Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-01-31
showing an ,ncrcaso:of but SIG TONS NINE

- H., ~
$50 in thirty seven years II the data assumed IN the
calc,,Ia,os be correct l,nd If they admit oI doubt is
the Ground o their being too favorable To The S"uih)
She consumed IN 1929, SG,S5SS15 oi foreign mroauonS
while IN, received direct at her own ports, hu S95 33S
of ;S ,rc auuuut leaving her indebted To Northern I'M
por,a,onS m S. g.GG2l of her annual comsunp,on aud
ST &lSllg the government duties ChMgehbe thereon.
To these views it may hc added, that every year Is
sweeping the fragments o commerce ri to- the Southern
states and uniting thcn with the accumulation already
possessed bv the NORTH and that IN few years the course
of both the foreign and domestic trade OF The county, viii
become firmly fixed, TO leave but hiIic Ropes oi
change blythe dim nhcd means ann c''o'' on when the
Southern people will be let IN the enjoyment
| To what natural causes would the diSintcr-
csted philosophic enquirer attribute tins striking
result?
Is our climate less ssubriou. or less adapted
to- The attainment Of ali the varied objects OF
| human pursuits and human happiness? Does
orr soil Weld to agricultural industry, poorer
/ reward? Are we wanting ~ domestic resources.
! Have we no materials for the work shop NO
| luhour for the great giant OF modern times TO
perform mean the Steam ENginc. We have
a milder sky than our brethren of the North.
/ Tho lands of Eastern Virginia, wasted, as they
! have heCn are more 4 rifle than a large portion
of those IL New England. We have fossil and
/ mineral wealth, not surpassed in the Union.
! The position Of Virginia, for purposes OF foreign
commerce. may demand q comparison with any
! co5ntry. Her Eastern boundary is washed by
| he Chesapeake, her western frontier by iha
! Ohio, ard the tributaries 10 each flowing in OPP
posi'c directions. are but many arteries, which
might be made to conduct health and yigor TO
every part of the body polite
We have Il fair illustration of tho effects of this
system in the relative condition and prospects of
the two States of Kentucky and Ohio. They are
/ bounded by the same stream, which is common
outlet and common highway for each. The soil
of the two States is equally productive, the differ
once if any, being in favour Of kentucky. What
has been their comparative progress in numbers
wealth and general Improvement In 1900, kom
lucky had population of 220,9J9-Ohio 10, 565.
In 1880 we find in the former GSS,Sli. including
slaves, and in the latter 931 ,G31 free inhabitants!
The gentleman from Brunswick, (Nr. GholSon,)
remarked that the condition Of our State had here
tOforo been accounted for in failure 10 dcvcopc
her resources, by udicious system of internal
Improvement. But, sir where is the of
that failure? 1t is found in the existence of
large slave population and slave interest. IL is
hut of the legitimate effects, of that original,
primary cause, which stands out in bold relief, the
fountain of all cur Ills IT is the antchangc, anti
enterprise spirit which slavery engendcrs, that has
ever stood in the way and crushed every effort for
the adoption OF wise and extensive system Of inn
proTcmcnt. 1t has too, been supposed to enforce
an unequal contribution, when public works have
been proposed. Slaves, as subjects of taxation,
compose one of the sources Estate revenue. BE.
ing held for the most part in the Eastern section
OF the State, any effort at public improvement is
dccrird as an attempt to take money from ono
portion Of the people for the benefit of another
II, sir, we had homogeneous population united in
al llcir lnlcrc:tS, lhlnk you these improvements
would have been so long delayed? What people
under the sun, ever neglected advantages like
ours! Had it been our good fortune to have com
menCcG our national existence wholly free from
this evil, the States of New York and Pennsy!-
vania, we should now have had flowing through
the heart OF the Commonwealth, an inland CON-
merce, unequallcd in the world.
The gentleman from Halifax, (Mr. Bruce says,
that slaves are our only capital. Take them away,
and you reduce the State to penury. Sir, the
geographical position of Virginia, her soil, her
ores, and the facility of interior and foreign
merco which she possesses, constitute her pcrma-
nent capital which so far from being impaired, by
the removal of the black population, will only be
brought into active and useful exercise.
, 50 Tar, Mr. speaker have ATTEMPTED to show,
thit the pot.t.fat interests OF the State Will be
, promoted by providing for the gradual and ultI-
mate removal oftho slaves of this Commonweal h.
But, sir, we admonished, nay urged by consi-
dcrations of safety to ourselves and to our posteri
~ have no disposition 10 iniict upon the
House, the examination of dry and tedious stats-
teal tables, but hope shall be permitted briefly
TO exhibit the present state of this population, and
tho ratio OF It's increase among In 1890, there
were in the United States COZ, G97 slaves In
io5o' mere were 2'Oio'o@H showing multiplied
ton almost three fold
In the five States of Maryland, Virginia, North
Caro- ina, South Carolina, and Georgia, there
] were, in 1870, G33, 590-in 1880, there were
100, i99. I'm those forty years. the whites increa.
SGD ~ per cent, while the blacks advanced in thc
ratio OF one hundred and twelve per cent, In
Norm Carolina. during the same period the whites
increased siXty-tour per cent, while the negroes
increased one hundred and forty-fvo per cent
lie entire black population of the United States
has airing the last ten years increased in the ratio
OF Hrty-hvc per cent. Taking this as the rate of
me case for the next forty years. the aggregate of
TIM population at the expiration Of that period is
''lil,'d', more than seven tonths of the whole
WI to population of the u. States, as ascertained
by the recent census.
The whole black population on the eastern side
Of the Blue Ridge in Virginia in 1880, was
4"',U1J-the white population was BIS $40
> showing majority of blacks of a ,099 This pro
, I'ndcrance cxistss Notwithstanding the immense
h"mhcrS, annually transferred to the South and
HCuti-N esern Statcs particularly to the STATES
o. Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Missouri
some OF these as before remarked, have adopted
-caSureS to prevent the further transportation of
IaVeS within their limits. Others consulting their
'."h interests Will IN all probability, pursue the
same course. The increase i'll Virginia then must
20 on without the benefit of this former drain or
IN a limited degree The numerical strength of
hc Diack race, must be still more alarminpIy en-
hanc'd: They multiply with moro rapidly
ana Tor longer periods than the WITHSTAND
II Is not unworthy of remark, that thew outlivc
us By The last census, | was astonished TO find
tEat III population Of more than ten millions Of
whites, there were but J3l persons who had ar
. rived at the age of one hundred years. Willie in
black population of but little over fv,o r,iII;o,
there were 2l20 wh6 had attained thai ogo
With these facts before us, can we saw that r,o
peace and tranquility Of society is not tbreatoncd7
Nhcn we see domestic enemy incroasinc every
gay IN strength, and in disposition to do mischief
can VIC reconcile, with Just sense of duty TO orr
3 constituents, tho course recommended II, yLo Pc
Port OF the committee, now under consideration
Inc dangers 10 be approhcndcd from thic ponu
iaiion are multiplied by tho increasing Intelligence
among thCm the combined result of tl,af ocnoro,
rc'a%aton OF treatment towards them, which none