Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-11-04
RICHsiOND ENQuiRER.
MONDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 3, 1851.
TaE wHIc CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR.


the speech of Nj Summers the Legislature Of 1892 upon
the subject of abolition Of slavery in Virginia. which have
been published by the South Side Democrat from the de-
bates in that year. With tho Fredericksburg Recorder %t
will not ssy that they prove him be a5olons in the
COMMONLY received of the TERM but they clear
" show that he opposed the Institution of slavery from
conscientious scrupss well upon the OF inter
sst Nay mosthst lie was influenced in MS opp"siIion
by sectional considerations asserted the right Of Con
gress medde the atterin other words TO provide fol
the abolition of slavery of the national treasury
Should Virginia elect her Governor gentleman holding
these views in what light will she be regarded by the free
| States?
The special committee of the Legislature TO whom the
abolition of slavery REFERRED reported the following res
oluon:
"Reso!ved That in the opinion Of this committee, il is
ne1pedisnt make legislative enaclnens or the aooon
of Slavery.
William Ballard Preston moved the following substitute
for the resolution OF the committee:
"Resolved, the opinion Of this committee, that eT
pedien adopt legislative enactmens for the aool
| tion Of Slavery"
Mr. Summers advocated the substitute of Mr. Preston
| and said
"As question OF political economy, the removal of the
slave population is justified nay mpcriously reonnmended
"lhe slaves dangerous property ana therefore, 90 n1
contribute the real und proper wealth oil the community
"a slave population exercises the most penicous influence
upon manners hatts and characters oi those among
whom exists Lsping infancy learns the vocabulary OF
abusive ephes and struts the embryo yran Oh us tie
domain When in the sublime lessons OF christianity he is
taught 10 do unto others he would that they should do
him. he dreams that the degraded negro IS wtnn
| the pale of that holy canon"
Having given his views in general upon the question: he
says further
"Those whom interest would prompt TO industry,
rarely find mploymnt 10 dense suvcholding community
Penury and wretchedness await hem the abandonment
OF their native land and the humble graves Of their Kindred
seek in distant country and among strangers that which
their had denied Ihcm "Sayery tends to dlfiuse E
norauce among those more Immediately in contact with it,
"Whee slavery prevails the spirit of free inquiry and adSen
cn,eprzei much rpressed The difference mani
fes, between the eastern parts this Common
wealth. Slaves add nothing the strength the
couny-they contribute naught 10 its glory lis defence
The gentleman from Brunswick alr Ghoson) remarked
hu tile confidence Of Stale had heretofore been nccoun-
ted for in failure dcveope her resources by Iudcious
system of internal improvement. But sir, where is the
source OF that aure2 1t found in the existence Of large
slave population and slave interest 1t but of the le
gtmae effects of that original primary cause which stands
out in bold relief the fountain Of ALL our lis but slr
evils of this SYSTEM (sIavery) cannot be enumerated 1t
were unnecessary TO attempt it, They glare upon us al
every STEP When the examines the condition Of
his country and finds her moral influence gone her
strength diminished her political power waning he sees and
confess them They may be viewed written on na
| toms map"
Mr.. Summers also says
sBul sir ii is not only Western man, mindful only
OF the interests OF that portion Of the State from which
come that feel myself bound against the report OF
the select declaring 1t TO be neIpeden to aoo
ish slarery Az Frginan and legislator bound oy the
highest moral obligation and gcial oah to promote he
prosperity and happiness of the whole commonwealth, can
mode discharge duties which my conscience and
my country than by slemny declaring by the vote shall
give deliberate conrieion of my mind that exped
in relation TO this momrntous subject, and 10 act
promptly and efficiently
Nor does lie stop here, but expressly asserts the right Of
Congress upon slavery in The States by declaring
Slavery is national calamity Such il hns been regard
BY who entirely free from the evil The gentle
man from Ahemails (hlr Wood himself adults that Con-
gess may cunsuonay aid in the removal Of our colorcd
population, by appropriations from the public lands IT, sir,
h. Or ssy @sfsfHce M from This sourcs we NAY
government. would remind The gentleman, too Of another
clause uf the Constitution which authorizes Congress to
provide for The common defence and general wefare"
With this one nigh. suppose, he would lave been content
blu, he further and declared that the Legisla-
,ure had right cmancrste slaves without paying
for them Mark the following languages
"rha private property shall not be taken for public uses
without Just f the terms Of the social
covenants; II stipulation subject TO this original con-
tinuinn right In those who parties to that covenant
the REPRESENTATIVES the people, believing that the vital in
teests of Common wealth require tnat The slaves be re-
moved from among us adopt measures u secure a
end ,ritou prordng remuneration 10 the orner, would II
be violation of the meaning and spiiii o mat clause o the
Constitution much relied BY the other side! Does The
citizen lose his property without just compensation when
suIenders il 10 the necessities OF me community oi
which he member and when The happiness and contlnu.
unce of that community depend upon me surrender Hhsn
The INK eaheer takes from pocket OF the Citizen the re-
venue which is support the operations ol government
what is the compensation which he receives for hs conr
button? The general prosperity nf that government whc
enables it 10 project him in tho enjoyment Of life liberty
and the pursuit Of happiness This sir is the only COM
| pensaun 1t is fuH and adequate one
Read the above voters Of Virginia. and bear ia mind that
the language Of the great conservative Whg candidate
| for Governor
He proceeded to excite the West against the East
| upon The slavery question, and said:
sit true that the peope of the West in addition TO the
general which they felt 10 this great question
(of aboon have peculiar interests of their own which, II
their fail regard they abuse The high trust
with which they clothed and become the unworthy de-
posl,ocs OF the public confidence We compara-
lively free from slavery, and We impeed by every con-
sideraton OF duty ourselves and those who shall come
after u.s. avert if can the progress of the evil.
We see that Western Virginia must necessarily become
slaveholdng community from choice from inability
it. We do not take the disease voluntarily but BY
infection, from proximity to- and connection with, you
Eas,ern Virenia We erect barrier its approach
| We establish not QUARANTINE. You eastern
Virsnia) will for statute BY which the anspo
tatoa OF this population the Western counties would be
forbidden Did the country lying of the Blue Ridge
separate and independent State she could annih
see our mountains bacened with the slave TINT the fresh
grass of our valleys should uithcr beneath his lrcnd"
"At all times the non-savehoders OF Virginia arc subsc-
ted injuries by the OF this
nopulatou To prevent far may be, the mschefs Of
nsubordination police laws have, from time to time been
execution of which, for the part is thrown
unon those who tne,nselve. of this property In
the character PATROLS the Shareholders made 10
perform and dsagreeabe dules not to protect en
of which is the interest of the nonsave
holder should exist He is thus made to fold to his own
bosom and protect this adder which stinss him.
alt has been policy of these laws TO close every avenue
of knowledge to the wreched negroto extngush that 1T
tie spark which gmmers even in his BOSOM ana whch ages
of have wholly destroyed In what light these
provisions of our code shall be viewed in after me is
matter of curious reflection fear may possibly be found
In the researches of learned antquary and become
portion his evidence the barbarsm OF the present
enlightened and christian era"
"he slave made property not by natural right In him
| Mon mad
and necessity and they retained such only by force and
necessity Slaves made property in Virginia BY statute
ry provision The right by which hold slaves is
The right of force and property is founded in orong out"
rage and injustice 1T will not be denied that the slave as
living man. has right assert and regain h Aorty nc
con- He has right direct and control lis own actonsi
right surrendered and never aenaied-a tshs para
noun, TO all conventional guarantees or civil colnPac's.
Will lash of party drive true Southern men into the
support of G. w. Summers in the face of these facts7
Tomorrow shall publish Mr. Summers letter to the
Editor of the Petersburg Integencer defining his present