Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-03-01
RICHMOND, M "a RUA I.
VIRGINIA.

&iSaMoMO, w "a RGA /.
VIRGINIA,
We comply with The request Of Judge Coa,,er
IN idyii: the following letter before our readers
although the biiin question has received its couD
se grace IN The Senate, by equal division of that
'o''y'--hc nave taken no part in this question:
out there is one suggestion in judge toalter's
note, which calls upa train of reflections on the
CONDITION OF our native State, that We cannot al o.
%e'her suppress. He proposes the meeting of a
Ioh"cntioh 10 itc place during the present year
Tor the purpose OF taking into confederation the In
'cthai improvement of the State. But neither
'his nor the great question of amending the Con-
sutuon of, lc State, is the only topic which calls
Tor the talents of her citizens
In what way the public mind is 10 he most CT
ieciually reused upon the condition oil Virginia il
Is not Tor US TO deternine-but reused il ought 60
bc--rouscd il must be, if we mean TO redeem our
serves rom our falling state For, disguise it as
we VIII, the melancholy embarrassmcnts the
benumbng poverty and the broken spirits of this
venerable Commonwealth cannot longer be con-
ccaied or CLOSED over. Compared with some Of
our SISTER States; with New York, Pennsylvania,
and Ohio, for example, the contrast is most strik-
ing ami most humiliating. In van are the politi-
cal principles OF cur citizens founded upon the rock
OF tue constitution; in vain are our politicians dis
unGuished IN the councils of their country; in
VAN are our citizens free, high-minded and hos
pitaule-poyerty seems TO have stricken our land
ana the spirit of Improvement has fed 20 more
enterprising states. Whether il be the tariff
whether it be the stoppagc Of the West India
trade; whether II be the curse OF slavery; the
unSkiliui state OF our agriculture, the want OF
manufactures TO clothe our citizens and our labor
/ ers; the improvidcnt expenditure of our Fund
| Tor internal improvement, the want of skill Will,
which 1t has too frequently been conducted,
ana inc torpor & depression which have been gen
Grated by our I'LL success; whether be our Weld
| ing up almost the whole of cur foreign COM
inercc, and most Of our carrying trade, into The
hands OF the capitalists of the north; whether
De mat our citizens ere wont 10 live beyond
their means-or whether il be owing 10 other & all
these circumstances combined torether il il
not necessary at present TO exaiunc-but the
melancholy result presses upon us with irresistible
force: we see the mischief which is produced
We feel for the endorsements of orr falloyy-ci
items. Something must be done 20 retrieve our
misiorfunes We must sc awake, arise or be for
ever fallen. We speak these things with inex-
pressihic pain BUTT is not by fiattering the pride
or PFejuoices oil the people, that we are to mend
our condition. Truth is like medicine-nauseous
10 The taste, but most salutary in its operations
We have for time been most anxious
! 10 address our fellow citizens upon their ac
,uai condition We gave such pledge in Sep
TENDER last; but tile heat of the Presidential CON
test enSued-and then the detail Of the Proceed
ingS OF the Legislature.-We Welded TO the INN mr.
lance oil both-We know of no duty more solernnlv
oinqing upon every good citizen than drive mad
ana hschievous administration from the seats of
power. Liberty itself is not safe under such
gloomy auspices But other cases, among them
the condition of Virginia, demand attention-and
we shall seize the first favorable pport-nity of
lnying series oipapers upon these topics before
our fellow citizens.
TO the Editors Of the Erq,1;rer.
Although my letter 10 Mr.. Cabell (Which was
put into your hands on Monday LAST could not be
inserted IN your paper, in consequence OF pres
sure of other matter, until the vote has baen :, =
ken, and the question decided in the Senate VET !
hope you will publish it, as soon as YOU can. nre
liXing this note that il may be seen why it is noy
I published.
| know no. whether the editors OF other r,,e-s
have thought The subject of sufficient conseoIence
10 notice the efforts of an humble individual IN
preserve TO the State those rights, which nc had
hoped were inalienable from posterity; but trust
they VIII give room at least TO this, my last styug-
am the more DESTROYS for this, because am
satisfied the time is come for Virginia either
TO assert and secure to herself those rights, and
Win them the integrity and harmony of the
state, or forever abandon them. | am also per-
iecty satisfied, that she can preserve them and ~
The same time enrich her citizens and MACE her
self in that position, which she OUGHT 10 hold in
The Union, without the least difficulty or dancer
~ mere couid only be some kind of concert be-
tween the different sections of the country.
10 this end, most respectfully suggest the mo-
Prety OF our turning attention TO this subject
so that at the ensu.Sg elections or in some other
way, gentlemen, having the confidence of the
people, at least from each Senatorial District eIorJd
be prevailed on to meet each other In the co,,rse
OF the Summer, and concert such measures as ,n,,
ascertain what are the wishes and views NJ tIs
people on this subject wy
Something of this nature, at the present iunc-
lure, may save our country and posterity from in
terminable years of poverty, Degradation. dis
Hnen'6eTn1ent, and every other evil attendant on
such train. '"
aour obedient servant
JOHN CoALTER.
. az
To JosErH Q. CABELL, Esq.
Member Of tie Senate Of "a
Dear Sir:--l ain much obliged to you for puftipg
into my hands the bill that has passed the Hons
OF Representatives, the subject of the B,ltinore
haii-Toad, with request that would suggest
any thing which mightoccur to me as TO the man
ner in which 1t ought to be guarded
will not say this course by Won * fatterin,, 70
me, Tor it was not intended, nor is it taken in anv
such way You have long known nv zeal i'm re-
gard to the Improvement Of our rivers and esne
cially the James river, with view TO tho W..
ern trade: That, as President of the James River
Company, had witnessed the efforts and eesira
OF the state, TO get ciedr If that corDoynf;ou
which stood as barrier to that Improvement.
and as had appeared before the Legislature. i,,
dteiaHdfty demonstrating against the act Of the
last session, as counieracting that policy and IN,
Just 70 virginia, and petoning for a repeal there
Of you, no doubt, considered It an act of ;,,st;c
10 nc, as the solitary individual, thus couI,;ffed
before the public subject 50 interesting,
In my address 10 the members e. IA Rockbrid,,e
say, - VIII die IN The last ditch i'm defence or
ibis portion Of our State Rights" / ann nov ~
mar dHci, and feel under great obligations 10
you Tor enabling TO die, Ike q man ~ ms, noe,
making what battle cam f''''
Hitherto, had only considered The great ont.
lines and general bearing of fhc acfs .S,...;'