Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-01-21

amused when heard gentlemen talk Of improving
lands rendered sterile and upproductive by tho
hand of God while others, rich, abundant and pro-
duc,ivc, lay every side.
But, invite gentlemen who think we cultivate
our lands so miserably, and that resources arc
drying up, TO look to the quantity and value of our
products-thc amount of our eXports-our con-
sumption--and last, though net lcast-our extra
vagaHcc. Sir, national vanity is excusablc,
personal vanity is despiclbo. I possess tho form
er, confess; and l cannoi-{ will not join in de-
crying and dcpreciating all that is domestic-aaI
that is Virginian. But, this is becoming common
theme of oloqucncc this floor: it is enlisted in
favour of every scheme and proposition Submitted
10 our consideration; and this decline and dctero-
ration OF Virginia, is attributed to any and every
cause, which may suit the speakers views funcy
Is the subject of emancipation raisedl all our ruin
is the result of slavery. Is the subject of Internal
Improvement on the tnpis? all our infcriority and
inactivity attributable to bad roads and urna.
vigablc streams. Is the subject of education in
dcbatc' all our decline is attributable to ignorance
and the want of schools academies and colleges.
When are gentlemen right, and when they
wrong! or, arc they not wrong altogether?
Although this attempt to prove Virginia exhausted
and impoverished, salts neither my taste nor opn-
ions, might perhaps have been content, had
gentlemen paused here. Poverty, though heavy
misfortune, is crime. But the gentleman from
Buckingham, in his ardent zeal to attribute the
'.wholc Of human ills" to this sclf.same cause of
slavery has informed u.s. that our intelligence,
morality, our chdrdct our reputation for ckirdLry
and hDnor impaired and declining. Sir, this is
most unwelcome Intelligence to met is deeply
wounding to my national PRIDE and blights the
most glorious and cnnobng feelings which ever
ill my mind, swell my heart. indulge a faint
hope that the gentleman is mistaken-his poetic
mind on the present occasion, is tinged you know,
Mr. Speaker, with gloomy cast. But then, his
station and opportunities enable him to know, and
surely point like this he would not speak
unadviscdy. 1t is true that hut 4 very little tmo
back, of the most chivarous of the
most chivarous people on earth, said that "Vir-
giuia like the mother of the Graceful might
point To her and eSclaim hec
Ornamental" 1t is true, that another
casion, il has been said of her, that though her
lands were poor, her men wero brave, and her
daughters virtuous: but these must have been the
prejudces OF an indugent partiality-they could
not have been faithful dcneations of our charac-
ter; for they disclaimcd in the halls of legisa-
! ton. The gentleman however, would have afford
ed 4 melancholy qualification to this House, if he
had shcwn kOto and in Chdt respects, loos-
ing these great and invaluable attributes of ma
tional character. lfhe only means, when he speaks
/ of intelligence, that people not gene
rally educated others, have only TO reply, that
others may have advanced more rapidly than our
selves, but that we, certainly, have not decllned
and that Our want of education, is not because
/ have slaves to make our bread, and provide for
our wants. have moreover, to advise the intelli.
gent gentleman, that when he shall have had more
age and experience he will discover that the great
! body of TINS people, far an intimate know
ledge OF their rights, both private and public, evil
dcnccs intelligence, is an intelligent people. Yes
! sir, and many his floor, when they shall
/ hear the thunder of the popular voice the sub.
icct under discussion, will he forced TO cxclam
''voy populi voX del" As To national charac-
ter, trust il vndicatcs itself, and requires no de-
fence at my hands. l discover nothing in the an
nails of the past, III the history Of the current
times, TO impair its dignity, or suly its purity.
SIR GuoLsoN's srEECH TO he CONCLUDED