Nebraska advertiser., 1859-09-29

VI Jul udlLOLidA IuuC CJCuuGlCGs III tIC
beginning of that struggle the Colonies
neither contemplated nor desired inde-
pendence. In all their addresses to the
Crown, and to the Parliament, and to the
people Of Great Britain, as well as to the
people Of America, they averred that as
loyal British subjects they deplored the
causes which impelled their separation
from the parent country. They were
strongly attached to the Constitution, civil
and political institutions and jurispru-
dence of Great Britain, which they proud
" claimed as the birth.right Of all Eng
lishmen, and desired to transmit them un-
impaired as a precious legacy to their
posterity For a long series Of years
they demonstrated against the violation Of
their inalienable rights Of self-govern-
ment under the British Constitution, and
bumbly petitioned for the reIress of their
grievances.
Judge Tucker. in his Appendix to
Blackstone, refers to thirty-one acts of
the Provincial Legislature of Virginia,
passed at various periods from 1862 to
1772, upon the subject of African Slave
ry, showing conclusively that Virginia
always considered this as one of the ques-
tions affecting her internal poIty," over
which she, in common with the other
colonies, claimed "the right of exclusive
legislation in their Provincial Legisla-
tures' within their respective limits
Some of these acts, particularly those
which were enacted prior TO the year 1899,
were evidently intended to foster and
encourage, as well as to regulate and con
troll African Slavery, as one Of the do
mestic institutions of the colony. The
act of 1899, and most of the enactmentS
subsequent to that date, were as obviously
designed to restrain and check the growth
of the institution with the view Of con-
fning it within the limit of the actual
necessities of the community, or its ulti-
mate extinction, as might be deemed most
conducive to the public interests, by q
system Of unfriendly Legislation, such as
imposing a tax on all slaves introduced
into the colony, which was increased and
renewed from time to time, as occasion
required, until the period Of the Revolu-
ton. Many Of these acts never took
effect, in consequence of the King with
holding his assent, even after the Cover
nor had approved the enactment, IN cases
where it contained a clause suspending its
operation until his Majesty's pleasure
should be made known in the premises.
In 1772 the Provincial Legislature of
Virginia, after imposing another tax of
five per cent. on all slaves imported into
the colony, Petitioned the King to remove
all those restraints which inhibited his
Maiesty's governors asserting to such
laws as might check so very pernicious a
commerce as Slavery. OF this petition
Judge Tucker says:
"Tho following extract from a petition to the
Throne. presented from the House Of Burgesscs Of
Virginia April l, I772, will show the sense of the
people Of Virginia the subject Of Slavery at that
period
The importation of slaves into the colony from
the coast Of Africa hath long been considered as q
trade Of great inhumanity and under its present
encouragement we havs too much reason to fear,
will endanger the existance Of your Najesty's Ame
rican dOminions.'"
Mark the ominous words! Virginia
tells the King of England, in 1772, four
years prior to the Declaration of Inde-
pendence, that His Majesty's American
dominions are in danger: Not because Of
the Stamp duties-not because of the tax
on Tea-not because Of ;he attempt to
collect revenue in America These have
since been deemed sufficient to justify
rebellion and revolution. But none Of
these are referred to by Virginia in her
address to the Throne-there being
another wrong which, in magnitude and
enormity, so far exceeded these and all
other causes of complaint that the very
existence Of His Maiesty's American do
minions depended upon it! That wrong
consisted in forcing African Slavery upon
a dependent colony without her consent,
and in opposition to the wishes Of her own
people!
The people of Virginia at that day did
not appreciated the force of the argument
used by the British merchants who were
engaged in the African slave trade, and
which was afterwards indorsed, at least
by implication, by the King and his Min
isters; that the colonies were the common
property Of the Empire-acquired by the
common blood and treasure-and there
fore all British subjects had the right to
carry their slaves into the colonies
and hold them in defiance of the local
law and in contempt of the wishes and
safety of the colonies.
The people Of Virginia not being con-
vinced by this process of reasoning, still
adhered to the doctrine which they held
in common with their sister colonies, that
it was the birth-right of all freemen-in-
alienable when formed into political COM
munities-to exercise exclusive legisla-
ton in respect to all matters pertaining to
their internal polity, Slavery not except
ed; and rather than surrender this great
right they were prepared to withdraw
their allegiance from the Crown.
Again referring to this petition to the
King, the same learned Judge says:
"This petition produced no effect, as appears from
the first clause Of Virginia. Constitution, where
among other acts Of misrule the inhuman Of the
Royal negative in refusing US the people Of Yir-
gin al permission to exclude Slavery from us by law
is enumerated among the reasans for separating from
| Great Britain"
/ I