Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-14
THREE CENTS PER COPY.

| bred Scott c Ise. "Many of the States
on the adoption OF the Constitution or
shortly afterwards took measures TO
abolish slavery within their respective
Jurisdictions, and it is well-know fact
that belief was cherished by the lead
ing men South, as well as North, that
the institution OF slavery would gradual
" decline until il would become extinct.
! The increased value OF slave labor in
the culture of cotton and. sugar
prevented the realization OF their
expectations. alike all other COM
munities aud States, the South
were influenced by what they
considered their own interests" The
peculiarly of the situation was that
while the people Of the South were act
ing "lke all other communities and
! States" they were abused and accused
as though none other had ever been so
wicked, and as though their abusers and
accusers had ever lived void Of offence
/ before God and man. The accusers.
who had 30 comfortably purged them
selves of their own sins. suffered such a
very brief interval to elapse, before ata
! raying themselves in their white raj
ment for the accommodation OF others
who. it is true, had moved more slowly,
but who had so very much more dltfi-
Guilty to overcome and expediency to re-
sist
THEY WERE SOLD TO Us.
One cannot but recall that which Is
narrated of Zachary Macaulay, the
father OF Thomas Birmingham, who
made fortune in the slave trade, and
when that was done joined the anti
slavery people, and secured some hand
some appointments by attacking the
aforesaid business. 1t was well said on
the floor of the Virginia Legislature by
John Thompson Brown in answer to
English invectiye "They sold us these
slaves-they assumed vendors re-
sponsibilitv-and i. is not for them to
question the validity of our title" And
it were equally relevant to say to some
others: "Your position involves the
right of a grantor to revoke q grant
without the consent OF the grantee for
value and the right of one party TO
compact to retain the whole considera-
ton moving to him while repudiating
every other"
A scheme OF gradual emancipation
had been proposed by jefferson IS early
as l77G and the general scheme OF it ap-
proved bv the convention which framed
Yirginia's Constitution in that year, but
no action was taken, because "the pub
lie mind would not yet bear it. "
Nothing" wrote jefferson, sis more
certainly written in the book OF fate
than that these people are to be free,
nor is it less certain that the two races,
equally free, cannot live In the same
government. Nature, habit, opinion,
have drawn indelibe lines Of distinction
between them" Here plainly was a
difficult air for craftsmanship to breathe,
, a problem which might well vex the
noblest. By what bond, other than
the one existing, could darkest
Africa and free America, tho anti
podes in race as in geography, dwell
side by side in useful cooperation ?
Whatever might be written in the book
OF fate, when it was equally legible that
the two races, equally free, could not
live in the same government, what was
the solution This, on a very different
scale from anything which ever existed
in the North, was the problem which
confronted the South-springinS from
no choice or voice OF herown, but against
her choice and against her voice. Ia
1880 there were movements in Iennes-
see, Kentucky, Maryland, and Virginia
for the gradual emancipation Of their
slaves and in Virginia tho movement
had nearly succeeded. II was the ag-
gression Of the AbolItionists which ar
rested the movement in all these States.
THE PROBLEM AT THE NORTH.
Connecticut will serve to illustrate the
simplicity of the problem encountered
at the North. In 1884 a scheme Of
gradual emancipation was enacted for
the slaves, some 5000 in number, then
in the State. 1t was not until 1S4S that
the emancipation Of this small number
was completed. Down to 1913 by the
I law OF the State slaves were chattels,
which could be sold by legal process,
and which were assets in the hands
of On executor. Gradual as this
emancipation was, the preamble to
the act of 1874 declares that it
was, as soon rs it could be done, "con-
SiStent ruth the rights Of indiUidudS
and the public sqteU." What "indi-
yidual right, what "public safety was
ever cared for by the inimical common
wealths which banded with such zeal for
the reproof and edification OF the South ?
Having no longer any sins of their own
TO repent of, thero was nothing left for
them to do but to repent day and night
of tho wickedness of the South. There
were alleViations to this kind OF
repentance, which reduce its heroic
dimensions. Ii was vlcarious transac-
ton, which eluded altogether the
crown of thorns for the angels
OF repentance, and plated 1t excIu-
sively for the brows of those whose sins
they ransomed. They repented proud
ly. One might speculate, as to what
might have been the effect upon
their trivial task. had Canada possessed
the power and disposition to play their
part with the unrestricted right to do so,
which resided no longer in the North
had every wind from that further North
borne the poisoned arrow OF hate
which never slept. Is it the rule for
men to be convinced by execration and
imprecation 1t we're severe tax upon
credulity to be expected to believe that
the benevolence which referred
TO shareholders as "blood-hounds, 3"
and to their community as the
q" smallpox seriously desired
to convert the sinners SO approach
ed. If missionaries thus approach
the heather, their rate OF progress is ac-
counted for. This was not the frame OF
mind wherewith to convert opinion, but
was the frame Of mind wherewith TO per-
secute opinion.
CLAY's PLAINTIyE REPLY.
There is something almost plaintiye in
the reply OF Henry Clay to Mr.. Menden-
hall. 1t was as meek as an imperious
spirit knew how 10 be. Without any
knowledge of the relations in which |
stand TO my slaves or their individual
condition, you, Mr. Mendenhall, and
your associates, who have been active in
getting up this petition, call upon me
forthwith TO hberate the whole OF them.
Now, let let me tell you that some half
dozen of them from age, decrepitude,
or infrmity are wholly unable to gain
livelihood for themselves and are a
heavy charge upon me. Do you think
u -. l.