The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-11-11


which the transportation of this population to the western
counties would be forbidden Did the country lying west
Of the Blue Ridge compose separate and independent
State. che could snnhlae this evil at blow we OF me
West do desire mountains sLAoKSSkD WIN
the slave that the fresh grass OF our valleys shouo
wiIHEx beneath his tread"
Mr. Summers advocated immediate abolition. These
| are his words:
But, sir, it is no, only western man, mindful only
Of the interests OF that portion Of the State from which
that feel myself bound vote against tho report Of
the select committee, Idecaring 10 DO inexpsdient 10
abolish averyl AS Vginian and legislator, bound
by the highe moral obligations, and official oafA 10 pro-
mote The prosperity and happiness Of the whole Common
wealth, with the best exercise OF my poor Judgment,
other mode discharge tho duties which owe TO my
conscience and 10 eouny than by soemny declaring
by the vote shall give, the deliberate eonvico" o my
mind that IT expeden to act in relation to this momen-
tous subj-c. and to act promptly a~d efficiently"
Mr. Summers, his zeal for immediate abolition,
Dukes those who wished to proceed with crcumspect
caution--the men under whose his friends now
strive TO shelter him He said-and we commend what
he did say those who have attributed his conduct 10
the temporary panic caused by the Southampton out
break
Scan that gentleman General Brodnax) content himself
with the slow remedies of the scheme of aboltnnl which
he himself has suggested T. Gentlemen say that this
the proper time begin tho great work of gradual and
final emancipation that 1t is subject OF tho utmost deli
cscy and bosot with d icutics that
not able accomplish tho Hsrculean task But will
these gentlemen nfom us the aboitionisu] when Is
become less delicate, with fewer difficulties and
what period shall be better able to them Like
silly children endeavor postpone the work which we
know be performed We close eyes, and attempt
forget it from il hopeless, without essaying
to begin it, is the fraiy of natures It Is the same
spirit which said, Go thy way; at more convenient sea
son viii call npon thee Wr by our timely efforts may
effect the contamination devony be wished ior-ltha
is. the abolition of saveryl-poaatty never car" And
.,s thaA
from tho wreched inheritance, (slayery and
chidrens children will rise up and call you blessed
Sir should take agemen from tho goodness OF
The in which engaged. 1t is one which
Heaven will smile. We shall be left unaided in
exerons" Mr. Speaker. cannot take my seat without
expressing my full and decided convictions WHEREIN he
was mstakep1 that the effort making to lay the
foundation for The ultimate and total abolition of slavery
within This Commonwealth i'll be crowned with trium-
plant success" When parted at the close Of tho
las, session, who would have predicted tho which
| have taken place here within the past weekl had
hoped that tue opportunity would have been SO soon
furnished to register, by my vote in the halls OF native
State CHERISHED WISHES or MY MIND But silence
broken forever Amy attempt restrain the ffeest inquiry
now were vain and idle As well might you attempt 10
i'm prison the chanlcss winds" Sir present attitude
worthy the Commonwealth and of the II proper
that Virginia should lead the in this splendid
PRISE [of aboon interesting to the happiness Of
county and the human family"
Mr. Summers advocated the right Of servle insurec-
uON lHtbc are Anu VIC CUHtucnu WeH 10 lHc
attentive consideration OF every citizen Of Virginia:
The slave is made properly not by natuai right in him
who makes him SUCH Men ma de slaves only by force
ard ~eey and they retained such only by force and
ntcssfy Slaves made property in Virginia by s,atu
tory provision" "The right by which hold slaves il
the right OF force, and property is founded in rrong
Outrage and ir,ustce twill bs denied that The slave
living man, has right assert and regain his berts
(hs He has right to direct and control his owr
acion.a right surrendered and never aienated-
lrsr NIL cnuve puar
pscs"
Such were the opinions and feelings OF George w
Summers, esq in the year 1882; and yet the admins
traon organ has the hardibood 10 say that his defence
on the charge OF aboitionsm has been completed "by
the publication Of speeches delivered by Mr. Summer.
different periods in the State, all tending 10 show tina,
he has uniformly acted and spoken consistently with his
interests as an individual STAKEHOLDER, and with hi,
duty as member OF the Commonwealth"
Wing pasans in Virginia have not gone 20 far as the
Republic. They have only attempted 10 create the i'm
preston that MIR. Summers was acuated by the
ary panic OF 1884, and that be has since epened Of his
dangero sentiments expressed in the Virginia egsa
turc. But unfortunately for them the fifth extract we
have presented above shows that abolition I" h<
long cherished irish" OF Mr. Summers's mind. He must
therefore, have entertained his abolition sentiments man
years before the Southampton outbreak in 1884, Did be
renounce them when that panic died away' We think
not for that four years after-o.wt, the goth
OF January, is36-Nr. Miller, Of Bostourt, moved to
amend certain resolutions pending before the Virginia
legislature, relating to aboonsm, by inserting the FOL
| lowing: sd.
Rssoiped. That Corgrtn has eo~snntosaf porsr 10
ABoLr,n SLAVERY IHE DISTRICT or COLUMBIA,
| TERRITORIES or THE UrlTKD STATES"
Mr. Summers. with twelve others, voted against this
resolution, and by that vote affirmed that Congress
has the constitutional power 10 abolish slavery in The Dis
hid of Columbia, and that Congress has the consl-
,uona power 10 abolish slapery The Territories Of The
United States This vote, going infinitely beyond the
Wilmot provi,o. was given in 1896. Has Mr. Summers
ever repudaicd Ill Has he ever, by speeches in the
State elsewhere, repented OF in Has he admitted
that his hostility to slave institutions gone Has he
ever taken back his argument in favor OF the right OF
insurrection II he has done So not OF the
fact Nearly twenty years have elapsed. yet the only
apparent retracton we know OF 10 that recently from his
own pen in which he calls attention to the fact that be
introduced the clause 10 the constitution OF Virginia
just adopted. forbddng the legislature 10 cmancipate
slaves But that does not 1.-THE OF the ground
covered by the declarations OF 1882 and. besides the
struggle the basis question" is 10 be considered in
any investigation Of the motives which prompted Mr.
Summerss course slavery in the late convention.
So much for Mr.. Summers We turn TO what the
Republic says Of Colonel Johnson. the democratic
dat II ,c,o hat nf