Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-10-29

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"On motion of Mr. Fishers jtho same being modified
on motion oil Mr.. Broadnax ordered, that much OF
the Governors message relates the instructions
aty movement OF the slaves, and the removal OF the
Tree persons OF color beyond the limits of the Com
| monweah, be referred to Il committee of Messrs
Brodnax, Fisher, Cobb, Wood, of Automatic, Roane
Moore, Newton, Campbell, OF Brooke, Smith OF Fred
erck, Gholson, Brown, Stlllman and Anderson of
Nooway, with leave to report by bill or otherwise. :"
This committee, consisting OF thiteen members,
was composed often members rom the eastern side
of the Blue Ridge, and THREE from the west. Subse-
quently, the committee was enlarged 10 twenty one,
by tho addition OF the following members. viz:-Mes-
sieurs. Wtcher, Booker Keller. Faulkner, B5yce of
Goochland, Smith, OF Gloucester, Bruce and Marshall
Six OF this additional number were eastern members
and two only from the wes making the whole com
ntee consist OF sixteen eastern, and five western mem
bers
On the l4th of December, Mr.. Roane, then repre-
senting the county OF Hanover, and afterwards mem
Der OF the United States Senate from Virginia, "pre-
scented petition OF sundfy Inhabitants OF the county OF
Hanover, praying the Legislature take into consde
ration the propety OF providing means for the removal
of the free people OF color from the Commonwealth,
and such slaves may be liberated by individuals"
| "Also petition from the Society of Frend IDS in the
county of Charles City, for the emancipation of the
slaves, by some gradual scheme which may be adopted
and the removal OF the tree negroes and slaves from
| the Commonwealth"
Upon the presentation of these petitions by Mr.
Roane, motion was submitted by the member from
Mecklenburg, (Mr Goode to reject the petition from
the county of Charles City. debate sprung up upon
the motion to reject the petition. This being the fret
introduction of the subject OF emancipation, as a key
t. all that ensued afterwards will call the attention
OF the committee somewhat to the character of that
debate and the position taken by those who parlci
pated i'll II In order that it may be how the east
and the west stood at that time.
The debate on this motion, so lar as it was preserv-
ed, will be found in the Richmond Enquirer of De
osmber 18th, 1881, The reference OF the petition to
the committee, and the propriety aad expediency of
considering the matter of the petition, advocated
by Messrs: Roane, Moore, Williams, of Harrison,
Jones' of Elizabeth City, Brodnax Brown of Peters
DtrG, i5olln5. Chandler of Norfolk. and HaIvhrtAe
OF whom only two were western members, viz. Mr..
| Williams ard Mr. Moore.
read first all that is given in the Enquirer of the
remarks made by Mr.. Williams, of Harrison. Tread
| this to show the ground occupied by the western
members upon the question then under consideration
| "Mr. Williams, OF Harrison, a western member.
rose TO state, that this important topic western
members would give their eastern brethren a carte
blanche, with the sincere hope that some efficient
measure mil ht be adopted, towards which they Che
western members) would give their most hearty CO.
operation. They had often been indebted to the lib
crafty OF eastern gentlemen In carrying objects in
which the west alone were interested, and they would
| reclprocrate the good will then displayed, by going
tbe whole with the east In any measure they might
This, sir, was the position of the west A petition
had been presented from the eastern citizens praying
the Legislature to pass some &C! for the gradual abo
lltIon OF slavery In Virginia. The said to the
east, this is matter which concerns you more than
| t does US On this question we give you carte
| blanche, and whatever system you shall devise we
Will aid you to carry out.
| will next trouble the cnmmitice with portion of
the remarks OF General Brodnax, of Dinwiddie, the
chairman of the committee to which it was proposed
to refer the petition before alluded to. The motion to
REJECT this petition the inception of all that took
place uEon the subject, and here the question of urs-
dlctlon, and whether the House of Delegates should
consider the matter at all, was first raised
What did General Brodnax, the leader of the south
side say?
"Mr Brodnax of Dinwiddie, - 1t was evil
dent that something be done, and although mea-
5es for the remoV al OF this evil, might not, perhaps
be arrived at immediately yet some plan for The gri-
hal Ip he
might be cohcocted by degrees to embrace the whole
subjects and it was therefore necessary to consider it
IN all Its bearings. The people tell that some nea
| sure must be taken-what that measure is they do
| not say-they have not formed an opinion. Shall we
| then, refuse to consider the subject? No. Let us
| discuss it cooly and fully, and compare opinons
that some beneficial results may arise from our DELHI
Grafton. Mr.. b. was, therefore, willing to forego
pressing his opinions at this stage of the nvesti
gatonnor did he believe that the Legislature would
take any direct steps towards the emancipation of the
slaves but he wiling to consider that topic as
connected with those objects which were more imme-
dlaely the subject OF their present atteuou-and as
the respectable Society of Friends wished be heard
on this matter ne had objections Perhaps the Iegis-
lature might do something which might form 1U-
ceus, or to speak more mahemaicay, an entering !
wedge, towards the ultimate emancipation of the
slaves at a distant PERIOD
read this to show what the views and opin |
ions Of that pure and excellent man, General Brodnax,
who represented at that time, supposed the
sentiments OF the south side, to considerable extent
There other portions OF the speech which paint in
the most vivid coors the condition things as thew had
existed and were then existing in his county and
in the surrounding countless but have thought it
cessary TO refer to them, indeed unwilling even
here in this assembly, to to his glowing portrait
OF the that had been enacted there and the aQ
atons which yet prevailed in that quarter of the Stale
But those were the appeals made bv eastern gentlemen
to the west, and there they recorded for the ex
| animation OF any whose curiosity may prompt them
| to look into that leaf OF Our history.
beg leave also call the attention of the house to
short extract from the speech delivered that
sion by John Thompson Brown OF the town of Peters.
burg gentleman, who, among all the public men OF
this ate, with whom, that period it was my for
tune become acquainted and to be associated struck
me the most gifted and most promising; and who If
his life had been spared would have added new lustre
to the fame OF this Commonwealth man OF the |
highest order OF intellectual ability and attanments
Mr.. Brown Ct Petersburg said he not in the
House when the Petitions read but he understood
that they simply proposed inquiry into the expedi
ency OF adopting measures tor the gradual removal OF
the sa We population OF the Commonwealth and that
they expressed in respectful and decorous Ian
guage. He satisfied therefore, without ealing tor
the reading OF the petitions again that they ought to be
referred and rejected unworthy of consideration.
But whilst he favor of referring hese petitions he
wished it to be understood that he had expectation
that the object OF the petitions would be attained He
admitted that slavery evil-lhe greatest per.
haps, that angry Providence could nflic on sin
nlng people. But it too late to correct it. 1t
was so ntewoven with habits and interests that it
was impossible to Tree ourselves from it it unwise to
attempt it. 1t won Id not be in order to Discus the
merits oil this question. His opinion was formed
on the subject and he had no expectation that it woud
be changed But he would not shut his ears to the
views and opinion OF Others nor close the door against
the petitions and representations OF the people He
was willing to hear all that could be SAID on the sub
iect and should be happy to find that he in error
ard that abolition pedent and practicable The
ground taken by the gentemsn from Mecklenburo that
the subject ought not to be brought into discussion
was not tenabe. The representatives of the South
States in Congress had assumed that position and
they were right in doing ii, No foreign government
alien authority, sister State, should be permitted
to merpose IN any form with the subject. There were