Daily national era., 1854-01-06

ginia with that Of the Northern States, we
shall find the result greatly to the advantage Of
the latter. We shall see the Old Dominion,
though blessed by nature with all the advan-
tages Of mild climate, fruitful soil, and fine
navigable bays and rivers, generally declining
in all that constitutes natural wealth In that
part of the State below Underwater, the whole
face Of tho country wears an appearance OF
almost utter desolation, distressing to the be-
holder Tall and thick forests Of pines are
everywhere to be seen, encroaching upon the
once cultivated fields, and casting deep gloom
over the land, which looks as If nature mourned
over the misfortnnes of man.
Mr. RIvEs, Of Campbell, said:
On the multiplied and dcsolating evils Of Sla-
very he was not disposed to say much. The
curse and deteriorating consequences were with
in the observation and experience of the men,
bers of the House and the people Of Virginia,
and it did seem to him that there could not be
objections to discussing this branch Of the sub
ject in its details, and he. would content him.
self with giving brief attention to the strange
political effects produced by the existence Of
this unnatural connection of master and slave,
&c.. &c.
Mr. POWELL said. **
can scarcely persuade myself that there is
solitary gentleman in this House who will not
readily admit that Slavery is an evil, and that
its removal, il practicable is q consummation
most dcvoutly to be wished. have not heard,
nor do expect to hear, a voice raised in this
Hall to the contrary. Sir, the gentleman from
Buckingham a few days ago sketchod to us,
and sketched it, too, with masterly hand,
picture of the whitening and blighting effects
Of Slavery. That picture is before this House,
and will not attempt to add to it q shade, or
another tint; will not, sir, lest instead Of
adding to its effect might, with q less skillinl
hand, diminish it. Sir, Virginia, the much
loved the veneratcd mother Of us all, from
being the first State in this great Confederacy,
is now the third possibly the fourth; and her
declining fortunes have long been the source
Of melancholy reflection to her patriotic sons.
What, sir, is the cause OF this decline? What
ever others may think, to my mind it Is clear
that the answer to this interrogatory is, her
slave population. H,nc iile lathrymG Here
lies the source Of all her misfortunes. This is
the clog that has weighed her down, and pre-
vented her onward march pari Passu with her
sister States, in their career of improvement
Mr.. PRESTON said:
Sir, Mr. Jefferson, whose hand drew the pre-
amble to the Bill Of Rights, has eloquently re-
marked that we had invoked for ourselves the
benefit of principle which we had denied to
others. He saw and felt that slaves, as men,
were embraced within this principle.
Mr.. SUMMERS, of Kanawha.
But, sir, the evils of this system cannot be emu
merated. Ii were unnecessary to attempt it.
They glare upon us at every step. When the
owner looks to his wasted estate, he knows and
feels them When the statesman examines the
cf nd Gv.do hnr al
influence gone, her physical strength dmin-
ished, her physical power waning, he sees and
must confess them They may be viewed, writ.
ten on q nations map Contrast the condition
of the Southern States with that which those
Of the Northern and Middle present. Examine
them in relation to general education the state
Of their agriculture, manufactures, foreign and
domestic commerce-you have here the prob
lem worked out on n large scale.
Sir, we should take courage from the goodness
Of the cause in which we are engaged. IL is
one on which Heaven will smile We shall not
be left unaided in our exertions Slavery is a
national calamity. Such it has been regarded
by those who are entirely free from the evil.
Nine Of the non. .slaveholding States have gen.
,rousy offered TO the South tho common Treas
ury for the removal OF this common evil. Such,
too, was the purport Of the resolutions submit
ted TO the Senate Of the United States by Rufus
King, at the close Of his long and useful public
life.
Erfrad from the speech Of John A Chandler, Of
Norfolk county
Il is admitted by all who have addressed this
House, that Slavery is q curse, and an increas-
ing one. That it has been destructive TO tho
lives Of our citizens, history, with unerring
truth, will record. That its future increase
will create commotion, cannot be doubted.
The time, then, SIR, has arrived, when the
saius popuii applies and every consideration Of
patriotism requires to act upon it, This
prinoiple-.his fundamental principle, the safe
ty Of the peaple--embraces rot only the pres
ent race, but posterity also. The gentleman
from Brunswick, with great force and elo-
quencc, has insisted that the master has prop
erty, not only In the female slave, but in the
issue, ad iafaitmm And, SIR, we have an in
tercst, not only in our own welfare but in that
Of our posterity. We are bound to legislate
for them, as we'll as for ourselves.
This principle, that posterity are interested
in the acts Of their ancestors IL recognised in
the Bill Of Rights 10 the very first section Of IL.
That instrument is hallowcd by its antiquity
by the double confirmation Of the people Of this
Dominion. | may say, il Is superior to the
Constitution itself, as that professes 70 be based
upon the Bill Of Rights.
What lays that instrument "That man
has certain unalienable rights, &c which, when
he enters into society, he cannot by any COM
pact deprive his posterity; namely, the enjoy
ment Of life and liberty, with the means Of ac-
quring and possessing property, and Of pursu-
ing and obtaining happiness and safety" Has
Slavery interfcrcd with our means Of enjoying
life, liberty, property, happiness, and safety
Lock at Southampton. The answer is written
in letters Of blood, upon tho floors Of that un.
happy county. Under these circumstances
may we not inquire into the right Of our ances-
tors TO inhlct this curse upon us, seeing that il
has interfered 80 essentially with the first ar
ticle Of the Bill Of Rights
But, sir, will this evil--this cursc-not in.
crease Will not the life liberty, prosperity,
happiness, and safety, Of those who may come
after us, be endangered in still greater de.
rree nv it1 How then can we reconcile il to