The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-11-13

| they acknowledge that even Congress has no
right to interfere; and TO disturb those relations
| by stimulating the slaves to instruction. |
appeal 10 all northern men-l appeal 10 the
citizens Of this my native town--imagine sIa-
very TO exist here now, as it existed here before
and after the Revolulion-suppose body Of
men TO organize at the South and proclaim the
very first and most honorable members of our
community 10 be thieves, and robbers, and man
stealers, and worse than murderers, and slim
ulate our slaves tosteal our money and cut our
threats, and swear most soemnly that all this
was light and loue and moral Suasion-with
what temper should we receive these insults
and aggressions? How far would this Dlod,is
| operandt probably go to work change in our
sentiments and bring about the emancipation of
our slaves2
| In the Boston Post of May 2, 1851, letter
was published from Mr. George w. Randolph.
Mr. Randolph is grandson of Thomas Jeffer-
| son. This letter contains some excellent SEN
timents, very distinctly and candidly expressed.
present few extracts, which are german TO
| the subject before me:
"In 1892 Virginia was on the verge OF abolition.
| The question was freely discussed through the
State. Many OF the leading men, both Of the prin-
| cipal newspapers, and probably majority of the
people, were in favor of abolition. Abolition petit
tons poured in upon the Legislature. and bill for
| the abolition of slavery was introduced by Mr..
Thomas Jefferson Randolph, under instructions
| from his constituents. He represented Albemarle,
the second county in the State in point Of slave
population. Finding the LEGISLATURE not ripe for
30 decisive measure, he did1ot press il to vote
An animated debate took place. however, in the
course of which many prominent men advocated
abolition, and one Of them congratulated the house
that advocate of slavery had risen in that hail."
Again:
Contemporaries with the abolition move in
Virginia similar movement began at the North.
In 1880 81 Mr.. Garrison established an aboli-
ton paper in Boston, and in 1884 the first meeting
OF the American Anti Slavery Society held in
Philadelphia. part of their plan Of operation
to circulate abolition papers through the southern
States; some of these addresses advised insurrec-
ton, and all tended to promote it, They were
filled with denunciations of slav eholders and were
mainly intended for the slave population As might
have been anticipated violent reaction imInc-
diately took place in Virginia, and the cause of
emancipation abandoned by it's beat friends
In the summer of 1885 thirty eight counties held
public meetings, and addressed the Legislature,
calling for action against the northern abolitionis
Governor Tazewell backed their addresses with
message, and the Legislature in response passed
series OF resolutions, and finally statute, for the
suppression of abolition publications, sc. Then
the conflict between the North and South began,
which now jeopardizes the Union. All idea of abo-
lition in Virginia was Immediately abandoned, as
the character of the movement had actually
changed When in southern hands ii was a mea-
sure OF reform, recognising the legality of slavery,
and looking to its peaceful extinction BY the wlof
to be bloody and violent revolution proceeding
from the slave. Men then discovered the truth OF
the political maxim that reform comes from above
and revolution from beneath and all lovers of or
der set their faces against abolition"
Again:
every abolition riot rivets their bondage and
strengthens the arm of pro- slaveryism. II the Flu
giive Slave law cannot be executed the Union
must be dissolved; in my humble Judgment, no
human power avert this catastrophe. The
wish is not father to the thought for am ultra in
my attachment to the Union, and, so far from be-
ing pro-slavery, that regard it of the most
theless, its must be left to natural causes
which are operating slowly but surely and all in
reference will only aggravate the cvil.''
have perfect confidence in the correctness
of these statements and opinions. Let US so
lemnly inquire what are the expectations of abo-
litionsts-what, in all human probability, is TO
be the end of this anti-slavery agitation
O..