The weekly Anglo-African. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1859-1861, 1859-11-26
WHITTIER ARE WE TENDING?

Are the shareholders mad2 Are they
impatient for their doom Are they de-
termined to precipitate their own destruc-
tion2 These questions have naturally sug-
gested themselves in reading che following
pregnant remarks, penned by an intelli-
gent correspondent of ours. The writer
is perhaps as we'll acquainted with our
people in the Canada, in Free States, and in
the South, as any man in the country.
We commend what he says to the consid-
Grafton of our readers
at is said that the Harper's Ferry affair
will decide the shareholders of the South
to adopt prompt and effective legislative
measures to drive out of their borders all
the free people of color Be it so. We
shall see who will profit most by the oper-
ation-they or we. Such a measure will
give us an army of men against whom the
tyrants of the South will be unable to cope
Men who know every locality, every
mountain pass, every safe retreat, every
uneefan9qa esff1ri;r 4 r4sorec a prow may W
struck with effect for freedom. They fat
ter themselves that their slaves will not
rise. We shall see. They think that we
people of color have no spirit, and will sub
NIT without resistance. We shall see.
They think that we are stupid, degraded,
ignorant of our rights, or, if knowing, dare
not maintain them. That will also remain
to be seen. W."
IN ha he
following extract of letter published in
the New York Times" Of the 18th inst.
And let them note the GOODNESS with which
those infamous scoundrels, calling them
selves Democrats, talk of enslaving the free
pee pie of color 1t will not diminish mach
their "basis of representation 1t will
"add to the Golfers of the Statep "But
above all it will promote the safety of the
institution of Slavery !"
And to all this we are to submit without
murmurl Is there any colored man with
soul so base as not to prefer death to such
degradation7
The extract is from letter dated Wood
stock, Shenandoah Co., Va:
"The ensavement of the free negroes of
the Commonwealth is a measure which
seems to be very popular in this region
The policy in this connection which ismost
favored here, is the immediate enslaye-
ment of that class so as to avoid diminu-
ton of the representative basis which would
Al &c
population under measure granting the
alternative of emigration or enslavement.
within specified time. Slaves constitute
basis of representation in the ratio of
three-fifths, while free negroes rank with
the whites in this connection, so that the
loss of free negro would be equivalent
to the loss of white man as a representa-
tive basis. Their enslavement, however.
would involve but comparatively small
dimunition in this respect, for in this cen.
dition they would occupy the three-fifth's
standard, and probably save to the Com
monwealth the loss of one member of Con-
gress, which would be inevitable under the
policy of voluntary emigration or enslave-
ment after the lapse of certain period.
Immediate enslavement would, moreover,
add to the Golfers of the State Treasury;
but l hardly suppose that any such consid-
Grafton as this would weigh materially in
the determination of this policy. A regard
for the safety of the institution of Slavery,
with which the existence of free negroes in
the Commonwealth is deemed imcompat-
ible, is the overruling motive for this con-
templated change. The question of the
basis of representation can only affect the
details of the measure as regards the linn
its within which the alternative of emiera.
ton or enslavement may be granted. But
the question Of gain is, ] am sure, alto
gether excluded in the consideration of this
policy"