Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-09-10
THE CALIFORNIA QUESTION.
SPEECH OF MR.. R. K. MEADE,

the Presidents Message relating TO Caillornla.
Mr. MEADE said; 80,
Members who rise to make speech this floor invariably
complain of the hour rule have but one remark TO make
about it. The foundation which our institutions rest
truth and knowledge These ELECTED by argument and
discussion We have denied ourselves these means on all
great questions hence the eyes oil the people are turned 10
ana Their branch of the Federal Legislature who permits itself
use the weapons by which error is 10 be conquered We
hide our lights under bushe, our dignity and Importance
diminishing every day, and the people turn from heir
immediate Representatives 10 seek light elsewhere
might moi have addressed this committee al all, Mr..
Chairman tut for the notice which has been SO frequently
taken OF speech which delivered IN august ast 10 my
constituents copies of which sent 10 the members OF this
House MY objec sending that speech wish 10 be known
The Repre- sentares of the South-myse particularly
been accused of msepesenting their constituents feelings
and sentiments on the various questions involving The rights
of the South and wished show to gentlemen here cspe
ciay from the North what the feelings n my own peo
pie The State egoisn dist in that Speech has been the
subject of remark, and Of playful sarcasm by gentlemen from
the North aud must make my 70 1ne
that speech been made this ou much which said would
have been place and betrayed want TASTE But
gentlemen remember was spanking TO and among my
people, Nothing smore common here than national ego
tism; glorious Conederacy and unmatched greatness
and virtues the theme Of every speaker II would be
exceedingly bred and offensive, TO speak thus in
foreign country We in Virginia, and among ourselv :,
push that national propensity 10 the extent OF go
The gentleman from Indiana did me the justice TO say
that the facts upon which founded in part my conclu
sons were true but did show that those
conclusions legitimate. Neither did the gentle
from Massachusetts, (Mr. Ashmun who admitted and
commented the facts 1t would be fair for me TO
infer they admitted my conclusions did not perceive II
the object of the make party capital OF II at
home and uf the other indulge his vein OF satire and
perha ps add little food the antislavery feeling OF his
constituents should have been pleased had those gentle
turned their attention to the object had IN aaducng
the facts which they commented and the truth Of winch
they admitted. Slavery had been denounced by the North
as moral political and social evil dsprove it institu
ted comparison between the Northern and Southern pop
uaon founded facts and when said that the desnies
of this country had for fifty been controlled by South
ern men, saw nothing a which tho Ninth could Justly take
exception for it occurred by Of their votes for not
wi,hs,anding the malign influences OF slavery We had
the right Of the North perceived II and chose
them preside tn" nuiion Amidst the caumnies that
are daily levelled US have right point these
facts and boast Of exemption from those political and
moral deformes which beset Northern society. We have
right too glory in the fact that the two brightest and
puest characters Of the and present both he
rtors OF "lhe institution and died paarcs rmids hun
dreds slaves Among the other charges that also Of arts
ocrac arrogance and this too is sometimes preferred by
Democrats orgeul of the fact that We not only furnished
the" the great Apostle OF Democracy but have in fact
since borne lis high above The heads of its enemies
would have long since been trailing in the
had il trasted itself Northern support Sir the South
the Democratic portion OF the Unions and in truth there is
equality among the whites o! the South an EXISTS
a else. We all elevated mot dragged DOWN up
the platform; and Ut tell yoa Sir negro slavery
is the of it, If i. us made arisocrats Of any of US
it hls made us all aIsucats, may be called Demo-
cratic arstocracy.
We are accused too-cspecay yirgnians-of ensros-
sing all the offices in the Virgnians fond
mailing from the place Of their nativity that first
induced doubt that charge, and To believe that Virginia
been conferred upon citizens OF other States growing OF
the fact tina, the "Blue Book only designated The birth
place each oice-holder While in tns un-
certainly met with very talented aud distinguished
preacher Of the Episcopal. Church. who also aget III
The Colonization Society. He told he thought there
might be foundation for the CHARGE for in Liberia
there was general complaint that the Trsinny nispers'
held al the Offices This inormaton taken in connection
u fact rsouently mentioned here, that there were
natives OF Virginia this floor than Of any other
Statein connection, too with yet another fact that the
Chief Magistrate OF the nation also Virenian by
tbth--and yet another that the great captain age
VINO commands our armies is Fi!guian, taking all these
things together, determined 10 DISMISS the SUBJECT from
my mind ana abandon the old Commonwealth, in these
DAYS degeneracv, her nisoriunes Sir
be something her climate, her peculiar institutions that
incsts her children Of both But amidst all these
causes OF complaint scarcely meet with an cigant from
Virginia does boast OF his birth place. The gentle
from Ohio even, Mr.. Campbell though remotely de-
scended took 10 INFORM white abusing insttu
tons that his genealogical tee first struck its in the
Old Dominion.
Mr. Chairman, a few weeks hack picked mp speech
made by the gentleman from Pennsylvania Mr. Stevens,
containing paragraph beginning with these words LET
pause Il moment over This humatng Confession" and
ending with these "lhis is his picture, mine" Now
SIR IL say nothing of utter disregard OF truth BETRAYED
the last words, and speaking only in reference the in
delicate scurrily OF the paragraph, which prevents quo
ting at length permit me to say in justice u The State OF
Psnnsy ,anla, that il her canine inhabitants had yocabu
IL among hem believe there kenn, outside Of the
Lancaster district that would expe member who would
disgrace the brotherhood By such law vulgarity
But sir with lna hing and disgust this subject
and w. give few moments TO the conucnts made by the
gentleman North Carolina, Mr.. Stanlv on this speech
of mine. here 10 be but sentiment in that
speech which lucky enough draw forth the appo
baton OF the honorable gentleman and that every Alb
nionlst in the House To- The connnclure oi
these signs in The political zodiac, inciines
doubt the correctness vi the sentiment.
gieat deal which fell from the hips of the honorable gen.
tleman | will not attempt 10 reply 10. But there
scarcely paragraph quoted by the gentleman that he fairly
dealt WITH nothing which said reflected the noble Cs-
Ian spoke OF the Mexican said nothing from
which he could infer that elevated in proportion
To the of his slaves; nothing from which the gentle
could infer that Virginia slavcowners raised negroes
SELL suited nothing but lcts-iacts applicable his
State mine. He has volunteered inference which in
wolves his constituents deeply my own and from
which mus, vndcalc them The fact that the price Of
slaves Virginia and North Carolina materially depends
the price OF and the Southern demand cannot be
denied. Stop that demand, they would suddenly fall and
continue fall their numbers increase Their profits in
Virginia and North Carolina do not justify and could not
their present prices The fact therefore is undena
bic that their valuc is chiefly dependent upon Southern de-
mand, and therefore, Qhe gentleman from North Carolina
would say the OF slaves thus situated raise them 10
SELL and lie "would be ashamed such constituent
Now if the gentlemans inference is the one then
il is time for his bushes appear; but deny empha
cay the legitimacy truth of his conclusions They are
true OF my constituents nor do believe them true in
respect his. Every southern we'll knows that the
last piece OF property which southerncr will part rom is
the Slave which he raised which descended TO him from
his father When he forced sell his propery other
kind goes s while the share of his cdhoods sports or
the being whom he has raised from infancy chung to with
the regard almost of brother parent Hence is, that
Notwithstanding the aurcmens of price double his real
worth which the southern planter offers slave is scarcely
sold in Virginia except from necessity misconduct
When that is the the southern planters through their
agents who alone afford the price, generally the only
bidders and the slave is taken TO the South and thus the
increase OF the population in Virginia and North Carolina
prevented. Sometimes peop buy them at sales,
and privately Of one another moved thereto y various
ves but nineteen OF twenty who sold taken
| the South.
These facts-facs that could not conceal would
l if could for when the discussion and agitation Of this
question of slavery have so far impressed me as to in
cline TO deny fact which exists or even to endea-
yor conceal il, shall do one of two things: per-
sadc my people abolish institution, quit the home
of my fathers and seek congenia latitude But Mr.
Chairman does the gentleman from North Carolina
his sensbies when he said he would be ashamed of
a constituent who would breed slave sell He says he
Las such. presume the gentleman has constituents
buy sell; he draw sensible distinction in their
ravor2 Now sir Virginia and North Carolina have
of people who engaged in this business and though
their calling condemned By many, yet they very
full class people both States in keeping within bounds
black population. They the class Of cii
zens regarded with favor the North,
when it preparing for the attacks they making
the South This speech scarcely did justice the gen.
tenan's constituents when he admitted there any 'a
boring population so well taken of slaves are'
The house population of the North proves previous
destutiun which slaves are stangers and will