Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1830-04-14

ooeet oi I'VE plan 10 Keep IN . siafe ol
quieseep,e. Hut even in this respect
Ne considered his plan q more accept.
able compromise 20 the west than that
OF the gentleman from Goochiand,"
the western plan. 6rst proposed by
Gov. Ples,ants. because we deem.
ed u the interest Of that comparatively
non slaveholding part of the common.
wealth 60 have no principle af oil Of re.
appo' iionment. rather than q principle
which, ga all time io come, $50 long at
least. as the constitution endured,)
would make every FIVE slaves in the
cas-, equal to three citizens in the west
"a the organization Of the senate, q DO
dy invested with power 20 negative ev.
ery act Of legislation proposed by the
house Il delegates, however vital 10 i'm
portanee to the people Of Western
Virginia"
But 90 this IL is answered, that hew-
ever vicious this plan Of future sppor
tionnent may be. IN principle, u will
nevertheless work we'll. in process Of
time. because Of the comparatively "a.
p'd future increase Of white population
west Of the blue ridge. A distinguish
ed gentleman from the trans Aiirgha-
ny couatry suggested, early in the ses-
sion at the convention, the probability
that 30 thirty years one hsif of the whole
white population Of Virginia might be
found west Of the Allegheny mountains.
So that. though half a million Of slaves
or more. in the east. were counted
against the west. in the apporiionment
al representation in the senate. neither
that. nor any thing. could arrest the
onward march OF the west 20 power and
empire. How visionary such specula-
tions are. l have already. in my second
letter, attempted 10 shew.
But one view Of this interesting .ub
Ject seems to have been Overlooked by
tie gentleman alluded to. and by those
who think with him. IL the western
plan OF representation had been adop.
ted, II would either have promoted the
prosperity Of the whole State Of vir.
ginia.or 10 would not have promoted IL.
IL II would not have promoted 10, then,
no friend of his ,unfry could or should
have been in favor Of adopting IL. n
II Douid have promoted the prosperity
of the whole state. by infusing a new
and saluiary spirit into its legislation,
u would have accelerated the increase
~ population in Eastern Virginia.
Nature has lavished her bountie. on
that favored region and good institu-
tons and wise legislation would spec
Oily repair the injuries which bad in.
situations aud unwise legislation have
inflicted on IL. II the western plan Of
representation was calculated TO pro
duce, and would have produced, thesr
results. the see -ports of the east ould
have teen connected, in few years. by
paved roads, or by the improved na,i
CATION OF the rivers. or by canals. or by
all these different modes, with the IN
terror Of the state. They would have
grown up rapidly in population and
wealth. aud would have diffused wealth
and promoted population in all the
country around them. The natural
advantages OF Eastern and Middle, as
well al Of Western Virginia, would
have been cultivated. Agriculture
would have reared its dropping head.
and assumed new life and activity.
turing industry. now strue.
Cling into existence under a thousand
disadvantages, would have derived a
new impetu. from the increase Of capi.
tai, and would have rapid progress 10.
wards maturity. In short liberal and
energetic government would have de
veloped the resources Of the state, and
brought them into action. aud prosper
ny would have been diffused over the
whole surface Of the commonwealth.
UnIer these aospicious oircumstan.
ces, Eastern Virginia, having a much
larger arabic surface than Western.
wo1ld have begun anew the race of
power and population, with that dscid
ell advantage; aud IN less than twenty
years the ratio of increase throuRhoat
the commonwealth would have been, ia
all probability, nearly the same. II
these views b. correct, and cannot
doubt that they are, is not that a very
Questionable policy. TO say the best Of
~. which voluntarily surrenders at pre-
sent. anil for an indefinite period. the
control Of one Of The legislative bodies
10 the people II the east, for the Door
consideration IN hand Of only -four al
dI,ional members IN the house Of dele
gates, on a speculative calculation Of
the future rapid increase Of western
population
We have been so daZzled by the
splendid visions of the rapid march Of
western population, generated BY the
fervid imagination Of the distinguished
gentleman before alluded 70, and so
buoyed up by tie results of the audi.
tors estimate, founded a. he himself
stated on imperfect and erroneous do