Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-01-27
FOR THE EWOLyTRER

| Il. RIrcHrE, EsQ.
FOR THE ENQUIRER.
iHE covENNoH': Mr.sAaE-InternaiLn aprsvedssnf
nave observed In the Enquirer severa1 communi
c.uons over tho signature OF "APpomattox conaipin,
y severe s"icures on certain portions of The Gov.
esners message. Without intending to Aaster the
wer OF 'hose pieces must say. that they con ain the
very pm and marrow, the whole sum and subst anee
OF one eide OF that long and csebrasd coots In tho
'a'e convention , on the {" Basis Of Repressntaon.'
u Will no rscollseted that the principles contended
Tor 10 that body that power and properly In
their nature inseParable: that conseq ,ently an at
tempt to divorce them would be to LEI Ioo,. IN. IL
msnts of dscord, and to subsi,ute tho uobriJisd I
cence OF an ignorant peasauiry" for the peaceful
rsons Of regular and just government and tina, the
contribution OF every society should provide that ths
property OF the country should be uves ed With IN
power Of the country But those who were hoid
enough to announce this abstract principle did not
20 reouce " into any practical proposition in the for
nation OF the Constitution They knew well, tb., ~
nave reduced this principle to Its necessary and
mate ana practical results. would have been 10 haul
oown the false colours under which they fought and
70 Induce the cheated people, the real Republicans of
inc East to ring such aiarum about their enrs "a
representation "e oa''' VI
To have given TO the principle Its Legitimate nrsc
cal operation, would have required that the Constu
suoa'd e'ohe each citizen. or class OF citiz with
po"'ca power proportioned TO his or IN. ir wealth
such an arrangement constitutes the tue charac,sris
TIC OF the existing institutions of Great Btan and of
Jsnsr European States. And TO what depth OF
wro'ehedness aud degradation has that system reduc
me mass OF the population in those eountriesI But
nanx 1od the poison 10 operating too strongly now
la. s convui'ions 1t Is producing, will doubt
ess occasion to DO thrown off, at last from the BODY
poltc. 10 the Reaction produced by the dist.
ad Of this principle in the British
system must be ascribed the recent signal defeat of
the Tory Wellington ministry That their succs.'or -
WIN apply an adequate remedy to the evil by Grad.
;' Its principle. 10 hardly to be expeeted They
WIN attempt TO smother up the fame that must in the
| violence. -
10 France. toe. the banking interest. and tho landed
~. IA ipszs
Try arc trying persuse people tn AZ ,s,cir rre.n
glorious revolution, accomplished nothing moro thar
ne Destruction OF those misera able abortion. of be.
nigh,ed age the principles Of legitimacy and of uia
subordination The sacred principle tina, poIi,i
cav power inherent in property, must remain invio-
ate. Touch that obey tell them) and you bring back
all the horrors and the excuses Of the former revoln
ton whether the effort impose this unfoItun,,.
time will unfold.
have Paid that the Eastern advocat es in the Con-
ven!ion did not dare 10 embody the legitimate results
OF er principle In any practical feature of the Con.
s'u"on. These practised politicians were to, wily
lot that. Their favoure principle was made 10 a.
sumo the most in-idous form and thew managed IN
hounce INFO the Constitution, under the i.gise of
tocdt question 6efioeen the East and the West Nv
denyng the principle with the supposed interests Of
particular section oil the State by getting up a pam
&c III '! 'ection OF the country by throwing upon
"e people OF another sec'ion the most founded as
PERSONS and by many other articles of the same CHI
acte great part OF the population of Eastern Virgi
a, were 'ho9csd 70 sanction principle, that is at
war WIN the dearest interests Of the peope and on
posed 10 all our notions Of true republic an doctrine =
Ihey did not sincon the principle il is true as be
,ween one citizen and another but they ,uded
INTO It's support !" between district of country and
| ano,her. """
That wealth. when possessed of political power. ba,
egsated exclusively for the promotion of lie own Pc
cuiiar ends, regardless Of the great of ,h
country, and OF the prosperity Of the BODY of the
pie. truth, demonstrated by the history Of every
naUon IN every age. The advocate Of those urinci
pies in the Convention, aware that the cowo,,, =.
not yet prepared for thi. establishment as between
individuals contended only far their gnition in IN
resided. " ~ ''''J
The rsasonings and propositions Of "Appomat,ox. -
simply designed to carry out into Legislative action
princiPe gives 70 the wealth Of the E,s, The nol..
power OF the State; and the pSpos,ions Of Apoom,,
Iox toota use that Po,oer to s,oe that ,oeal, wi h.
eur any reference whatever to the general nj
the Commonwealth. And this is the eternal rirci.
that has aver led to the degradation and
inc great mass of mankind; while a pampered few
nave oesu revealing 10 all tho Iicentios
'bat unbounded power and wealth could procure
The system advocated by "Appo,nator,' il 10 com.
une me ate exclusively In all its appropriations In
arc Of objects OF IoterDai Improvement to m. ami
scription OF two-hs Of the stock where three 6,,b
nave already been subscribed by individuals Uos,
not every one know, that the necessary result Of tbis
system must be, TO prevent the accomplishment OF anv
work OF Internal Improvement 10 the western coun,,
Tor an Indefinite period! Is not pefe .,Iy well
MAJ In all that region Of country there are no capitals
mat cam by possibility, be converted to such M,
pose; aud that all the efforts OF ,s are ,o.nf
hcient 10 subdue tbs Wilderness and to bring e.. IN,
mense forests in'o productive cultivation, r. M, NO.
'or'os that the unsettled condition of the land ill.,
growing out ct the unwise legislation Of Virginia h,
retarded the natural progress Of the country and one
rated as an efeetusl obstacle 10 its eduaI march In H.
career OF Improvement and wealth! Hnowins Ib.ss
thnSs, does 1t not result I'M vitabe eonseonsn.
rom mo propositions OF "Appomattox," that ali yo,t
OF internal Improvement must be confined 1, he
ny below the Blue Ridge; that country alresdv 80
messed by nature with commercial facilities: Wb;,
he "hoie western country must be left nssI.c,aS
snu uniDwoved, with ell lie resour ces locked nm b,,
me or OF the Allegheny, vast wilderness in az
.. rs wealthy and cultivated districts thai viii
| "Appomattox" argues the ouss,,o, :. -
PIont ana loss 70 the individual tax.pavor NJ ~;
stockgobbng species Of reasoning on great no;;n,
question: be adopted, II is evident thar Ro',es
WORK OF internal Improvement can ever he ,, auy
KEN The contributions Of individuals int "a,
treasury must be nearly equally proportjoned PuoIc
ability to pay; and yet II is impossible in tho
things that any public work can be eausIIv Q,
to the private fortunes of all the tax payers r., ga
III something like an equality of benefit could be
about the reasoning OF Appomatox would prev.n, 81,
execution OF any public work. In truth there ~ W
one work OF Internal Improvement In thousand ~,
ever may he the amount Of public benefit 10 he At,
ca from H. that will pay adequate profit upon the %,
Pai required for its construction. Even the great Ne
rork Canal the wonder Of the sgc and the psrsnt q,
prosperity, that is rapidly giving TO thai