Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-11-13
JeRcrson,s Oninious.

hiiC " iSdi tiC sItNthSS VI WI euIII-
mers in this place, Saturday and Monday
evenings last, will recollect that in his no.
bic and eloquent defence against the foul
charge of being an abolitionist, he protest
ed against having the opinions of former
and widely differing times tested by the
sentiments of the present period. Such a
course he said would cover with obloquy
the names and memories of many of the
best and wiscst men, this State had ever
produced.
A moments unprcjudiccd reflection
would satisfy any mind, capable of
reasonable conclusions, of the very great
injustice oflooking to the public opinion of
that era, through the convictions and pre-
judiccs produced by occurrences Of a later
date. George Washington was once a true
andloyal subject of a kingly government.
Shall the recollection ofthis fact darkcn and
depress the august recollections that arise
at the mention of his name! Was he less
a Republican and less the Savior and Faith
err of his country,in after life, becausc,in his
earlier days, the accidents of nature and the
influences OF education made him a Roy
alist! No man is base enough to utter, if
he could conceive, such a thought. And
shall we be less Just in our judgements Of
eminent living citizens, whose minds, in
other days and under other circumstances,
may have been imbucd with the prcjudiccs
and feelings of the times? Many of the
past generation. many, whose names are
forever identified with the institutions and
glory of the country, thought slavery an
evil, and most anxiously desired to be re-
LEVIED of it. Shall We connec, their names
and opinions with the wretchcd schemes
Of modern aholitiouists f? And yet we may
as justly pun sue sncll a course, as seek to
impress the foul stigma upon those, who
twenty years ago expressed opinions upon
this subjcctofwhich tlleirwholc subsequent
course has been a practical recantation.
Mr.. Summers, in presenting this view.rc
Gerred to the sentiments of Mr.. Jefferson
the great High Prizes, ofthat party, which
now presumes to question his %soundness.
We very reluctantly give place to The fol-
lowing extraction his "Notes Of Virginia"
because we think the publication of such
opinions, at this day, calculated to exert a
dclcterious inluence--but the reckless and
violent course of our advcrsarics renders il
necessary. Oar ohjec, is to show. how
different arc the sentiments of the present
generation from the past, aud how unjust
1t is, totest the oncby the other. Mr.. Sum
mcrs never uttered or dreamed such
thoughts. as some that are contained in this
extract from the writings Of Mr.. Jefferson:
at is difficult to determine on the standard bv
which the manners of a natioa may be tried, whc- |
Their c7t4oAdc or particular. 1t is more difficult for n |
native to bring to that standard the manners of his
own nation, flmiiiarized to him by habit. There
must doubtless be an unhappy ipaucncr on the
manners Of our people p%roluccd by the existence
of slavery among us. The whole mmc be-
tween master and slavc is n perpetual exercise Of
the most boistcrots passions. he mos, ~HHfcmHfing
desp7ftsm on lie one part. and degrading submits
sipus on the other. Our children sec this and learn
TO initiate it for man is an initiative animal. Tlis
quality is the germ Of all education in him. From
his cradle to his grave he is learning to do what he
secs Others do. liza parcnt could linl no motive
either in his philanthropy or his sclf-love, for re-
straining the lntcmpcrrncc Of passion townrls his
slave. 1t should always be a sufficient ono that his
child is present. But generally il is not sufficient.
Tho parent storms. the child looks on. catches The
hneametts Of wrath, puts on the same airs in the
circle OF smaller slaves, strcs n hOe 10 his ,roJS' of
passions, and h1s Harsod. cdRcafod, a1d doily cre,s-
Ell IN tyranny cGnno' 6u'6 be s,ampel IN IL rih oai-
oas TccuiaJHies. The man must be d prodigy who
can retain his manners and morals undeprnycd by
such circumstances. Aud with what txrcratiur
should the statesman be loaded. who permitting orc
bait the citizens has 10 AomJkc on The rights ofHc
ourrs, transforms those into desroi<. and these into
enemies, destroys the mUrtals Of the one part, and
the amor pa'riP Of tho other. For ia slave can have
a country in this world, it must be any other in pre-
ference to that in which he is born olive and labor
for another: in which he must lock up the faculties
of bis nature. contributors far as depends on his in
dividuai cndcavors To the evnnishrneni ofthc human
race, or entail his or5i miserable c0ndfion en- thc cnd-
hss genera! ins p occ,diagf ION him. With The mo-
rails of the people. their industry also il destroyed.
+ ar in a warm climate. no man viii labor for him
self who can make another labor for him. This is
so true that of the rroprietors Of slaves very small
proportion indeed arc.eyor seen to labor. 1nd ran
he h6cr'ies Of a mutton BE- Mought sccpfc rhca are hare
yc-aorcd Meir oa}y G,1a tosis. a coAciton in he minds
q picb oktc Hat Aesc Hcrltes are ofMe cif of God7
1Aaf fhey are mel 10 Le ribbed tut nth his praAi
itd.ef AreaMe far ing country when IrcGcci mat
God rs jHS; That lis jnsicc roanoi s'ocp foycrcr: Mat.
~RUmlers, n0fHrc ami notnJ al mans oniY:
n rcrofn ion efhe rheri ef foriuac, m ~ezciange ofsi-
naifon IS omoRg TosyiNe cCcn's; lint Il may Lccomc
.Probabie by srPyspatprai tgttr5eycnct! The Ainiel-
. las no attriJute mbiet c ntale "a lea min ms in such
a contest. But it is impossible to be temperate and
to pursue the subject through the vnriuus considera-
lions OF policy, of morals, Of history, natural and
civil. We musth be conicnted to hope they will force
their way into every ones mind. | think a change
alFea,y Perceptible, since the origin Of tbs prcsen,
revolution. The spirit ofthe MASTER il abating. that
OF the slave is rising from the dust, his condition
the ray ihope 1rrpa1ing, pHdcr hc Gu
sptces 81 he1rca. fer a to'oi cmanciDa'io ion, and that
i ds yosel. in the order &c events. to be with
The consent ofthe master, rather rhan by their ex-
ton
-He1aoranda oftrials IN Mc Circuit Court
Of Lynchbug, ,Judgc Wilson presiding
L