The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-08-23
THE FRUITS OF ABoLIrIoNIsM.

In 1882, says the Burlington (Vt.) Sentinel,
twenty-three years ago, three years before
| Abolitionism Decame rampant, John Ran
dolph introduced into the Virginia House OF
| Delegates proposition for the abolition Of
| Slavery, and it was discussed with great free
| don. Slavery was spoken of in terms of Sc
we're condemnation, and the debates were pub
lished and read by every colored man who
| could read and to those who could not, they
were read by others. At that time, Virgins
was not unwilling or afraid to discuss this ques-
ton, and was gradually feeling her way to
emancipation. But when the Abolitionists, in
their fanatical zeal, began to send their incen-
| diary publications into the slave States, en-
| deavoring to incite servile instruction, they
| aroused at once q strong, a bitter feeling at
the South Taunts and threats, disunion and
treason, resistance to law and appeal to arms,
followed, until the whole Union became seeth-
ing caldron of Abolition excitement The re-
suit was, that the bonds of the slaves were
more firmly bound than ever, and their rivets
more securely fastened.
Public opinion, which began to be exhibited
in Virginia against Slavery, was stiAed at once.
In providing for their safety, her citizens inter
dicted the discussion of her institutions. Who
doubts that, if Abolitionism had never inter
fered with the domestic institutions of the
South, Virginia would have been a free State,
and other States would have followed her ex.
ample.
The enlightened Doughface who is respon-
sible for the above will be surprised to learn
that John Randolph was not member of the
Virginia Legislature in 1882, and never at any
other period made proposition in that body
for the abolition of Slavery. 1t is true that
Thomas Jefferson Randolph IA grandson of
Mr.. Jefferson) made such proposition at the
session of 1922, and that it gave rise to
most able and thorough discussion of Slavery !;
but it is not true that the discussion was stopped
in consequence of incendiary publications sent
into the South by Northern Abolitionists. So
far from the discussion ceasing from the ap-
prehension of servile instruction, it was noto-
riously caused by the Southampton insurrec-
ton, which occurred in the preceding August.
Every speech in the Legislature gives proof of
this fact and indeed, Mr.. Randolph, and others
who Joined him in the movement, expressly
based their conduct on the ground of danger
to the State, as evinced by the Southampton
massacre.
the history of those important events, that the
Northern agitation, which was then but speck
on the horizon, no bigger than a mans hand,
had nothing to do with stopping the discussion
in Virginia. The large shareholders, slave
breeders, and buyers, in the interior, rose up,
as one man, and denounced the Anti-Slavery
discussion on Virginia soil as incendiary, and
those who participated in it on the side of Free
dom, as public enemies. THOMAS RITCHIE,
editor of the Enquirer, was thus denounced by
the people of Mecklenburg and of other coun-
ties. The friends of Freedom maintained their
ground until the close of the session, but they
never thought proper to renew the discussion.
The House of Delegates came to the resolu-
ton, I" that it is not expedent at present" to
take steps for abolishing Slavery, and thus the
matter has rested for twenty-three years. Let
it never be forgotten, that the Pro-Slavery re-
action commenced in consequence of this effort
on Virginia soil, by high-blooded Virginians,
to discuss the subject of Emancipation; and
the fact proves that reaction-a heartless,
short-sighted, selfish, resistance to Freedom
d
necessary obstacle to be overcome. When was
it otherwise in the history of human progress
When did selfish oligarchy cheerfully surren-
der their ill-gotten power? Or when did
great reform fail to encounter opposition, re-
pulse, or defeat, in its early stages, from the
mercenary?
1t is a delusion, if not false and hollow
pretence, to charge upon Northern Abolition
lists the retardation of Emancipation. The
shareholders resisted internal agitation with all
the bitterness which they now indulge towards
far from injuring the cause in the South, are
now its life. Let the Federal Government be
once placed in the hands of the Anti-Slavery
party, and we have every confidence that
strong and powerful Anti-Slavery party will at
once spring up in the South. Daily we see in
dications of this tendency, as the political
power of Slavery begins to wane.
The friends of Freedom in the South are nu-
merous. The angry agtations of the last few
years, calculated as they have been to infame
the passions, have nevertheless opened thou.
sands of eyes to the evils and injustice of Sla-
very, and to the fimsy texture of the argu-
ments by which it is supported. They only
want backing, Federal Government to lean
upon for support and protection in the freedom
of speech, to call forth general outburst of
opposition to the tyranny of Slavery tyran-
ny which is as CALLING to the freeman who lives
under it as to the slave. G,