Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-07-18
ego

In his speech "the bill to graduate tie price OF
pubic lands, under the mead, depopuatiou a; the old
Statcs,' Dir. Benton thus introduces "Oll Virginia "
and gives us rather an hsaorous caricaarc OF Tie tide
water country:
II say then, that it is offence against God and
Nature 10 compel people remain in a country where,
instead of iucTcasing they decreasing; instead OF
multiplying, they subracting; Instead of repenisll-
ing the earth they diminishing and disappearing
from its face for that decrease, sbtractun and dirn
mutton. besides being breach of t.c Divine command
imp!ioS 0 fJol, with all its consequent train of
bodily suffering and disease, intellectual and moral de
Gradltiom, loss of phy steal strength animal courage
and the spirit of Independence. This sIirm To be the
case ot the tide water region of the Atlantic States;
commercial cities, and paticuiar districts OF course
excepted know IL be tie fact that, in this region
tie human anna IS scarccr, and the beasts Of the
rest more plenty ,a their respective species we're be-
tore the a. the Revolution. know il from books
from conversations with aged men, and from persona!
observation. Throughout this extensive region, the
rrogfes of man upon 9TH reversed Every thing
Is 2o.nG backwards and do.nwarls Houses diis riIa
Ted an desereJ fences gone: fields grown up in broom
grass and pine saf!h9s people grown sca!ccr: wild ami
mails more plenty AMI the cuitYator of the EARTH re-
duced, !woud say 10 tie minimum and the rcsihauax
of human Subsistence, # had not heard dcscrp
ton, rather, H had The picture which the
Senator from Virginia, Mr.. Randolph. has drawn Won
1" the misery anu degradation OF the South of Ireland
Hopeless and 0cp!orabe, indeed is The condition the
tenant and cu!FatOr iii this region OF pine sand.
Ia valn docs lie solicit git ana gravel and heartiess
cay, 10 send mp the and which! and beast
demand for tic support OF life Even vegetable man
10 for substitute, aaI, at certain sea-5n affords it
have Just Witnessed an example of the fact. In a
snort excursion winch made INTO the country 4 few
weeks ago, became eyewitness of tie fact OF
wlich had before heari, bat, uut them had net seen
an instance. K net twenty miles from this city
Che Metropolis OF fuur-and twenty Statcs-it was not
very far from 9Iount Vernon the renowned seat OF
Washington. was travelling the high road between
tiiis city AID FIej CksbuTg, when heard ciinkinr
among the stones ON side OF hill, stopped my horse
looked ~, ana !auorCTs engaged, apparently bury
ing something IN the ground, at regular intervals
inquired what they doing? and voice replied
that they were planting asked. what are YOU
buryil+c w!th i?-''ifer1,4g e4dsp-Wbat for:-
" 10 matte The up" How many heads do YOU
put 10 l grain: -"I'C0, SIR" How high does YOUR
corn grow'-''so nigh" measuring upon the eg.l-
low do you gather f'-"ta daSkets.n-I stopped the
dialogue AMI continued my Journey, Eliminating upou
tne which had wiine5sel, and growing stronger
~ my conviction that the country truly rich, truly in
dependent, truly fitted for the production Republicans
the country IN which provisions produced III the
greatest abundance, country in which, the vast
aud magnificent valley Of the Mississippi there is ne
tier count weight e. for any thing thai
given % beast 10 eat. in such country the
animal spirits run high. Master, slave and beast 1--we
at their Each tnows the v,Gtue Z: cribs and
smoke houses cramrsed TO bursting.
Each feels his rights,
"AHH feeling, defcs maintain them"
TnsGa! Of preventing people from gong to such
CJnntIy by putting lands Of their reach it is GER
tHniy the duty Ut a and pa.crnaI Government to
ard tieir removal rJI;"