Speech of James M'Dowell, Jr. (Of in the House of Delegates of Virginia, on the Slave Question: Delivered Saturday January 21, 1832 (Classic Reprint)

Mr. Speaker :T here are many circumstances connected with the protraction of the present debate, which make it, personally, undesirable for me to enter upon it nov. The various bearings of which it is susceptible have been explored; tlie principles on which the decision of it should finally rest, have been stated and examined; the stores of arpument and of fancy have alike been drawn upon to sustain and relieve it the whole ground repeatedly, ably and successfully preoccupied. In this situation, silence, especially by one whose habits commend it to his observance, and whose legislative duties have entirely detached him from the immediate subject of debate, (a debate, too, unexpectedly introduced,) can only b6 broken with positive disadvantage. A nd, sir, I would not break it now; I would not open the lips which discretion should seal, were it not that the question which we are discussing, and the disscussion itself, have brought a crisis on the country; have brought up a measure for decision here, of such eventful influence over the social structure and condition of the State, as to demand, imperatively demand of every member that, guided only by his judgement and his conscience, he should stand forth, firmly and deliberately, and take his position upon it. In doing this, I desire that my reasons may accompany my act. Sir, if there ever was a subject thrown before the public councils of any people, which involved a crisis in their affairs, that subject is before us now, view it in what aspect you can and decide it as you may. It is one whose consequences go more to the peace and power of this Commonwealth; to that of the whole slave-holding portion of our Union possibly to that of the Union itself one which will awaken throughout the Continent of America a deeper response of sympathetic feeling, and will comprehend in its final results, a wider range of oper(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.) Read more