Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-09-09


cnabe right oilocsi segovernmen bs 'o ostou. o,nt
acts n great variety Of subjects Inc nj ~ carly rs
OF controversy arose on the slavery question IN
1899 which continued fruitful source oi CIV ,hn
thu Revolutions and formed one OF PIN, .Le cr-n
,,t,,,, ~ ,I,. r,,u.- from the British crown.
t"O oi .ne vars the Provincial Legislature 81
Nry;n, Lpd rss ed laws for the lTo,ec.l'n am rs,
az, .c,.,n q;avery within her limits I'M. poicy was
mem OF ,d until the white inhabitants OF Virginia be
cauc alarmed for their own safety III view .. e
- f"rndale tribes OF Indian savagts which surronfhtd
fii 'I.nrd The feeble white settlements while ship
;s OF African ,vagrs being daily landed ~ te'i
midst In order check ndres,rain policy which seem
ed 10 threaten the very cNscce OF the colony tn; Pr"N'
aI Legislator. enacted Iaw Imposing tax upon every
.inye Who should lee brought into Nrcirn. The British
merchants Who enraged the African slave trade re-
raring this legislation injurious 10 their iherets ad III
violation Of 'rr rights, peoHed The King OF England
aud his Majesty ministers 10 annul the obnoxious law an
protect in their right their slaves into 'rs
lila and all other British colonies which were the co:na'.
property Of the E:npireacqur-d by The coa!nd; h"od
and common trea>nre-and frG" which few ahv-A"ts,'
who had settled on the Imperial domain by rs MJcsy
sucrancc, had no right 10 exclude ir-in or discriminate
against Heir property by mere Provincial ciac'ieh
upyn !! consideration Of the ,ubcc; the Ming Ear"arF
granted III: prayer of the petitioners and a'c"rd,nFly T.
.ed prrcnpnsy orders 10 the Royal Governor Of Virginia
aud TO the Governors Of all the other British colonies IA
America, ioidding them sign approve any e"i'hia
or Provincial enactment Injurious t" the AFsi s'lrs
Trade. unless such Enactment should contain ci>c %
ren, it, operation until s Majesty pleasure shoE" &c
made Known ia the PREMISE.
Judge fucker, in his Appendix to Blackstone. refers TO
~ acts of the Provincial Legislature Of virginia passed ~
various periods from G2 to i2 upon the subject g" AM
can slavery, >iOni1. cOiclu-i 'y 'it NlEeilh VI" N"
drred iii" "s one of the quc' ions affecting hrr
poty, over which she Ia with The o!ler col"i.
claimed The ri.' Of exclusive legislation ~ rr ffO''h
cial Legislatures within their respective limits Some :"
c-c acts, particularly ,h"s which we're enacted PRIOR ~
The year lG.l evidently intended 10 tester and en-
courage, we'll Regulate AMI c"htr" AFcaa slavery
Of the domestic institutions Of the coley. The act
Of 1892 and If the attachments subsequent; I" That date
were a. OBJ u,y designed restrain and check the srow
OF the institution with the view of combining i, within thc
limit Of the actual necessities of the community or liz ul
mate extinction 4, might be deemed conducive IL,
of
asimpong iaxsm all -lavc' Introduced into the colony
which increased and renewed from line to time q, 90
casiua required until the period Of The Revolution Many
OF these took effect III consequence Of the haG
wh!Iol!;E.; III after the G"vrrnor had ai
proved the enactment, in caS.> where II contained clause
su.cninr irrI,ion until ' Majesty pleasure shos.d
be made k;Iow;' IN the PREMISE.
In Ia! HE Provincial Legislature q! Virginia. after i'm
posing another o five per cent on al slaves imported
Into the colony, pci.oneh The Kin. 10 remove all oc re-
s;gan,. which Inhibited lis Majesty "o"crnorS asserting
such laws irh chcck yc:y perHcinue c1rr:r:t,
as slavery. q! hi, petition Judge Tucker say:
The following extract from petition 70 she Throne. re
i7a, will -how Tie Of tle people Of Virginia ,t
subject o: -lve'y u, tha, period:
Of Africa hath long been considered a trade "f grr; In
humanity; and under it, present encouragement we have
too .uc TO will "dancer the very existence d
your Majc>'y'S American hoGn.ons. ~
Mark the orInous words Virginia tel, thu Eng 81 Fl:
land in Il :, four years prior TO the Declaration OF lnic
renhercr mat lis Majesty American doniHions are IL
danger Not because Of he stamp u,ie--no; hccar'e ("
the rrn"t because Of lis attempts 10 collect rr'c
in America These have -ucc Lecn '!ecr ed sufficient
justify rebellion anl revolution. Bu OF ihcsr
referred 80 H., Virginia Ia her address l." the Thronciirf'
being another wrong Wi: in magnitude aud cn"rIIy. s(
fIr exceeded these AMI AL other cause Of complaint i:
the very existence OF hi. Hjcsiys American .lriinn lie,
rcnded ugon That ~rcn consisted in forci'g Africa
IT, opposition 20 ,Ar WISHES %; her people.
The people of \ir-n! a TIA, day did not appreciate III,
force Of the argument u.c', hy The British iEcTcidnt who
engaged III the African slavctraGc. ana which va
ait-rwar c.Uscd, ~ Least by implication, ~ the Ein-
nd liz Ministers: tiat III" colonies we're the common
treasure a.I therefore all i subject, had the right
garry their slaves ;uo The colonies AID hold them IN def
aLcc Oc tie local law asa in contempt Of c wi''s- aid
safety O: "a" culca!"S
The people Of Virginia no; being convinced y l- pr"
cess e; rca0nins .Iih adhered to The doctrine which they
held In with their sister colonies, TINT Il was ~,
i-il..risi Of all trceue-inairnale when formed into
political communicate exercise exclusive legislation Ia
irsrect w all matter. pertaining their Internal oIiiy
slavery -Ncred and rather an surrender t: great
right they were prepared 10 wihdf" their allreaEc, ir"
, the Crown!
Again referring Ia ti- petition 10 tie h.S, TIE
learned lutg, adds:
Til. petition produced effect appear, tie
frat clause "f rrina Constitution Where, aiGcn2
other acts Of m.sFn!r ," it!"man ~" Of The Roy al n
'ive r~f>in: u i;'e ee OF Virgins" ef'!s'of to *
, son, for separating from Grri; britain.
lis clause Ia toe Constitution u; Virginia referring II
;he inuuan Of IL" Royal negative. in refusing the
Colony of Virginia eris o 10 exclude slavery from her
limits by law OF the for separating from
Grca, BG;ain adopted the l.h day Of June 1875.
;ree weeks ana day previous the Drcia a'i0n oi
independence y the Continental COrgr, ana after
mailing In f-cr as mar, Of ,. Constitution for p-ri"l
OF nfy;cur years re.adop;ed, without alteration hy
the Convention which framed the Constitution in l'n
and then ratified y the people ~ part OF the new Con-
siiiu;.o:; aud was al..n r. adopted by he c"n'r'"n
which amended ;e Constitution ia l., aad again ratified
by The people part % the amended Constitution ai
at III. day rc;..in> lortion "i tie Fundamental Law Of
Observation-Disclosures TO the world aud to ro.icr'y that
Of :e reason, for separating from Great Britain was
''ihc uiHnan OF the Royal ncga We Ia refusing u IN:
Colony of virginia Permission 10 cNcluGt slavery Rom IL
10y Law =.
The legislation Of Virginia this subiec may lee taken
i- sample of the legislative caacimen's Of each 81
the thirteen Colonies; showing cnnclusvcv that slavery
regarded Icy ;.rn al a. domestic question TO be- re
gu!ae, and dr;vrinrd 10y each colony 90 suit e!f witt
gu; the Intervention oi the Briish Parliament oE ie III
lun.a:I oi the Royal negative Each Colony nas-el a
series .; beginning "a; cI:y period "i lis
history AMI ru.ing down TO the commelccilc; OF he Ee
voluion either protecting, regulating or restraining Ar
slavery whia is respective limits and in accordance
with 'hcr wishes and SUPPOSED Interests. North L;d south
couiagc the Introduction Of saves until the number in
creased beyond ;t, want. and necessities, when they A.
tempted check and rer The further growth of the in
s.iu;i'n. by 'mp'lns lis rate "i TAXATION upon ="
slaves which soil be brOUsl; into those colonies; and
finally In ,ji South Carolina passed Law imposing
penalty OF one hundred pounds cor tive hundred doir'
for every nsro slave subsequently, Introduced into ;n;
Colony.
| an.siycr! principles, and rightly maintained this l'ocy
for series % year,. until The haians became convnc
cd by experience, that. wish Ier climate and productions
slave Labor II e.s"ull 20 their existence would prove
beneficial a: useful 80 ;heir material Interests. Maryland
aUd Delaware protected anh regulated African Slavery a
the advice q! william Penn, substituted fourteen years
.rryic, and perpetual a.crip; 10 the il for hvrci,a
slavery and attempted 10 legatc no! FOR IN. total ab"i
;i" Of slavery but FOR the sanc'iiy Cf marriage among
Saves AMI Tor their personal securi,v %rw J"i %"w
York and Connecticut. recognized African Slavery do
nc.;ic institution lawfully existing within theif respective
i and passed the requisite laws for lis control and
Rhode Island provided 10y law that no slave .horiI cryc
:ao4c than ten years the end of which time he be
free and If the master should refuse TO L., hin free
or sob! him ell cwrre Tor longer period service
iep pf .Is
that period 10 be nearly double the value OF the Slave
Massachusetts imposed heavy take. uron all ,!ue.
brought into tie Colony, and provided In instances
or sendng the slave, back 10 their native lard and finally
prohibited the Introduction uf any .:ave into tc
Colony under any circumstances
When New Hampshire passed laws which were designed
10 prcvea' the Introduction Of any more slaves, The British
Canr, Issued the folnw: o-dcr 90 Governor Wentworth:
ponv ,lur, upon Negfocs imported into New ,hirc
Willie tho legislation Of the several Colonies exhibits di--
similarity OF views founded on diversity ofincre.ts
the merits and policy slavery shows concu,yey iha,
they nil regarded II domestic question acciin. their
internal poy in respect 10 which they entitled I"
full and exclusive power Of in tie several proyin
cal legislatures For few years immediately rrrcedin.
III: american Revolution the African aveTrac Ell.
couragrd and Simulated by the Eri, Government and
carried with Ni:or by the English merchants than
ANY OTHER period in tc history Of the Colonies: and THIS
fact taken in connection with the extraordinary claim
.rte IN Tie Memorable Preamble TO the act repeating the
Stamp dates that "pIrane possessed the right I" bind
the Colonies in all cases Whatsoever no, only in respect To
all matter, affecting the general welfare 81 the empire
also IN regard the domestic relations and Internal poly
Of the Colnnir.lruucrh powerful impression upon the
minds oft'c cooi t. AMI impaired peculiar prominence TO
the principle involved IN the controversy.
Hence euarcnis ~ The several colonial legislatures
calculated and designed TO restrain and proven; "a. IN
crease oi slaves: and the other han the orders issued
10y .,e Crown isiructing the Colonial hovcrnor not Ia
sign perH legislative enactment rreiudicia or III
jurious 10 the African saveTrade unless such cnacimcn;
should contain cilsc .uspendng it, operation until the
royal pleasure should h. made known in the premises;
in other words until the King should have m opportunity
annulln: the of The colonial Legislatures hy the
"inhuman Of the Royal negative.
THUS the policy Of the colonies On The slavery question
had direct an'aconsn so that Of the British TO
vcrnincu,: aud !s auta.yin only added la the i'm
pOrtance Of the principle Of local segoyernm"n IN ;hc
Colonies, Int produced general concurrence OF opinion
action in Respect To the question Of slavery In the
cccins Of the Continental Congress, which assembled at
Philadelphia for the is: sine, tie 'ti of September