Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-12-10
VIRGINIA STATE CONVENTION.
7VIRD SEaS1 Ua-EIGEfH OAK
FRIDAY, n v. 2S, 1881.

VIRGINIA STATE CONVENTION.
11IR0 SESs40a-EJGHrH OAK
FRIDAY, Nv. 2S, 1881.
CcoScLuDEp.l.
M- Turner, OF JscksJn.-I will sk the
eoi',aual TO accept :h!s Amendment:
Saves shall not BIO emsncipa:ed in this
uouTeltn, after tie adoption Of this Con
s,;a::on"
": TusSER i &C: as muc;. oppossd 10 this
:.ee a:;ro population az any Eaa III Virginia
-: .n opposed, as indicate ia The amsnd-
z.s; H::!oh hare jus! read, TO emsnoipsting
s.srss in the State OF Virginia after the adoption
:: ;s's Constitution But do not wish to
s:e away fcoE slave Owners the right of pro
?;7:v in them, a. I think the amendment 0!
:ae gentleman from Amelia (Mr. HARvIE) does,
:os csr;aia e1teuI Whilst am il favor oi
?,r::Cs it on; " the power Of the Legislature
c: owner Of slaves to add another free negro
- i1e number row il tha State, am opposed
& scv clause which would deprive the owner
d :he right to lake them beyond ihe limits Of
Il. S:s.u and free them there.
Il uAEvis Il cauno: accept .Se amend
=Ient q the gentleman.
IL TsEawAT-I eorcsr with Ito Gsntle-
=: % striking out the who:e section. IF ne
:-o,:srd to s;-Ike out of tie section these
x,rds: slaves hereafter emsncipaled shall
:o:i-!: their freedom by remaining in the Com.
me.xealth moro thaa twelve months after thsy
oec5ne actually free" and insert bis PROPOSE
.&a IL lieu thereof, would chserfuly vote
;a.i! Lam very wiling that no more free
eegrors-r..ade &c By will or deed-shall be per
led ~ remain in the Commonw ealth, and
ia; ;hey shall be reduced 10 slavery under such
:ss2..:ons ss .he. Legislature may prescribe.
Go not think tue twentieth section embraces
;,elst;s- clause Of the nineteenth section; and
,Tish 10 retain Ihe latter clause Of the nine-
::.a!h section along with some such provision
Il; that offered by the gentleman from Amelia.
81. HARvlE) would suggest TO the gen,ie-
.aa wts;he- he wi; 90: nodify his amend
asnt, 20 as only to strike cut the words which
l5sve indicated. and Insert in lieu thereof
rha: he has proposed
M7. HARvIs-I have no objection to do SO !;
II; Ts1, to kuow hew, if you prevent them
ION heirs Dads free, they can bs reduced to
ssvsTT. Tae first action--that Of preventing g
tcaacipa:ica-w.ll necessarily supsrceds the
asee.siiy G! acsiou towards their snslaye-
lsHt
Mc B:aprx, Of Charlotte would ask my
s:isrd 20 strike cat the words "hy deed or
vi"
NJ EARTK Il would Lave done 30 before
a;7, hrt I lawyer behind me- intimated that it
=.s prcotr 10 retain it Lam not o lawyer,
sE ! ID before, aud am therefore incompetent
.of.:ue ieS5 cr amendments 10 due technical
In.
NJ 3aAScH IL am opposed to :he adoption
{: :aat sTerGneut I never will vote for any
" taa. woulc take away from NAN the right
:, 30 4 ID his property what h. chooses ; that
! 30 say, where it does nobody else any harm.
/ 10 { Is citizen Of this Commonwealth, that
!aaFe right tcsay that my negroes shall be
H.. Il should 80 determine. do not think
"a: gen,i meg here have sny.rght to say that
o:2sr people ara less qualified 10 dispose Of
SER property than they are. This would be
7'.s ming too much, and Jet such, in effect
-cIo De their course If they undertake to im-
aa:a :he restriction which is involved in this
ac'-admen. of the gentleman from Amelia
Fnr7e are many gentlemen io this Common
st.l:h who have servants whose. fidelity and
brightness they would be willing to reward
.? g;-iag teen their freedom, and little mo
=: 10 rske :hcm to Liberia, or where they
night % better; aGs wGuid ask why should
LEY "ot cs permitted 70 do SO!
i:::nk it j, nnuman to say that the owner
u AZ hones;. faithful negro should not set that
aes'o f-ea AID send hiu 10 Africa or ST. d.
uasc or wherever else he may choose to send
a.
think it i Euca better to trus: this ms:-
:e: 70 the Legislature, than embody > positive
,cmmand in lh;s Constitution with reference
y pf Ii.
9? and hpmauity may require to be removed
aersst,er, when it could not be done We do
20: comprise all the wisdom OF Virginia By
10 means, sir We were sent hero to repre-
'aat the people OF Virginia in certain impor-
..at particulars, but not to make laws for them.
::r ny part, will never sit here and suffer
:ucn an amendment as this to pass without
,s,siug nv voice against it would warn tho
Convention to beware. and no: ast too hastily
:; a matter Of such Importance as this. They
-: 10 permit themselves to be governed, in
sny degree, by their passions, in dealing with
delicate subject of this character, and trust
:aas they viii permit the section to remain as
Sis leaving to the Legislature discretionary
22Ser in the matter.
&r dAgvIc-I rise to modify t5e PROPOSE
ion vh,ca | have offered The Convention
snoxs that dln not lawyer and while l
t.a'i preserve the idea which bad iu con
*:o?!a,ioa in Offering the amendment, shall,
sra the permission of the :, Houas, make
Sight change :s.,..--
| move to strike out all after. tho word 'free-
don, in the FIRST line of the l9:h section, as
;tpor!ed By the conmitsss, and insert the fol-
STing:
And, ia case, shall pass to the distributors
Of The tessators, if toe emancipation be by
'n;ie; and, if By deed, to such persons as would
K entitled, Is distributors, to the same, wers
ice grantor actually dead 1t the time"
Sr. HAsytE-I have stated that, IN my
Judgment, the policy and the condition Of the
Country makes it proper that We should retain
loe sieve population Of the Stale to the extent
saat We now have 1t, and not change
into free black population. Ons Of the
great objections tnst have to this conversion
o. he slave property into free persona, in ad.
claon to tie question Of public policy iu.
ioived, is the injury and irjusties done to in,
aHiduals BY parties who, from some sudden
H7upiss by which they seem to be overtaken
% % i:ieir dea.h beds, emsncipsts their slavea-
or, have known instances in which persons
aac em; ncipated their slaves on their death
S who had never, during their lives snd
7SAie in health, contt mplsted suoh an act
us slny did by waT OF purchasing place in
assTsa, while their families were left In state