Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-11-13
MR.. siERCEa'S sPEEC;E-Coxcrvnrp


their own fancy, they were so!cmI realities.
AL tho fonn Nations of property 10 be uproo,-
ed' BY whom BY inca of tSu..al habits, 4ho urc
laboring insessausly, for It's acquisition, who Gun
hope to acQairo it, ONLY, b. The cxcsi.c: u hardy
industry froGi s.rnoorn roll upon uneven cI::n-
Try, and who can hofl aud e:py It whrl acquired
Sis under the same protesting p,w r Of the lawl' =
lilo tables hive nirciy quoted show that proper
~ i; dfuSed, as widely TO thu ST as To tie ca At
aad, consequently the interest whic,. guards it, OK
istcncc. .-
Do not opponents perceive that the argriin ~.
vh,ch they d:duce against the augmentation OF the
power OF the west, that it will be eXorod to tho nrr-
Incc Of the east, may be retorel upon them, uud
Syith the greater force; since they desire keep
that, - Which, they have, in truth, 10 tile; and,
which must consequently be ni1iuia;acd by the ca-
lousy, which ever accompanies injustice.
What, our opPoScnts ask, has the rL!;or'fy to mp
prshend from tie ,nnorty III, vest from Tie ols,a
Tor It the propor, ions OF the people be not thus
truly expressed, the east, rs, i;s nothing fear
from the propoged apportionmcnt of power. What
then hns the West TO ap?rchcnR | answer every
thing from the very alarto expressed by the gentle
men, who make the enquiry, in dread of the ap-
preaching asccndancy OF the wcs? Lave, to dis
courage the improvement OF Il country. whose nha
btants are daily prompted to 'rsakc it, by the temp
tations offered them, in cheaper aI.ds abroad; aud
more liberal institutions, than they find at home
DO you inquire what shall be the provisions of
such laws' Some of them, will borrow from pas, ;
others from our EXISTING code.
wall not speak of the limitation Of suffrage in III.
constitution itself, which dcgratcs the non frect OIL
der to the level of the slave: but will refer YOU to
one OF It's consequences the act OF 75J colonial
tdcfence. When threatened with a French and In
G;an war, the DRAFT for military service vas extended
by the General Assembly, u all persons excep, such
IA we're under 81 and abuve so years of age nd oil
rcSeofdcrs or GoterS, and all iEieated bought
VGnts.
Need 90 so far back1 What is our present body
OF road laws but system Of oppression upon tn.
abouring poor, who taxed in personal service
vel as by levy IN money, equally with the rich, To
hUfhwly thay hlro
tho power to iniure, unless by their foots,eps-
Nay TO work on the roads is duty from which any
proprietor Of Too siUes is exempted Notwithstanding
his use of the road is nenry in the direct proportion
Of his wealth!
What may not say, of that system Of poor laws,
which extends the resources of public charity by
equal tax upon all men, without dist nction OF fortune,
except what may arse from The application of poll
tax, to n country having slaves?
Such arc some of the features of the old code For
thor lot us suppose every other branch of reven-
tie Topped off from our present system, and poll tax
TO be levied the FREQ white inhabitants of the Com
monwcalth without reference to their wealth.
Ifinstead of cherislng it, he desired to keep down
Che West such are the present facilities for descend
ing the river Ohio, and many of its tributaries that,
but litllo ingenuity would make the trans Allegheny
country wilderness, again. &: only for the hnbIta-
ton OF beasts ofprcy.
Gentlemen reason, Us if the only power in govern
ment, taxation; they have represented tho pro
lection of property TO be almost the sole end of lcgs-
llton. They forget the numerous laws, which pro-
tcct tie rights Of persons in peace, well the
more important shield, which they cast around him
IN var
IL cannot have been forgotten that during the last
var, it proposed, and without apparent roa-
10 exempt part Of the militia the sea board,
from miary service, beyond the limits OF their res
pcctive counties; regulation which might have been
extended far g'e=.J t.ie pressure
Of military duty on the West.
what all the laws which limit, or cXicnd the
period Of military servicc3 That exempt apprentices
and slaves from the obligation to perform H. but
laws, the burthan of which, the wealthy can c,capc
by hiring substitutes; and 20 which, The poor man
must yield obedience, however reluctantly he may
leave his home without muster; his wife without a
husband; or his children without paren. 10 protect
them.
How many laws arc there, with respect even TO
r.operty, which operate, also, upon the very body,
manners and character OF society: dsapp ntng la
bour Of its fruits, and bringing dscrcdlt upon the
country which Is obliged to,acknowlodgo their sway
Such arc those laws which withhold the payment, or
suspend tho legal remedies for the recovery OF just
debts: which in fine, drive commerce from land,
designed by nature to be her favourcd abode. and
turn her choicest blessings into absolute curses.
Society owes other Obligations TO itself or TO ts
members protection from foreign violence and the
administration of justice, Of Indispensable
sity. But the intercourse and education of ts CT
tzens, have, also, clnms upon is attention that
wise government has, hitherto disregardcd.
These subjects are nmonqt those Howcvcr that IN
oar opponents with the greatest alarm They have
denounced, MI attempts TO improve the natural id
vantagcs Of the state, nj public cost. whether by
Toads or canals and this, because - sinrlc oxpcr
mcnt which has, it scoms been badly conducted
Che people of James river have becn disappointe cd
in the result of avouritc improvement. But as tho
member from Albemarlo demonstrated, they owe that
disappointment to themselves alone.
They bought whistle, found it dscourscd not
such music as they cxpected and like spot child
thcyhove broken II in two, and thrown u away, II
may pr6sumo TO advise them and | am at least sim
Gro in what say, will tell them to finish their en-
ual to Lynchburg; then quadruple, thoy we'll may
'tc load Of their boats; substitute single horse an
.nJ man. and boy for their caring power, instead
~ half a dozen able bodied hands, and they will
no lon5cr, find cause to complain Of the money they
u.s. expended.