Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-05-15
From the Norfolk Arrus,.-lBy kequesr
THE EVENING POST AND PROFESSOR TOT.
TEN-ABOLlTION vs.. VIRGINIA.

1he 1he io"t commenting on certain statements 8: t,-
IS W; ,u reerhnce to slavery the taxes. the ,eht
VI o.. s,.a, @c., Ne The publication of the Doc
Tor letter Is accompanied by some structure. o: m,
edItot "hen We propose 10 notice.
before aoing So however, it may ba a. well 10 "a
mark that while We coincide with the Dsc,n- ;u IA
opinion Of the Thayer Colony We do no, -ndr.. al
OF his views, especially thoss advanced by h;u .. =.
the future policy of the State IN regard 10 :,e ,,u
petion OF our public works. Our estimate OF III. ~
ton OF the Legislature is in direct conflict win
| opinions. and while do hot undertake 10 sr.ei\
knowingly OF his position this subject. coutss
he argues like one who WAS never very .g.aud!, To-
the system; and when he speaks of the State y:vju.
no more for these objects perhaps "the wisi. iat
to the thought for the same language is used 81
certain candidates not far from the Williamsburg
District, who openly oppose further approp: :.;iyts.
For professor Fotten We entertain the n!ghe" r"
spect ana kindest feelings. but we think, without
intending lie dsparages the condition apd resource
OF the State Dr. Totten is II candid and ioyG. en-.
zen, but evidently not posted up in such matters
His profession and pursuits make him more "l . He-
orst than practical man, anG his o5ser:atIoUs are
more i'll character with the learned professor than
with the asute statesman His views sre so!,.nst
down by bic Christian feelings, and his political
| nomy shaded by that liberation which becrn-- one
of his holy calling. They sound enough Us Tar H.
they 90, but they fail in effect because of und- mai
GRAFTON. His blows wei! aimed, but sufficient
y hard TO make An impression on biz antagonist Il
has been accustomed 10 argue w:.h men open Ia con
victon by reason and truth. but not with sm"o't
tongued hypocrites and willy fanatics HIS statements
are not fairly met, and his candor so distorted Tia;
misrepresentation is successfully practlsrd upon him.
But We have intention OF taking sides against ;In.
Iis motives praiseworthy, ard Hc comm, a hs
efforts He is alive to the honor and interest a. 'hr
South, and friend TO her institutions but his mannert
treating the subject gives his unscrupulous opp"eU,s
opportunity TO perver his facts and turn hi position
When DR.. Totten talk of the State being ".e,Si-
ly il debt, he seems to overlook the distinction hr
tween debts incurred by investments ir properly aud
those resulting from waste thar can never max, t.
| tnrn i'm nne. hnal g..
misappsed, but he is sadly ignorant who would ca-,.
the majority Of our raj! roads among th,sr wly!s
will never pay q dividend The real Getl Of Va
gina is about twenty millions after deductug bnIk
stocks, the literary and sinking funds: and iii, t"a
y Millions is for the most part represented by stock
| in railways in progress Ur completed, recently.
TO afford fair test Of their dividend pay cs.
city. inadequate appropriations on the part ~ ne
State have induced the necessity OF incurTiJg debts
for construction, and while their receipts wou!G pay
handsome dividend double the amount r. iH-
capital stock, the surplus, after deirnyimg RAINING
expenses, is applied to the extinguishm-nt al deb.
But this is no loss in the end 10 the State, becig,s
her stock in road increases in value by tie prOGe.
Had the State come forward with enuug IN
build the road, dividends would nave been rrai,"t
from its opening We nave not time in this piace 20
discuss the question MS s Importance demands. aud
will content ourselves with the single remark. that
there ia nothing in the condition of the Stat. -
roads, which should discourage any TRUE hearted Va
| ginian. Our improvements w work themssi.-
| glorious predictions of their projectors.
The EUeRiRg Post i'll commenting on DR.. T"iiens
letter, writes very glibly and with very much apra
rent fairness, but while il Undertakes 10 correct the
Professors "errors plunges into series "t binG
ders and grossly misrspresents the Doctor and The
| State. There is no general dissatisfaction 81
t5cd by the Post, "in regard TO the burden o: taxa
r,on." lew partizan Journals in their --io:a..i.
have tried to get up al excitement about he .~, a.,
but have most signaly failed TIC ..ior;. Nor f,
At all surprising that demagogue here ani ,hr. ~
localities always opposed to the internal iEpro1~
men policy, should hail this increase n ar.,Ga.ut
| against the system, when al others had been d's
proved by experience and observation. Bat the Gee
laration of the late Senator Voolfolk, o Orange,
that reputation was inevitable, and payment ~ tie
taxes imposed impossible, is quoted By III. Past E"
su-tan its assertion. II Is many years since Mr.
Voolfolk was in the Senate aud we knU" no; h.s sa
tecedents the question OF railroads, but wu VS.,ur"
TO say, hst any such declaration would be- frow""i
upon in every school district OF the State. lhc TAX
are paid and with scarcely a GnrmG:-as wi. u"
every liability now hereafter incurred |: "
Voolfolk did use the remark he S, we believe, thy
only man in Virginia "ho would breathe the word 70
pudiaion in connection wit! her name. III ihs ,a'i
Legislature, not a voice raised against II,
when it made manifest that the Interest," .rt
honor 3s the Commonwealth required if, the Increase
was voted by acclalnation. Some voted agan-t 4 a
bill because Of its details, not oRc against the primo
pie So much for this lnsinuated libel OF the P1f.
The hanging of five negroes for the murder o :.r
master,wss seized upon by the Post evidence -
| an nsurrectionary sprhat wou,d destroy i!c v;us
of the slaves and burden u stiil more with debt b'
cause they were paid for by thu State. When con
victed Of making fs.s- charge the Post Aif-np'-f'
be relieved OF the odium by confnundlng an eS"cu
ton under our criminal law with the wh.lesa- hu-.
sness, that would follow Il general insurr, ion
Murders sometimes perpetratec IN N'rcIla All
that too by slaves but they bear no proportion n
runber and atrocity TO those in the free States, hu
to the horrid crimes daily committed under the v"ry
nose of Mr. Post himself. To argue from Z few i-o-
10. that ~ N gnrIt
among the slaves, il just about as fair nj Il ""nir 3r
to charge Mr.. Post with an intention to conf! iapa,
arson or murder, because he lives in New YORK.
In regard to the "thirteen Senators voting GggIn'
paving patrols" the Post has hold %. o wrong 80!
OF the story. These gentlemen, for the most pat,
vored for the most stringent measures "SHlns: IL"
abolition thieves, and were willing 10 go Il DO" 500
beyond some of our eastern delegates. They wsci
not Senators but delegates and therefore repstsrni'
much smaller constituencies, and in cc..;iv- hHNug
two delegates, there division in the delegation
These thirteen voted against the clause in &C; !3Pr"'
ding for the payment by the Stale ot reward ni nN"
hundred dollars to ''any free person giving informe
ton by which sbductor of slaves may b" convl.'
| ed" but for reasons which the Post would hardly
commend We cannot approve the vote, bat ara
fre 10 acquit them Of any abolition motive IN casting '
They objected simply to paying il out OF the con-.
mon fund, inasmuch ss slaves being property tcy
should be dealt with as other property, for To" -
lection and recovery OF which the State gave ~ -
ward; and that moreover rs fines and penalties "e:"
| imposed the reward should be paid out oi tha; hr
ticuar fund. They Democrats. and heng' 't.
Richmond Wing opened fire upon them for uer' pHr
ty effect No other provision in the var"''- -! .,
the protection of slaves anl the punishment "f eh'.
litioD rogues met with the slightest opposition. Som"
Of them zealou. and active supporters "i ''r
severest measures. The deduction, OF the P5t'
drawn from this occurrence are just what We may ~
| meet in sucb Quarter. We might find a. eXCH-s -
| the ignorance the part OF the 70" and is allie, II
the feelings, interests and condition o! E:rgini",
were it not for the act that where truth fails them 20
make out case against us, taSehood ami mIsTepTs
-en.atlon are always Introduced
There is some emigration from the State, bu' II ~
from the Western counties where there few Il m;
slaves. 1t results, however. not because oi thxes
and appropriations, but because the Eastern G-i,.
gates prevent the building of roads and canals wher
! by they can have an avenue to market. This thy
| have anxiousy waited for, and the hope has been -
long deferred that they are sick Of further u"!ay.
Abulitionsts, like the editor of the PJSt. ar. con
s,antly pratng about the decliue Of Vrs.a:.; sad
one read their trades would suppose there was no
thing but ruined houses, Impoverished lands, naked
niggers and 0atns proprIe"rs throughout the w..''
tide water country-when IN truth our agricH1'uFr
is superior to any in the free States aud the country
was never more prosperous. In the last Geen yts''
lands in this section have, on an average. risen ip
per cent, and everything in proportion Thrift ara
Improvement grrets the eye in every quarter and
the people are happy contented and thankful To Gni
for the many blessings sho8ered upon them. 1t i:h
Thayer expects 10 buy up tracts OF !aiiuS L. q -"
price, hs will soon find out hit mistake.
His advent among ia will cause no eScts'''e.''o'
his scheme is based on ignorance, ond conceived ~
folv. Northern men seting among US, often ST..
cesd as mechanics, dealers, bu' they make POO
farmers az a general rule. They can no more max"
nonsy an moor land wthou, capiIsi ts.. The Nlr-l.
mans man, and viii break down n half the time for wh"
tbsr. IL a good deal OF hard work to do there ia no
field for Speculation psdns is P,OaS%i,s,; y lev"
f bion and the country oyera.ocked viii! clock
For our part, we don't beieve that our Northern
c;t;zsns are one whit fonder Of hard labor than the
natiye-born Vrgnian and will Just soon lie down
in the shade whenever they can get darkey to w"Ik
for them
The demand for labor and tue high price which It
commands, instead If being an evidence of our d.
cline proves just the reverse. 1t shows the value o.;
our lands and their products otherwise :he price could
not be paid 10 some localities there scarcity ot