Richmond enquirer. [volume], February 28, 1832, Image 3

About Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867

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TO T1IK EDITORS OF THE ENQUIRER.
timtTLKMiiN,*! ho letter 1 lately mMic to 2*he
People of Virginia, exhibiting a competed view ol tho
recent proceedings ol the House ot Delegates on the sub
ject ot the abolition ol slavery, uu explanation of their per
nicious tendency, and a lair and candid account (lair and
candid, surely, since it was extracted verbatim ln»n» the
printed speeches ot certain friends of abolition) of tho in
flammatory and mischievous doctrines broached in the
debate, has brought u|ton me the awful censures of two
honorable members of that august body ; of the dignity of
which, 1 had not, I own, till I was instructed by thorn,
formed any Vlequato conception. There are "car-marks”
(as Mr. Pleasants says) which plainly indicate, that your
correspondents, Jefferson and A Subscriber, both belong
to that assembly. Under the mortification of censure
'‘falling from such a height,” it requires all my fortitude,
and all my pride, or, if they please, my vanity, to enable
me to hold up my head.
1 see too, that you have on hand somo three or four oth
er answers to my first letter, and that one of them is‘‘able
and eloquent.” These IJioped to have had tho satisfaction
of seeing in your last paper, amt have withheld this letter,
In order that I might In* able to make a prompt and suita
ble return for the honor ol their correspondence. No one
knows better than 1, that be who publishes bis sentiments
in the news-papers, on any subject of immediate political
iatcrest, which it is impossible to discus* without examin
ing the conduct and opinions ol the actors in the scene
•mist cither invoke the protection of the Goddess ol Dull
ness, under which lie may escape unseen and therefore
unharmed, or must make up his mind to incur personal
ubusc and to boar it with patience; and I know, likewise,
that that abuse, however coarse, ami however unprovok
ed and misapplied, never fails to tarnish, in some degree,
the reputation of tho person on whom it is poured. There
fore, il I had any purpose of personal ambition to accom
plish; if I were placed in any station, which required a
careful preservation ol iny own dignity, as essential to my
usefulness; if i were possessed with the kind of pride
that has been imputed to me; or if 1 could resist the im
pulse ol duty, which impels me take part in the domestic
nuairs ol my native Slate—for I have not, for many years,
tncddlcd in any other—the public would never see a line
of my inditing in the columns of a news-paper.
I have very few Words to bestow on that poor effusion
of personal abuse, by which your Subscriber has thought
proper to expojc bis own soreness to the laughter-loving
world. I think the gentleman might, with a little pains,
have found a‘more significant and appropriate signa
ture; for instance, Hector. Let inc assure him, "that
he is welcome, for me, to order tho affairs and re
form the governments ol France and Great Britain
according to his wisdom—I make no doubt ho understands
them thoroughly, since tho school of political philosophy
to winch he belongs, has the advantage of an admirable
simplicity ol doctrine, that exempts its oldest professors
and youngest disciples, from all perplexities growing out
ot the obstinacy ol existing circumstances, and fits them
all, equally well, to give laws to all nations and societies of
inankind. It wants, however, the great recommendation
ol being a new school, for it is one of the very oldest
And now l have only to ask him to explain the meaning
or Uie following passage, which has I,allied my knowledge
ot syntax and (lie utmost effort of my sagacity_"The
effect of his rAppomattox’s] splenetic ebullition, may
hasten the 'end which he seems to suppose is had in view
by others, and, in that light, will be regarded by those
who look to that 'end as tho object of primary importance
(il any such there be) rather as a fortunate occurrence
than a matter to he deprecated.” Di.l he mean, that the
"effect or my letter—or that ‘‘the end" it “may hasten”
—may he regarded as the “fortunate occurrence”? And
xvliat is “f/ie end,” and “object of primary importance,” to
which he alludes? For I, certainly, neither made allusion
to any particular end, nor affirmed that there was any:
the remarks ol mine, to which doubtless he relcrrcd, were
hypothetical as well as general, and plainly supposed, that
there might be various ends (of which i pretended to no
knowledge and hazarded no conjecture) to the accomplish
iiient whereof the annoyance of Eastern and Southern
Virginia, by the agitation of projects for the abolition of
slavery, m,ght be thought to tend. If ibis writer will
vouchsafe to give, us an explanation of the passage 1 have
quoted couched in simple old English, and nowise cloud
ed wi h common-places "guiltless of a meaning,” be mnv
possibly throw a.lighten the real springs of the late move
ment, which will render it intelligible to the meanest ca
nacitv.
I willingly distinguish between your Subscriber and
your other honorable rot-respondent: the latter (in the Ian
guage of the real Jefferson) “merits the respect of a rc
P.y- 1 ,,ero arc. indeed, some sarcasms in bis essav
<nme,Ut the author ol the letter of Appomattox, not at llm
letter itscll, and some rude expressions, apparently impu
table to mere want ot fluency of speed.: but I find no
thing that over-steps the freedom usually indulged in po
lemics ol this kind, or that may not be reconcilable with
personal good will. And I am glad to lind it so. No man
Is more loth than I am, to incur the ill will of others
it may be avoided, and none more desirous to culti
vate the good will of all mankind, if it may he obtained
(which 1 know, but too well, it cannot) by honorable
means. Hut 1 shall never sacrifice any principle, or ne
glect any duty, or suppress any useful truth, or tamely en
sure any wrong, or surrender any right, or forbear to take
the part which it becomes me to take, in order to conciliate
the transient favor of others, which would soon give place
to their contempt, or to avoid that idle imputation of an
“extreme anxiety to appear as the champion of Old Virgi
nia, and the exclusive defender of all her citizens.” ]jv
the way, let me tell Jefferson, (and I hope he will not
take the remark as unkind, for it is not unkindly meant,)
that lie has no talent for satire worth the pains of rultiva
ting, and no turn whatever for wit or humor. For ex
ample; he quotes a passage from my letter, concerning cer
tain slanders ol the people of Southampton, which lie wish
es had been made somewhat more intelligible—propounds
n string of interrogatories—answers them for himself, so as
to implicate the abolition members of Assembly in the
charge, though be himself thinks such an interpretation of
It altogether unjust and absurd, but for the impossibility lie is
under, of conjecturing the meaning of the passage upon any
other supposition—and then adds, “If ^omo/lox lias been
able to trace any connexion between the supposed attempt
to slander the people of Southampton, and the recent pro
ceedings ol the House of Dclagates relative to the colored
population, then verily his sagacity can only ho equalled
by that of the old lady, who declared, that she had foreseen,
that the cow would eat the grindstone”!!! i wish he
had told us where ilia sagacious old lady and her greedy
cow lived; for I would lain know in what region wit of this
order can be acclimated.
Jefferson, in the order of ids censures, and even, 1
think, in the vehemence of his indignation, gives (lie pre
cedency to the Hanover memorial over my letter_it w as
a memorial, and a spirited remonstrance, as it ought to
have been, and not, as he supposes, a petition. I appre
hend, there can hardly be a member of the House ol De
legates, who would have ventured, in his place ami upon
Ins responsibility as a representative of the people, so fur
to have questioned (lie light, the sacred constitutional
right, ol any body or citizens, to lay their complaints and
remonstrances before that House, concerning any mea
sures proposed or advised iliere, which they think danger
ous to their rights and interests, as to have moved a
resolution denying the right or reprobating the exer
cise of it in the very form and language, which the
memorialists of Hanover thought proper, with good
reason, to adopt on the present occasion. This new
horn zeal for the a ho it i on ol slavery, lias engender*
ed all sorts of anomalies, so that one can hardly recognize
(he moral identity of his native .State. The Society of
Friends of ll.mover present their memorial, wherein they
only assume to themselves (in the meekest language, to
l>e sure, as their manner is) the King’s old Irisirprerogn
tive, under Poy nines' law, of devising and proposin'*
measures (or the Legislature, and hold forth doctrines lor
its edification, derogating from the legal rights of slave
property, and aiming at the abrogation of them, to the
manifest detriment ol that property, even if their projects
should he rejected, to the disturbance of the peace ami
tranquillity ot their neighbours, and to (be jeopardy ol
their safety—ami they ..re heard with respect. The par
tizans of abolition in the House of Delegate*, hold Ian
..j ... >, huh ^considering mat it is re
sounded through tin- land from our own Fcgislativc Hall
and by our own public journals, and speaking still with re
ference to (lie olfocts, not the motives) more calculated to
incite servile war, than any incendiary writings that have
been or can he uttered at a distance, and compared with
■which the language of the Free-Negro Convention at
Philadelphia, is really moderate in (lie uxtremi—and they
write out for the Press, and publish their speeches, where
in they take occasion to disparage (lie moral and intellec
tual character of our society—and they must be heard
. with respect; and their speeches might to he read with
respect; and no man may presume to examine the senti
ments or conduct of their High Mightinesses, without
observing the most scrupulous delicacy (they use aqua
fortit, and we must use milk and water) under pain of be
ing condemned lor arrogance, in solence and impudence._
but those forty-six memorialists ol Hanover, who and
whose families and neighbours are to abide the jeopardy
they have created, because they have dared Instate the
grievance in the only language in which it could he truly
stated, and with a warm'll which served but to evince the
sincerity ot their apprehensions, are to he treated like the
frogs of their own slashes, and pelted till they hide their
heads under water, and cease their discordant eroakings.
And here is a member of ihc House of Delegates, wuio
goes into the newspapers, to heap upon them every rpi
i fet of contumely and derision he can find—" Knights of
(he . lashes “ Ford* of Hanover”—“Nabobs” owning
“■princely domains m the Washes of Hanover”: and who,
alter bestowing the utmost pains toreprosent their memorial
as Mr height of eupereihout insoh„er, concludes, that
“Doubtbs, they are all gentlemen no lets distinguished
for their Intents and then kmdund humane treatment ol
then slaves than they are likely to Income for their un■
effected diffidenee (It Is I that have ,he words in
ilahes.) (/an Jefferson deny, that this passage conveys
and was intended toeonvey, a plain insinuation. Or rather :
charge in ironical form, that these gentlemen are distin
guithed for then hard and cruel treatment to then
•lasso? Ami can ho justify tli« imputation, or And An.
least apology lor it loumled iu fact/ The men of Hanover,
very probably, will luauifest no anger at this iinpntaliou to
, them ot a cruelty they abhor; not because they are
wanting in “IdIimiU to understand the irony, or iu spirit
to resent the insult, but because their consciences are so
perfectly void of offence in this particular, that they will
not foci it. they will have heard it with the like temper
witli which \\ asliington received the news-paper charges
against him, ol partiality towards England. Hut 1 ask
tlie men of the IVest, to note and remember the passage 1
nave quoted, and to let us know, at their next elections,
whether we arc to regard the sentiments entertained con
cerning us by Jefferson, and men like Jefferson, as a just
representation of the state or their follow-citizenship with
•is. Hut Jefferson, tbrsonth! “would not have thought it
necessary to notice this memorial, had it not been for the
unusual step taken in publishing it in the news-paper*”—
whence. 1 infer, it is his opinion, that lie and his friends
have a better right to publish their speeches iu the news
papers, than the memorialists to publish their memorial_
but wherefore, lie alone perhaps can explain. As to his
contempt for the “talents” of the tbrty-six Hanoverian*, I
only wish that he, and I too, could have witnessed the
mirth with which I am sure they returned it: they are a
merry people.
It is a general remark, founded on a thousand instances '
ot daily occurrence, that the most zealous professors of!
democracy in theory, are of all other* the most apt to en
tertain iu their hearts, and to manifest in practice, the
greatest contempt for tho intelligence as well as the feelings !
ol mankind. The people, iu their minds, is an ideal ab
straction, a metapby sico-political divinity, capable of con
ferring every blessing, and requiring no return but wor
ship, winch is paid without reserve, since it costs nothing
but the breath expended in uttering it: hut men, who
(according to the simplicity of my ethics) constitute The
People, sre poor, frail, natural beings, like themselves:
who, being subject to the same wants and passions, cross I
them at every turn; and to whom no forbearance can be
shown, no good offices can be ministered, not even sym
pathy given to their sufferings, without some labour
or trouble or sacrifice or self-love. I pity tho man,
who values the atom ot the essence of The J)i vini to of\
, ? * ZV.' ,°r 1,10 l,ortion «• <l.o adoration paid to it, I
which tails to his share; and so little price do 1 set on mine, I
that I woulu gladly take tho slightest kindness to any set
ol men or singlo individual, the most trivial good work ima- !
giliable, lor all the professions, the flatteries, the praises,!
the worship, adoration and idolatry, offered to The J)i- !
vinity of The People.
Conscious as 1 am, of being studious ol accuracy al- !
ways, and habituated to the practice of it, and of havin'' i
been particularly attentive to it in my account of the pro- 1
ccedings of the House of Delegates on the subject of sla- I
\ crj, I was a little surprized, when Jefferson announced j
his purpose to mention some circumstances that had e*- j
coped my observation, and to dispute some ol tho inferen
ces I bad drawn from the tacts I bad stated. Hut I was I
much more surprized when I found that the circuinstan
ces which had escaped my observation, were—“a rumour,
w hich prevailed to some extent in the beginning of the
winter, “that a gentleman of distinguished talents from
the south side ot James River” [Mr. Randolph of Roan
oke] “had actually taken rooms at a boarding house in the
city, in order to prevent any effort being made by the Le
gislature, at its present session, to interfere with the sub- j
ject of slavery many way”—and a conjecture, “that if the
attempt to suppress any inquiry into the subject this win
ter, should succeed, that then, the gentleman alluded to
and the reputed author ol Jlppoinatfbk, were to come to
the next General Assembly, to put the question of eman
cipation at rest forever:” he adds, “Whether the conjee- I
tine was well founded or not, I cannot undertake to deter
mine; I did not think it at all improbable.” Now, what
bad this rumour and this conjecture to do with any ac
count of the actual proceedings of the House of Delegates
on the subject? Surely, Jefferson would not have us in
ter, that the rumour and conjecture constituted anu part
of the motive, that induced the agitation of the question
at the present session ! If they did, it is one oHIie oddest
cirBuinstances (tho* the least important) of Ibis strange
.history. 1 do not doubt, that Jefferson heard the rumour
and the conjecture, and gave some credit to the latter, be
cause lie says so—besides, all sorts of stories are daily in
vented, circulated anil believed for facts, about every
thing and every body, and, especially about Mr. Randolph,
concerning whom it is the rarest thing imaginable' to
bear one word of pure truth. I never lieanf of cither
the rumour or the conjecture; and if I had, I should I
ir m krV,l t!,,y bo,,‘ "holly unfounded.
I Mr. Randolph had any thought ot spending the winter
here, I am quite sure he had no such view as that which
he rumour attributed to him: lie did not impart the purpose
to his friends: cvoi his sagacity could not have anticipated
—mortal man could not have divined—the movement
winch was made iu the House of Delegates; and he is
the last man in the world, that would flunk of interfering
with its proceedings upon this or any other subject. For
myself, I never dreamed of what w as to come to pass, till
I read the paragraph in the Enquirer, which caused the
controversy between tho Editors and Mr. Alexander—
.i' ’." .00, ’ Tr1 T? 'ike the cry of fire in
Jbe dead ot night; and I saw, at once, that the flames had
burst out, and quickly apprehended the extent of the mis
ehiet. > ct I never thought, and do not now think, of
seeking a seat in the General Assembly.—As to Jefferson's
other corrections of my narrative, I should hardly notice
them but for the ambition I have to establish my claim to
V!L8t"C,C>“ nccuracy- 1 ■«'<*» that the petitions of the
1188 citizens, suggesting the removal of the free negroes
“seemed not, as yet, to have attracted any serious notice"
—meaning, the notice ot the House— public discussion
there ’.Jefferson wonders, how it should have appeared to
me, “that those petitions had not attracted the serious at
tention of the committee”—namely, the stleet committee
to whom the subject was referred. In my opinion, it was
obvious that the views of those petitioners “were hostile
to all schemes of emancipation whatever"—Jtfferoon, on
Inc contrary, thinks it “perfectly obvious, to any unpreju
diced man who will take the trouble to read the petitions,
that the petitioners were not only not obviously opposed
lo, but that they are obviously in favor ot, some scheme
lor removing the w hole of our colored population.” lie
will not allow me lo be, and I shall not allow him to be,
the “unprejudiced man.” I bnve only to say, that 1 de
scribed the general object and sentiments of the petition
ers, as accurately as I possibly could, in the few words 1
gave to the purpose. My remark, that the select commit
tee was ••rather slow in making its report,” was the simple
statement ot the fact, w ithout approbation or blame. Hut JcJ
Jersnn thinks it injurious to the committee. I might have
said it was very slow—ns any man will think, who will
rellcct on (he interest ol the stihjec(, and roun( the time
between the reference and the first report. .Yet I did not
ami do not mean, to impute any blame lo the committee
on this account, or indeed any other. I did not say, that
that slowness ol the committee in making a report, indue
ed Mr. (ioode (o bring tho subject at once before the
House, though, I dare say, 1 might have affirmed it with
truth. I stated Mr. Goode s motives in an abridgement of
bis own words.
II IS impossible to make oneself understood by others, if
they will insist upon cloathing his thoughts in their own
anguage. / spoke not ot any “pledges” given by the
western to the eastern delegation, in the Convention, to
Hole! our rights ot slave property sacred and inviolable: 1
well knew there was hut one “pledge” touching the sub
ject, and that that was given by the whole Convention
una. '\occ' " Inch, explicit as it is, it is now attempted to
explain away and evade; namely, the express provision of
the ( ‘institution, securing private tights of property of all
kinds, to the owners, against the power ol the Legislature.
mentioned the “professions,” the “solemn assurances”
ol the western delegation, on this very subject of slave
properly. My purpose was, to illustrate the value of
“proles-tons” made by politicians, and to exemplify the
lolly ol giving trust to them. It vv;m a most pregnant ex
ample. If a hill for the abolition of slavery anil deporta
tion of the slaves, shall ever come to he gravely debated
in the Legislature, and its opponents shall remonstrate,
that the deportation, being impracticable, will he abandon
ed upon tlu> first essay ot the experiment, and nothing
loft of the plan hut simple abolition, the most solemn pro
fessions will lie made, and assurances given, that the de
portation is (lie main object, and never will be abandon
ed; hut the successors of those who shall amuse us with
such professions and assurances, will never regard them
selves as at all bound to fulfil them, or to stop short of sim
ple abolition. That is, in truth, th<?end to which all these
projects tend; and the end, I fear, at which many of the
projectors arc even now aiming.
■ 'jiiuirt. .1 iiurn a tipeecn 01 Air. Mirntncr*,
wherein lie painted the national character of the citizens of
the whole slave-holding country, as impressed upon ns in
our very infancy and growing with our growth, in the mo t
odious colors; and I said, that it was not "original.” Jr/
Jcrson, knowing well where the original was to be found,
and having (it would seem) compared the passage with
the answer to the |8ih query in Mr. Jefferson's Notes on
\ irginia, lias thought proper to recast my remark in words
suited to his own idea ot the tart, and to make me charge
Mr. Summer* with "plagiarism.” I never thought ot
making an objection so puerile: the orator might, tor aught
I cared, have borrowed his whole speech from others, and
I should never have take!) the pains to ascertain the true
, owuer, provided the sentiments he borrowed were in
themselves true and just. 1Wy objection to Mr. Summers'
character of us, was not that It was borrowed, but that it
was unjust. And it was because it was not original/ becait-c
it was known to have bee n drawn by Mr. Jefferson_be
cause, upon hi* authority, it ha« been repeated a thousand
times—because, upon his authority, it has gone forth to
•he world, us our true national character, the only one known
to the nations ot Kurope, the only one known to' the citizens
of some of the States of this Union—because it is a most
odious one—and because I know and can feci that it is most
i unjust; therefore, I took the op|Mirtunlty to refute it, by
; an appeal to common observation and undeniable tacts._
| And if my own father had been the author of if, ( would
have refuted if in Die same manner. I desire Jefferson to
understand, that I am perfectly careless, what motives be
or any body else may find for my conduct.— Mr. Sum
mer* put the finishing toilcii to the character of the i/rmng
wan of Old Virginia. a» affected by the existence ot slave
fy, w ith the ronnrk, that “he enter* the world with uii«
era hie notion* of aelf-iuiportauce, and under the govern
ment of an unbridled temper"—upon which I observed
“ 1 WM afraid too many young men, evtry where, entei
the world with miserable notions of self-importance.”_
Jefferson, manifestly understanding ibis observation as a
sarcasm upon his friend, Mr. Summers, and designing to
retort it upon me, asks, w hether t •• might uot have added,
that there were al least some likely to carry the same no
tions to the grave ?” My this unhappy attempt at sarcasm
ami rotort, ho has made a. general remark of mine a per
sonal reflection, and applied it to Mr. Summers. /, cer
tainly, shall not quarrel with that application ofit: but, in
•ruth, I meant no moro than to suggest, that the presump
tion ol youth (of which, by the w ay, I am very tolerant)
Was nowise peculiar to a slave-holding country; and, so
ir thinking ol any personal reflection on'Mr. Sum
mers, it never occurred to me, that he could lie regarded
as a young man just entering into the world, or that he
had not been bred, as well us born, in Eastern Virginia,
so that bis case was, by nome.mtptu my ow n opinion, anex
ainple to my purpose.
Jefferson also, by way of retorting the charge of plagia
rism against me, which he supposes I was desirous offix
i"g upon another, intimates, that all my sentiments,
n.y whole political creed, and, especially, my ex
clamation about overturning the Christian ‘ Religion in
b ranee, have been borrowed from Edmund Burke's work
[letter?] upon the French Revolution; and lie even insinu
ates (.1 1 understand him) that l have borrowed Iron, the
speechv*, In the House of Delegates on my side of the
question. It is a matter of no importance to the only nia
terjal question, whether my opinions are right or wrong—
should have borrowed w hatever suited my purpose and
I U.yscll approved as right, without (ho least hesitation—
lu.t it has been near twenty years since I read tho work of
Burke, to which ho alludes, ami a very short time sii.ee
I read Mine of the speeches—and I may safely defy him
to nx the charge ol plagiarism upon me. 1 ... help
suspecting, that Jefferson is not very conversant with the
writings ol Burke. Would to Heaven that a diligent stu
<!y ol them could (ransfuso into his readers, his extensive
knowledge and profound political sagacity! I have often
wondered at the hatred which still pursues his memory
I know nothing so remarkable in bis writing*, as the pre
ciMon with which he pointed out the false steps taken by
the [• rciicli reformers in their first revolution, ami predict
ed tho consequences, which their subsequent history de
veloped. My political principles and opinions, however,
are rercrrible only to tho peculiar circumstances of my
own country, and have been gathered, almost exclusively
in the school ol American politicians. As to the nations
ol Europe, I have long ago given them up to their fate—
or rather to their own governance—being conscious of my
own utter iiicoinpetcncy to make or mend, to preserve,
abolish, reform, or re-construct, their political institutions —
1 am not, indeed, indifferent to their welfare—i cannot be
—but I have no anxiety on their account, that ever affects
my appetite or my sleep.
U lien I said, that Mr. Randolph (the mover ol the
|>i«iu for abolition and deportation, to coniinciiro in 1M |0)
recommended that plan in debate, chiefly by the authori
ty ol Mr. Jefferson, his speech had not been published
and I repeated what I had heard, but with tho most cau
tious delicacy to avoid wounding him. 1 sincerely re
spected his feelings, tho’ 1 could not approve bis opinions.
Ins motive tor referring to Mr. Jefferson’?* authority, 1
bad heard nothing, and, therefore, said nothing. Whether
or no that authority was the chief recommendation of the
plan, is, alter all, matter of opinion.
" ,,v" * imiuenco ol umt authority, nn.l
saul (as u consequence deduced from the view I had just
l>e fore exhibited ol its inevitable operation and effects) that
it was‘‘unwise and impracticable, pernicious, unjust and
cruel, I anticipated ilie charge of presumption it would*
bung against me; and, as I did not fear it in prospect, so
neither am I appalled by it now that it is made. Air. Jef
ferson's character must, ere long, he universally regarded
as belonging to impartial history—/sd\egard it now: Con
sidering how much lie had been engaged in real ami im
portant business, and his undoubted capacity, ho was sin
gularly addicted to speculations merely philosophical, and
entertained some odd opinions. For instance; ho lias
somewhere, gravely maintained tho opinion, that no coun
try ought to be long without a rebellion, it was more re
markable ol him than, perhaps, ol any other man known
to history, that his opinions once formed, were adhered to,
under all circumstances, without the least change or mo
dification. I can call lo mind only a single instance of any
such change, in the course of his long life, spent in lull
\ ii \% ol the public; and that was his change of opinion up.
on the question of tho constitutionality of incorporating
Louisiana into the Union. 1 believe he never, to the last
perceived the impolicy and inefficiency of his Embargo
and Restrictive System—though it entirely failed to ac
complish the purpose for which it was designed—though
it was the principal and obvious cause of all tho embar
rassments that perplexed tho Government, and distressed
the nation, during the war which followed it—and though
it affected injuriously every part of tho Union, more or
less, and, especially, was the prime cause and origin ol that
decline (as it is called) of the Southern Atlantic States, and
particularly Virginia, which our orators scein to take a
sort of melancholy pleasure in discoursing ot and exag
gerating. 1 well remember, how foreign trade «m\
capital took wing from our shores, upon the first
blight of tho Embargo, as the sorecs disappear up
on the first hard frost—a long, severe, nml (to us)
still continuing winter followed—but, whenever wo
shall again experience our natural climate, the birds will
ho sure to return, unless, pursuing Mr. Jefferson's advice
for abolition and deportation, we shall, with our own
hands, wilfully destroy the food they feed on. I thou "lit,
till very lately, that it was knpwn to every body, That
during the revolution and for many years alter, the' aboli
tion ol slavery was a favorite topic with many of our
ablest men, who entertained with respect all the schemes
which wisdom or ingenuity could suggest lor accomplish
ing the object. Mr. Jefferson’s plan was generally known,
lmt never regarded as practicable; Mr. Wythe, to the day
of his death, was for simple abolition, considering the oh.
jection to color as founded in prejudice; by drgrers, all
projects of the kind were abandoned as hopeless, by almost
every body but Mr. Jefferson: he retained his opinion, ami
now we have these projects revived. And it is regarded
as presumptuous and dictatorial in me—after bavin" ex
amined the principle of Mr. Jefferson’s plan, and stated a
few of the arguments against-its practicability, which I
had heard in my youth, hut those few (in my opinion, at
least) quite irrefragable—to express my conviction, that
“no plan for the abolition of slavery and the deportation
of the slaves" (which was Mr. Jefferson's object) “is pos
sible.” I’o speak of this as a simple annunciation of my
opinion, without any effort to support it by reasoning, only
evinces, cither that the terms ol the proposition are not
understood, or that the whole of my letter has not been
read—which is very probable. I shall be perfectly un
derstood by those whom it most concerns.
Your feffrrson (I must distinguish) thinks it a little
marvellous, that I, who consider the speeches made in the
Mouse of Delegates by the advocates of abolition, as of a
dangerous and incendiary character, and who recommend
to the people- to discontinue their subscription to the nows
•papers, “in order to prevent those speeches from circu
lating among them," should he guilty of the glaring ab
surdity and contradiction of collecting what I myself
considered the most exceptionable passages from those
speeches, and of publishing them in one paper to he sent
to every quarter of the country.” JITy letter was calcula
ted Tor the meridian of the free white' citizens ofthe Com
monwealth, and I am quite sure the negroes will find in it
no encouragement to rebellion: on the contrary, the ad
vice it contains, if attended to, will extinguish every spark
of rebellion, in spile of the breeze that may otherwise fail
it into flames. And I entertain an opinion, which Jeffer
son will probably regard as very marvellous : I have no
doubt, that the inflammatory matter contained in the
speeches, had been communicated long before the publi
cation of my letter, to all the negroes in this town ami in
the surrounding counties. The peculiar interest they
must take in the subject, lie may he sure, makes therr
heat ing very acute. It is the most combustible matter
that takes lire the soonest: it is among combustibles, that
the flame spreads the most rapidly and the farthest. And
I entertain another opinion, which Jefferson will think yet
more marvellous: that the spreehrthiA not been n ad by
(he citizens ol our society, before their attention was so
loudly called to them. 7'he debates in t’ongress, as well
as the debate* in tho Mouse of Delegates, were in a course
ol publication, at tho same time; and there was such a ca
i of speech, that tho greediest speech-reader could
not swallow. For the rest, Jefferson will he pleased to
remark, that it was not “the speeches” only (as he suppos
ed) hut the abolition news-papers, tho editorial remarks and
the essays, of which I counselled my fellow citizens to
prevent the dissemination, by withdrawing their subscrip
| lions from the journals in which such dangerous and (in
I eflcr.l) incendiary doctrines ard published; and that, not
| for P»n»o*o of preventing the dissemination thereof
“among them" hut among their slaves. It is upon theso
only that they can produce any mischievous effects. And
; what is the security against the mischief, upon which we
are gravely counselled to depend? The assurance, that
|"THF. Nr/inors have too much inteli-ioewce not
; to know, that any effort they can make to throw oil the
i yoke must he unsuccessful, and attended with the most
I dreadful consequences to themselves,”—“that they are
not able to contend without arms against the whiles,”
-—an/I that “notwithstanding all the insinuations that
have been thrown out to the contrary,” [by whom?]
the IV estern people would march at a moment's warn*
ing, to any county in the State, to suppress an insurrection
among them. Really, this sounds in niy ears, very like
downright mockery.
I adhere, upon the fullc.st consideration, to the opinion I
before expressed, as to the propriety and necessity of pre
venting the circulation of the abolition newspapers through
out the slave-holding country, by the just and rfjrhllul
means of declining any longer to take them: and, for the
, sake of greater ami more prompt efficiency, I hope lo see
the example of the people of Mecklenburg (with the ex
j e.eption ol the Freeman) followed in other counties, and
, mel tings held .it the f .ourt houses, to take fhe subject into
consideration, and to produce eeneerf. No man w ho know ,
me, can believe, that I have any personal animo. ity to
•
j wards the KJilun; for, 1 repeat, that 1 do not suspect them
| ol designing the mischief, which, novorthclois they are
doing, lie their intent* “wicked or charitable,” the mis
chief is the same to u*—-the effect is the •ante upon the
slave*—and tho same means of obviating It ought, in pru
dence, to be resorted to, as have been resorted to, and
with success, to prevent the dissemination of the wilfully
incendiary writings ol The Liberator.
Jefferson, it •cents, rannot I shove that I w as serious,
w hen, alter having expressed “my shame and indignation
“t thought” ol pro|KM|lions being addressed to “ our
/ears of danger, cither present <>r prospective, from oar
slaves,” | so earnestly recommended to my fellow citi
•.sens to provide arms, and concert measures, to obviate
that very danger. Ami the same remark (in substance)
bad been made be lore, hy another commentator upon my
letter, who thought he had detected me iu a glaring in
consistency. 1 must think these gentlemen have read niy
letter iu detached parcels, without taking the trouble to
combine the whole piece in their mitt.Is. | first shewed,
that there was, when the House of Delegates look uvthis
subject, nosuch panic terror prevailing in the country us
had been represented, and no danger that could possibly
justify, upon the plea of necessity, the abrogation ot the
tig its ol slave property; and then I showed, how the pro
ceedings ol that 1 louse, and the infhunmatory doctrines
broached there, and disseminated throughout the land,
wore calculated to aggravate all tho causes of danger that
really existe I, and to create and add new incentives to
servile rebellion; which is the danger against which I
warned my countrymen to stand on tiiclr guard. Whether
the argument is convincing or not, those w ill judge to
whom especially it was addressed: il they trill not take
the wanting, they must incur tho risk. Tho const*,
tetiry of its several parts with each other, can hardly
tail to lie understood by any one who gives his tniitd fairly
to the consideration of it. I
I imputed to a certain orator “ a wilful attempt to dig-1
suade the tioii-slavo-holdersamong tts from uniting with
the slave-holders, in executing the ordinary duties of po
lice, intended to keep our slaves out ol iiiLschict and in
due subordination”—and said I eoul I not see a paragraph
(extracted horn his speech) iu any other light. The whole
po^ngc wan given; thccliargo, I lit* cvidnicc, the infe
rence, all fairly .stihiiiiHed lor examination. K thi* In* not
lair play,! should be glad to know what is. Jefferson
(without quoting the passage) pronounces this condruc
, " . Orccd, unnatural, and palpably unjust,” am) thinks,
that I myself will, on cooler ivlloction, he w illing to ac
knowledge that it is so. I should be willing to acknow
ledge any thing I was convinced of; but I still think the
design 1 ascribed to tho author, was that which (hel.n
guage naturally and fairly indicated. I am very clad,
however, tnat Jefferson entertains a different opinion; for
I take it for granted, that he Ins learned the author’s real
design from himself; and ho may be assured, that the pas- '
sage, in the sense in which 1 took it, gave me no pleasure. '
It seems, now, that the only object is to create a schism in j
our society,—a sort of civil feud, founded on the ihwscs- 1
sion or non-possession of a particular kind ol property; in
other words, to set the slave-holders and non-slave-holders
•it o|»rti variance—which is benevolent citouirh *
Jefferson assures us, that our Western brethren have
ready no intention to violate our l ights of property ; that
the idea, that they wish to take away our property, with
out our consent, is loo preposterous and absurd to he en
tertained by any man; that all that is wished is, to a<cer
lam the sense of the majority of tho people, and if that
be in favor ol abolition, tho minority must submit, lie
does, then, really think, that, if a majoritu of the
people consent to abrogate the property of the mi
nority,they may rightfully do so, ami that this woulJ
In: taking away the property of tho minority, with their
own consent.' . 1 here can ho no difference between slave
property, in this respect, and any other kind; and If the
consent ol a majority is all that i- wanting to justify the ab
rogation of slave property, the consent ot a majority would
suffice to justify an agrarian law, and to abrogate the rights
ot l;in<!eri property. All our institutions arc founded on
the principle, that every man’s private property is abso
lutely his own, and that lie holds it independently of the
power of the Legislature, and of tho will ol tho majority;
atiit when that principle shall ho abandoned, republican
government must lie destroyed with it. It was the know
ledge I have Jong had ol the existence and progress of the
opinions, which Jefferson has now openly avowed upon
this point, that induced mo to say, in my former letter,
“I most conscientiously believed, that the day is not tar
distant, when a direct attack will he made on tho very
principle of property.”
In conclusion, I beg leavo to notlco the remark made in
the Whig, upon the iirst appearance of my letter—that it
had been farsurpassed by a discussion of tho subject by a
stripling—meaning, I supposed, by the Speech of Mr.
Brown of Petersburg, in the House of Delegates. If that
I meaning, 1 believe the remark was perfectly just;
- and I earnestly recommend the perusal of that speech to
j tho whole public. APPOMATOX.
_Virginia la'gislaturc.
housk or 1 )ki/koates7
Friday, February 21.
Tho Sennto 1ms passed tlio hills—to legalize certain
! acts ot the Kcgl.ter of the Hand Office—and, to repeal so
i ,”uch 0tr.a,, aot changing the days of the County Comts ot'
' Hampshire and Hardy, us concerns the county ol' Jlamn
' ^riire. 1 |
Also, with amendments, t»n net consolidating the certifi
cates of seven per cent, stock held hy the Literary Fund
ami, to raise money, hy Lottery, for paving the roads at
Orange Court House; which amendments were agreed to
On motion of Mr. Carskadon, leave was given to hrim
in ;• hill authorizing a chnngc of tho location ot the North
Western road through Uouincy.
Air. Carter ol P. \Y ., from the Select Committee on the
subject, presented a hill providing lor an erection of a mo
nument to George Washington, which was rend twice, and
re-committed. [The hill provides tlm* the Washington
monument turn! shall he applied to the erection of a monu
ment at Mount A eruou—the Governor to correspond with
tin: proprietor uf Mount Vernon, for the purpose ol ac
quiring for the state ol \ irginia title to the monument and
the land on which it is located—and such additional sums
to he appropriated from the Treasury as may he necessary
lor its erection, not exceeding,with the monument fund,the
sum of $30,000,]
On motion of Mr. Mcllhnney, a hill requiring a classifi
cation ol the Justices ol the Peace, was taken up, and hav
ing been amended, Mr. Helms moved the indefinite
postponement ol tlm hill, which motion, after discus-ion,!
in which Messrs. Miller, Poindexter, and Filziiugl) look
part, the ayes and noes having heen ordered on motion of
Air. Helms, was carried by the following vote:
Ayes.—Messrs. Banks (Speaker,) Grinalds, Wood of
Albemarle, Randolph, Booker, Garland, M’Cuc, Brooke,
Cameron, Pate, Anderson and Wilson of Botetourt, Ghol
snn, Bolling, Spurlock, Daniel, Halyl.urton, Richardson,
Pendleton, Broadus, Wilson ol C., Hrodnnx, Jones, Ritchie,
Ball, Chilton, Marshall, Stillman, Ilelins, Hale of I’.]
Woods or Franklin, Smith ot F., Srtidow, Smith of g!|
Bryce, jr. ofQ., Hail of G., Spencer, Bruce, Sims, Poston]
Roane, Johnson, Gravely, Jordan, Shield, Gallnhor, Sum
i'ncrs, Harwood, Dabney, Carter of L. and R., Hays.
Lawson, Street, Hudgins* Goode ol M., Billingsley, Vaw
ter, Preston. W cbh, Cabell, 1* isher, Anderson of Nottoway,
Davis, Adams, Iliner, Swan-on, Zinn, Dupuy, Shands’
(’artcr ot P. W„ Hart, At’ Mahon, Cline, Jcssec, Kilgore!
Cobh, Powell, Newton, (’rocket!, King, Brown and Ru
llicrfoord—.82.
t .A oc*.—Messrs. Faulkner, Good of B., Campbell of
Brooke, Shell, Patteson of B., Rives, Dickinson, Patteson
of C., Wood of Frederick, Alullen, Berry, Allen, M’lllia- j
ncy, Cordell, Caldwell, Poindexter, Smith of AL and J., j
Henry, Chandler, Harvey, Fitzhugh, Parriott, Robertson!
Miller, Land, Moore, AFDowell. Bare, Carson, Crump
Hargrave, M’Coy, M’Culloch and Keller—31.
The following engrossed hills were read the third time
and passed:—Authorizing the Guyandotto Turnpike Com- ;
pany to extend their road—amending an act establishing
certain forties aero s the Big Sandy and Ohio rivers—!
to enact, with amendments, an act passed by the Legis- j
lalui e of North Carolina for extending the lake Drummond j
and Ornpeake ( anal—changing the mode of appointing !
overseers of the poor in the. town of Petersburg—to amend
the act for the extension and improvement of the naviga- '
lion of the Rappahannock and its branches—to authorize j
a Lottery for the paving the streets of (he town of Fairfax,
in tho county of Culpeper.
wii immon 01 >i r. luunerioru, n report ol (lie t ominittcc
of Finance, declaring it inexpedient • <> to amend the reve- i
mic law as to make it (lie duty of the Sergeant ol the ]
City of Richmond, to collect and pay into the Treasury of
the .State, that portion of the public revenue, Queued upon ;
the citizens of Richmond.
Mr. R. moved lo amend the report, by striking out the
word inexpedient and inserting in its stead, the word ee- :
pcilicnl, which was rejected, and the report agreed to.
Mr. l’arri"M, bom the Select Committee onthe subject, |
reported a hill making appropriations to certain counties,
ot the revenues of said eotiulies, to he expended in the
repair of roads and bridges, destroyed by the late freshet. j
On motion ol Mr. Allen, the Mouse adjourned.
Saturday, Feb. 25.
F lie Senate have passed (lie hills—concerning the Farm
ers Hank of Virginia—and authorizing conveyances of!
certain lots, sold by N. Tomlinson, dee'd. Also, with1
amendments- -toauthorize the Common Council of Fred
ericksburg to subscribe lor stock In the Rappahannnek Ca
nal Company, [agreed tol—to provide lor opening and im
i prerving the navigation of the IWonongahela river, [agreed
to] and, to amend an act incorporating a Company to con
. struct n turnpike from the north hank of the Rappahan
nork river to Potomac Creek. Amendments laid on the
table, on motion of Mr. Cartcrof P. W.
On motion of Mr. Jones, leave was given to bring in a
I hill to incorporate a Company for the purpose of construct
ion a Rmwl Irom the City of Richmond to York
I Town.
j Rutherfoord presented the petition of Philip Max
all Co. tor the incorporation of a joint stork, cou.pany in
! the city of Richmond tor the manufacture of iron.
The following engrossed hills were read a third time
r and pa.sed:—<1, Concerning D. Mernweather; 2, To
| change the time of holding eerlain courts of the counties
PRINCIPAL. KMilS'EKR.
Tlio joint order ol tho day being the election vi a prin
| cip.il hnginoer, inn taken up, nihl «n motion ol Mr. Me- i
! Coy, wai post-Miucd until Saturday next.
PEN ITKXTIAHY AUK NT.
I ho Speaker presented the lollop ing lettur from the
Agent ot thu Penitentiary :
Penitentiary Stjrk, ^
«, , . . February 21* INJ2, K
r» iht Speaker oj the If. of Delegates :
Sm. I.earning that charges and insinuations prejudicial
to mo us a public Agent, have been mudt *, and an* nmv go- i
ing the rounds, mjuring me, no doubt, in tho estimation,,!
gentlemen unacquainted with me; justice to myself, re
quires that I should appeal to the j«siie« and iiiagu.mimily
ol the hcgislature oi my native Slate, which has so ofteu
evidenced it* confidence in me, by ru-clccting me to the
olhce 1 now fill—and I make the appeal with the more con
hue nee, as 1 am satisfied it will not coiidemn any man,
without affording him the opjiort unity of repelling unjust
charges and groundless insinuations: to nflbrd w inch op
portunity, I most earnestly request that a committee be ap
pointed ui soon as may ho to investigate mv official con
duct. It upon tho strictest scrutiny, I do not satisfy the
column tee and the Legislature that I have faithfully and
horn- tly discharged all thodutic required of me,account
ed for all thcirgoods received, anil monies collected on ac
count ol sales, and have done no more than was my duty
in regard to the Superintendent—then I will submit'with
out a murmur, to be turned out of olHco and consigned t >
that.. w Inch l sltouKI have deserved if I had
pursued any other course than thut i have pursued, lie
spcctlully, your leliow citizen,
THOMAS NLLKONV P. A. P.
Mr. Gall liter said he presumed the letter just read, allu
ded to t »me remarks made l.y him oi, » lurmcr dav: l.iit no
atl.irk had hern made on the o2YU*i:il conduct ol'the peni
teniiary agent. On tlio contrary, the report of the Peni
tentiary ( ommitlcc had spoken highly of his fidelilv, and
attributed the delects to tlio system, and not to the .7
It was true that Mr. G. had spoken of the manner in
winch the store was kept, and had urged as reason for
tlie change proposed in tin* agency, that the business u
not performed w ith the energy which was iwualtv ex
liihitcd in private establishments. He had, pcrh .iw, spo
ken willi some wariutli on these points, anil it sorhij man
ner was caused by a sense of the conduct of Die Agent to
wards himself. That individual had made a most aboini
"aide charge against 1dm. (Mr. G.)_he had stated to one
of die Senators, that he (Mr. G.) as Chairman of the Joint i
( omimttoo on the Penitentiary, was under the influence—
w as iu fact, the mere creature of (lie Supcriutcnden’. It
would iianlly he ncce^ary lor him to rep id such u charge
—hut no one could think of it without just indignation.—
I he warmth with which ho had expressed himself u day
or two ago, would therefore lie accounted for, and lie
thought justified. Mr. G. remarked. that he would scorn
to avail hiiuscll of liisotiiciul tation to injure any man_bill
he would do whatever duty required of liim. II.* hoped
a Committee would be appointed upon the letter ol the
Agent; although lie knew of no charges haring been
made agiinsl Ids official conduct. But, whatever he (Mr.
C,.)had stated, lie was ready at all times to sustain.
Mr. Fisher hoped a committee would not lie raised on
tins subject. No charges had been made against the Pe
nitentiary Agent, and there were no good grounds („r Ids
appeal to the House. He moved to lay the letter on the
table, which was agreed to.
r I.h® engrossed hill changing tho mode of compensation
of the General Agent or the Penitentiary, fie. was rend
l l,l.ird Rme, and the blanks in tlio bili were tilled, on
motion oi Mr. Gallaher, so as to give the Agent seven
per cent, on the ordinary sales ol goods, nnd tico and a
half per cent, on such as are sold at auction. The latter
allowance was opposed by Mr. Dickinson, Mr. Mardiiill,
and Mr. Bryce of'G. On motion of Mr. Bryce of G., the
ayes and nocs wore ordered on tlio passage of the hi 11
which was decided in the affirmative:
-'lyes— Messrs. Bunks, (Speaker,) Grinalds, Wood of Al
bemarle, Porsingcr, Garland, Cameron, Wilson of B., Put
ter,on of B. Bolling,Spurlock, Hroadus, Wilson of C., Jones,
Ititcluc, Ball, Chilton, Hale of F., Woods of F., Smilli ot
Erskine, Spencer, Bruce, Sims, Johnson, Gravely,
i Gallaher, Berry, Harwood, Allen, Hays, M’ilhany,
| Cordell, Caldwell, Poindexter, Hudgins, Smith of M & J
I Billings)y, Henry, Chandler, Fisher, Harvey, Fitzhiigh’
[ I arrfott, Davis, Hohertson, Adams, Hiner, Swanson, Mil
1 ter, Zinn, Duptiy, Land, Hart, M’Mahon, Cline, Jcssce,
Bare, Carson, Moncure, Crump, Hargrave, M’Coy.
Keller, Morris,Crockett—GG. J
‘VC9SM- Randolph; Booker, Prooko, Gliolson,
Miell, Daniel, Dickinson, Daly burton, Patteson ot Ches
terfield, Brodnax, Marshall, Stillman, Wood of Frede
rick,Bryce of G., Poston, Koane, Mayo, Dabney, Goode
of Mecklenburg, Webli, Shamls, Carter of P. \V., Cobh,
I oweII, Newton, Kiittierloonl—2l>.
nr.j_ i.i i
The Senate have passed'the hills—to authorise tho rais
ing ol money by lottery lor the purpose ol paving the
streets ol the town ol i- airfax, in tho county of Culpeper_
and with amendments—to amend an act authorising the
Hoard o\ 1’ublic \N oiks to subscribe to the stock <7 the
i [*ctcrsburg Rail Road Company—and to authorise John
IJ. .sharp and Nelson Preston to erect a dam acless Po
well s River, in (he county of Fee. Tho amendments
were agreed to.
On molion ol Mr. McCue, Icavo was given (o tiring in
n bill (o amend an act incorporating the Staunton and Po
tomac Rail Road.
Mr. Marshall, Iroin the Committee of Privileges and
Flections, made a report on tho memorial ol Isaiah Ruck
complaining of the undue election of Henry A. Rymc, a
member returned to serve from the county ol Morgan’—
Hie report is unfavorable to Mr. Ryme’s right to hold i.i<
seat, on the ground of inclegibility.
On motion of Mr. Faulkner in behalf of Mr. Byrne* the
consideration of ibis report was deferred until Wednes
day
On motion of Mr. Rtilherfoord, leave was given lo bring
in a bill, authorizing the Governor lo assign' lo the Attor
ney General an office in the Capitol, lor llie transaction ol
public business.
Petitions were presented—by Mr.M.irsh.ill, of Lawrence
Fcw is, sole surviving ex.-enior of (F orgo Wa-hinglon,
praying lie may be relieved from the further execution of
a certain trust confided to him by his testator, and that the
same may be transferred to other trustees, under the direc
| l,,,‘ Conor,il Assembly—Also a petition of citizens
! ot f auquicr, remonstrating against the establishment of
one ol the separate elections at tiie place designated, and
asking for its establishment at annthur place.
On motion ol Mr. Marshall, a hill authorizing twosepa
rato elections in tho County of Fauquier, was taken up
and committed. 1
On motion of Mr. McCue, leave was given to bring in
a lull, to amend an not incorporating the Staunton amt Po
tomac Rail Road Company.
On motion el Mr. Moiicurc the bill (o amend an acl to
incorporate a company lo construct a turnpike road from
I be North of (he Rappahannock lo Potomac Creek, with
the amendments of the Senate, was taken up, and the
amendments having boon amended on motion of Mr.
Moncure, were agreed to.
SLAVES AND EREE NET,ROE*.
On motion ol Air. Sims (be Fill to amend several acts
regulating tho police laws concerning slaves, free negroes
and miilnttocs, as reported by the Select Committee with
amendments, was taken up, and the amendments of the
committee were agreed to.
On motion ot Mr. Carter of P. \V., the -l(li section of the
bill was amended by striking from the following sentence
Jii<» words in italics: “No free negro or mulatto shall
hereafter ho capable ol purchasing, or othcricmc oc
qwnng a title lo any real estate, &.c.
Mr. ihown moved to amend the seventh section by
the; insertion ol a clause, prohibiting slave mechanics
from going at large ami making bargains lor work,
w ithout the privity of their masters.
'Ibis motion was opposed by Mr. Booker, who argued
that such a provision would prtxluce great inconvenience—
and was agreed to.
Mr. im><!n«tx moved to amend the same section, so as to j
permit tree negro tradesman or mechanic* to teach their i
trades to their own children, which was Agreed in.
.Mr. Carter ol i’. >\ ., moved fn amend the following
sentence in the wine •cciion—“Nor shall any slave, free
negro or mulatto, hereafter he employed, or act as a musi
cian to any military company,” fcc., hy inserting between
the Words any and s/urethc word such,—referring to those
who shall have refused to he removed hy the public means.
This motion was opposed by Messrs, lirodnax, Houne and
(ihoi«on, and supported hy Mr. Cartcrof I*. \V\, when it
was rejected.
Mr. Bolling moved the rc-eonsideration ol the vote on
an amendment ol the committee prohibiting masters and
owners of coasting vessels trading to ports north of Balti
inore, from employing on hoard slaves and tree negroes.
Considerable delude arose on this motion, which was sup
ported hv Messrs. Bolling, .lone* and ( handler,and oppos
ed hy Messrs. Hrodnax, Williams and Handolph. The
motion was negatived, Ayes 31, NoesWt.
On motion ol \fr. Marshall, llie ffth section was stricken
*>ut |prohibiting slaves and free negroes horn selling spi
rituous li<|uorimdcr certain circumstances—J a similar re
striction being provided in the law regulating licenses.
Mr. Bare moved the. indefinite postponement of the Bill,
which was rejected, Aye* M, Noes 72.
On motion ol Mr. Miller the IHtb section, being as fed
lows, was stricken ont—“Hereafter no court ke. shall
grant any license to any per- in whatever, to keep a tavern,
or retail groceries unless the party applying tor sm h li-1
cense mH make oath, to lie entered on record, that ho or j
| she had not sold lupiors to any slave, contrary fn the pro
vi ions of this act since its pa-sage, and that he or she
j would not do so during the continuance of the license ”
Mr. Newton moved to strike out f he 5th section prohibi
I ting free negroes from selling any thing whatever, with'
j out exhibiting a written certifirate of two free holders that)
; the articles were raised or owned hy such free negro_'
! and insert a substitute confining such prohibition to agri- j
\culturnt products or stock A^raed to
7 ''I - 1 ' I
mg from the follow ing p»-s#re, -“now lute pet von, IreeY.v
gro or mulatto,chilli buy. Ml, or receive, ol, to or Irom a
slave, any <»ni,nodity tcAuhtur, without the written con
| sent of tin* master, fee.”—the words m italic, and inserting
in their place “agiicultur.il productions, stock or low Is ’*—
1 Rejected.
Air. Moore moved to strike out a clause in the 3.) sec
tion winch prohibits a tree negro from going out o| tbo
•■oiuity in which he resides without a certificate, He.—
Kejected.
r n f" 1J£,n~n rf*° fo »no^o the indefinite postponement
ol t .<• bill.ohsers ing that tin* iiiiirndinents it had already
undergone, reminded him ol tl»v attempt ol the black
Mii.th to ineed tl.e broken legof . dog. it. doing which bo
broke it in two o'ucr places.
r^»,tc»v'a »VV T!"1'’'' Afcssrs. Brudrvx ami Cartel*
ot 1 . Mi. Johnson withdrew liis motion
<>.. motion ot Mr. Caldwell, the HI. section was
»sl hv lidding to the passage declaring the disability ol ;r
tree negro Irom “purcliXMi.g or liking, or otherw ise ac
quiring title or ownership permanent o. temporal v, to any
slave, the w ords “except their w ives or children.”—Tine
section was timber amended on motion ol Mr. Bryce.
’Hie hill being oil its engrossment, tlm ayes and noc*
were ordered cm motion of i r. /inn, and it was passed
to be engrossed lor a third reailing, as follows:
UK f,7%ll|?‘f<i f,?nk** (Speaker,) Grim.Id-, Wood oT
Albemarle, Randolph, Booker, Garland, Brooke, Camp
l.cll ol Bedlonl, Anderson mid Wilson ol Botetourt, Ul.ol
sim, bliell, ! atteson ot Buekiiigbum, Rives, Daniel, Dick
mson, I lalyburton, Richardson, Puttc-son ol Chesterfield,
. . iidleb." Jtroadus W dson ol Cumberland. Brodm.x,
. ..us, Ball Marsh.. I, Milln.un, Smith ol Gloucester,
C M ^000l: a.V: - h,,ki"'-. Spencer, Bruce, Sims,
Roam-, Mullen, Williams, Mayo.Gravely, Jordan, Slieild,
■.illaber. Berry, Summers, llarwom1. Curler ot L. St R ,
AI.en, M Hh.ii.ey, Lomdoxtcr, Hudgins, Smith ol M. H.
I., Preston, Webb. Clutodler, Leigh. Fisher Him.i
Andeison Ol Filsdiiigh. D.ivK Witcher,’Swanson'
i Idler, Duj.uy, Laud, SI, tuds, Carter ol P. W ., Moore
t m-o", Cohh Powell. Crump, Margrave. M’Coy, Keller,
New Ion, Crockett, king, Brown and Hutlici foord—79.
.• , ?n :r"\ ,,1?'m*"r’ Al’Cue,Cameron,FauTkucr,
Good ol IL, t ainp.iell of B., Spurlock, Chiilou, Stephen’
s-.'.’ Meims, Mule and Wood* ol F., Wootl und Brvccof
Livd., Smdmv, ll.nl <;., Carskmlon, Poston, Johnson,
.lays t oid.dl ( aldtvcll, Btllingsly, llenry, Vawter, Par
•V.!“',,*v,,l,«’r./•!»•». I*«H, M’iM.ihon, Cline, Jcssee,.
J>JWi ;iii«l 4M01!
Tim lull making provision for tl.e redemption of lands
delinquent for non-payment of tuxes, was taken .... w ith
the amendment* reported Iron, the Select Committee,
WilliIi were severally itgrceil (o.
Mr. Krskine moved m amend tl.e lull *0 as to exempt
tho 1 ounty ot Greenbrier from its dft. ration. Tl.is motion
was opposed l.y Messrs Summers and Preston, und was
rejected.
Alter having been amended on motion or Messrs Pro
ton m.d Snnuners, tl.e bill w as ordered to be engrossed.
1 he following engrossed bills were r.-ad a third lime, and
passed:—to ...corporate the Sl.adwell Mauuluclu.ing
Lompany—Ituorporuting the Barbour*\ ille Toll Brideu
( ompaiiy—appoiming T.at-tees of the Town of Warden.
v.lle-chang.ng the pfaec of balding a separate election
in the county ol Hardy, &c.
An engrossed bill concerning memorials of deed, and
other writings, was taken up, on motion ol Mr. Brodnax.
and, tin- blanks having been filled, it wax, on it* possa-o,
rejected. 1 n r
On motion of Mr. Allen, the House adjourned.
A t a meeting of the citizens ol Norfolk county, friendly
to the rc-eleclion or ANDREW JACKSON to the 1>J
stdcncy ol tho United States, held at the Court-house, on
l hursday, the 23d in-t.. Den. John Hodges was called
to the Chair, mid II. Roiiinso.v appointed Secretary._
I lie o >joct of the meeting Inning been briefly staled, no
on motion of Jon n U . Mdhiiauoh, Esq. tlio following
prcamhlo and resolutions were adopted:
... l“-r.cas B» adjourned meeting ol the members of tho
, c „gislature is to he In-Id on (he 2Sth inst. to nomi
nate a I resident and Vice President of the United States,
fi-om the Itli of March, 1833, and tolbrn. an Electoral Tick
et tor the Mate; and whereas, tlio Delegates lrom this
cwunty are opposed to the republican party, and uro un
willing to attend such meeting;
Resolved, therefore. That Col. Moiidecai Cooke and’
. .v,1 **L, AM he, and they are hereby, appoint
ed Delegates to represent the republican patty of this
county in said adjourned meeting, to ho held in Richmond,
on the 28th inst.
And upon motion of Col. M. Joiipan, tho following re
solutions were also adopted, viz:
Resolved, That this meeting have untlimtalfthod conli
dcnccin the talents, Integrity and patriotism of onr pro*
sent ( net Magistrate; highly aprove of his administration;
and fully concurring in the numerous recommendations
tor lu- re-election, will, i:i concert with the Republican
party throughout the Union, use all honorable moans lor
its promotion.
Resolved, That tlio unparalleled success of his negotia
tions abroad, his luminous expositions to Congress ol our
relations, both foreign and domestic, reflect upon our
count ry and himself the highest’honor, command the ad
miration of the wo. Id, n„d ,„,t at defiance the low in
trigues and machinations of his enemies.
I. TI'at,0Ur Delegates in the Convention to ho
held Richmond, are hereby authorised (if in their opin
ion It Should seem expedient,) to delegate the power of
nominating a \ icc President of the United States to tho
Republican Convention to be held for that purpose in tho
t itv ol H.iKimorc. 1
Rest deed. That a ropy of tho proceedings of this mcct
ng, signed by the ( hamiinn and Secretary, ho furnish.-.!
tho Editors of earl, of tho Norfolk p-.peis, with a request
lor the publication ol the raine.
Ami then, on motion, (he meeting adjourned.
„ JOHN llODGES, Chairman.
riENnv Rouinhov, Secretary.
rrWe arc requested to state that William C. Scolf Is
a candidate to represent the county of Powhatan, in the
xu'.vi I 01 \ irginia.
DEATHS.
balmrU hy nil wlm know l„m Jnmlnry, Kiohard Ovnrion
F,kt-.! ri.8,,imkl’i,„,.,','2on'‘ ,l"nC0 in "r eunotv of Olooenrter. on
riHi.tj (n< lUih in»t , niter ti •evem mu) immfrrt it ni.«. »>.• ,
' aptnui folini:. T»mliir».-The rhnraoli-r nfo.,r (lepnrtcil frion-lVo"
r "o vain euloK.,.m to r.nl.lnz.m i.n ...cuich. on' i, looXi/ r
triftfuctionfl, thi* il. c*a*. <1 wn* I'crupiilou'lv correct in tii« frinmlihii*
ho wn* nnlcM umi awenrr. m hi* rnnnm»r« in. wn* m;i,i » . n. I*
oan nci|fhhour hn wa. <-h-iriiahln awtnbliifinz- in h rnAlatr'irrI* h.
«•„, ohrr.fnl nn-l rid,Is. h,. ronrrr.a.hm^v". 0,0 Xte?ill
ViV.Vn r* i;r ""p •«■**"» i»trr.,i w,,y
i / i . . ' Mtglil olilr.olnunn h i* swrpi »V.„n snrin.y onn ol Ihw
na. '"T «»»». IucmI hand of d„.h „
*n Kumid ivh.nl. p.-rh,.,,. will novr, t,„ fr,..i,r.|. ||„ Wll, ,.n
rtowr.l ,th on into I hr. I of .hr Ii,.. n,which ho ^
Ijrmmily to improve u wn. .hr ii.ii-.,r» of f.itur., di.tit.n.ion ...... ..
I,ilno..— hot ,1 hnt [drc.rrf nn in.i-r.i-alVo Providoncn lo r. .novo hint
frorn (I... ynln .» t. nr* M l ws h .vr tho consnlmi.in to hop,, f„m,
!* n-ifosp ri of hi* i.ro ..nd Ihnmnny vir-u... which ho eomh.n.,1 ihw
hr ha. goon ton world Hint ... n„ l„„,hlo It,, ha. |«f,
IT?1 ^WO>rnt iinlittirly ilnntl) ^ *
biggers
EXCHANGE ff TOTTERY OFFICE,
RICHMOND, Va.
Virginia \\ Sicclin^ l.olln v ]\o. 2,
Drew in iliu City of Richmond, Friday, Fob. 24th insi
27- 50 3t 11 ,,i •'(! 311 38
0TN°. 27, 31, 50, (lie highest capital prize ot *10,000
was «old fo a gontleanan of Richmond.
tr> No. I I, l(i, 38, prize of $1,000, sold lo a Member
of 11 if* I*r#Mnturf*.
n ; ‘No, 3, 11,60, *old In a gentleman of the City • All
Hie above capitals were sold and paid at sight, as usual, in
a few minutes after the drawing was completed—they
he seen together, with six other capitals *oh| nnd p-rrd at
sight during the last week, at IIiugkr'h Office.
. *20,000 ( apital—and 100 prizes of $1,000.
\ ii^inia I». Su.imp B,oiicry i\<>- 4.
To he drawn in the City of Richmond, Friday, U>th
.March, 1832.
fib No. lottery—10 drawn hallots.
CAPITA LS.
1 Prize of $20,000 is $20,000
•. 10,000 ... 10,000
*. 5,000 - - 5,000
1 3,000 ... 3,000
R’fi.i,ooo . . . ioo.ooo
Tickets $10, Halves *5, Quarters #2 50.
P.iour.H continues to sell and pay at sight most of the
f 'i|iif.tl Prize?, ;iiifI In |Hirrfi:i«e almost every rlrgrripiion
ot Cnenrrent Rank Notes on the most liberal terms.
II 1 Orders meet the most prompt attention, and the Offi
ri.d drawing forwarded to all those who may desire it
1 • !" I ;i<> B. BIO Of it
nioimlTi office.
I» India £ 3,ol (cry, flaws \o.
D hawn N it mn r n s
50 31 II |(i fiO :i 14 3*.
3 11 14, < apital Prize of $300 sold at this office, mak
Ur„ sj\ capitals witlnn a few .lays.
Friday, March 2nd I’KTERfiRURO LOTTERY,
( i.Ass No. 2. to lie drawn at Itichlnond—Capitals $10 !
0‘tO, 4,000, 2,500, 2.000, 1,800. 1,500, 5 of 1,000, Kr.-^
Tickets $>.
Monday, March 515a—At Norfolk, WFI.LSBURO
LOTTKHV, Extra Ci.ass No. 2.— $10,000. 2,600
2.000. 1.200. 1.022. 2 of 1,000. Ke_Tickets $4
Friday. March 9th.- At Richmond. 'V F.LLSBTTRft
Col li.HV. Ci.ass No. 2.—Capitals $12,000, 5,000.
1.270, o of 1,000, &(*,—»'Tickets $4.
[I i Orders from the country, enclosing cn«h, promptly
attended to. as usual, by If BID'VRLL.
4/5 f)oor hejntr the Market, Main Street.
Feb. 28. . 04 -tf