapers and in pamph-
let form, or from the many conversations that
were everywhere held concerning it None
whatever. People slept as securely in their beds,
walked as safely through the streets, and ramblet
as freely through the woods, as though no such
discussion going forward.
The slaves in Virginia are not more numerous
now than they were then the country Is in a
state Of peace the turmoil Of political strife is
somewhat abated, and this perhaps, is as favora-
BILE time to take mp the examination Of the sub
ject as any that is likely to occur. 1t is obvious
that no important measures can be adopted under
a republican government without public discus
sion; for information must be disseminated among
the people, and they must have their attention
turned 10 the consideration Of the measures pro-
posed, before their representatives can be pre-
pared 10 Hct with decision, and carry out their
wishes
II is TO be regretted that this question has been
permitted by the people of Virginia to remain 80
long undetermined, for it is well known thAt her
revolutionary patriots were very generally in ia
vor OF their taking measures TO put end to sla-
very.
plan was proposed by Judge Tucker in 1896 ;
and In his letter presenting 1t he says Should
we not, at the time Of our Revolution have loosed
tnelr chains and broken their letters or IL the
dithcnines and dangers Of such an experiment
prohioited the attempt during the commissions Of
revolution, Is II not our duty to embrace the
FIRST moment OF constitutional health and yioor 10
effectuate no desirable an object and 10 remove
from a stigma with which our enemies viii never
fail 10 upbraid us, nor our oonsciences TO re-
proach usl"
This was also fayorite measure with Jeffer
son, and continued to be an object Of intense In
terest TO the end ofhis life
How happy had it been for him, what charm
1t would have cast over the evening Of his event
ful life, could he have seen this great measure
consummated, or even begun before he was call
ed away by death, and required to take a final
leave Of Virginia, the object Of his warmest AZ
fections!
His plan Of emancipation was presented by his
grandson in the memorable debate Of 1882; but
although eloquently supported, II was defeated by
small majority, and since that day the agitation
OF the subject has not been renewed In the Legis-
lature.
Is IL not obvious that the prosperity Of the
state would have been greatly promoted II some
udlcio1s plan OF emancipation had then been
H.