Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-03-28

equal in merit to those of any State i'm tho confedc-
racy. But, suppose that L ann mistaken, does it
become us to proclaim the intawy of the COM
monwcath1 Is there "A son who knows of the folly,
the weakness of his mothcrl Does Inc know of
her guilt her shame! Let the fatal secret be for
hidden in the deepest rcccsscs OF his own soul.
The horrid consciousness is enough to poison the
sources of his happiness To give it publicity
would madden his brain.
In treating of the effects of slavery, gentlemen
have INDUCED i'll gloomy representations, of the
agricultural condition OF the commonwealth
They have strained, and tortured their magma
tions, for the invention of meta hos, and figures
| OF speech, suited to their own mournful conccp-
tionS, of the misery and wrctchcdncsS of our
try. Indulging in the most capricious freak, they
have passed by all the beauties of the forest and
the willow, weeping DER the graves OF their anccs-
tors, and appealed to the pine for poetic inspra-
| TONS They speak of nothing but deserted man
sions enclosures already gone to decay; extensive
fields turned TO waste, and gullics deep furrowcd
| in the sides of our hills. One would ina CINE that
devastation and dcSolation reign universally,
through the dominions of the East. Is this Just
representation Where is Wilton? Where Vcri-
ma! The seats of the ancestors of the gentleman
| from Albcmarlc. Where is Curlcsl Where is
Shirley Where is Wcstovcrl Where is Brandon?
Where that beautiful tract of country, stretching
along the banks of the Rappahannock? Where
those extensive, highly cultivated farms, which
adorn the shores of the b-oad Potomac? Where,
sir, is Gloucester rich, luxuriant abundant
| Gloucester? And where, sir, is Southampton it
self! Great injustice has been done this country.
Sir, it is i'll state of improvement; and L call on
every member, to reflect the condition of his
own ncighborhood and to respond to this my de-
| claration better system of agriculture has
been introduced, than existed here ten years since.
We do better ploughing. We attend more to the
rotation of crops. We attend more to the raising
of manurcs. There is more attention to all
the operations OF the farmland there is
an obvious Improvement exhibited i'm the whole
lace ut the country. If each gentleman will re.
fleet on his own ncighborhood, and form his iu,lg-
incnt on his own observation; instead of taking
upon trust, the ianctul, Responding conceits OF
others, L have the utmost confidence, that,
not one will Withhold his assent to the truth
LOT my suggestions. | have been told, and |
believe 1t IL true, that, gentleman near me,
member of this House, representing too tide
lrdfer county, has gathered three hundred barrels
of Indian corn for each plough. Shall this country
be described as barren waste7 No, sir the coun.
try has improved, and it is yet improving; and what
may seem strange to those who have not attended
TO the tact-improvcmcmts have been introduced
into every ncighborhood, first upon the large es.
tatcs, on which slave labor most abounded. | know
that Iii other countries improvements have been
introduced small farms, after the division of es-
tatcS had rendered it necessary that holders should
improve their farms means of subsistence.
but tho remark is not true in this country. Inn
provcmcnts have been introduced here-frst on the
large estates, on which slave labor most abounds.
and for the truth ofthis assertion, appeal to the
CdHuOr, experience ana observation OF every
Der OF this House. Perhaps | astound the House
III announcing the proposition which am about
TO do. Nevertheless, shall make the annuncia-
ton Some time during last fall, accident or dcs
Tiny threw me on the north side of the Potomac
| L was IN the city of Philadelphia the hospitalitv
ola gentleman, to whom | was previously IN
known, and to whom | owe the stronger oblipa
tion afforded me an opportunity of seeing the ad
Jaccnt country | saw lands which l was told
would command 5000 per acre saw the noo
vi TX and DO 7
the House that did not one farm better culti.
waited, better arranged better managed in any par
ticuar, than is the farm of Richard Samson in
the county of GOochland. Sir, the agricultural
product OF our State is greater now than if ever
was at any previous period; and the gentleman from
Brooke, MIR. Campbcll,) who exhibited his tabular
| statements on yesterday, to show the diminution
OF our exports, might have learned, had he pushed
ms inquiry, that the result effected not bv
the diminished quantity of staple reared but nv
| the depreciation in the price. These reflections
have led me to the conclusion that the bancful eff
| tects of slavery agriculture have not been
developed, as described in the gloomy pathos OF
our orators.
| Gentlemen have INDUCED in bitter lamentations
over the depopulation of this Commonwealth
oIc might imagine that our country is abandon
cd, and deserted to sink into hopeless ruin. Yet,
III inc very moment they indulge in these affecting
representations, they adduce incontestible proof
| OF the regular and even rapid increase of orr mo-
pulatlon. 1cs, sr--proof of the regular and rapid
| increase OF the white population of this Common
wealth. In 1870 the white population was 4i2,.
II I; III loOO 1t was 5l3, 500; i'll 1910 it was 55l
533; III 1870 it was COB 0Sl; in 1880 it was GOA
800. This statement exhibits a constant, REGULAR
and rapid increase, of the white population of tho
state. An increase, which compared with foreion
natlons-cXhibits even startling results An in
crease not TO be compared with the unnatural and
bloatcd obesity of Oho-but one as great as would
allow oil the maturity and business of proportion
necessary to the structure of perfect stature
ms increase Is the natural, and necessary conse
quence OF the present condition of the (o;nno,
wealth. Gentlemen astonsh me bv con,,lit 3
dcpopuiatlon. Our population must of necossit,
have mcrcascd-and OF necessity must continTo
&c dc So. Have any of the positive checks to
i population, found an existence in tbis I,rJ3
Had this been so, the effect must have bcon
first developed, on the laboring class of The
community; tor no man can ina gnc that the In
boring class would be supplied with abundance
WHisI thoSe VINO control them subject to want.
nut eehtIeen display their ample statistics to de-
hohstratc the rapid, the alarming increase of tho
labcring class of Virginia-so that the pos;tiyo
CHECKS OF population cannot have found existence
here. Have the negative checks found xuch cxis
l tomoo' Is any gentleman conscious of their opc
[aIloh! Does the rose fade on the cheek of tho
damsel, because her hand Rename ,,nsoL.o o'''
beauty lar oftencr withcrS and dies beconso &c
me lninaturIy in which the tender bud is pIrckod
NO man qualified to preside over family is rc
strained from contracting the matrimonial connex-
oh' ny inc apprehension that his family is to come
TO want Ottcncr indeed does it happen. before
| tne youth attalns to the condition of a freeman
,hat the SOFT gentle pressure of the hand of dcvo
ton has sent thrill through the soul of lovci;
ness Sir, there has been no check upon the in
Gre'se OF our population. 1t is true, our growth
mas not equallcd that of the State of New vi.
bht that may he accounted for, without refcrrn t
inc existence of slavery. Our people have emf
grated; but they have not flown from the cy;is
OF slavery for they are found residing in slave
moIuing states I virginia has in great degree
sIssInni: and eYcn Lnu;.ian-. ..--l 81: w