Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-03-15

look, his native land as the source Of s.sienancc
Of joy, and OF hope.
But perhaps 1t can he shewn, that the toposraph
cal situation of Richmond places her beyond the
reach OF danger from foreign domestic foes Do
mol suspect me of tanning the misiortunes the
tears oil my brethren-thc Ideals repusive TO my.
heart Ii is with pain read tho page Of history
which tells Us, that in the immortal Struggle for An,c-
rcan treedon when a holy fire gowcd 10 every pa
tioi bosom when the of the strung and the pray
crs OF the weak raised Tor their devoted couu-
try, scoundrel renegade. chief. with handful of
ruthan thieves, poaied the capitol nj Virginia, SEA,
tered her councils 20 the Winds piuudercd and
burnt the public stores and ,ramped ,nlo dus, aud
! ashes her archives and her laws With nnslc,
feelings OF indignaton, of pity and regret remem-
her the CONSERVATION produced in Richmond, IN the
last war, by the threatened approach of barbarous
enemy-w!icn no sufficient nj hand To
protect the public halls and the domestic hearth
whcnthe honor of the state, the monuments of ner
pride, the decrepiude Of age, the fechleness of in
| iancy, and the dccacy of womanhood, law EXPOSED
10 degradation, TO sack and TO slaughter | mus; he
pardoned. too, for never forgetting that awful night,
when IN tune of profound peace g. needless securi'y
tue 'ocsn oil alarm rca,bled through the howiings OF
The raging tempest, and the flashes of heaven threw
back the deepest darkness from the sword Of the fl,
tier the husband, aud the son, and the pallid qui-
vc'ing cheek OF the mother, the wife, and the ,ns i
ter.
| twill scarcely he urged, that although Richmond
may not Ia the most desirable situation as regards
hruy oil legislation or security from enemies foreign
ana domestic, yet these disadvantages are conlpens-
tea ny the greater ECONOMY which may he there en-
1oyed IA the public expenditures. | will not insult
you ny en'innirr, whether Virginia is bankrupt in
her finances, aud unable 10 deiray the expenses of
government wherever she NAV choose TO establish
her capitol or by asking YOU whether the fame and
honor ut your beloved native land is to be sacrificed
10 penny-saving policy But will ask a question
winch can give no umbrage those elevated feelings
KNOW You 60 possess Is the fact notorious as
the sun which gives light your eyes, thai Richmond
rs ono eli the most expensive towns in the common
wealth, and thu, the prices of ,our aud of all the
I of III,
detatc IN various other qunrie,s Of the state The
obVous result of favorable change in this particular
would he, That the compeDsalions many public Of
HcfIS would he enhanced in value, though NOT IN n
mount or that the dimnution of salaries so arlenty
desired by some politicians, might lie effected, with
"ut mourning the in'ruaion either Of injustice or of
p"rNimony IL may he farther observed To those who
10 not regard the bricks and tiles of our public build
| nss win degree ofvencration due only To the con
siution and the laws that twhort ak king inn view
me produce oil snes) tho saving in Legislative expen-
ses "one, IVY me mere change OF winter for summer
sessions, ~ond IN itself ba SUFFICIENT in the course
oil lew years, to erect other buildings equally IL NOT
more, commndious, and not inferior in point OF splen-
dor, should that be considered a necessary anpen-
| dnge of repubicansm.
! But why do fatigue you, by even these cursory
views oi The general interests OF the state? If il can
De shewn that The principles Of equality and Justice
demand that the seat of government shall 10 more
convenient to large and faithful portion of the pco-
PIE, Is not the burden OF proof on all other points
thrown upon tho shoulders OF those who are ilmicai
! IN removal?
IL is evident that, in the nature Of things no loca
tion oi the capitol can he made equally convenient 10
every citizen nut II is not the less Incumbent 60
VerheEt 10 select that situation, which will he equal.
~ coinnotiIous 10 all, far circumstances will
permit, u The question where the metropolis should
ne established we're now presented for the FIRST time
proposition To place il on the eastern shore of the
chesapeake, or The hanks of the Ohio would he
heard with we'll merited derison II is manifest tl,at
io most u'iy equ'iabe criterion, IS 10 prefer that
Su"'"ie point winch shall approach the 10 q
al
ing duo regard to the topography of tie erritory and
the nature OF the population
N"rn we look nj the map Of Virynia, we find the
nuGeSi portion oil her territory lying of the Blue
'tidge, and that although nature has there scattered
her houniies with liberal hand she has in many in
Stances sacrificed convenience To salubry and graz.
deur. We often see the vcrtlaut dale and fruitful
pain i'ounded Ivy the towering mountain, and inter.
Sected by tie roaring torrent Would any one he SO
''hShta rs to rontend that due proper ton OF ac-
coNi"ooa''on would he afforded 20 the inhabitants
ol such county by equal degree Of nronn-
qny TO the metropolis of the state When we con.
s.uef, moreover, the relative population in this div
SION OF the commonwealth, ascertain that an ad.
ulUoh 10 the white inhabitants of little more than one
seventh OF the number in the state would rive an =,
mount equal TO the whole white population in The
country east of the Blue Ridge. Conneciinn this ca.
innate WIN ne greater extent of wcsern territory
ana The rugged face Of the country, ask whether n
decent regard 10 justice does require the remov
~ oi me seat OF government many miles 10 the north
"es OF richmond The iDioerhle hardship ol the pre-
H.. kl-
din9 TO the white population Of the Blue Ridge
NAT ct The counties bordering on the eastern base
Aou will perceive the result 10 he that the aggregate
amount will exceed the number of white c;,;9 ens
still father east by sum not far short of fftv thon
sand souls And this calculation il must he kent in
'hu' excludes altogether several other eastern cotn
IVES WHEN would tie better accommodated than they
now are, by a more central location
lhe grievance, prodigious in ITSELF IS progressing
WIN rapid Strides and, IN the opinion of not a fe W
persons, almost beyond the potato endurance. Ever
g. frat soil ta,.r I'll
pnation has been flowing TO the west and thcra ;s
every reason to believe will conn.e in thai direr
ton Large tracts Of western lands remain TO be |
settled and many fernla districts are still bu tb,v
peopicd' Inc fruits OF the earth are moi Consumed
by Groves OF slaves, but furnish the abundant means
o. lnercmcni almost exclusively, TO robus, and hardy
lIee "ni'e SIIzchs We may Judge Of the future Nv
ihe past The Increase Of white populalion west of
the Blue Ridge since the census of 1910 il 40 S91
whilst tliit Of Tic white population east of the Blue
ih"ige, W. Tie same period, is only 44f3 and the
Us TO be iound principally, If not altogether in the
eastern Counties atJaceni TO the Blue Ridge
When We rencsi upon the geographical situation |
OF 'tchDonc there needs no map 10 tell us that il is |
lsr, very lar, removed from The of territory
One days ride will take You thence 70 the pearest
point oi the North Carolina or MARYLAND boundary
hu is The ardnous and precautions Journey of from
one to two wesks TO yeaoh the line OF Pennsylvania
hrniHckI, ONO, or ICnpessee. The centre Of popu-
lahon IS stu more rsmoe. II you draw line from
Worth Sroinn, d,Ie north, through Richmond 10 the |
hnprn''annock, near Fredericksburg, and thence |
urn eastward To the Potomac, you have tolerably
coniPac, district Of land md water 10 the east which
probably does moi comprze than one sixth part
Of The white population OF Virginia The fact IS that
whoever wil take tie pains ~ moments enquiry, /
vii end, that IL tho country east of the Ilue ti1ye
formed distinct state Richmond would be conside-
raby d'stanl fo'n s centre, either oftorrory or of
population.
The question is, fellow citizens whether MAORI |
~ oi those for whom the constitution and the laws
exist, md who are ready to supportibem with their