Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-12-13
DOMESTIC.
TO THE GOOD PEOPLE
OF TIRE
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA.

A CoxvEarioN of Delegates rcprcs eDting
various coun'io. of the Western Division tho
s ate, assembly 1T l. wi-burg on tho tnir'y
first of October for tAr rur y-,e OF celebrating
OH the important cre;tious connected with the
future Improvement OF tho commercial inter-
course of Virginia, as well between the differ
ent parts OF her own territory, with the
neighborng States OIL her Western and North
ern borders.
At this meeting several resolutions were "a
dopted, or,bodynnG the Vows and opinions of Il e
Delegates assembled, ond OF those when thcy
represented; and in conformity thereto, III g
moral was prepared, and adopted, urging the
General Assembly 10 pass the necessary laws
for carrying into c!TUrt tho measures recon-
mended by tho Convention. In addition TO
those proceedings, and in fui thcranco OF the
important ends in view, it was determined that
as the people happily the great source Of
power, and by their Will and their means, h1rmc-
niously united, alone can 9jge permanent sue
cess to system of general improvements how
ever deeply 1t may interest the great mass of
the citizens, an address ought to be prepared
and an appeal made to their patriotism and their
interests, explaining tho views of those who
address them, and invoking their e;radc sup
port of measures for improving the Condition
of lie Commonwealth, as the cxigcHcics of the
various parts may requlre.-This duty, howcv-
or, demanded more limo for It's execution
than was allowed By the limited period assign
ed to the session Of the Convention, and lie
Committee charged Herewith, was conseercnt-
~ authorized and requested to prepare he al
dress after the adjoL rnnieuf, and cause the
Same to be printed and circulated with the
other proceedings.
In entering upon subIsct of such deep public
interest, our minds are necessarily carried back
to the former relative condition of thu Com
monwoalth, and to the rank which she once
held in the family of States.
at the close of tho Revolution the terri ory
of Virginia extended from the Atlantic to the
NJ ssistipp. Her resources were not materially
impaired by the struggles through which sine
bad passed; and her numbers exceeded one
fifth of the population of the then fourteen
States. Thus eminent in tho number of her
people, ard with unoXampIed resources IN the
extent and fertility of her Western domain
how has it happened that the elder member Of
the federal fanily-the Oldest sister of tie
American Republics, has become third rate
State, in pom: Of population and po illc, infu
ence, and less than n average Stale in q: gen.
eraI diffusion of elementary education az well
as III her agriculture, manufactures, and foreign
and domestic commercef In answering this
enquiry, queru!ons disposition TO lament over
the past, will not be INDUCED; it W i'll suffice to
carry the retrospect to such parts of our history
as Will polni out and Illustrate our future Gu,igs
In surrendering TO Pcnnsy lvania Il part of our
North West Territory, now forming several Of
her tairest and most valued countless and in
OF
then district of Kentucky, in tho formation Of
that portion of the Commonwealth into sepa
rate and independent State, Virginia but acted
In conformity to that generous spirit which had
governed her course thl Dug hout the gloomy cor
test IN which she had been recently eurnreI
Harmony, kind feelings, and confidence wih
neighbOrs, and the removal Of all iepiausies
and grounds Of dissatisfs ciinn formed q prorrj-
nent trait in the magnan:mous policy By which
she had been, and continued 10 be- influenced
The extent of this feeling was evinced by the
fact. that the vast budes Of unapproDriatcd
lands within tie limits Of the new State, vc-c
yielded almost without q Reservation No d
vision OF the oVai!s was proposed; no mart cf
that valuable tund was dedicated to education
or improvements, within the parent State; and
even the inconsiderabic reserve for the indemnity
OF her war-worn soldiers, has been diverted in a
great measure By the government, to whose ius-
tico II was conhded, from the hal;oNed purpo-
SOS for which 1t was designed
The heaviest draft however, On the ratriotir,7
of the Commonweal b, and which produced in
Its train the most ri!nous effects On her Growth
and prosperity, remains TO tie noticed: In the
year 1880, the poverty OF the Federal Egche-
qucr induced Congress earnestly 10 recommend
10 the several States, hGvrr claims To waste
and unnppropr ated lands in the Western Conn
try, 10 make liberia! cCs,ious thereof 10 the u.
States, for the common benefit of tie Union
This appeal to Virginia wGs met in n cb.va}rie
spirit of Iberahty, and Confdiag in the succrss
of the earnest applications made to the other
States, claiming large tracts Of uncrItyated
territory, and believing hat they would make
cessons eqy ally liberal for tie common beucGf
and support of the Union, she. at once coded IN
the General Government all that body of fine
lands now forming the States of Illinois India
ma, nearly the whole of Ohio, and larGe nor
ton Of Michigan, reserving a small and made
quate tract bttWeen the Manis, 10 satisfy her
engagements to her troops, whose services had
contributed so largely TO the independence of
the nation. In this last act Of marrEnu7Ifv in
which an empire In embryo was surtenGrrcd IN
the common purposes Of the confederation. one
hundred and twenty-five thousand two hundred
and fifty square miles Of her previous terrttorv
was yielded, which, al houah by no meang fulIy
Deopled, now presents population Of ,l36 1886
peTsons.
Perhaps no sacrifice or alienation made under
the circumstances which attended this cession. !
and FOR the purposes of paying the debts, sus- |
taiE;ng the credit, and preserving the union
of the States, ought now to be regretted;
but as Massachusetts, Connecticut, end New
York, withheld from the Confederacy their |
unsettled tcrritoriet; and as Georgia las since |
Converted her western lands into ar important
s a!e fund by / 'ie 10 the United S:ates. il
'ght have been reasonably expected iha. the
! cuniy CT Virginia would have secured from,
'ihc general government such a G.@pCst on OF
the National domain, rs would have promoted |
her interests, and impaired Ia he's remaining
territory and population, scIan Of the adyantgncs
which the sales of The pubic lands have enabled
Congress to dispense TO others. This ant;cpg-
ton however reasonable, Fns mt been realjzcd