Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-06-17

he Free people of color from the Common wealth. M
such slaves US may be liberated by individuals
"Also petition from the Society OF Friends in tn
county Ct Charles City FIR the emancipation Of the s.crc
Ly SAME cradul scheme which nny be adopted, and I'll
removal Of the free negroes and s!ye5 from the Cen
lDunTealtA
ITDcn lc presentation Of these petitions By Mr. Roam,
n motion wus submitted by the uiember from Meckler
burg Mr. Gcc r to reject the petition rcm the court
of Charles CITY. \ debate sprung up upon the motto
70 Eject the petition Tia being the first inttc'ucto
3 Il. subject of emancipation, key tc all hat er
med afterwards | will call the attention OF the con-
mite. souewh. to the character Of that debate an
the position taken by those tho participated IN 1t ID Of
Ter that it may be seen how thu cast aid the "es' stoo
at that time. "
~. That. on this notion so far 1t Was preserved
will I've found in tic Richmond Enquirer, Of Decemoe
nth 1881 The reference OF The petition to the coH
nit.cs and the proprety and expectancy OF
III, matte, OF the petition, wac advocated hF Me>s
Roane Moore, Williams Of Harrison Jones rs Of G Fl
CITY Brodnax Brown OF Petersburg, Boiling, Chande
us Norfolk and Havburton of whom only two were ives
tern members, viz: Nr Williams and Ir. Moore.
read first ali that is given in the Enquirer. OF tn
remarks l.ate by Mr. Williams Of harrison read ~
to show the ground occupied BIZ the western member
upon the question then under confederation
"AIr Williams Of Harrison, western member, ros
10 stac that on th; important topic western member
would give their eastern, brethren carte blanshs witt
the sincere hope that efficient measure might d
a,!opted towards which ley CHE western members
would 1--WE their mos. hearty coopcratinn icy has
often been indebted to the hcraty OF eastern gentle
men IN carrying objects in which the west alone We're ia
erested, and they would reclprocate te good WIZ he'
ispla ed, ~ going the ~hoie with the east IL any
ueasure they might devise On this subject
This, sir, was tic position Of the west. y petition
had been presented from eastern citizens praying the
Legislature to pass some Ge for the gradual abolition o.
slavery in Virginia The west said to TIC east this Is
matter which concerns you Eore than 1t does Is On
th. question give you carte blanche aid whatever
svstci YOU gEal devise will MD yoG to carry out
| will next trouble the committee with portion oi
tie remarks OF Gen. Brclnax OF Din"idde, the chair
man Of til. committee to which il proposed TO re:c!
Lc petition before ALLUDED The motion to reject this
petition was the inception of oil that took place upe
tie subject and here the question Of jurisdiction, aud
whether the House Of Delegates should consider the
nnter at all, wa; first raised.
Via. did General Drodr.x tie leader Ct The south
size savf
IL. kGyES ask leave Ct the gentleman 20 make
one remark at III, puin: Of the argument, % under
stand the debate c!c-ses at o'clock to-day and iEa
not get tie opportunity to speak again.
SEVERAL MEMBERS. No, no, the rule has boon
altered.
afr. RIyES very well, then shall have an oppor-
,unitv Of replying to the gentleman.
Mr. SUMMERS. w.s about to cal the attention. q
the committee 10 IN cx :act from the remarks submit
.aa; ;rcn Acc!;.enbG!s to re Get the petition. NJ j.
said:
'MG Bso.lnax Of Dirwiddie. = Il was ertrn
hat scine:h.n: must e done: and Though measures
lur the removal Of this evil might not perhaps: be ar
ivci at Immediately get :eme plan for TIE gra!Im eTaa'
alien I'd probably be hit uPoH-a system m5a! DC cen
soc!sd by agrees 10 enrdcs Ike uho subject aud Il ra
therefore necessary TO consider it in all is bearings me
,eope tell Us the! must he take"-wha that
measure is they do not say--hey have not formed III
pin:o. Shall We then, refuse 70 consider the SUBJECT
No. Let US discuss it cody and fully and compare orn
Gus that some beneficial results may arise from our IL
.iteratiuns. Sir. 3 was, therefore, willing I" ioreG'
re sing lis opinions 1T this stage o The lh'ss'ls
iu.-uor dl lie believe that tie Legislature woG.
axe nv direct steps towards the en,ncpntlpn OF 'i
,avcs; but lie wiu:: to consider that topic .t
&C: cd with :hose objects which were more l.cdl-
s!y he subject Of their present sttcoton-and ms H.
..srcc;ab!e Society of Friends wished to te heard OF
lis Iaeter Ee hst CD eci:ons. Perhaps the Legs"
:ure lrislt Go something rkch might form n"ce" 9:
% spcg! 1907. maheat:c!, an s"1lS :7sGcs te'Hrt'
he ultimate cn.cncra.ic: 4 II. sares al distant period
read this to .hov what the view and opinions @!
hat pure and excellent aar General B:vnax WhoTep-
esv.t ed ut that ie supposed, the sentiments
= tie south siLe to g considerable extent lhsre .r
tie: portions Of the speech which paint IN the Hosi
ill culpr the condition Of things As they had eXtec
md were then existing i'll bis own county aud III 'h'
surrounding countirs-bt haze thought 1t unnecessary
- refer to them Am indeed unwilling even here Ill
his assembly to rccur to his glowing portrait of ':ir
Genes that had been enacted there ard tie agtaOn'
uEicll set prevailed in that quarter u III: State bni
hose were The appeals made bv eastern gentlemen 20 TIE
vest AMI there they recorded for Tie examination o
li.T whose curiosity ga proip Eeiu 10 LOOK INFO maj
eai OF orr lis:t"y.
Leg leave also 10 cal the attention of the house t.
short extract from tho speech delivered On ttf occa'
len !: JOHN Thompson Brown OF the town o Feterf
burg; gentleman who, among all the punlic men oil
a. +l,nYy,a rinIt paGm hi
become acquainted and to lie associated struck me as
he most gifted and most promising and who II bis
fe had been spared would haze added new lustre lC
he fam. Of this Co~n:onw ealth-a man OF the highest
,-der Of intellectual ability and attunments.
Mr.. Brown Of Petersburg, ssd he was not III the
louise When the petitions ere read, but he understood
hat :hey simply proposed inquiry into the expedl
clcv Of adopting for the gradual removal o.
the slare population Of tue Commonwealth, an that
they expressed in re3pectfuI and decorols IAN
,u.se H. satisfied, therefore, without calling to
The reading OF the petitions again, that they ought to-
e referred and not rejected unworthy of consdr
ou But whilst he in favor of referring these pc
cns he wsted il to be understood that he bad no ex
occ.utiuu that the object OF the petitions would be a
mined. lie aima hct slarery sas an erif-he sreateM
gsrtaps that angry ProrLsnce could 'hHcfon Shining
people But it i"c late TO correct it. 1t YVES nov
- Interviewer wiE hab,l aud interests this i Wa
impossible to free ourselves from it. II was u:T.ise 10
.t,ept it. 1t would hot lie in order to discuss thu
.ler;s ii this question. His own opinion WIS tcrneo
II, the subject and he he'd expectation that it wnul
,e changed But he ,scu not shut his ears 10 The rieps
md oriniOns Of Others close e door against the pc
ions and representations cf he people. liz ei!ins
ts. all that could be said The sub and sEGad be hap
sy 10 find hat he as in error, and that abolition
ode and practicable. Tie ground taken by he se"tle-
man, fran Heekienbug, that the subject ought mol erea
le brought into discussion nct !fnu1le The reErc<en.
a,iyes Of the Southern States in Congress had assumed
.la position and they right in doing it. No fo,-
ign government. alien authority, or sister State
should be perlnse, to interpose in any FORM with the
,,icc There shch eetioas 10 The consideration
# hi. matter by Legislature. On the contrary
e thought il indispensable thai il should be discussed cnc
settled Il uGs tlrceied and desired BY the people, that TIE
.cLelG subject in al is relations, sho,d be examined cns
hat tie General l.rn:oy shorM dtiiGc-nt 10 do some
!hn,-bu. ts.ther anything CT ougt: 10 &c done"
Now sir have read these extracts from that debate
70 show that eastern sustained ard urged the refer
sce and consideration IF The petition from Charles City
Drawing pr DIVISION be made for gradual E; sten
Of emancipation. shcw that they sustained The re
ceptivn and urged the reference Of tina, petition, on
y iron the ground tina. it was competent for the le
:nture to consider md act upon the prayer Of the re
TONERS bat upon the ground that it the duty Of tho
legislature to make the investigation aa decide The
question OF s3pe1ieucy. might adducc much add