The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-10-18

slavery in this.Commonwealth have according
I TO order had the same unCer consideration
/ and sustained the following report ana reso-
/ luton:
Profoundly sensible of the great evils
arising from the condition or the coloIeu
7 population of this Commonwealth; induceo uy
/ humanity IA vel rs policy TO an immaculate
/ esort for the removal in the first place or
/ those who arc now free. believing tnat TINS
effort while il is IN Just accordance with the
sentiments Of tho community on the hupect
will absorb all our present means anu that
furtfe~ action for the removal ol the slaves
should await moro definite development oil
public opinion
Resolved. a. The oninion of this committee,
That II is inexpeGient for the present 10 MAKE
any legislative enactments Tor the aooition
of slavery =,
So that a summary OF the actions Of the
Legislature shows that the antl-s.aVely men
were in q majority in the House. that while
they expressed on the record that tJey were
profoundly sensible OF the great evils OF
slavery and That humanity as Wen as poilcy
required an immediate ehort Tor us hpohtioh'
vet that. a. they were not elected with reier-
ence b the subject. they wished TO postpone
the sub Get 70 the next session. As Mr. nan
dOiDh q Dlau required n submission 20 the peo-
pie the Anti-savery members accomplished
all that thsy could reasonably have expected.
AFRICAN COLONIZATION SOCIETY.
The rest Of the session wa. taken up with
tho consideration Of bill 70 aid and carry out
the plans OF the African Colonization Society,
which vas carried in tho House but lost IN
tho Senate. This society hal been formed
some years before by some OF the most philan-
thrOplc men. both Northern and ooutnern, 10
deviss means bv which the free negroes OF the
Southern State. could lie transported T. AZ.
ric.. the number OF whom they hoped would
be increased by voluntary manun.sion. so
that in time the negro, civilized ana Chrls
TANNED. could. in his native land, dispense
thes, benefits 10 his long lost brethren
Of the Dark Continent. A noble hut
chmcrical project. BY liberal contrl-
buttons town was built, schools
were established. the country was settle,
government was organized and the negro
provided with all means OF Improvement ana
civilization. was intrustei with tho expert
ment E governing himself The miserable
failure of the whole scheme and the return Of
tue negro settlers to their former condition
as shown AZ tho present dav shows tho in
ability OF tho fatcd son of Ham to improve
grow or becoms civilized by his own unaided
efforts. This scheme. 10y diverting attention
from the main sub Get aud hilng tho lninds
of tao an slavery men with deiusiye hopes,
did mu "a 10 embarrass them and TO prevent
the reunion necessary to their success.
ABOLITION DISCUSSED.
The subject Of abolition thus remanded t.
the people was universally discu sed. Dir:
Legh's letter. "AppOmattOI,n was published
in ramDbiet form and widely distributed
Thomas H. Dew. president Of william and
Mary College. put lished a more exhaustive
discussion of tho history orig n and necessity
of slavery iustifying 1t on every ground and
demonstrating in most plausible manner lts
advantages 10 both races. new Legislature
was elected with direct reference 10 action on
= d..
journal OF the House does not show any ac-
ton I'm the Meter. but there is n trad ton
that at an early day Mr. GOode, Of Mecklen-
burg moved an indefinite pOstponement OF the
whole sub ect. which was carried by one vote.
Although the journal Is AS silent on this mat
ter as the journal of rs Is as 10 the resolution
10 app int tatrck Henry dictator of lrgln.a,
there are good reasons TO substantate the
tradition.
LOST Pr ONE VOTE.
There was n concurrent statement Of the
members and their contemporaries now gone
that such was the fact. have seen note
appended to one OF the copies of the spec hes
OF one of the members that Nlr Goodies mo-
ton % postpone indefinitely was carried by
one vote Tho last survivor OF the BODY. who
died iew years since. one of the most intel
ligent prominent and influential members OF
the House OF Delegates for both sessions, who
had spoken and vote with the prO-Slavery
party, in extreme old age and confined 70 ms
home but witt his intellect 40 bright as ever.
stated 20 his friends that the greatest regret
OF his long life was that he had voted Tor
Goodies proposition. and that # he had voted
against it. IL would have produced some ac-
ton on the subject, which would have saved
Virginia from beln the theatre and tie great
est sufferer or the war. As we have seen Mr.
RaudOph's proposition. II adopted. would
have exterminated slavery in Virginia IN l56O.
CHANCE or PUBLIC OPINION.
Now we wish to show how this change Of
public opinion took place and this final result
attained We have said that tho slayc-h0ld-
ers az n class advocated 10 lltlC and the non
shareholders opposed and defeated IT, when
unless We draw picture Of the classes then
ex sting among tho NiTginians would seem TO
be n paradox. There WAS AZ that time the pecu-
liar produ t OF this remarkable institution,
three classes OF men al % whom have
almost wholly disappeared. and never
viii lie seen again. Tic old Nirginian
with his State pride and family traii
tiOns hCsWtable generous and honorable
was generally oppressed by a large number of
slaves cultivat ng without profit his l'rge
domain. IL of broad views he was mort fiei
t. see his mother Commonwealth declining IN
pOl u.atOn and wealth aud political impor
lance. His property ha involved him in
debt lie therefore naturally attributed all
this 10 the existence oil slavery. He for bis
countrye sake and himself. hi. children. de-
sired - sec the abolition Of state OF things
which by making labor d,reUutal 10 would
drive his sons from the state or make them
paupers and interiors on their native soil
There was another class that has also gone
with the progress OF the are. The great
middling Glass. tie small land slaye-hol ler-.
c freeho.dcrs. who then ruled tho State,
They were men who. IS Pen amin Watkins
Leigh SAID. wore neither poor nor rich. Sc
dGced by lone OF the allurements OF wealth |
or the temptations o. poverty. quick TO Ie-
sent insult. and brave and chiyslrous. This !
class of men, John Randolph said were Ibis |
constituents the two hOg-hoGd men. and such |
constituents man never had and never |
will have again These men had acquired /
their land and slaves by honest labor and /
not a. the first named class had theirs by /
inheritance or by marriage To this class OF |
men slavery was most damaging and through /
them % the state. The small farm of the /
father was too small 10 be divi ell among his /
children. They sold their shares 10 the adj /
Joining stakeholder. and went South or West /
thus depriying the State OF ~ gallant yeo- /
many as those English soldiers who bent /
their long bows 20 the ear at Greasy or hewed I
down the French with their bills al AZ acourt \
There was another large class the non
property holders. They owned no lands or /
negroes. hut they We're unanimously opposed 1
20 the abolition of slavery. for the reason that /