Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-07-25


Journal travelling one, we suppose, from his
ignorance of what every resident must know
writes to that paper follows
RICHMOND, Va, Saturday. June %.
Mr.. VIM Ragand, of Caroline county, in this State,
died bachelor in tine summer of lS49 leaving ninety
slaves and about $50O00.n other property, after the
payment of all his debts.
He lett will, which provides that all his slaves
shall ha We their freedom and remain upon his planta
ton to enjoy the fruits Of their own labor and of the
property which they had helped him to accumulate,
wi this alternate provision that it the settlement OF
his emanelPated slaves upon ms plantation under trus
should be contrary to the policy OF the law which
requires that emancpated slaves shall be carried out OF
the State then his executors shall convert his estate,
real and personal, Slaves of excepted into
money pay his debts, and with the balance of the
new probably $50 000, settle his slaves in free
State This will has been contested by the relatives of
Mr.. Rsgand in the Courts OF Caroline, and recently
established favor of the Slaves by the Supreme Court
10 the city OF Richmond. The argued with
great ability both sides, and the decision meets the
general appreciation OF the community. There
few however, who think that will which provides
for the emancipation of slaves as Mr.. Ragands does,
is quite conclusive proof of the insanity of the tesa
tor
These slaves, who have thus become free by the JUS
tce and humanity OF Mr. Ragland, will be removed,
as practicable to some free State OF this Union,
or 10 Liberia May the Lord dispose many other mas
tiers to follow the example of John Randolph OF Roam
oke, whose will commences thus Sin the name of
God, Amen I, John Randolph, of Roanoke, do give
and bequeah all my slaves their freedom, heartily
GREETING that have ever been the owner OF one"
The writer's account of Mr.. Ragand's will is
substantially correct; but the case was decided in
the Circuit Superior Court for the city of Rich
mord Judge Caskie) and not by the Supreme
Court.
The last paragraph Of the letter shows the
lamentable perversion of Judgment which seems
Nortba IL,
slavery. Every .philanthropst, who is we'll in
formed as to the comparati re conditions of the
negro in state Of so-caed freedom in the North
ern States, or in slavery in the South, must be
aware that Mr. Ragland could not have left his
ninety slaves more injurious bequest than their
liberty. The statistics of the coloured population
ofthe free States prove beyond doubt that class
they are in far worse condition than Southern
slaves. But how much more pitiable will be the
situation of these Virginia negroes, suddenly eman
cipated and thrown with their little property upon
the cold merces ola jealous community, to be the
prey of sharpers until they sink into deplorable
misery? lfthey were runaways, the Abolition
societies might succour them for few months
and then turn them adrift, to make their way
nelplesS, tNfouSI the Woriu Dut, gong laWIui'
", these very fanatics will turn upon them the
cold shoulder, oppose their settling together anG
fich from them their little all. The correspond
ent does well to associate the case of Mr.. Ran
dolph's negroes with this, for the history of thel
difficulties in effecting settlement in Ohio is
too recent to have been forgotten. Their treat.
ment should sat isfy all Shareholders that the
most ill-judged beneyoence that can be extended
20 the slave is to emancipate him.
The Ragland will case is certainly worthy
to attract Northern attention in one aspect. |
was decided whilst the public mind was greatly
agitated on the subject of The execution of thu
aad journals had affirmed, and over, that thu
law was nhuman because if the United State
Commissioner should make wrong decision ant
send free black man into a Slave State, their
would be no hope of his escaping bondage. Nov
here was case in which the title of large
number of slaves to their freedom was the sub
ject of legal dispute The ablest counsel were
secured to resist their claim. Every appea
which the wide liberty of the bar admits was re-
sorted to. But, jury of twelve men, in this
slaveholding community promptly, after leaving
their box, pronounced the negroes free. The pub
lie has cordially acquiesced in the decision, and
accepted it as right Do not these facts furnish
nnanswerable proof that the rights of the negro
are as sacredly protected in Virginia as those o
the white man?