Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1831-03-24
Tile constitutional y1lbt9.

Dur.- The discussion which grew ont of the mo
ton subnttcJ by The gentleman from Mcckienburg,
Mr Goodc) indefinitely to postpone the original bill
reported from the Committee of Roads and Internal
Navigation felt INCLINATION L. have offered some
remarks 10 the House; the moro so, becrusp ut the
silence of q, her members Of that committee thought
duo to the House. and to the people at large, that
the views and motives which led 10 tho adoption Of
that projct should have been clearly understood and
It's merits fully discussed did not think the bill
obnoxious to the objections so warmly urged by the
other side that u a scheme ct mere local and
rerhborhood improvements calculated To dlsSpatc the
energies Of the state, and TO end only waste Of
the public money. The great error of that plan, was
the total nadsquacy OF the sum by which it was pro
posed to he carried into operation. Tho substitute
now under consideration, seeming to have mot
more favorable reception frrm tho House and enter
tanning as do. the most ardcnt d sire that should
M longer delay tho adoption Of S me Efficient sys-
tom Of Internal improvements, cbceItul!y acIu,esce
IN rs support II Is my dehbera'c orni"n that should
tho Motion now submitted BY The gentleman from
P'incc Edward (Mr. Vcnabic) prevail. blow will
have been given 10 the nest interests of the Com
nronweslth, from which she will not readily recover.
Sir, the pa.od has arrived when Virginia must de-
tcrmine or herself whether she will continue To hold
her elevated rank among the states Of this great
fedcracy, or whether she is content with the inferi.
GRITTY To which she is rapidly fastening This is tho
great question, pressed home upon the consider
alton of tins House Disguise ii US We may, Virginia
"the good old mother ct lis ail, is on the downward
march. say so with PAM for though the butnblcst
of her sons | yield TO tl,gl devotion to her
interest We may boast of the traditional glory Of
cur anccstors-of the talent and heroism which we
have furnished To the word-of the moral and poiiti
cal influence which we exercise upon the destines of
the Union. OF all this, citizen, am proud: vet
cannot bu; regret the Pha iia'ca habit into winch
we have HilI-n, both at home and abroad Of so much
self praise Tha nnrr'. is always Questionable. which
is announced ny those claiming 70 possess 1t. I am
not one oil those VIII" diS he to hear of others doing
better than ourselves. 10 know that there is any
hf,., n,,
On the contrary. whstcvCr may be our own apathy
delight to witness the gigantic exertions al others
around us, to amolioraic the natural condition Of
their country and view each a hriin, example
TO ourselves, tho Influence of which, II is cct,ing
more and more difficult 10 resist.
BY what motive arc we invited Ia enter at once,
upon bold and efficient system o! Internal improve
menG We are urged by the present Iansuislng con-
d;ion OF our state; by the eorts of others to secure
TO themselves the commerce of region OF country
belonging naturally to us, the loss of which is perIled
by every hours dcluy part, and by The Ger.
tainy oil most abundant remuneration for all that
1t may coot Us to effec! it. Yes the most perfect
certainty, so far as he human mind can BIZ certain
OF any event not yet uanspircd. We are adnonIsli-
cd by every motive which Gun animate or alarm
patriot WHAT, Sir. Is the true CONDITION of this com
moDwch b. Her unch,vdted fclds, her pine groves
and lcnsn less mansions. aff;'rd IA" melancholy an
swcr. Where Is the TEEN ng SOIL aud spicy fra
GRANGE, described by Smith, and Ralegh' Go to the
SEATS OF her ancient hospitality and ak where are
whore
Festivities Of the p,catroUs bra.d?-Echo answers
whcr'' Look to her western fucsls and the lnex
hau.tibc mineral wealth o! ner mum lins locked I'm
III the bowels az the Garth, and nnlhur save It's OK
Tstence, kIown Tine tide of emigration from an,onu
u, Is annually increasing, and destined 10 con-
tnue under the present ysten until the yynye shall
cease only at the 70 : cf tho Rocky Mountain Cx
anime The table of your exports, and see the shor,
catalogue outstfippcd by SIX Of The states of thin
| MON, Of than The children of bnt Yesterday.
Does the recent census furnish any cviSencp of our
healthy and prosperous condition. The only increase
IN our Numbers, has bcsn in the wcs. ern counties
where the operation Of natural causes have produced
that end IN spite Of the nnwisc policy which we have
pursued. Yet with all these facts before u.s. no
movement rs mad, to arrest the dissolution which
seems 20 be coming upon Tia. Surrounded us we arc
m ihs ago OF Improvement, by what would be deem
cJ the irresistible example OF other states virginia
alone seems proof against the alur.mens of national
prosperity and happiness. Upon no SPOT of her ter
Iiiory. has she solitary public work worthy nj n
great state The james River Improvement The
ony one IN which she ever embarkoI was abandoned
upon the occurrence Of the first difficulty; and TIN,
unfortunate Of that first and only experiment
has nccn permitted to parazr the Gnorrie. of
people claiming to be great.
Let nr examine. Tor n moment, the mprits If tina,
portion OF the substitute which propsses tn rcsnrna
the prosecution ot this great work. great because of
the immen interest which tho people of virginia
have IN Ms successful! complction and great because
OF the influence 1t is destined TO exercise upon tho
fortunes Of the southern portion Of his Ropublic
A. early az 1854, the farther of his country. in n
letter to the then Governor Of this state expressed
ms decided opinion that the rivers Of Virginia afforded
the most convenient and direct rOue for the
ofhe western states and fbresceIng then the vast i'm
Pnrtance oil All intercourse with that fertile region ur
gcd with zeal the connection of The eastern and vest
eTn waters Extend (says he) the inland ma vpa,iou
OF the eastern waters communicate them os noor no
posSoIe WIN those which flow westward; open these
10 the OHIO; open also, such as extend from the Ob;o
towards Lake Erie, and we shall not only draw IN.
produce OF the western settlers, but the pery and ,
trade OF the Lakes also, our ports thus adding an
i'nIncnse increase to exports and binding those
people to vs. by chaln which can never be broken
In spirit Of prophecy, he then urged upon Virginia,
rs motive TO the speedy commencement OF the
work, what has since been fully rsai2ed:-I mean
The measures adopted by New York ard Pcnnsylya
M to m'n"poize the trade Of the western state,
md then odvcrtcGtO the difficulty Of dra wing il from
these channels, after II should once have settled down
III them with political sagacty worthy the in,el
Igence OF the present age, and with an energy I'm
surpassed either IN ancient or modern times ;bc..
two great states have entered the l,st of bonoohi