Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-12-02


ut oay time. Tho internal Improvement Of the
country is unIucStiona5ly Il benefit which every
civilized people have right to expect at the hands
OF their government. The States of MaSsachu
sets, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and
OHIO, arc extending the facilities of commercial in
tercoursc TO every portion of their citizens. Even
the governments of Russia, France, and of other
countries, IN which dcspotsm prevails have, i'll
great measure, attended To and provided Tor the
wants OF their subjects in this respect. In Nir-
g;ui0 alone, the wants of large portion of the
people are wholly disrogardod by the Government.
Whilst the enstcrn people have tina choice ofcvcry
market In the world, they have refused
to pass act 10 incorporate compa-
ny to construct Rail Road from tho
| Ohio River to the Potomac, which would
| have cost them nothing, and might have
! been Of immense advantage to as--an act of
| gross injustice, unequallcd III tho annals of any
| free people.
Thirdly. There IS no reason to believe that that
| Constitution will ever he rendered more conform
able to Republican principles; or that the Govern
ment will ever be more attentive TO the interests OF
| the Western people
The Constitution contains provision for fi-
! tHvc amendments. White population is denied by
the Eastern people TO he the true and proper basis
OF representation; and they refused to tx it OH
that basis, when it would nave given them ma
j"ri'y in both branches of tho Legislature. Is ii
rational then to suppose that they viii hereafter
he willing to acknowledge that principle, and make
the representation conform TO it, when it will have
the effect of transferring the power from their hands
1 10 OurSE IL WOuC DC tply 10 indulge Slcn Il nope
! for n momcnt-and Will you, trccmcn, when
! there shall he majority OF tine white population
west ofthc Blue Ridge, (Which will probably hap
pen in the next ten fifteen years. consent to leave
the power in the hands of the minority 1t would
be equally idle 10 expect that the existing Covcrn-
ment will hereafter be moro attentive 10 our wants
than it has been in times past especially when it
| is rccollcctcd that tlc avowcd ground upon which
the eastern people refused to fix the representation
in the Legislature n the basis of white population
was, that they unwilling permit the western
people to get the power i'll their hands of laying
| taxes, Tor the purpose OF making internal improve
| ;nents. With knowledge OF these facts before u.s.
is it not worse than folly TO suppose that if our
| connection with Eastern Virginia continues, our
situation will he moro prosperous hereafter than it
| has been i'll times past?
cast are not only different FROM but adverse TO those
OF the peGP'c on The west side of tie Blue Ridge.
The eastern people have every facility for carr.
ing their produce 10 market, aud FAD il TO their
interest 20 have rs few Competitors there posSi-
! DC. Their policy has therefore been, (howover
sh2rt-s!ghtcd it may be considerably rather 10 cx-
Guide us from, than TO assist in getting TO
krt; and consequently, almost every attempt 10
get the Legislature to improve the navigation of
ous rivers has been unsuccessful 1t is the interest
OF the people of Eastern Viz ina, that the revenue
q! The General Government, which is collected off
the tchDie people Of the United States, should ALL
be expended among them in Building ships and for
tIhcatlons on the sea coast for their defence; it
waa!a bc To the interest Of Western Virginia 10
have part Of the money expended among them in
making internal improvements.
I Filthy. The habits, manners, and customs OF
the people the east of the mountain arc
different from This fact is known to every
iian who has crossed the Blue Ridge, and the diE
ference is probably attributable to the greater
hcr Of slaves on that side than this.
SixthIy. Orr conuexien with Eastern Virginia
prccludes us from all influence in the General Go
vcgnInent. The whole vote Of the State being given
by general ticket, for President and Vice President,
Il is at all times much more likely TO be given for
the candidate whose principles opposed 10 our
own, and whose policy is adverse TO cur interests,
than to whose policy would he likely TO promote
our prosperity. Ia the Senate oithc United States
we have been almost since the foundation of the
Government, not only wholly unreprescned, but
tic State has been represented by whose prin-
ciPses We're hostile to peculiar interests. And
in the House of Represent atives we can scarce
iy expect to get representative who will zcalouslv
+ support interests in opposition TO the wishes of
the Legislature, large majority of which consists
OF eastern members, and having almost every Office
under the Government at their disposal, exer-
else ! most unbounded influence.
The seventh, and last objection we shall urge
against the longer continuance OF our present con.
neNion with Eastern Virginia, is: That so long as
that connection last, the enormous evil of SLAVERY
with all its direful consequences, must continue 10
exist among And this consider rs not only
entitled 20 more weight than all the other obcc
tOEs we lave urged, but amply sufficient of itself
10 make every rejecting Wisl for an immcdi-
ate division CT the State, if (as We shall presently
shcw) there is other means of getting clear Of
IT, In order TO show the magnitude of this obicc
ton and The ght to which it is entitled it will be
necessary for us to point out of the many evil
consequences which necessarily attendant on
slavery, and its inevitable tendency ultimately to
destroy the peace and happiness of society.
Slavery is, in Itself, perhaps TIE heaviest curse
\ which Heaven has inflicted any portion
OF the human race, ard it may we'll be doubted
whether ii falls with Tie --latest force upon the
| cnslaved, or on those who hold them in bondage
IL is abhOrrent to all ideas of natural jus.
! lice, that it ought, in the estimation of a ma G.
| luminous and generous people, who profess to
! have sacred regard for the rights of man, TO
| be more than sufficient to couHtCrbaiancc all the
benefits which flow from republican form of
Government And it may we'll be doubted if the
inhabitants of Great Britain Franco, Austria,
do not enjoy more peace Of conscience, and
have not more reason TO be Contentcd with their
situation than the citizens of republic in which
slavery is allowed and although they may not
boast OF their own privileges, they are ungues-
t"naby better entitled TO the attributes Of wis
dom, justice aud humanity, than the Republican
masters of cnsldvGd portion of the human
race. But it is not Of the injustice of criminal
ty of depriving oar fellow creatures of their H.
berry, of which propose TO speak at present:
it is to the fatal consequences Of slavery to the
owners themselves, wish to direct your alton
ton.
One of the nlost Inevitable consequences OF
slavery is destruction of every thing like virtue
and morality III the community. The mind Of the
| slave is never operated on by those noble aud in
/ spring motives which prompt the free TO acts Of
virtue and morality. lie perccives, that however
be, he can never attain to the least distinction in
society or 10 an cuuaiiv with The lowest elias. ,C