Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-03-09

arstocracsl provisions that he will hear the clank-
ing of the chains Of bondage. imposed upon tho west
that no will hear tho future gronns Of The present
and the scendants OF tho present nsulted and OPP
pressed wht0 majority OF this Comnsonwc nlth-thnt
ho will feel for the present, and oil future genera
tons, oftrans moniaie inhabitants Of Virgnia--tbat
no will taste. and that with oathing too, of the bit
tcrness, thatwo now taste, In being deprived of our
political equality, and having the reason assigned
publicly, lin order excuse the dcprycrs in the eyes
OF the world for this palpable deviation from repub-
lcau princplcs that the labour ofthc west, is about
upon par with the abour of the east, in point Of
intellect, Thereby meaning suppose, that the poor
white aboring class oftls community know no more
than abused insulted uneduca negroes fthc
east strike that section from tho nled consttu-
ion he repeated and he will sec in every the
nsuferable pride and the wrongfully retained power
OF the East and the obloquy thrown upon the West;
the depression of tho labor the intellect, the spirits
OF its people, and the improvements of that section of
the country; clear and unclouScd will be his udg-
ment, and long and loud will be his voice. and plain
and copous will be his language to warn US OF
our danger in accepting tho amended constitution.
Here some OF the company attempted t, interfere,
but he roarcd in voice like thunder So and i'm.
mediatcly left the company.
Now. Mr.. Senior Editor althou rl there wcro near
ly as many collected at my house us there would
have been at one of Judge Summcrss precinct cleo
lions, and full as much whiskey too for have cou.
pie OF barrels full in my smokchouse, for the IN
formation ofthe eastern members ofthc late Conven-
ton generally. and especially TO quiet the fears OF
Benjamin Watkins Leigh, esq, in the sincerity of my
heart call God to witness the truth of this my de-
clarafion, that there neither riot, rouf or unlaw-
fu assembly, las understand the law nor was there
any treason, murder, rape, any felony done, ina
gined. or committed, nor yet was there any conspi-
racy either meditated mentioned, for the purpose
of oosng the bonds that bind the labour of the East
TO those that they labour for; yet was the SUBJ
ject of excessive taxation Of the negroes once
toned, or thought of, far know or believe; gor
yet was road, canal or other species of inter-
nal improvement mentioned, which would require
three dollars of eastern one dollar of western mo.
ney, to be levied upon the people of this Common
wealth. But there was mentioned firm dciermi
nation OF the majority present to reject the amended
Constitution, because il gives to wealth what il
ought to have given to persons, viz. political power
because gives to the SAME, less number of free
white inhabitants East of the mountains much great
or political power, than it gives the same number
or more, free white inhabitants West of the noun
tans.
Now, Mr.. Editor, the object Of this communication
is to extract from you whether these surmscs of my
neighbors be true Let state the questions in the
manner we should like to hear them answered.
Frst-ls it true in point OF fact, that the improve
ments IN the amended Constitution great that
you would yield the principle OF the political equality
OF persons, for the sake of those amendments
Secondy-Do you not believe that for the sake of
the political equality before mentioned, which we
conceive to be the greater good that had better
labor while longer, under all the other disadyan-
tages rather than yield that.
Thirdy-Has your change of situation in life had
any effect upon you in relation to this matter?
Fourthly-ls It private pque at the West for not
voting for you when candidate for the place of
Printer to the Convention that induces YOU to advo.
cate the adoption of the amended Constitution in
opposition TO the Al votes including nearly every
Western, and some few of the Eastern votes given
against 1t, when put upon its final Passage in the Con-
vention, and its acknowledged defects upon the all
important subject OF representation, INJECTING a deep
and an indcblc wound upon the interests of the
Vest'
Fifhy-Do you now labor under the disabilities
OF the anii-dueng law, with all the doors of Office
power, ambition and emolument closed against you9
And If so, has your hard and peculiar situation in this
respect, any influence upon your Judgment in this
matter! and docs the aforesaid 18th section of the Sd
article tho amended Constitution, blind your vision
so that you do not clearly see the ilsuperabc obrc
ton to, and gross inequality the subject of repre-
scntaton? And if this be your situation do YOU not
think that it would be well for you to continue to
labor under your present acknowledgements than that
by endcavoriDg to throw off your burden, YOU should
only rid yoursef of it, by entailng worse one upon
upwards of four hundred thousand frcemcn of your
native S'ate-not only on them, but also upon their
latest pos:erity'
These surmiscs are now going the rounds of the
public and private circles of the Western country:
It they arc true, let be known; if they are not true
contradict them publicly in your paper, and YOU will
confer favor upon the community.
Your well wisher, &c.
RUSTICITAS.