Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-12-25
G0MWMNrIIWNe
MIR. SUMMERS, spEECU


On THE QUESTION OF REORGANIZATION.
(Dehoered IN Contention, on Friday, ISfh Dec'r)
Mr.. SUMMERS, after inquiring of the President iii
would be in order consider the resolutions ofers,
some time since by the gentleman from Fredericl
(Mr Cooke, and the resolutions offered by tire o. mile
man from Northampton (Mr. Upshur) in connection
with the resolution OF the committee of the whole
now under consideration, and to contrast their
provisions, and being informed that il would he in mr.
der TO do so, addressed the chair in substance as fol-
lows: "
Mr. s. said, he could not longer observe the sill. nee
which he had hitherto imposed upon himseIf in rel,
ton TO the important subject under consideration The
deep interest elt by fifty thousand of his fellow
citizens, in the deliberations of this day and who h,
mad the honor In part to represent this floor forbid il
The happiness and security of their postsrtv IN, hi
It, He came here, he said, persuaded that the neonl
OF Virginia had the unalien bile right 10 alter and r..
form ther government, and 10 di'ect its operation.
when formed this opinion he had not abandoned. II
was one which he never should surrender: necessity
and very lmperious necessity, could alone limit its in
huence that necessity, he thought now existed an Re
was Wiling 10 limit II TO ground less extensive than /,
'eSi na'cy covered Its entire surrender, was how
ever, demanded, and he required 10 aJopt M
principle, that minority Of the people, urder peculiar
circumstances, should govern, control, and direct a
nao,ty Vi 'heir fellow citizens; sacrifice, which he
could not make, which he never would make
Before entering upon the co lsideration of the sub
Jecs before him, he said he would take leave 10 cor
rect some errors, into which gentlemen had fallen
~ had oeen supposed, by the gentleman from Spoit-
N I'M
participation in the Legislation OF the country as deb
oil gratitude, accruing from the blood and ,reasur.
expended In defence OF the Eastern frontier durins
me late war In this, he said the Western people wer
'sapprehendedbeir claims rested other and .,rou
er grouDd.. Debts of gratitude he said we're cancel
led when claimed. That The West asked nothing o
the bounty of their Eastern brethren: thew invoke,
,nep Jusuce ony The gentleman from Spo,tsylvanis
he sad mad, however, kindly pointed TO the benef
cent conduct oil our Eastern brethren, on two occas
ons when he supposed, that as far gratitude was con
cerned, tue account was settled. The first was IN,
distribution OF the literal fund according 10 white no
pu'auoh; the second the saving OF the Yves, from In,
permcous effects OF ga splendid scheme of banking
rejected by the Legislature few years since.
AS 10 the hrst MIR. S. remarked, that the poicy o
the East forbade the education of their slaves and a
white children the only objects of the m,bIi,
bounty lett, 1t resulted necessarily, that this bount,
should be distributed with reference to the number. :,
6e benefited, and without comforting any peculiar
boon, on any particular part of the Common,veal,b
As to the second he saij all must recollect be
nacy with which the Legislature resisted the attemp
which were made, 10 aid The enterprize and indus,
oil The West, by the establishment of few safe and
secure Banks; resistance which BROUGHT into evil
tence, those that founded in iniraction, of tb
laws, without capital and in their ultimate result. mos
snJurious to the country in which they had xstence
mat course OF Legislation followed which left those
unauh0rised banking institutions ia of IN i,
acquisitions, without any means of recovery for tho
great variety OF debts which they had contracted with
The holders OF their notes.
ihiS uebt oi pTuttiuuc paid 10 the Wpst nv
mem ron Banks, was followed in the East by crea
ting and continuing in operation Bank, of vast c,ni,a
extending their branches from The metropolis TO all the
principal towDs-What was 10 have been The curse
OF one quarter oil the Slate was given blessing 10
another lie would not stop 10 inquire how much of
That property for which political power il now claim
ed, had resulted from Bank accommodations Bank nj
vdends Bank salaries; but Judging from the paIac
around us, this Of wealth could mi haze he.,
inconsiderable.
MIR. 5. said when the question of equal represon
tation was presented to this body. il was listed on
the ground. that The slave property of the East could
nor De safely conided TO Western Legislation because
but small proportion Of this property was held in that
part oil the State To resist this obection
the West had referred their Eastern brethren TO The
alacTity with which the men of the mountain. des.
cenued he shores oil the ocean, 10 assist in the de.
fence OF the persons and property of their Eastern bre
lhren; rot as forming claims upon the gratitude but
Tor the purpose of repslling the unwarrsnted ASSUME
lion, that they could not be safely trusted with their
Jus' shae IA tue gcyernn nj OF the country file ask
ed, to whom was this disrust directed! who are the
men, you thus bold unworthy of equal political rights,
SpruOg from the stock their fathers farm
ed the frontier barrier, between your fathers and The
savagos OF the willerness-the descendants nj H.
Campbells and the Prestons-the Iewisss &, ,L nj
nsons-the Lowlhers and the Moreans ALI tlsir o.
quail rights at your hands; and are they e he toll b,
although they are the sons Of Sres who bore yor ay
triumphant against the Indian hordes at the maui, ~
Kanawha and against the no less barbarous ensmv ou
king mountain-wbo stood by you In every pstl and
shared with you in every danger, that thew nua boIJ
colonial inicriority in the Commonwealth becsus,
tbey hold fewer slaves than their brethren in the East
me men whom you cannot now trust with equa
poucal nghts, were not disIusted during the datkes
hours Oh your daOgerWh the cspitaI was fbrea,en
ca curing me ate war, your Governor appealed 10 IN
pa"Io'lsn' o. ihe country for its defence. The Yves
scatcey heard TIE alarm, when corps of avarv void
their intrepid leader, Sleenbergen at their head lei
me ONO snofe Tor the defence The Eastern border
wilson's Company Of Rifiemen left The valley Of IA
nawha for the same destination. The eno1irv ns
not ben made, who paid the greatest or least amoo
OF taxes who owned the greatest or smallest nuobe
OF slaves Their common country was in danger. an
the only question was, where could service be mo-, a.
leetually rendered. As characteristic Of the feeling
that country, he begged leave TO mention single NJ
currenee Of devotion 10 the Commonwealth
young gentlemen, who had just closed their studies a,
about 70 enter on their professional career, IeG n
western frontier on foot, threaded the nazes Of vo,
western mountains, until they reached Jackson's n
ver' Onaeeusiomed TO this mode of travelling
ugneo, BOT not discouraged, they embarked in csno
az Ine mouth OF DuoIaps Creek, encountered the no
lie Of The falls and rapids Of James River. 10 rbic