Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-01-24

been lad OFT by nature into four grand di.
visions; the Isl extending from the sea-
board westwardly, 10 an ideal line, or the
great post road If you please, crossing at
or near the head of tide water the I'd
consists of that wealthy and populous
country lying betwixt the road aforesaid
and the Blue Ridge the Sd compre-
hcnds that tract of couHfry lying be-
twixt the Blue Ridge and the Allegany
mountain. rich in soil, cultivation, health
and population; the iih embraces all the
territory belonging 10 Virginia lying be-
twiXt the Allegany mountain and The riv-
| er OHIO, much of ii mountainous and
| rugged, TO be sure, but that is abun-
| dainty compensated by the extensive
range IN the mountains, (fOr the iufabi-
tants are graZiers,) the uncommon fertli-
! ~ of the soil, exhaustless salines shaded
| by mountains of coal, more genial eli
mate than falls TO the lot Of the middle
regions of Virginia, perpetual influx of
| new inhabitants, and To crown the whole,
| the entire western boundary washed BY
the most beautiful, (and To its size) The
most safe and navigable river IN the
| world.
Your committee state those sections
of country, bounded as aforesaid. extend
the whole length of the state of Virginia,
running say from north 10 south. Nor
can they conceal their surprise and re-
gret, that on looking for Richnond, the
seat otgOvernment for this extensive ter
ritorv, she Is at length discovered stand
ing on some gravely points overlooking
an immense shoal on James river,
| little above tide water, on the very mar
gan OF the first mentioned division within
sixty fI' e or seventy miles ofth state of
Mary land, and about l25 or 100 ofNorth
Carolina-that from Richmond TO the
extreme part of Wood county, is four
hundred aud fifty miles-that from Rici,-f
| mond TO the extreme boundary of Mason
| OH the Ohio river by Point Pleasant, (the
ousy practicable rOute,) Is four hundred
and thirty miles-to the extreme point of
Brooke county on the north west of Vir-
GINA is four hundred and tllirty-and
from Richmond to the furthest point of
Lee county, our south western boundary,
| rs four hundred and forty miles those
Instances have been ascertained with the
| greatest certainty in the reach of Your
committee, generally from the mileage
claimed by the delegation from the res
pectlve counties.
Your committee, from unhappy expo
rIence, are Induced TO believe, the CITY Of
Richmond is too much exposed TO inva-
sion from foreign, and unfortunately too
sufficient pledges for the security of the
capitol, the treasury, the archives ofstate,
the public property or the safety of our
great establishments, the armory and pc
nltentlary and that by removal of such
of those as could be removed into the in
terror, and aprudent disposition ofthose
which could not, and the erection of 9TH
| ers III d place of safety, Richmond would
present fewer incentives 10 foreign anl6i-
ton, and less prospect of success TO inter
nal ins,1rection and our fellow citizens
there, and in the vicinage be left i'm the
more secure enjoyment ofthat wealth and
those advantages which their fortunate ST.
luatIon and an indulgent providence hath
| iayished on them.
Your committee further state, as their
opiRIon, that the great banking and
| commercial establishments at Richmond,
her unexampled prosperity and increase
| IN wealth, improvements and population,
her Inequalities, amusemenis and per-
petuai excltementSt to pleasure, are at least
| nlJ9fendiy TO cool, unbiased and digni-
! fed legislation.
| And lastly, they owe it to themselves,
| to this house, and their country 10 state,
| that further perseverance in DENYING 10
our western brethren an equal participa-
| ton IN tile rights and privileges of our
common government, the happy result
of orr mutual efforts, would be viola
| ton OF justice so palpable, prosiration
OF equal right and privilege so entire, as
would justly jeopardize the integrity of
| the state for your committee cannot for
moment believe that menwho have bled
| IN our struggle for political existence.
who understand their rights Il appreciate
| their value, will long consent 10 bear the
ilardships and deprvations under which
| they stagger, and wish now to redress :;
much less will they entail them on pos
terty.
ReSotred therefore, as the opinion of this
! committee, that, the seat Of government
ought TO be removed from the CITY of Rich
mond TO some point nest of the Blue Ridge
which shall unite as near as possible The
centres of population and te,7it0py having
due regard TO the certain increase of DO
puiation, TO the west, and that a special
committee be appointed, whose duty il
shall be forthwith to report bill defining
the time when, the place TO, and the CON
ditiohs on which this removal shall take
| place.
The substitute being read, Mr.. Miller Of
! Powhatan expressed with much feeling his
objection TO certain expressions used in 1.-THE
deprecated IN the strongest terms the idea of
voting under any thTeat-such as the substitute
| threw out, OF dividing the state unless the seat
! OF government was removeh.--Mr. Blackburn
disclalmed any such ntention--he expressed the
strongest attachment to Virginia, to which he
was proud to belong-the strongest anxiety for
her union and indysibiity--he said his cas-
tern brethren must not drive us (the people of
| the vest too far-they must not goad them too
much for it they continued TO deny them
their Just rights, they would throw themselves
into the arms of some of our sister states
though nothing but the most desperate suffer.
ing would make him consent to belong to ano.
| theT government.
MIR. Scott, to get rid Of the whole subject at