Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-01-04
VIRGINIA. CONVENTION.
MIR SUMMERS SPEECH,
~ rrn OyrsrIoy OF RErnxsENrArro~.

n NJ
fsred some time since BIZ tho gentleman from Fred |
erick mir Cooke, and the resolutions offered oy Tue
gentleman from Northampton Mr. Upshur IN CON
necon with the resolution OF the Oon,n'.ce y. III.
Whole now under consideration, and 10 confirms
:heir rclntiye provisions, urd beng informed n' ~
would be in order TO Go so, addressed INC chaF !"
substance as follows: , IT,,
NJ s. sad he could not longer observe tho silence
which he had hitherto imposed upon himself w Tci'-
t,on TO the important subject under conSincTa,ion
The deem interest Eel: by SINE itty tou ana q MS
feliow-citizcns, the deliberations OF TINS cay ana
who he had the honor in part to represent on this
Noor fnrbJ it. The happiness and security OF their
r,sisry forbid il. He came here. lac SAID, pc7suaa-
Cd that the people of Virginia had the unahehaoIc
rirl tn alter, and reform their government, ana 20
drec, its operations when iorncd this opinion nc had
mi abandoned. 1t was one he never sbobld surren-
der necessity. and very n,pcrous necessity, could
alone limit its influence; that necessity, he though"
now existed, anil lie was willing to limit 1t to S7o""u
TIRE sUriuul "a" e"is," ts cnNar,ssu he Was
required adopt the principle that minority of the
people, under peculiar circumstances should govern,
control sud direct majority of their fellow citizens
sacrifice which lie could not make, winch he never
would make
Before entering upon the consideration OF the sub
iccts before him. nc said he would take leave to
rect some errors into which gentlemen had fallen.
II hal been supposed by the gentleman from Spott-
sSlvania mir. S;anar chat the claimed an equal
participation in the Legislation OF the country, as
debt Of gratitude, accruip- from the blood and trca
sure expended in defence OF the eastern frontier dur
PIC were msapprchcnded; their claim rested on OF her
and stronger grounds. Debts of gratitude he said
we're cancelled when claimed. That tho west asked
nothing of the bounty of their eastern brethrcn they
invoked their justice only. The gentleman from
Spottsyvania. he said, had, however, kindly pointed
to the bcnefccnt conduct of eastern brethren
on two occasions, when he supposed, that far as
gratitude concerned, the account was settled
9hc first tho distribution Of the Literary Fund
according to white populations the second the saving
Of the west from the percious Objects of''a splendid
scheme of banking" rejected by the Legislature
few years since.
the east forbade the education of their slaves and as
white children were the only objects of the public
bounty eft it resulted, necessarily, that this bounty
should be distributed with reference to the numbers
60 he benefited, aud without comforting any peculiar
boon, on any particular part of tho Commandment
rs to the second lie said. all recolcct the peril
Dacity with which the Legislature resisted tho nj
temp!s which were made, to aid the enterprise and
Industry of the west, by the establishment of few
safe and secure banks; resistance which brought in
to existence those that founded in nfractions of
the laws, without capital and in their Ultimate results
most injurious TO the country i'll which they had ex-
isence; that course of Legislation followed. which
left those unauthorized banking inst utons in nos
session of their banking institutions, without any
means of recovery for the great variety of debts which
they had contracted with the holders of their notes
This debt Of sr,Hiiuac pHid to the west by saving
ting md continuing in operation banks VAST cap;t.i
extending their branches from the metropolis TO al
The principal towns. What was to have been the
cnrse one quarter of the State, given as bes
sing to another. he would not stop to inquire how
much Of that property, for which political power j.
now claimed. had resulted from bank accommodations
bank dividends, bank salaries; bat judging from
the palaces around us, this Of wealth could
not have been iTcopsiderablc.
Mr.. s. said, when the question of equal rcpsesen
tation was presented to this body was resisted on
the ground that the slave property of the east could
not be safely conded to western legislation because
k,Nta Inrap nFt .
that part of the State. To resist this disingcnuoIs
objection the west had referred their eastern breth-
ron to the alacrity With which the men Of the noun
tuns descended to the shores Of the ocean to assist
IN the defence of the persons and property of their
eastern brethren; not as forming claims upon their
gratitude, but for the purpose Of rcpclng the un-
warranted assumption, that they could not be safely
trusted with their just share IN the government of
the Country. He asked to whom was this diytrust
directed, Who Tie men you thus hold unworthy.
oequal political rights Sprung from the sarne COM
stock, their fathers formed the frontier barrier
lRlwctn your fathers and the saearc of the wilder
Iess-thc descendants Of the Campbels and tLo
Presons-the Icwfses and the Observation-Disclosures
thcrs and the Morgans, ask their equal rhts at your
hands; and arc they to be told, that although thcy
the SONS of slres who bore YOUR fac trirIuuhunt
against the Indian hordcs OF the mouth of Konawha.
aud against the less barburous enemy on King =
f1louninin-who, stood by you in every peril and
shared with you in every danger, that they mus; hold
colonial lnerlorlty III the Commonwealth because
they hold fewer slaves than their brethren in the
Abe men whom you cannot now trust With egual
political rights, not disrusted during tire dark
Gst hours OF yonr danger-NYhen The capital wns
threatened during the late war; your Governor appeal
ca to the patriotism of tic country for it's defence
The West scarcely beard the alarm, when csrns
OF cavalry with their intrepid leader Stecubernen Of
their head left the Ohio shore for the defence of tho
Eastern border; Wilson's Company of aifemen left
the valley Of Kcnawha foE the same destination The
enquiry not then male, who paid tho greatest or
least amount OF taxes; who Owned the greatest or
smallest number Of slaves. Their common country
was in danger, and the only question vas, where
cbuld service botnost e6ectuny rendered. As char
ncterstio Of the feeling Of that country no begged
leave to mention snglc occurrence Of devotion TO
tue Commonwealth. Two young gentlemon who
lad fst closed thor studies and about 70 enter on
their professional career left the Western frontier ON
foot, and threaded the mazes OF your Western NOON
thlnsl until th8y reached Jockspn's River. Inoc.
cnstoncd TO this modo of travelling fagued but NOT
discouraged. they embarked n canoe at the mouth
otDqnlaps Greek, encountered the peris Of the fails
aud rapids Of james River. to which they were Gu
a A. N .xI.- III