The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-11-01

| otate. lie adverted 10 q correspondence that TOOK
place under act of Assembly between Governor
/ Monroe and President jefferson. Other occasions
were referred TO when the Legislature had it's at
tention directed TO the question, whether the
| willing well as the willing could be removed.
He argued against referring the subject to the
| standing committee. He wanted committee APP
pointed with regard to the interests Of different
tons OF the State. The west he said, entitled
to be heard. The increase of free negroes between
| 1880 and 1910, IN the west, at the enormous
rate OF At per cent There was reason to believe
ea' 'ie o'o accretion had since been even
more rapid.
| "Mr. Lyons moved TO amend the original resolu-
| ton by inserting his amendment. He declared
himself ready to vote for the strongest proposition
which any committee could devise to remove from
/ the State this great evil.
"Mr. SrRoTHER made some strong remarks in
favor Of the resolution. He concurred in what had
been said Of the vast evil of the free negro popula
| ton, He considered the permission granted them
to remain in the State equivalent to coercion upon
| the white population to emgrate.
"Mr. CoSwAY, not wishing to embarrass the
solution, gave notice OF resolution which he would
| offer if that now under consideration should be
| adopted, to inquire into the expediency of pro-
| hibiting any from emancipating slave by
deed or will, without making competent provision
| for his removal beyond the limits Of the United
States.
"Mr. STEWART, of Morgan, confirmed the views
| of Mr.. Waffle, as to the difficulty which the
| Legislature had experienced in dealing with this
| subject. The greatest obstacle doubt whe
| ther the Legislature had constitutional power to
provide for the removal of free blacks against their
| consent
"Mr. FEaousos, of Logan, offered proposition
! to have a standing committee the subject of
slaves, free negroes, and muattoes.
"Mr. NELSON, of Marion, was of opinion that
general system could be adopted without imposing
serious burden upon the people.
'.Mr. DENEALE, Of Rockingham, said its import
ance the strongest reason for the reference to
committee"
From these extracts il will be seen that there
is great unanimity in regard to the proposed in
quiry, and that it encounters no sectional oppo-
sition whatsoever. In the event that the pro-
posed provisions should be Incorporated in the
new constitution, it will become question
what will become of the free people of color
now within the State of Virginia This is an
inquiry suggested by Mr.. Boris, who says he
was ''as well aware as any gentleman of the
inconvenience of the free negro population, and
OF the necessity of removing them. He would
not intimate TO this class of persons, by the ac-
| ton of this convention, that we desired the Lee
gislature to drive them out cruelty. Suppose,
| as would probably be the case, all the neigh
| boring States should prohibit the immigration
of free negroes-where could they go %
1t is well known that the western non-save-
holding States are not favorable to the ingress
of free people Of color; and it so happens that
lust as the convention of Virginia is providing
for their Punishment beyond the limits of that
Commonwealth, the State convention of Indiana
has under consideration proposition ''to pre-
vent the emigration of free negroes into the
State. 1t is urged that the laws of Kentucky
and other slave States tend to drive the free ne
groes into the free States, and that, in order to
guardIndia from mixed population, which
is called one of the evils of slavery, such pro-
hibitory law is expedient."
Now, if the futher agitation of the subject
of slavery shall result in the compulsory de-
portation Of the free people Of color, and the
stringent prohibitions are maintained in the
Western States, the tendency will be to precip-
itate upon the large cities of the North the en-
tire free black population of the Southern States
numbering more than one hundred thousand.
With such consequences even within the
range Of probability, we think that those who
really sympathize with the forlorn and friend |
less situation OF the free people of color, should
endeavor TO allay a strife which involves their
happiness and liberty, possibly their existence