Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-09-08

vileged above all other citizens ? Gener-
al Pierce was right, this special legislation
for the benefit of single individual We
have always opposed. The law if repea-
led as to Edmund Brooke. should have
been repealed altogether. The Wing
says Gen. Pierce voted against this bill
for the relief of Edmund Brooke. there
fore, Gen. Pierce has abolition affinities.
Well, let us see how this is. and where
this reasoning of the Wing would lead us.
The Maryland Legislature passed a law
prohibiting the introduction of slaves
from other States. Congress. for the go-
yernment Of that portion of the District
of Columbia coded by Maryland. adopted
the laws oof Maryland. So in voting
against the bill, Gen. Pierce voted to sus-
tain the statute law Of the District OF Coz
lumbia, which had been passed previous
to its adoption for the District, by the Lei
gislatpre Of Maryland Gen Pierce voted
to sustain law enacted by the Maryland
Legislature. therefore. Ascending 10 the
Wing. the Legislature of Maryland that
made the enactment, and the people Of
Maryland who continuedfthe law upon
their statute book have abolition ,aflini.
ties. But what win the Wing do with
our own State OF Virginia we have had
similar enactments and such has been the
law of Virginia as we'll as Of Maryland.
We refer the Wing 10 the acts OF Che Viz
ginia Legislature of 1879. 1895. 1899,
and 1906. The firstiscction of the act OF
1906 We quote.for the benefit of the Wing.
an act % amend ne sewrai lales concern
ing slGees. s =. .t. ~.
F(Passed, January. s5th, 1905. 81 ~, e
BE II enacted by the General Assem-
bly,, That IL any slave or..slayes shall here.
after be brought into this Commonwealth.
and shall either be kept therein. one whole
year, or shall be sold OF. hireed within this
Commonwealth, in every such case the
owner shall forfeit all right to, such slave
or slaves which right shall absolutely vest
in the oversers of the poor of any county
or corporation who shall japprehend or.
shall attempt to apprehend such forfeited
slave or slaves within their jurisdiction, Ia
trust for the benefit of the poor, of such,
county or corporation" 81
The fifth section provides for the sale OF
such slave for cash and the money appli.
ed as directed above for the benefit Of the ;
poor. n'i" ~. ''iHinlN' 'Ht y,
We now inquire if it would haye been !
right in the Virginia Legislature to have
relieved the Wing Editor of the penalties
of the law quoted, and have icgalizcd III
him what wonld have been unlawful in
any other citizen. woull IL have been
right to have permitted the Wing Editor
to hold slaves brought from another State I
and have denied that privilege TO all other
citizens of Virginia Would ithaye been
right to secure the Wing Editors slaves
to him by special enactment. and ukc
from others the slaves brought By them
into this State We opino not, Ger!
tainly then, when Mr.. Brooke desired to,
be relieved from law binding upon cyc- d
ny othcr citizen living where he did, q
was right to vote against extending to him
such privilege. We know Of no princir
pie either in politics or morals, in this
country. that entities any man to special
benefits or exccpts him from the rules to
which every other citizen is subject. and
by which all arc governed. lit would
have becn'ight, and that 1t would have
been right no candid man will deny, to
vote against such a proposition for the
benefit Of the Wing TO the exclusion Of
every other citizen, it was right 10 vote
against such privilege for the benefit Of
Edmund Brooke, fthe law was imp6li.
tic, inexpedient or wrong, II ought TO hayo
been repealed as to all, and no exception
for the benefit OF single individual should
have been made. Mr. Brooke was citi-
zen OF Gcorgetown-it was right that che
laws enforced against the other citizens Of
that place should be applicable TO him.
The Wing charges the man who voted
against this special privilege, and who,
thereby asserted that the laws should op.
crate upon all alike. who voted, TO sustain
law similar 10 the laws enacted and re-
enacted again and again by the Virginia
Legislature, with having abolition affini-
ties. BY the same process Of reasoning,
the people Of Virginia, through their rep
sentatives having enacted similar laws,
according to the Wing, have abolitiOn,af-
/