The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-01-18

eing that England forced slavery upon
err Southern colonies to work her valuable
,bacco plantations, while New England
sped 10 furnish negro slaves for the pur-
'ose. BY curious mandate Of Providence,
Is some people call 1t In order to justify /
heir conduct, the people who forced slavery |
ipon us and the people who sold them 10 us |
,ecame the Instruments Of vengeance upon |
Virginia because Of the institution OF
slavery In Che state. While Virginians are
,eId up as objects Of execration for slavery,
New Englsnders and the English are glori-
led for pbllanthrephy, piety, and all the
sanity virtues,
A large number Of Virginians were at all
times opposed 10 slavery, and at different
times have made attempts TO abolish II; and
,uf for the unwarranted interference OF the
of New England and Pennsyl-
yania would have md themselves OF 80 cost
ly system as they esteemed African slavery
TO be.
Thus again are the New England and
other abolitionists potent factors in the con-
tinuance OF slavery in Virginia.
ErrORTs TO ABOLISH THE SLAVE TRADE
When the Convention OF 1877 met in Phil
sdelphia, 10 irame better form OF govern
ment, an effort was made by the repIesen-
tatiyes Of Virginia 10 abolish the slave
trade. The proposition was defeated by tne
vote Of Massachusetts,, whose representa-
lives declared that the abolition OF her
trade in slaves Would rum her commerce.
But not content with simple refusal al
the time 10 abOlis the trade. the Conyen-
ton declared that the trade should not De
abolished before 1905, Thus giving Massa-
chusetts twenty years to carry on her tranic
In human flesh. While Virginia, MARY lana,
and Delaware had abolished the trade IN
l774, the Constitution Of the United states
compelled those States to tolerate u. And
this Vas accomplished by the vote OF Massa-
chusetts.
Tie slave trade was abolished BY act OF
Congress. A. d.. 1903. How far Pennsyl-
yania engaged in the African slave trade
am not informed. but negro slavery existed
in that State. We find Edward Randolph.
of Virginia, on leaving philadelphia. after
his resignation from Waehington's Cabinet,
handing free papers to all his negro slaves
at the time with him during his eojOurn in
that city. One refused 10 accept them, declar-
ing that she would 90 back with her master
to sole Nirginny' But If the Quakers dld
not engage in tire African slave trade, they
imported Germans, and il became necessary
10 pass laws to regulate the trade. They
were bought and held as boDdsmen. IheiI
descendants form large part OF the pOpu-
lation OF Pennsylvania at this time. lhey
were distinguished as Pennsylvania Dutch
VIRGINIA OPPOSED TO SLAVERY.
Among the leading men Of Virginia op
posed TO SLAVERY may be mentioned wash
| ington, who by will liberated his slaves
Jefferson, Edmond Randolph. Lee, Henry
John Randolph. of Roanoke, by will freeC
nis slaves and provided for their settlement
| in Ohio. VIII some Ohio statesman inform
the public how they were treated! and wha
became Of theml Give us, at the SAINT
time, transcript Of the "black laws' o.
that state. Park Custis. Ny Will, liberated
| bis slaves. Many people liberated thei
slaves during life-among whom may HI
mentioned Thomas Amber, of Fauquler
who settled them in Liberia. McDonough
Of New Orleans, by viii provided Tor th'
education IN the trades OF his slaves, ant
ordered that after certain time they should
he sent TO Liberia, which was done A. ID
1858.
REPUBLIC or LIBERIA.
The colony or republic of Liberia for llbe
rated slaves was established under Southern
auspices. President Roberts was freed
man from Petersburg, Va. ] have neVe
heard OF the freedom Of slave being pur
chased by an AbOlitIOnist, unless the note
rous Burns be AN exception 10 point thl
moral. Henry Clay, while making speed
in Ohio, was tainted with being slave
holder, he sileneed mis- interlOcutOr by say
ing, They are for sale.
The invention OF the cotton gin caused
the transfer OF a large number OF negroe
TO the cotton States, and rendered them O
great value. This diminished 30 much TN
number OF slaves and made labor so higl
that, | repeat, but for the abolition agita
ton and the vituperatioh heaped upol
shareholders, strenuous efforts would hav
been made TO abolish slavery in Virginia.
It must be borne in mind that the COnsti
tuition Of the United States recognized
slavery and provided for lite continuance b
prohibiting the abolition of the slave trad
sooner than 1908, nd this by the vote O
Massachusetts,. mean that had that stat
voted the other way, the proposition OF Vii
ginia to abolish the slave Trade would hav
been adopted by the convention.
MASSACHUSETTS RESPONSIBLE.
Thus is Massachusetts, and not Virginia
res pOnsible for the continuance durin
twenty years of the hOrfid traffic IN hEma
flesh, az tho people Of that State and reciO
are so fond Of calling it. All the eXertIon
OF Virginia were vain, and Massachusett
continued 10 lay waste the shores OF Atrica
to renew the plumber and carnage and dc
VISITATION Of that unhappy land. Her Meet
sailed across the Atlantic, freighted wit
human misery in every form and every de
gree, to supply the markets In which "a
tiOnal beings, like beasts OF the field, wer
exposed ~ public sale. South CarOlin
voted its continuance because she needle
labor: Massachusetts because her con
merce in human flesh brought her money.
The prosperity Of Boston and Of Newpol
was founded by commerce in slaves, as wa
that OF Liverpool, Bristol. and other Ger
tres of the trade in England.
Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware
prohibited slave trade ....... ..... III
African slavery recognized by law in
Massachusetts Observation-Disclosures. l6i
African slavery recognized by law IN
Connecticut and Rhode Island. l65
African slavery recognized by law in
| virginia. ........... ..........-.-.. IOO
African slavery recognized by Law in
Maryland. ........ ... .......... l6t
Slavery decreed in Massachusetts, Of
"white people,. .................... l6t
Daniel Southwick and Provided Soutl
wick. Quakers, were ordered 10 be sold
any English natives at Virginia or Barb.
does to answer imposed fines for absentn
themselves from the public ordinances
They could not have been sold in Virgins
as slave laws were not enacted until l66.
and white slavery was never decreed IN tina
State. Massachusetts, alone has tia
honor, unless we regard the German bond:
men Of Pennsylvania as slaves.
VIRGINIA ANXIOUS TO BE RID OF 1T.
The Statesmen and leading inhabitants O
Virginia had long sought a way 10 nd Tia
colony Of neg slavery by passing law
restraining the importation OF negroes fr0r
| Africa. But these laws were disallOwed b
the crown, for the traffic was profitable
England and slave labor was necessary 70
the culture of tobacco.
The King ia Council December 10, 117(
issued an instruction under his own ham
commanding the Governor Of Virginia, uude
pain of his highest displeasure, 10 assent {
no law by which the importation OF slave
should in any respect be prohibited or OF
structed. Jefferson, Lee, Henry and 0the
leading men anxiously desired to rid III
colony Of slavery. Ii Was said that the In
terest Of the country manifestly require,
the total expulsion Of the negroes. The As
sembly, finally, resolved o. address the Kin
himself on the subject, who IN council ha,
cruelty compelled the liberation OF th
traffic. They pleaded With him to remoy
all restraints upon then eforls TO stop tn
importations OF slaves, which they called ~
very pernicious traffic. But the monarch
stood in the path Of humanity and made
himself the pillar OF the colonial slave
| trade fSee Harper's CyclOpedia Unite,