Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-04-09
DR.. BRAKES LETTERS ON SLAVERY
No. III.

No. IT,
CINCINNATI, DECEMBER 81, 1850.
To DR.. JOHN c. WARREN, Boston.
MY DEAR SIR: When wrote you long let
ter on the 26th inst, did not expect to trouble
you with another at so earlier time as find nv
self occupied upon it. The truth is that this sub
ject has thrust itself into the midst of very differ
ent topics, and l am obliged to write it from a
mong them. 1t has occurred to me, moreover
that while your own mind is turned on what
have already sent you, it might be well to forward
this, that may not a second time break in upor
your intellectual pursuits.
In my other letter expressed an opinion (sup
ported by as many facts as such form of commu
nication seemed to admiD on the duty of the PEG.
pie OF the free States in reference to slavery in the
South. In this letter I propose to consider the
duty which that slavery imposes on the Legisla-
lures of all the States
The germs of what l am about to send YOU
may be found scattered through my last and my
aim now is to expand and unite them into sys.
tenn not of Federal, but State policy. This dc
under deep and long-cheris'ed conviction that
no consti utional exercise of the powers of the
General Government can remedy the political and
social disorders which slavery has brought upon
us; that all Federal legislation is, in fact but pal.
iative; and that the radical cure must be brought
about by the State Governments. If the policy
which am about to urge should strike you, al
the first blush, as being harsh and headong,
can only say, in deepest sincerity, that it seems
the reverse of both to me, and that you will not
hope, condemn it, till you have made it the sub
ject of careful and candid examination. shall
introduce it by presenting you with single
broad nlain fundamental pronoSifiop
The free States shall not hereafter permit ne
groes, or their descendants of mired blood citizens
Of Liberia excepted 10 reside in, pass through or
even uisH them; and the SLAVE States should for
bid emancipation, except guaranty be giuen thai
the liberated should not seek the free States.
In proceeding to argue and illustrate this pro-
position, must begin with an inquiry into the
right and power of the State Governments to dc
what have proposed for the free States.
l. Each ofou States has absolute sovereignty on
every point not yielded to the General Government
What has been thus yielded is set forth in our Ma.
tonal Constitution; but that instrument contains nothing
which conflicts with what have proposed. 1t author
ICES Congress to prescribe the terms of naturalization
but does not forbid the fusion by state of any class
of persons whom il may not wish to receive except
such are already citizens Of some other State. This
exception which clearly implies that State has the
power ofexcuding all Others would prevent the pas
sage ola law torbiddng negroes from emigrating from
not citizens, and could not there fore, claim the
benefit of the exception Those States, moreover have
dsregarded the exception for they have enacted laws
to exclude from their Jurisdiction negroes who cit
izens called of the free States; and the nation has
quietly acquiesced in the exclusion wherein think
good sense, patriotism, and torhearance have been
shown; for as long as slavery exists, it is absolutely
necessary to the peace and safety of those States tina
emancpated slaves should be kept out if not sent out
Having themselves excluded free negroes who are call
ed citizens Of other States the South cannot COM
plain if its own emancpated slaves who are not its
citizens, should be excluded from the North
With the qualification that black citizens of one free
State cannot consltutionally be excluded from another
every State Government, on the matter we are now
considering, is absolutely sovereign; and it seems
scarcely necessary to insist that unquesonabe at
tribute OF sovereignty is the right to decide who may
and who shall not be admitted to citizenship No one
not citizen by birth has right to force his way into
| sovereign State. To exclude him may be viola
ton OF comfy but OF legal claim for until he has
acquired citizenship, he can have no legal rights. la
being excluded he may lose a benefit, but the State
nfilcts upon him no positive injury. Within her own
geographical limits she s abaolute beyond them she
is powerless. But the applicant for admission is still
beyond, and while he continues there, he can, in no
respect, be affected by her internal legislation.
1t 50 seldom happens that Government thinks il
necessary to exclude any particular class of persons
| that many ofus are accustomed to suppose that the
power OF exclusion is not in fact one OF the inherent
attributes Of sovereignty Yet the policy ofevery ma
ton presents US with perfect partial and mtgated
VI uo oAoicisC VI Hat PoWeI. nus our Oe-
neral Government prescrbes the terms of citizenship
foreigners England will not allow them TO hold rea
estate France expelled the Polish exies aud several
European Governments have different times driven
out the Jesuits Ia reference both exclusion and ex
pulsion, every Government acts for se and no othe
fovernmsnt, much less an Individual, claim the
right to interfere. But the proposition which have
laid down does not include expulsion. 1t is limited
exclusion, and has no bearing emancipated slaves
now within our borders, whom it leaves in the unds
turbed enjoyment OF all the rights which they now
possess, may hereafter acquire from the States IN
which they reside,
q Having shown, as trust, hat the free States have
the right to exclude the negroes of the slave States
all Others proceed TO say hst we do not need Al
rican population. That people, whether bond free
are, in every part of the United States serving peo-
pie, parasitic to the white propensity and deyo-
ted to his mental employmens. In former times tree
negroes were in demand servants; but that demand
has greatly diminished, under the deep and dwelling
tide OF European emigration, which IS rapldy sweeping
from the places they have hitherto filled our whole CO.
lored population.
Every nation moreover, as its population thickens,
becomes burdened with its own poor, who must either
find what are called humble occupations remain
idle. From the vast extent OF our territory, consde
rable time elapse before such surpusage will be
found in what now The sparsely settled portions
but the emigration OF poor peope from Europe WILL in
part supply the deficiency and all know, moreover
that it is not to the thinly but thcklyseted regions
that emancipated slaves generally make their way
They congreg ate therefore, where their services are
least needed Nor it be said that they bring among
any property learning, science arts enter
piration, which our own people do not possess and
display in much higher degree; nor has any pre-