The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1859-10-12
CADlZ OHIO WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER H. 1855

] - SShsLhoh WIN tlhGI IOiDHiSNf SidtAlll
'the right of exclusive legislation in their Pro
vincial Legislatures" within their respectiy
limits. Some Of these acts, particularly thos
which were enacted prior to the year 1868
were evidently intended to foster and encour
age, as well as to regulate and control African
slavery, as one Of the domestic Institutions o
the colony. The act Of 1899, and most Of thu
enactments subsequent to that date, were a
obviously designed to restrain and check thC
growth of the institution with the view of con
tining it within the limit OF the actual necessi
ties of the community, or its ultimate ex
tinction, as might be deemed most conducive t
the public interests, by system of unfriendly
legislation, such as imposing tax on all slave
introduced into the colony, which was increas
ed and renewed from time to time, as occasion
required, until the period Of the Revolution
Many Of these acts never took effect, in conse
qucnce of the King Withholding his assent
even after the Governor had approved the en-
actment, in cases where it contained CLAUSE
SuopClldiLS iIo UpCIdIlOuo ulGll ulS nndIGoby
pleasure should be made known in the premi
ses.
1n1772 the Provincial Legislature of Virgin
ia, after imposing another tax Of five per cent
on all slaves imported into the colony, petition
ed the King to remove all those restraints which
Inhibited his Majesty's Governors asserting tc
such laws as might check so very perncious q
commerce as slavery. OF this petition Judge
Tucker says:
"The following extract from petition to the
Throne, presented from the House of Burgesses
of Virginia, April 1st, 1772, will show the
sense Of the people Of Virginia on the subject
OF slavery at that period:
'Ihe Importation of slaves into the colony
from the coast of Africa hath long been con.
sldered as trade Of great inhumanity; and
under Its present encouragement we have toe
much reason to fear will endanger the very ex.
istenee OF your Majesty's American Domin.
ions.'"
Mark the ominous words! Virginia tells
the King Of England in 1772, four years prior
to the Declaration of Independence, that his
Maiesty's American dominions are in danger
Not because of the Stamp duties-not because
Of the tax on Tea--not because Of his attempts
to collect revenue in America These have
since been deemed sufficient to Justify rebelI-
ion and revolution. But none of these are re
ferred to by Virginia in her address to the
Throne--there being another wrong which, in
ma aopitu5n onA aporyoitxy E,p JoJ tkoco
and all other causes Of complaint that the very
existence Of his Majesty's American dominons
depended upon it That wrong consisted in
forcing African slavery upon dependent colo
ny without her consent, and in opposition to tho
wishes Of her own people
The people of Virginia at that day lid not
appreciate the force of the argument used by
the Bl itish merchants, who we're engaged in
the African slave trade and which was alter
ward indorsed at least by implication, by the
King and his Ministers; that the colonies were
the common property Of the mpre--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 o. the
wishes and safety Of the colonies.
The people of Virginia not being convinced
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--inalenabl when formed
into political communtieS-to exercise exclus-
i've legislation in respect to all matters pertain
ing to their internal polity--slavery not except
ed; and rather than surrender this great right
they were prepared to withdraw their allegl-
ance from the Crown. ..
Again referring to this petition to the King,
the same learned Judge adds:
"This petition produced no effect, as appears
from the first Clause Of our Virginia Consti-
tuition, where, among other acts of misrule, the
inhuman use of the Royal negative in refusing
us the people of Virginia permission to ex-
clude slavery from US by law, is enumerated
among the reasons for separating from Great
Britain"
The clause in the Constitution of Virginia,
referring to the nhuman use of the Royal neg
atiye, in refusing the Colony Of Virginia per-
mission to exclude slavery from her limits by
law as one of the reasons for separating from
Great Britain, was adopted on the 18th day OF
June, l776 three weeks and one day previous to
the Declaration Of Independence by the Con-
tinental Congress; and after remaining in force
as part o. the Constitution for period Of ff-
ty-tour years, was re- adopted, without altera-
ton. by the Convention which framed the new
Constitution in 1890 and then ratified by the
people as part of the new Constitution; and
was again re adopted by the Convention which
amended the Constitution in 1850, and again
ratified by the people as part Of the amended
Constitution, and at this day remains portion
Of the fundamental law of Virgina--proclaim-
ing to the world and to posterity that one of the
reasons for separating from Great Britain was
"the inhuman use Of the Royal negative in re-
fusing US the Colony of Virginia. permission to
exclude slavery from us by law p
The legislation Of Virginia on this subject
may be taken as fair sample ofthe legislative en-
actments Of each OF the thirteen Colonies, show
ing conclusively that slavery was regarded by
them all as domestic question to be regulated
and determined by each Colony to suit itself
without the intervention Of the British Parlis-
ment or "the inhuman use of the Royal mega
tive" Each Colony passed series of enact
ments, beginning at an early period ofits histo-
ry and running down to the commencement OF
the Revolution, either protecting, regulating or
African Slavery within its respec-
tive limits and in accordance with their wishes
and supposed interests. North and South Car
olina, following the example Of Virginia, at first