Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-02-04

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(nnd bylhc-bye, for the protection principally
OF that very prCpcrtyD wa3 greater than that
glrcn TO an equal nua.bcr III the West 30
that the Delegates here 80 not represent an
average ui equal numbers Of voter. But this
schcmc OF submission wGud, IL effect, exactly
BRING upon us the principles Of that ccobraiei
WHITE BASIS, against which we struggled so
earnestly IN the late Convention.
Bat, Mr.. Speaker, has not another objection
20 this plan occurred 10 you, Of still, more deli
| cate aud iisupcrah!c chUacter' Snppose il
subm;ttcd--t0 whom will You nu5m; ia VIII
Fou submit it TO those who own the pro-
pcry, or .hoSc who 60 no,' Is it to be
decided by these who are promnently-
nay, almost exclusively interested in the
subject, or by those " no have little or no inter
est III II! These, Sir, are grave and Important
Questions, and will awaken some obvious rehec-
ton. There are but two modes n which the
State can acGrrc tito TO these POST Natl, or
possess isclf If the property Of ihc private c:,i
zer. Cac Is, by tho cCuscrt of the owners
and he other, which is that so ficqrcu;ly re-
sorted TO by absolute govcrnmcn.s-ls force. If a
measure OF mere force is to be rcSorted to, to lake
away part ofour property without our consent.
like bdnditt, or CarbonaIi, why then it is useless
to consult us. or institute the solemn mockcry OF
submitting the projct Of the law tn the appro-
ba' ion OF the people. Bu'. If Our voluntary
| rciinquishncn, is looked to, who is 10 yield the
nSsent'-thosc who now own the property, or
those who do mo-, ST. wished to oct YOUR
watch from YOU but understood hat consent
must be obtained, would it not appear Supremacy
absurd that this consent Should be |, Ct TO third
person? Sir, the appreciation of any such scheme
by the qualified voters at the polls, could con-
Wy no assent Of 'hS real holders of the ptOpcrty
! Sir. Is il to he submttcd to tho people or We,
icIn virginia incIusivCly, whether tie East shall!
surrender her eavcs' My brethren of the West
ter whom feel the proper fraernal regard, a.
| members Of the common family, will not, am
sure, regard the idea | am urging as dlsrcspcct-
iul 10 thCm; 1t certainly is not designed; and
they, so far from regarding the suuvcs ion of
Their having comparatively no slave property
among them as an u"kind imputa ion VIII. OF
| course, appreciate it us compliment; Tor il is
one Of the advantages on which they pride them
seivcs--and they possess sympathy and conmise
ration for those who are so unfortunate as to pos
scss them. What then, sir, is the re'a i've con.
diion OF the several great divisions of our State?
Where is tie slave properly fuunt? In whose
hands? Were 1T difused over all the State in
any degree approXima'ing to equality, there
would be but little prac lcai inInSticc in referring
| the question of It's conii,caLiOn to the whole
State But, sir, In truth, the western part Of
The State has 10 pccuniiry interest in this mat
ter. The single county IF Halifax aunc has
as many slaves within I fraction, rs the whole
trans-A Allegheny country togethC'. And we
have many other counties above the falls of our
great water courses, which sirgly, contain nearly
rs many Of the colored population. as that quar-
ter q our state colitctlVrly. L, contains 5000
slaves ont of about 10 0GC; not one out of lhir
ty. And about 1900 free negroes out of ~ .O0o;
bearing about he same proportion. And, sir
| he fine and fertile Valley District does not com
pare much better, with the two eastern divisions.
And a'c the .qnaltied voters who people these
| regions 10 he constituted arbitars to decide
! whether we shall surrender portion # our pro-
pcrty or no.? And when Trey obviously have ne
interest in lie subject or if they. do have (and
hey contend that they greatly to be benefit
cd by the libc' alton Of our sqvcs, it is an inte
rest dam etTcaliy opposed to ours!
And yet, sir, the gentleman from Campbell.
(Nr Rlvcs) has Informed US, that in his orinion.
these are the very people who are best qualified
! to decided According to his idea, those who
own no slaves, arc The very people to decide i'm
partially, whether those who hold them should
give tLcm up or not! And what is still STRANGER.
he puts 1t on the ground that ihey are perfectly
| DTsGNTEREsTED. Yes, sir, | want your watch
and leave it 10 myself and three Other men
who own watches, TO say whether you shall rot
give up your watch to US. Sir, without feeling
much less intending to express any unEnd feel
ing, or want Of respect for those who hold thee
| doctrines, must pronounce the doctrines them
! selves unsound. dangerous, ANA REVOLUTION VARY
| Were we once to admit such principle as this.
every incentive to industry an J enterprise would
cease to cXis' and there would remain no securj-
! ty whatever for property. Sir, though it may not
he carried out i'll extent so farm principle
~ - tIc SUM- 'i'I liipc!eu Il particular
potion Of tho people of ancient Rome, on
every new disturbance in the State, TO cry out
| for an Agrarian Law. 1t is the same shirt
which impcllcd the mob through the dark and
| bloody scenes of the French Revolution n OF
course do not allude to the recent onel 20 sc;Zp
on all The property they could find and make
partition Of The spoil. The widest views of The
! di>ci, les of Hunt, and the ultra rcformers Of
England, do not proceed to such cxtremities rs
this.
Mr.. Speaker, while on this subject, I will call
your attention, and that especially of the West
err delegation or this floor to the promises and
assurances held out to us of tbs East soon after
! ihG commencement Of the session, on more than
| one occasion, ana ny more than one member from
tic w estcrn section OF our State. that the sub
lcct OF our cuuTod population was peculiarly an
Eastern onc-thal they would not intcrDose but
give us c iRTE BLANCHE to prepare what mcr
sures we pieascd--and they who have no imnc-
dIa'e interest IN the question, would then come
Forward and assist US IN ctftctine it. They told
us to go OIL and work out plan for our own rc
lief, which would s6t ourselves. II was n,i
from one quarter alone that these Declarations
! emanated-but from different gentlemen. v hose
responsibility forbade that their sincerity and
| good faith should DC dstrustcd. The sounds fell
! upon my ear Ike soft, sweet music in the still
! ness of night. They came as the harbjnrers Of
| good feeling from whole region of country, and
+. bespoke kindness ard sympathy for IL: 81 / trust
! they W Il fulfil this ledge in the letter and the
7 sp;rt.-Thcy cannot, surely, lock upon this as
( ~ a5tcrn measure because opposed by mem
/ Der who GENES from divided county cast of the
/ Ridge, and SUI ported by some five or six eastern
/ gcnirmcn, out of the " hole Of its numerous de-
/ legation. If they really desire to subscrvc The
/ views Of the east, they will go with the rrco,
/ body cf the east. and not the fragments which