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General Assembly Vote, January 25, 1832

 

After the Virginia Assembly's vote on January 12, 1832, the debate over slavery raged for several weeks. Once every representative had made his speech and stated his position, it was time for another vote. The General Assembly was going to decide what Virginna would do about abolition and slavery. Before that could happen, Mr. Witcher of Pittsylvania tried to postpone the whole debate and vote indefinitely. After Mr. Witcher failed, the Assembly voted on the Preston amendment and whether the Commonwealth would confront its slavery issues and start the process of emanciaption. 

 

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                On motion of Mr. Wilson of Botetourt, the report and resolution of the committee on the coloured population, heretofore under discussion, together with the amendment thereto proposed by Mr. Preston, was taken up.

 

               The said report and resolution are as follows:

The select committee to whom was referred certain memorials praying the passage of some law providing for the gradual abolition of slavery in this commonwealth, have, according to order, had the same under consideration, and have come to the following resolution thereupon: Resolved as the opinion of this committee, that it is inexpedient, for the present, to make any legislative enactments for the abolition of slavery.

 

               The said amendment offered by Mr. Preston, was to substitute for the resolution of the committee, the following:

 

Resolved as the opinion of this committee, that it is expedient to adopt some legislative enactments for the abolition of slavery.

 

                A motion was made by Mr. Witcher, that the farther consideration of the said report and amendment, be indefinitely postponed; and the question being put thereupon, was determined in the negative.—Ayes 60, noes 71. On motion of Mr. Witcher, (seven of the members present concurring,) Ordered, that the ayes and noes upon he said question be inserted in the journal.

 

[Ayes]

The names of the gentlemen who voted in the affirmative, are Messrs. Banks, (the speaker,) Grinalds, Booker, Campbell of Bedford, Pate, Gholson, Shell, Patteson of Buckingham, Daniel, Halyburton, Richardson, Patteson of Chesterfield, Pendleton, Broadus, Wilson of Cumberland, Brodnax, Ritchie, Ball, Chilton, Stillman, Hale of Franklin, Woods, Bryce of Frederick, Smith of Frederick, Smith of Gloucester, Spencer, Bruce, Sims, Gravely, Jordan, Sheild, Gallaher, Harwood, Hooe, Dabney, Carter of Richmond, Poindexter, Street, Hudgins, Goode, Knox, Webb, Cabell, Fisher, Harvey, Anderson of Nottoway, Davis, Witcher, Swanson, Miller, Dupuy, Land, Shands, Carter of Prince William, Carson, Cobb, Crump, Hargrave, Newton and Brown—60.

 

[Noes]

And the names of the gentlemen who voted in the negative, are Messrs. Drummond, Wood of Albemarle, Randolph, Persinger, Garland, M'Cue, Brooke, Cameron, Faulkner, Good, Anderson of Botetourt, Wilson of Botetourt, Campbell of Brooke, Bolling, Spurlock, Rives, Jones, Marshall, Stephenson, Helms, Wood of Frederick, Snidow, Bryce of Goochland, Hail of Grayson, Erskine, Carskadon, Poston, Roane, Mullen, Williams, Johnson, Mayo, Berry, Summers, Allen, Hays, Lavvson, M'llhaney, Cordell, Caldwell, Smith of Mason, Billingsly, Henry, Vawter, Preston, Chandler, Leigh, Fitzhugh, Parriott, Robertson, Hiner, Gilliland, Zinn, Hart, Moore, M'Dowell, M'Mahon, Cline, Jessee, Kilgore, Bare, Powell, Moncure, Gillespie, M'Coy, M'Culloch, Keller, Morris, Crockett, King and Rutherfoord—71.

 

                The question then recurred upon the adoption of the said amendment, offered by Mr. Preston, and was determined in the negative.—Ayes 58, noes 73. On motion of Mr. Jones, (seven of the members present concurring,) Ordered, that the ayes and noes upon the said question be inserted in the journal.

 

[Ayes]

The names of the gentlemen who voted in the affirmative, are Messrs. Drummond, Randolph, Persinger, Garland, M'Cue, Brooke, Cameron, Faulkner, Good, Anderson of Botetourt, Wilson of Botetourt, Campbell of Brooke, Bolling, Spurlock, Jones, Stephenson, Helms, Wood of Frederick, Snidow, Hail of Grayson, Erskine, Carskadon, Poston, Williams, Johnson, Mayo, Summers, Allen, Hays, Lawson, M'llhaney, Cordell, Caldwell, Smith of Mason, Billingsly, Henry, Vawter, Preston, Fitzhugh, Parriott, Robertson, Hiner, Gilliland, Zinn, Hart, Moore, M'Dowell, M'Mahon, Cline, Jessee, Kilgore, Bare, Gillespie, M'Coy, M'Culloch, Keller, Morris and Crockett—58.

 

[Noes]

And the names of the gentlemen who voted in the negative, are Messrs. Banks, (the speaker,) Grinalds, Wood of Albemarle, Booker, Campbell of Bedford, Pate, Gholson, Shell, Patteson of Buckingham, Rives, Daniel, Halyburton, Richardson, Patteson of Chesterfield, Pendleton, Broadus, Wilson of Cumberland, Brodnax, Ritchie, Ball, Chilton, Marshall, Stillman, Hale of Franklin, Woods, Bryce of Frederick, Smith of Frederick, Smith of Gloucester, Bryce of Goochland, Spencer, Bruce, Sims, Roane, Mullen, Gravely, Jordan, Sheild, Gallaher, Berry, Harwood, Hooe, Dabney, Carter of Richmond, Poindexter, Street, Hudgins, Goode, Knox, Webb, Cabell, Chandler, Leigh, Fisher, Harvey, Anderson of Nottoway, Davis, Witcher, Swanson, Miller, Dupuy, Land, Shands, Carter of Prince William, Carson, Cobb, Powell, Moncure, Crump, Hargrave, Newton, King, Brown and Rutherfoord—73.

 

From Journal of the House of Delegates of the Commonwealth of Virginia 1831-1832 , pp. 109.

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