Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-06-25
The RICHMOND ENQUIRER.
BY RlTCHlE, DUNNAVANT. TYLER L. WISE.
FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE rs, 1853.
THE PROBLEM OF THE FREE NEG ROES AND
ITS PROPOSED SOLUTIONS.

FRIDAY MORNING, JUNE rs, 1853.
THE PROBLEM OF THE FREE NEG GROES AND
ITS PROPOSED SOLUTIONS.
There is no instance in history of people insig
nfcant in numbers, in wealth, in intelligence and in
political power who have attracted 80 much of public
free negroes." The statesman the divine the phi.
lanthropst and the philosopher have each made them
the subject Of study and Of speculation and their go
lutions Of the problem have been as various as the
stand points from which they have been observed.-
There is like diversity in the judgments of private
citizens, depending upon the accident of their living
in city or county, in which this population is redun
dsnt sparse, viruous vcious and whether their
labor is needed, or the contrary Such are the ele
ments which enter into the composition OF The theories
with which the newspapers teem upon the eve Of
every session of the General Assembly, and in the
discussion of which, many platforms are often
vocal These facts show that the problem 10 rot Of
easy solution, and thatit il a difficult task TO combine
these conflicting elements into one harmonious plan
which will command potential majority Of our people,
We propose to avail ourselves of the present political
calm, and taking serene observation Of the whole
ground, call public attention again to this important
subject. 1t is generally conceded that "free negro"
is an anomaly in our institutions, and that hs presence
10 not only evil 10 the master and the slave, but 10
also uDfsvorsble 10 his own Improvement. The prob
lem is to remove these evis, withou. needless sacr
fee Of the rights, duties and interest Of all the parties
concerned
The proposed solutions of this problem, as We have
saen, are various One scheme proposes to drive all
the free negroes "a ct armis to the Northern States
The chief merit of this proposition lie that would be
just act Of retaliation upon the insane aboitionisis
for their impertpent internedding in affairs But
even if We had the right to make the helpless frte
negroes the ministers and the victims OF our ver-
eeapce, the objections 10 this plan are fatal the
grounds of inexpedisncy and inpracticabity. 1t
would be bad policy, because every negro who goes
from Virginia to the North adds much fuel 10 the
fame already burning fercely, as to threaten the
.undering of the bonds of our National Union; and
many of them, become the correspondents Of our
slaves, tempting them to escape and showing them
the way. This il one fruitful Of the increasing
number of fugitives. But sven il this measure were
expedien it ia inuprdccdb because Of the enormous
expense it would involve to remove many thousand
within few years; and because inst in proportion
as our legislation increases in strngency, tending TO
drive the free negro beyond borders, the legiss
ton of the North with equal steps tends to shut the
door in their faces Witness the black laws Of lndi
ana, Ohio, Illinois, Delaware, &c.
The next radical measure proposes TO seize the
fifty or sixty thousand free negroes in Virginia. and
reduce them to absolute slavery. This plan has
certainly the merits Of simplicity and economy, and
ia not liable to many oil the special objections which
are fatal to the foregoing scheme. If we felt our
seves at liberty to consult merely, considerations Of
political e1pediency, should be strongly tempted
to adopt this solution Of the problem. But not
feeling at liberty to ignore our responsibility as &C.
countable and moral agents, we cannot, sven at the
hazard of being esteemed sickly sentimentalia.s
sbut our eyes those troublesome little abstractons
Justice aud uacrcy. which to Us TO be standing
in the way Of this Contamination. II hos hong h"-n
the glory of Virginia that che was not ashamed 10
plead abstract truths as predominatpg motives OF
conduct. And We trust that the time will never
come when she will insist upon giving abatrac-
tions their proper place in the world and their
proper functions in moral reasoning. We are aware
that the advocates of this MEASURE defend upon the
ground of humanity, and We concede to many OF
them the same integrity which We claim for
ourselves. We do not impeach their motvee-we
only impeach their reasoning Ronest men are not
always logical and We think that the advocates OF
the scheme in question are in that category. Their
argument s that since the condition OF the free ne
gro would be smeorsted by slavery, therefore, it
aould be right to enslave him. Now, while we admit
the fact We deny the conclusion The same reasoning
would Justify the foreign slave trade and indeed the
ens!aving of worthless white men. The fallscy ia
Transparent when the reasoning is thus tested. II
10 a reproduction of the old argument, that "evi may
be DONE that good may come, so empha.ically con.
demned by an Inspired Apostle Let it not be said,
that We place the free negro upon the same level with
the white man. Not at all. We conceds his infe-
rori,y in point of fact and in the eye Of the law
But still, degraded as be is, he has his rights how
ever few-rights recognised and guaranteed by the
law of the land aud the just and generous will re-
spect them none the less because of the Inability OF
helpless creature to enforce them. Nothing but the
ultima ratio would justify extreme measures and
this contingency has not yet arisen Sufficient unto
the day will be the evil thereof" In the meantime,
let US do nothing 10 forfeit old renown for doing
Justly and loving mercy. Let US not weaken our
peculiar institutions BY shocking the moral sense OF
our own people, Non tall aurilio, nee defcnsoribus
i.is ege, A. at present advised we cannot accept
this solution of the problem.
There vet remains the scheme of the Colonization
Society Let us investigate its claims to public con-
adenoe. We are inclined to the opinion that this
! scheme has been the subject Of much undeserved
prejudice, arising from misapprehenson OF its ori.
GIN Its history, i;s design and its effects We, in
common with many others, were under the impress
sion that it was yankee notion" This ha mis-
take The idea originated in the fertile brain OF Mr.
Jefferson and the facts show that the Cooniz alton
Society is nothing more nor less than response to
rspeatsd demands of the General Assembly Of Vir
oinia made in ls0O 1902, 1904, and 1876 when the
General Assembly passed the following resolution
With hut nine dissenting voices IN the House, and but
one in the Senate:
nWhsress, the General Assembly has repeat.
edlv sought to obtain asylum beyond the
limits of the United States for such persons OF COLOR
as have been or may be emsncpated, under the isws
of this Commonwealth, but have hitherto found Gil
their efforts frustrated either by the disturoed state
of other countries or by the domestic causes equally
unpropitous, they now avail themeeives OF q period,
vbsn peace has healed the wounds OF humanity, aud
m. prinop.l nations of Europe have agreed with
Tho oovsrnment of the United States, in abolshing
tho African slave trade, "a traffic which this Com
mouvsslth both before, and after the Revolution,
asalously sought to s1rpae) to renew this effort
Thereto
aRs,olyed, That the Governor be requested
to correspond With the President Of the United
States, for the purpose Of obtaining an asy'
lum, on the coast Of Africa or elsewhere out
Of the United Statss such persons Of color as are
now free and desire the same and for those who may
hereafter be emsncipated," &c.
Jp to ai. date there had been no CoontSoo" Society
In the following month the Colonization Society vas
Organized a, Washington, in response to this demand
undsr the suspices of Judge Washington, John Ran
dolnb B;,bon Meade and John Taylor, of Va, with