The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-12-01
for the National Kra
fOT Tue EbtlOphl ma
THE SOUTHERN PLATFORM;
MANUAL OY SOUTHERN sEETIkEET Oh THE
SUBJECT OF SLAVERY

Beng Il Computation from The Writing, Q
Washington, Jc6eTS07l, Ndd1SOn and others
wh0sc names ore c0nsecrated IA tie affection
Of the Southern Ptopie--the Debates an III
Feier0i amt Stafe Conventions ukich framsC
Gad ratified The Constitution Of tie limited
St0tes--th0ee gdich occurred IN The first Com
crosses lOhlch SGi turing the administrator
u General IVGShiBgt0n--and extracts from
he Debate in the Virginia Legislature ii
1882; agath Uario,H letters jta'iciai decisions &c
~ DANIEL R. GOODBYE, OF NORTH CAROLINA
From Tucker, Blackstone
on THE STATE OF SLAVERY IN VIRGINIA
by 1t. George Tucker Professor OF Law in the Uni-
versity OF William and Mary. and one OF the
/ Judges OF the General Court in Virginia.
/ CONTINUED
/ The plan, therefore which would presume
to propose for the consideration of my coun-
trvmen is such az the number Of slaves, the
difference OF their nature and habits and the
state Of agriculture among us, might render
it eTpedjent rather than desirable, to adopt
and would partake partly OF that proposed by
MIR. Jefferson, and adopted in other States
and partly Of such CautOnary restrictions rs a
/ due regard to situation and circumstances, and
even TO general prymiiceS, might recommend
t. those who engage 10 50 arduOns and per
/ haps unprecedented an undertaking.
/ /. Let every female born after the adoption
Of the plan be free and transmit freedom to
/ all the defendants, both male and female.
, Az il compensation to those persons in
whose families such females or their desccnd-
ants may be born. for the expense and trouble
Of their maintenance during infancy, let them
serve such persons until the age Of twenty.
eight yeara; let them then receive twenty dol
lars in money two suits of clothes suited to
the season, n hat, p pair of shoes and two
blankets. If these things be not voluntarily
done. let the county courts enforce the per
formance, upon complaint
3. Let all negro children be registered with
Che clerk OF the county or corporation court
where born, within one month after their birth
Let the person in whose family they are born
take Il copy Of the register and deliver it to
the mother or. il she DIE to the child, before il
is of the aye Of twenty-one years. Let any
negro claiming TO be free, and above the aga
of puberty, be considered as of the age Of
twenty-eight years, if he or she be not regis
tered as required
g. Let all the negro servants be put On the
same footing as white servants and apprentices
nov are, IN respect 20 food, raiment, corrcc-
ton, and the assignment of their service from
one 10 another
.. Let the children Of negroes and muat-
toes born in the families Of their parents, be
bound to service by tho overseers of the poor,
until they shall attain the age OF twenty one
years. Let all above that age, who are not
houoekecpere. nor have voluntarily bound them
selves to service for q year before the first day
q February, annually, be then bound for the
remainder Of the year by the overseers Of the
poor To stimulate the overseers Of the poor
u perform their duty let them receive fifteen
per cent of their wagcg from the person hiring
them, ~ e compensation for their trouble, and
ten per cent. per annum out Of the wages Of
such rs they may bind apprentices
b. II, at the age Of twenty-seven years, the
master OF negro or muattO servant be I'M
willing tC pay his freedom dues, above men.
toned, Ut the expiration of the succeeding
year let him bring him into the county court,
clad and furnished with necessaries a9 before
directed and pay into court five dollars, for the
servant and thercupon let the court direct him
to be hired by the oy''sce;s Of the poor for the
succeeding year in the manner before directed
7. Let 40 negro or mulatto be capable of
taking, holding, or exercising, any public Office,
freehold, franchise or privilege 1861 or any cs-
tato in lands or tcncmcuts. other than lease
not exceeding twenty.o years Nor of keeping
OF bearing arms, (S7) unless authorized SO to
do by some act of tho General Assembly. whose
duration shall be limited to three wears. Nor
| of contracting mqtrimony with any other than
negro or mulatto; nor b. an attorney; nor
| be juror; nor n witness in any court of iu.
| AZ hot
and mulattocs Nor be an executor or admin
istEator nor capable Of making any will or
testament nor maintain any real action nor
be trustee Of lands OF tenemcnts himself nor
any other person u be trustee to him or to
his use.
y. Let all pcrsons born after the passing Of
tho a9t Dc considered az entitled to the same
mode of trial in criminal cases, "a free negroes
and mulattoeS are now entitled to-
The restrictions III this plan may appear to
SAVIOR strongly of prejudice. Whoever pro,
poses any plan for tho abolition Of Slavery
must either encounter or accommodate him.
self to prejudice. have preferred the latter
not that | pretend to be wholly exem from
it, but that might avoid ns many obstacles II,
possible t. the completion OF 20 desirable a
work rs the abolition of Slavery 1881 Though
| AN opposed 10 the Punishment of the negroe.
| wish not tn encourage their future residence
among ms, BY denying them the m at valua
bio privileges which civil government affords
wish h render it their inclination and then
interest o. seek those privileges in come otLei
climate There Is an immoose unsettled terri
tory on this Continent (s9l more congenial I,
their natural constitutions than ours, wher,
they may perhaps be received upon more fl
yOrnblc terms than We can permit them to re-
main with ~. Emigrating IN small numbers
they Will be ahlo 90 eject settlements NOR
easily than in large numbers and without m,
expense or danger Of numerous colonies. 4,
releasing them from he yoke O. bondage. anC
enabling them To seek happiness wherever the,
can hope 30 find IL, we surely confer o heneh
which no one can sufficiently appreciate. VIII,
has not tasted the bitter curse of compulsor,
scrvitudo by excluding them from oIico, ",
may hope that the sccd3 pr ambition would b
buried TOO deep, eyer 10 gcrnn.te Ivy dsarm
ing them, we may calm our approximations q
their rcscntments arising from past gatherings
by incalaoitating them from holding lands w
should add one inducem,nt more 10 emigra
ton, and eiiectually remove the foundation o
ambition and party struggles, Their persona
rights and their property, though limited
would, whilst they remain among Us, be unde
tho protection of the laws, and their condition
not at all inicrD. TO that Of the idboring poo
IN most other countries Under such an ar
rangement. We might reasonably hope tina
time would either remove from US a race o
mon whom We wish not 70 incorporate will
as, or obli,esate those prejudces which nov
form an obstacle 20 such Incorporation.
But 1t Is not from the want of hborality :,
the emancipated race If blacks that apprc
bend the most serious objections to the plan
have yenturoi 10 suggest, Those STAKEHOLDER
Whose numbers trust are few who have heel
70 the habit of considering their iellow.erea
| tnros as ~ lnnra lhnn ratIln and tie rot N