Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-08-10
VIRGINIA.

I'VE extract the following highy complimentary no
ticc OF our State from work entitled Tc,cs oCSo-
c'ety and .hBRerS ia .4nericd in series of Letters
from tat Country to friend in England tIurip the
wears 1918, 1919 and 1870, by English iconaas,'-
IN vol. 8vo. 385 pages, printed in New York from
| the first London edition.
" No state in the Union can point to a longer line
OF public services thar Virginia she rrng Inc frs,
aarum of the Revolution by the mouth of her Patrick
iienry she led the army of patriots in the person of
he's W ashington she issued the declaration of indie
pendence from the pen of her Jefferson she bound
The rst link OF the federal union by the hand of her
Madison she has given TO the republic four of the
pnrest patriots and wsest statesmen that ever steered
the vessel of state.
The policy of this mother of the Union has ALWAYS
been peculiarly magnanimous. She set the examine
to her sister states in sOse ccssons OF territory which
have so richly endowed the general government and
out OF which have arisen sc host OF young repu,-
lies. The cession made by Virginia comprises the
present states of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, with the
territory OF Michigan. For the thousandth part of
such an empire Was here bestowed in free Gift men
have dcuged the earth with blood. We find the IL
berality of Virginia further eyuced in her cnnd,
towards neighborng state, first peoplcd by her Gift;
zens, and subject TO her laws. The manner in which
she released kentucky from her Jurisdictions pointing
out the inconvenience arising to her people from
theIr remoteness from the Virginia capital and en-
couraHn3 her TO erect independent govern
meat, affords beautiful example of national gene
rositv.
g The public spirit Of virginia has iuyoriablv boen
let IN TIC national councils and consequently has
procured 10 her weight of influence more than pro-
poruonate 10 the numerical strength Of her repre-
sentation in congress. There has latterIy been mar
tai hue and cry IN the northern division OF lie Union
ON the subject of The pirgigir igflueYce / can ONLY
say, III the words OF Vermont farmer, who accden-
ally closed IN conversation with me upon affairs of
stHe = Whatever he the Influence Of Virgiuia she
seems to use il well, for surely 20 on very thirty
ngly besides that, see way in which she could
exercise but by coincidng with the feelings OF the
naJorlty Inc words I'.g'afa influence, you will
perceive to mean $50 far they mean any hing) the
accident which has drawn from her commonwealth
our out OF the five presidents who have guided The
councils oGiederal America
know nothing which places the national charac
ter IN itirer point of view that the issue of the prt
sidentia elections. Wa find local preiudccs and even
party feelings aid aside, and the people of this multi
udc of commemorative fixing their ewes on the mos,
distinguished servant of the state and rendering ,b
nobcs tribute 10 his virtues that patriot can receive
or country can bosow. All the chief maoistrots,
OIL inc republic have been veterans of the Revelations
an distinguished no less for their private yrtues tbsn
their public services Ii was thought that ne Virgi
MA had already given three presidents 10 the repubr
strong opposition would have been made TO Colonel
Monroe 30 far from this being the case no presi-
dent w ashlnston eXcepted) was ever more unani-
mousiy chosen and his name is spoken with res
pect, and even affection, from Maine to Missouri
Inc digmhed position taken by Virginia in the
national councils, has placed her at the head of he
republics of the south whose policy il NAV Inc re-
marked, has uniformly been liberal and patriotic
and on all essential points, in accordance with fha;
of the central aud western states. Yha,aycr Lo ,Lo
effects Of black slavery upon the moral character Of
the southern population, and that upon The mass II
must be deadly nIscheyous there can be M ,,uas-
ton, # has never been felt i'm the national senate
ferhaps the arrangement has been prudent. or nj
least fortunate, which has somewhat temnored tLe
democracy of the American government in The soutl
Atlantic states. By the existing constitution of Vr-
gInla aud the states south Of her the qualifications
required OF representative throw the legislative now
CT into the hands OF the more wealthy plapteTs !.
race OF men no less distinguished for the osb III their
manners and education, than for liberal sentiments
and general philanthropy. They are usually well
enough wealth 10 be iospitable and seldom sufficient
to be nTuroHs, and are i,s by education and condi
Ton, raised above the degrading influence which the
possession OF arbitrary power has iIe human mind
and the human heart To tie slight eayen of aristo-
cIacy therefore, thrown into The institutions Of Viz
ginia and the Cdrohuas, we may perhaps attribute
~ part, their generous aud amiabe bearing in the ma
ional councils sc must not omit, however Inc mo
horaiIng eject prodHced BY the spread or education
and the effect Of liberal institutions ON the white no.
pulaion generally. Even before the close of the re-
evolutionary war, Mr.. Jefferson thought " a change
already percoPtbc :" and We have substantial
proof that The change traced by that PHILOSOPHER in
thc character OF his fellow citizens was not inaoipa-
~, the FIRST act Of the Virginia legislature being the
abolition OF the slave-radc MAY She now set an e,
ample TO her ncgboring states, as she tirn did 10
the world by combating stcadiastly the difficulties
which her own fears seish interests may throw in
the waJ Of emancipation !"
The Int unanimous re-eiecfiop Of CoL Monroe
Prorrs INIT me good Turner Of Vernio,r, quoted IN Hs