The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-10-13

" the Southern PtOple-ihe Debates in the
Fc9srGl and State Conventions tchick framed
md ratified The Constitution of the United
StateS-thoSe rkich occurred in The first Con-
greS-es 1rt,ch sCt during The administration
Of General Vdshington-Gnd extracts from
The Debate IN the Virginia Legislature in
1882 5ch UCrious letter., judicial decisions, &c.
Az DANIEL R. GOODBYE, or NORTH CAROLINA.
W THE STATE OF SLAVERY IN VIRGINIA,
CONTINUED.
But how loudly soever reason, justice, and
may not add religion, Il condemn the prac.
ice Of Slavery, it is acknowledged to have been
very ancient, and almost universal. The
Greeks. the Romans, and the ancient Germans,
also practiced it, as we'll as the more ancient
Jews and Egyptians By the Germans it was
transmitted to the various Kingdoms which
arose in Europe out of the ruins Of the Roman
Empire. In England it subsisted for some ages
under the name Of ruieinGge. (2) In Asia it
seems 20 have been general, and in Africa uni
yersll and so remains TO this day. In Europe
it hath long since declined its first declension
there ia said to have been in Spain, so early as
the eighth century, and it is alleged to have
been general about the middle ofthe fourteenth.
and was near expiring in the sixteenth, when
the discovery of the American continent and
the eastern and western coasts Of Africa gave rise
~ the introduction Cf new species of Slave
". Il took it's origin from the Portuguese, who,
m order 10 supply the Spaniards with persons
able to austain the fatigue of cultiyatiDg their
new Possessions in America, particularly the
Islands opened a trade between Africa end
America, for the sale of negroes, about the year
1903 The expedient Of having slaves for labor
was not long peculiar to the Spaniards being
afterwards adopted by other European colo
nc7. 81 and though some attempts have been
made 70 stop its progress in most of the United
States, and several Of them have the fairest
prospects Of success in attempting the extirpa
ton Of it, yet in others it hath taken such deep
root az to require the most strenuous exertiont
u eradicate 1t.
Tue fir55 introduction Of negroes into Virgin
ia happened, as we have already mentioned, in
the year 1920 from that period to the year
1862 there is no compilation of our laws in print,
now to be met with. Ia the revision made in
thatye we find an act declaring that no Eng.
lishman, trader, or other, who shall bring in
any Indians AZ servants and assign them over
to any other, shall boll them for SlGUeS, nor for
any other time than English of like age should
serve by act of Assembly a The succeeding
declared to be bond or free, according to the
condition Of the mother (5)
In 1867, it was declared THAT tho confer.
ring of baptism doth not alter the condition OF
the person baptized, as to his bondage Or free
dom" I6l This was done, "that divers mas
tiers, freed from this doubt, may more carefully |
endeavor the propagating Of Christianity by |
permitting their slaves to be baptized 1t |
would have been happy for this unfortunate |
race of men if the same tender regard for their |
bodies had always manifested itself in our laws.
as il shown for their souls in this act But this |
was not the case for two years after we met
with an act declaring That if any slave resist |
his master. or otherf by his masters orders |
correcting him, and by the extremity of the cor
rcction should chance to die such death should |
not be accounted felony; but the master or
other person appointed by his master to punish
him, lie acquit from molestation, since ii could
not be presumed that progressive malice, which
alone makes murder felony should induce any |
man to destroy his own estate Il This cruel |
and tyrannical act was, at three different De |
RODS (S) re.enacted, with very little alteration |
and was not finally repealed till the year
1888 l9)-aboyc u century after it had fret
disgraced our code.
In 1868 we meet with the first traces OF
emancipation, in an act which subjects negro
women set free to the tax on titheables no
Two years after, Il II an act passed, prohibiting
Indians Or negroes, manumittcd or otherwise
set free, though baptized, from purchasing
Christian servants, az From this act it is
evident that Indians had, before that time.
been made slaves AS well as negroes, though
we have no traces of the original act by which
they were reduced to that condition. An act
Of toe same session rectes that disputes had
arisen whether Indians taken in war by any
other nation, and by that nation sold to the
English are servants for life or for a term OF
years and declaring that all servants, not
being Christians imported into this country by
hlpping, shall be SdUes for their lifetime
nat that what shall come by land shall serve.
If boys and grls until thirty years of age if
men aud women, twelve years, and no longer.
Ca rapture with the Indians in the year
1879, 1t was, for the better announcement of
soldiers declared that what Indian prisoners
should be taken IN wdr should be free purchase
to the soldier taking them, (l3.) Three years
after, 1t was declared that all servants brought
into this country by sea OF land not being
Christians, whether negroes Moors, mulattoes
or Indiana, except Turks and Moors in amity
with Great Britain, and all Indians which
should thereafter be sold by neighboring In. |
dams, or any others traihcking with us. a,
slaves should be slaves to all intents and pur. |
poses, Ul) This act was re.enacted in the |
year 1905 and afterwards in 1853, (l5l nearly |
III the same terms In 1905 an act was made |
authorizing free and open trade for all per
sons az all times, and at all places, with all
Indians whatsoever, U6) On the authority of
this act, the General Court in April term. 1887.
decided that no Indians brought into Virginia
since the passing thereof, nor their descend
ants can be slaves in this Commonwealth. u7)
In October, IT'S, the General Assembly passed
she first act which occurs in our code for pro.
hbltIng the importation of slaves CS) thereby
declaring that no slave should thereafter be
brought into this Commonwealth, by land or
by water and that every slave imported, con-
trhry theretN should, upon such importation,
he Tree with an exception IA to such as might
belong to persons migrating from the other
States. or be claimed by descent, devise or
marriage, or DO ut that time the actual prop.
erty OF any citizen OF this Commonwealth, re.
siding in any other Of the Uuted States, or
belonging to travellers making a transient
stay and carrying their slaves away with them
10 1885 this act unfortunately underwent some
alteration, by declaring that slaves thereafter
brought into this Commonwealth, and kept
therein one whole year together, or so long al
different times as shall amount to year. shall
be free By this means the difficulty of proving
the right to freedom will be not little aug
mentcd Tor the fact of the first importation
where the right to freedom Immediately en-
sued, might have been always proved without
difficulty; but where slave is subject to re
moyai from place to place. and his right &c
freedom is postponed for 80 long time as
whole year, or perhaps several years, the pro
visions in favor of liberty may be easily cvaded
lhe same act declares that no persons shall
thonceforth be slaves in this Commonwealth
except such rs were so on the first day of thai
session October l7th 1887 and the descend
.LnIs Of The Inrnalaa OF thnr, ,ch;s ~ -