Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-12-25
To lie Editors Of tie Enquirer:

SuRRY COUNTY, Va, Nov. rs, 1858.
Messrs Editors:-While many are engaged in the
DISCUSSION of federal politics, they leave out OF view
many things Of much importance III our State afalr-
do not design to call yonr attention to but one SUP
iec at present, i'll rs brlct manner rs ! possibly
can and that is in reference to the free negroes ct
Virginia
4 short time before the death OF my friend DR..
Dawson Warren, uf this county, he remarked tn me,
"that the time would come that we would have
10 d0 one of iro hiNHS, tn make slaves o the free
negroes or compel them 10 leave the State under an
act Of the legislature
think sirs that the time has arrived for us o do
something. in maturing p,aa by which the tree me-
grocs should be compelled 20 leave this State and 90
Ia a more cOngcnia quarter OF brotcry love. Ii has
been but few months since the free negroes OF the
city ni Philadelphia We're ciamorng thar they pail
Into the treasury thirty thousand dollars and were
not allowed TO be represented in the legislature; nnd
ask, have we nor rs plausible grounds to believe
That the free negroes O the towns Ul ths State, ur
I'd OH ny The blvod-hounds of the North, will clam0r
likewse and be the cause, they have heretofore
of nur slaves rebriling and numbering men, women
and children in cold blood! Look at the attempt at
an instruction known rs Cabrels Free negroes were
eguallv concerned in it; and Nat Turner'S party Of
Southampton county, have been crcdlbly informed
was composed in part nf free negroes and not ell
tircly OF slaves, with now aud then white blood
hound following for plumber. In this State in lSiO
there were IFS free negroes, and 4iS,9Si slaves
and it appears 81 slaves to one IRE: negro.
In the little county of Surry i0'O Tree negroes live
and no one can tell how for they do not nor will they
work: not more than in Twenty-Five. In lS3D the
state outars worse for the free negroes Increase
muc faster than the slaves We had, III lS)0, Ji335
free negroes against l2,j2S slaves, and il will be
seen that while the slaves increased IN ten yrnr'
boil the free negroes incrcasedS2 1t If hotmy
intention to 20 into minute calculation OF hSuTes l"
show the necessity OF constituting the Tree negroes
from this State but simply to prscu: my plan of CA
termination. The Legislature may appropriate thou.
SANDS and millions of dollars to dcray the expenses
of Transporting and settling them III Liberia but ne
yer will th free negroes leave this State until they
mr.. forced 10 iaavs il by law. The plan propose
this: Let the County Cour;, by law, appoint tw"
agents in the county Whose duty shall be to select
and find out all free negroes Who do not and will not
work, aud all boys who have arrived TO the age of
+ wears and dispose Of thom by taking every one la
ten sonr person drawing for the negro aud hire
him Or them OUT tor three years reporting annually
who hired the said ncgro ant the amount ot birc,
and deposit the amount, by orGeT oi The Cours, Tor
safe keeping, deduc;ing - per cent for the aSents.-
At the rnd Of three years, take "n.,our;h oi the
whole amount rs y portion for the old and weaker
ones Then the class shall draw second time to as.
certain which of the number sall 20 10 Liberia and
Give him the other three-fourths of his hire to pay
Gs expenses TO Liberia and settle him there.
Under this decimal rule, after three years, we would
have une-ienth of the surplus free negroes leavE.
our State annually. and paying their own expenses,
too und reservng the fourth OF their hire to pay the
expenses of old free negroes and children, WHO may
desire to follow their young and daughters. lh'
girls propose to begin to hire out at H. and cont,
nue. six years, precisely, have suggested for IN.
men and boys. And will venture ell assertion, II .'. n
pnn be adopted that ere long free nesro VIII not oe
found in Virginia unless he should be allowed 10 re-
main, from bis good conduct, by the Court; The only
objections that have ever heard against ioreng .ns
free negroes from this Slate are first it i a. hsTsS stsS
and secondly their place, s3t t Sscen Is ce
apswer, seli,prsssrvaon ia superior and should have