Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-02-08

ty he
where every Other consideration, even OF prifn,r inn
por'nce, is sunk in the ALL ,bsot bny our,on ,h.
her the people n all rds ten twenty miles IN Cone,
Inc Interests Of TAverr keepers. Clerks and Sheriff,
shu even TIE powerful incentive Of county pride sho,J
20 rAe'ihced on he altar OF rutlic good
zoe notes Ter this 'rgrneDt. II II descsves the n. m
ets p'ePrrd shortly alter he Discussion 10 ~ r. OF
~ oesan to fatigue the Members [; hut in reducing
~" 10 ,nrir pr-sent oh pc. (hsvins li's unr
coe 10 tht' mair) several days have clap. ed, and
"ou n'' in's o. the vie W. Of the writer. hav. been
s"e" oy the ulHerent speakers on these QuestooS
800 MEMBER OF II. d.
,o For THE ENQUIRER
~ The LEGISLATURES OF VIRGINIA
o,;rs" ' me oppressed condition Of Yirginia re-
fW your most careful Investigation. and the PROMPT
aPPcauon OF the best remedies hich YOUR wisdom
ueVse. ne march OF improvement every where eIse
even under the despotsms of Europe cialiena.s r,,
wonder. Nothing in Virginia excen, IL - g. ~ ou'
oorhoods and counties, tho eve to cheer the
VI P,uioic ci'izen' and convince him that il is his
ppy 'or 70 I'VE In this age OF invention and improve
uent The conques's OF industry and the achieve
ments OF art and science in other quarters come ~
nun through the press, and are read with credulous as
Sa,n ne looks around him. in vain, for similar
demonstrations OF the influence OF mind over matter
n Tor me resulting prosperity and happiness of mar
S,sdu Oh thls cheering picture, he behods coun,rv
sy favored by the bountiful hand Of nature so tat.
ereu ana neglected as to be almost disgrace 10 i,s rp
lers and its people e
mretched highways, scarcely passable: noble, ma
streams, either wholly neglected. or encuubered
I'M ont
dangerous bridges, badly constructed by heavy coupt
,dIdt'on or owned by individuals who keen them IN
os o,uer oppressive tolls. and that which
give hem exclusive rights to do SO fore,,y. dos.r,
ed heds covered with broom sedge and in,ersac.d h
gunes; decayed pached.up s. worthless fences: hall
euva'ed farms and plantations, without adequate farm
ouiulngs and convenences, even comfortabI. ou,r
ters Tor abourers: miserable horels scattered in e
direction, and relieved, but asionaly bv The anne
snee OF dwellings, which promise comfort and indepen
uehce population, restless, dissatisfied in debt end do
ma Of tho,
comforts oil life, without the means to b,y-Tbese S
"y o'er degrading spectacles present hemselye, TO
81 uy observance. II is, however due 10 the honor
OF some individuals; of associations OF individuals and
III some instances of nearly whole counties 10 cav ,ha,
efforts nave thrown occasional light and relief upon
snaues o, ms picture But it is melancholy to
ackoweuge that, these relierays of light are tbrown
o Vhe sonbre canvass of the whole too much ..Iil
Angels visits, few and far betwe.s''
r1 i'Sha pride OF some of you may induce YOU TO
;es''u ais' as high-coored if not imaginary draw
ing The military and civic renown of our vcnor,,,
mother Is dear TO us all. but have we not like man,
Geh' ana annquaed families, lived too long upon orr
Pea's,eG what Is true, as TO part is frequently true
as 10 the whole; and repeat, have we not oo Ion r
,eu upon me capital acquired and bequeathed to us
oy our "od-iike fathers! We may boast of our nr;de
chiVairy, and even OF our intelligence Bu, h,s mo-,
reliance on these qualities helped us onward In IL .
march oil deterioration Something other than r;,o
snow and parade; than boasul gasconads both in nnb
TIC ana private life, must be relied upon for relief w.
are rapidly sinking i'm the scale of the Un;nn. ~ :
NM ourselves sightess distance behind Other conn.,,
hues In those physical and intellectual jmnrovnman,
which give power and glory TO States and co,tor, ~
happiness TO men. We must consut and h he a''
n.y. the lights of the age. We must put our shonJars
nanisny 10 the wheel. We must do sometime IN ro
Commonwealth ""'Ne'e''e"
ne majority OF the people considered il proper t,
ancient abuses should be reformed and that il ,,an,,
the hands OF the Legislature should be un-
u W' "i'h these views they called Convention -
From the reforms in the Constitution and Tho ao,.a
eonnued 10 you' much good has been anticipated But
uePonds upon your wisdom and energy 10
anc'psuons 10 man the vessel of State anew and 10
uniuri fresh canvass. In the performance of ,bis 80
Pohsioe task, all your crcunspection and nvesgat;ng
powers VIII be necessarily called into action The
hearts oil the people like their deares, Interest. az
WIN you and you may rely upon their forbearancs
Their liberality, their sympathy
But why has the blessed Mother of ~. all s,,,, -.
premature old age2 SO SN"N 'ii'o
ms question involves an investigation of cause, and
ehects. into which have neither time nor talents 10
enter fully. But, il is YOUR proyince IN do 90 a..
appropriate remedy may be applied trnst hnm ' ~.
excused Tor briefly calling your attention to but few of
the prominent causes ' 10" Vi
II was capital error in the policy of the State own
ing as she did, wide spread, fertile egons in the Wcst
10 permit locations OF land TO be made upon terms
wmcn brought IN revenue, barely sufficient to defray
e expenses oil the Land Office. This enabled wealthy
men ahn spectators TO grasp most of the good lands
nhrew large tracts into the hands of non.
ers' ana merely, prevented their Improvement and
Tor Time had tendency TO keep up too great on e.;
gularity In the condition of the peopIe "
But nothing has contributed so much TO aenrsss ON,
keep down virginia, as the constant wane of en,;o
non 10 me western country. Since the estabst9en,
o independence II has roped onward with effects in,
creaslngly disastrous and mpoverishing The e,ni
grants nave carried with them most of their movable
properly, ana all their money! besides LEAVING mo 10
deOt Tor their deserted iels. These debts haze -
sh'nted annual drafts upon the proceeds of our ah
during the inflated and artificial state of binos which
sGceeueu me late war; and the almost infinite
oil banks and paper money the emigration we orro,
Than at any other period. CONSEQUENTLY our c;,i.a
became more heavily in debt for deserted and
ARMS lhese debts, for the most parf had ~ no I'll
when money had appreciated and produce and. sbor
nad la,,eh TO little or nothing. The great amount Of
us contracted involved the whole people in en-
oarrassnent; and when united with other
ana ZONES, almost paraized their exertions So liz,
virginia, besides losing such of n,n and ,o,r,,
mas Deen, Tor haf century contributing NEARLY H.
whole OF her labor towards the settlement and s,;t
Vi ner emigranng sons, upon lands, which she eape
I%oy III an liated paroxism of love for the Onion
me inponcy OF That cesson, mot to saw the folv and
madness oil IT. IS constantly made apparent TO us in The
most distressing forms OF humiliation Thus srnned .,
her western lands, and Of what was of moro val, re-
enterPrising people, with all their wealth and In
uusuy' ana compelled TO remit beyond her borders
so much oil the annual savings of her labor /. +,
to be wondered at bst ale has proyrasseI 40 sIo H.
numOerf, IN we Ih, in improvements II che ha5
Veyed all her vacant lands, both within and heyord
ber present borders; retaining the lee sjmpe ~ ,h
sou OF H ana coded only the Jurisdiction over ,hos,
beyond; and had sold them az such pricss univ 40 80
been paid to The Uoted States what an inc,sdih, AZ
ierente would il not have made in her present conJ
yong what would her treasury not have been able IN
10 IN the cause OF educa ion and internal innrovemen
but the deed Is rrevocablp; add we are laughed AZ In
'iead OF being thanked for IT,
IL does become friend of The 0Io,v aud -o
peri Of The United States, to repine At The ogsrf,
ana hitherto DconceiVable rapidly with which an i'm
mebse wilderness has been suhdued, and Houushirg