Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-10-28
Reply-[on the same paper.l


The reply is, at least amusing, and we copy
it:
Reply-[on the same paper.l
Sir-Your aper is discontinued with pleasure. A
note so reckless" in its assertions is fit only for the
hands which penned it. We have no further occasion
for 1t. RICHIE & COOK.
Mr.. Alexander published in the Wing an ada
dress to his constituents, in which he used very
strong expressions such as the following
SIN assuming to myself the task of addressing you,
upon the agitaed subject OF the slaves, II is certain
that l shall bring upon myself the dlspeasure OF the
Editor of the Enquirer and his emanclpatlng cores
pondents Slavery has existed in our Government
from its origa and has never been Considered by my
self SO horrible or inconsistent with Republican in
sututiOns some gentlemen imagine and recently
the Editor of the Enquirer. | consider
Editors of newspapers advising any change in the re-
latlons between master and slave, dangerous to the
community, and must necessarily have the effect OF
exciting bad feeling amongst the slaves"
Mr.. Richie complained bitterly at this attempt
at prescription of the PRESS" and asked what
would follow if the Enquirer should be put down
because its Editors were honest enough to speak
THE TRUTH?" "The Virginans Che answered)
had better look out at once tor such men as the
servile freedmen of Old Rome, and not the indie
pendent freemen of their Republic, to conduct
their papers, He earnestly denied the tendency
of his article to excite the slaves, that ne had
shown himself regardless of the safety and pro-
perty of Others"
''Not slave Che explalned) should be loosed from
his bonds until he is finally paid for and willingly
gwen up by his master. We would not take step
upon this condition. But, think the legislators OF
this land, who have received the petitions of the peo-
pie and selected Committee for considering them,
might well excuse the press for breathing some soil
ctude on the occasion and respectfully asking Wnether
such means cannot be found-aye, and for saying,
did say, "Means sure, but gradual, sysenfaflc
but discreet, ought to be adopted, for reducing the
mass of evil which is pressing upon the South and
will still more press upon her. the longer it is put off
The Enquirer Of January 10Th commenced the
publication of the famous debate in the House of
Delegates, which opened on the motion of Mr.
Goode to discharge the special committee. The
leading article of that issue Is hegded The Pres"
vocatng gradual emancipation, introduced with
the following editorial remarks;
s'The seals are broken, which have been put for
fifty years upon the most delicate and difficult subject
Of State concernment. We publish speeches in the
House of Delegates to-day, aoich, at other pcriod
c0ud hare been delivered but IN closed DOORS In the
same spirit, the press earlessy speaks its own sentl
ments, Eunawed by the tocsin of denunclaon or the
menaces OF proscr ptIon. What is tight, both for the
Legislators the Editors, and all Politicians is 10
speak win fOrDeardnce dud with the utmost dlScre~
ton IN the presence OF the persons whose destinies
are dependent upon the discussion
This language shows that Mr.. Richie gathers
ed confidence from the indications of public opn-
ion, that what he at first almost despaired would
yet be accomplished that something
should be done by the Legislature to remove the
greatest evil which can scourge our land"
I he progress of the debate soon enabled him to
point definitely to the measures which he thought
advisable
From the Richmond Enquirer of January "a.
We shall not compare the long and impressive
speech of the Delegate from Dnwddie (which we
have this day commenced) with those of his colleagues
but we cannot recoacileit to ourselves 10 lay it 81
ently before our readers 1t has merit in eyes,
tar greater than the eloquent terms in which it
conveyed 1t develops the TRUTH that part OF the speech
at least that we have seen and we now submit TO
readers. 1t hits the true ground 1t is the middle
ground-that ground, which, ss Mr.. Brodnax Justly
remarks, always subjects the man who occupies it, 10
the suspicion and attack OF both the other parties 10
this great question: there two ultra partes-Mr. B.
goes with neither OF them He differs with most of the
citizens OF the East in insisting upon the proprley OF
doing something to abate the mass of growing evil
He differs with many of the Western members in his
ideas OF the property we claim in slaves, and in
the invioaby OF that property. He is anxious to do
somethngto raise the funds to purchase such will
not be voluntarily given. But he maintains that no
system should be introduced which is Calculated to in
terere with or weaken the security OF private prop
ero, or affect its UaIue And that not single slave
or any other property he possesses should be taken
fromits owner, WITHOUT CONSENT, or an am
pie compensation tor Its value.
From this it appears that the Enquirer, re-
tanning its belief that slavery was an appalling
evil to the State, was in favour of scheme of
emancipation based upon the principle of compen-
sang the owner.
Nov what was the enormity which Mr.. Sum.
mers committed and for which some Democratic
papers would prescribe him from the confidence
of savehoders' tits best that it should be stated
in his own words, and we make the following ex-
tract from the speech he delivered on the 18th of
January:
"But, sir no scheme for sudden action is proposed |
or defended. 1t is hoped that the NECESSITY NAV be
avoided, by the adoption now, of slow but certa 10
means TO prevent its occurrence Should the action to
re verse the report OF the committee prevail it is be.
lieved that wise and efficient plan may be devised |
providing tor the liberation and removal Of HERE
AFTER TO BE BORN. The substitute OF the gentleman |
from Albemare Mr. Randolph proposes that all slaves
born after the 4h OF July, 1870 shall be free the e-
males at eigheen and the males at twenty one. That
they shall then be hired OUT until sum be raised for
such hlre sufficient tran sport then such country as
may be provided tor that purpose This the rash and
precIpate scheme condemned n terms so unqualified |
lGt co'iiiGuce It's operations Tor eight years.
The further period OF twenty one years is TO elans be-
tore the property OF the master is be renqushed a.
period OF service eimbursng him for the cost of rearing
AND ,sr the period may be varied BY the committee or
the House. They may make it thirty instead Of |
twenty one, should 1t be deemed advisable"
Mr.. Summers then was for the emancipation
Of the post natl. The Enquirer and Gen. Brod.
ak were for emancipation generally on condi-
lon OF compromising the owners, according we
suppose to the estimates of board of commits
sloners. Between the two bad projects, we shall
not attemptto decide which was the worse. We
might extend these extracts, but our object is suf-
iiciently attained in showing that Thomas Richie,
at the helm of the Enquirer, maintained in 1882
The very opinions and advocated substantially the