Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1853-07-26
From the W.Hin.iun Cotton Plant
NEGRO EXEMPTION LAW

NflIRD EAEHPllUN Law.
In another place We rGruCe length article irum
the Richmond Enquirer. We do this that readers may
have The advantage Of ever argument against az well in
ia yor n Negro Exemption l. Iw for oar object is
and sincerely to promote lte best interests Tho slave
S,atcsnnd if we are wran. will be open conviction.
We must not he understood engaging in lit with ihr
Richmond Enquirer. The ability Of that journal a:d
ils established! character would make The an u.
DUAL Nor do we hope meet Ih. arguments the
subloned article far beauty Of style force Of langnagr
und condensation OF ideas concerned. We hope cor
merely The basis upon which the Enquirer has built IFS
10 cxpain The plain misappruIrnsons OF the
writer and 10 show him iha while his logic is powerful
his ground work is erroneous.
II understand the objections urged BY the Enquirer 10
this law, they may be slatc. rs follows:
The right nf police iaher control necessary the
proper government {" "u population is not IN thc
least alleed Tor Inc master has precisely the power o
correction and right to transfer by private SALE with deed
u lst or upon imor'@a.c &C. ne he has. lie lid
against The necessity Of ~ the force Of personal pri.
ruege Therefore, the negro bccnmcs uni;a uagrate dis
spaicd nd0lent he liable 10 the same cons. qucHces
present, sale BY G L, viii therefore be- well 10 in
lire n;o The elect sal b. law satisfy debt has upon
negroes In regard kcng them in suhcclion preserving
them from bad habits, dissipation wnrihIcssncss &c
We assert without ''ie fear Of contradictions
that the dread OF sale b law has no effect upon tho ne
grUs motive Tor action way or The other We assert u
from the yday experience of life spent anons siart-,
from an intimate acquaintance with them, and The ubrIva-
G u every nc'Srht it's0n resident IN sdv.io.i'ns :
community We have know. sale by law satisfy deb,
10 be cxcrcfed ia cla'Icn The b, family negroes W. nave
known. On the other hand The most worthless e"1S
have owned BY Planters whose estates gEn
cunjercd AMI whose n,cars were in, xa;lstibc Bat, Ia
put an eGl n iliustfhot what. ask has tho negro ~
DO with The naslCTs private aaits1 Does know oil ls
debts Does he Known HIS week whether he will be s'
by !he slcrh inc next one! And So can any department
D has, one way or The otirr pay his masters debts, or pre-
vent the full npcra ion at The aw7 How absurd, then, 10
sGy thnt il Influences the slaves conduct!
Our position being established iand we hereby appeal Ia
the experience o our renders the arguments nl The fWl
in regard 10 the moral CT unnn olr negro population"
in their individual characteristics fall the ground
The argument that The exemption Of certain negroes o
estates, "l III communities where Others not exempt ""
excite ahiosiy jealousy d., among the blacks l. fe"i
strong position II have been thrown Gu! "a
a. an lnaovertent sentence" the writer, than ma'neu
lhongh-as s"nethins To I'LL up sentence rather thah a"
argument To arrest attention The idea said was inc'p
Happily for us have in lIo upc a:ion Of thr j. ''
siana law (Which applies The principle Of exemption 10
widows in,cresi) swer 10 The serGus question acr
denty ihfoW oht O} HE Enquirer. In Louisiana c up
alton VI the law answers III, nh .rliuns of Tie EE'n'ie
and will satisfy his alarms.
The same misunderstanding whirh characterzss the az
Gle we are explaining s c"nsrcnnusiy on-ev"h: ~ uI '
licnlar The Enquirer sfats a.>rs lat Til. Law "i ~
cite fht'nsr amons thc n"1r"s -eu.Gu"T -'nrs, ara ~
ale hnlh"srS anu ui>t"n'cal rn such sia'r 81 ,''-
would be- necessary that The s.u,urrd negroes s"hh
nared-set apart. and ,.s,"narrd Now would iiis u
necessary We ask the Enquirer wh,hr under me ",s.
lion OF The law II would br all necessary 10 jtssn
"Jlm" "Ium Lucy" ur "l}oh" as the "eActir.c.
negro" and SD direct upon them that feeling which the I'm
Iulrer breads so mnrhl Under The right conferred n'
owner wonld leave until ihe day Gi sale the Designating " "
Htslo VI nrsi"eS =" oe RESERVED under 'hc piee't
why should ne do +" y Because under The eAisnG 1
ernpu Laws in relation 10 urhrr property, such has p'
iound 10 be the universal coGrs'. And il is natural
stead therefore OF This Exemption law creating the nlscI 81
anticipated by The Enquirer the very opposite would - In
result Taking the admission Of the Enquirer, We aSs"n
that this law would confer privileged blessings on those nc
sroes 10 whom II would be nppird. ,,h
We admit cordially with the Eouurer thai snch woua o
The cfec or me negroes universally attached " TN %
owners Aboltonsn will not believe what We assert. :, ~
Tribune will call "a gross libel upon free anu hoo
r CNr 0rp
vince The Tribune but merely stating simple facts lh ""I
liod of position assumed by this journal before It's ie'
We repeat thai the feeling OF devotion his master may
reckoned as the pery strongest fseng nth me s!dpE.