Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-04-03
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE.
SPEECH OF MR.. TUNSTALL,

OH Hr SeggT mutton to poSp0ae tndtnnay me conSt
der1on IF The report If tie Committee on Roads und
Internal .Nastgniioa
MIR TussraLL expressed his surprise n, The effort
made to put aside this question: he surprised at The
attempt made BY the gentleman from Petersburg TO ar.
tins discussion and stie the debate b. Inslnua
ton That the House Dug t not, or would not lend It's at
eniinn to further consideration Of the suhjpct.
MIR MAY explained. he merely alluded 10 the ind
cation OF the disposition and readiness Of The House IN
decide The question, in consequence OF the call OF the
previous gnrs,lon and not that be disposed Ia cut
OFT the debate, that he meant The least Gsrespect ~
Mr. T., of whose inIent!on to address the House he had
not the least inlimu,Inn
Mr. Il said that j, not his intention to have ad
dressed the House 10 day. it It all; he had not expected
call OF The previous question, and he fully calcnla-
ed that the discussion would have proceeded regularly
and that some other gentleman would have occupied
the floor. The House having signiiied desire that the
debate should proceed, and other gentleman seeming
disposed at present. 10 ask s attention: he would tres
pass lis patience for very short tine. IL is al
ways with The most sincere and un&gacd reuctance,
said Mr.. T. that make demand on that patience, and
is not without feelings Of modification and regret, that
throw myself now upon the hberay and indulgence
OF the House The anxiety which is manifested TO end
this debate and the strong Hdisa"ns I,s. given OF
Impotence To hear further argument I'll! me with any
other feelings than those which hoped ~ have brought
10 this discussI0nieellngs which not only unit, but IN
an euinen. degree diSGuay me from doing myself. or
the subject Justice Under all the circumstances, Mr..
Speaker, should shrink from the responsibility of ut
tcrng 4 word upon the OCCASION under the surprise
and forced reluctance with which enter The debate,
did not conceive it 10 be duty 10 nay constituents.
Those constituents hnvs long been accustomed 10 be
heard Tins floor, and far they speak through
my voice, they shall, however ieeb!y: by the blessing
Of God, continue 10 BE- heard.
Why this npatien nee, Sir. rid ourselves Of this mat
ter; Why this ierrriS resessness, to throw aside so
unceremnnIously-to dismiss so cuGtemp!nously sub
iacl and important in every inspect in which it
may be viewed: What is it that gentlemen have OF
higher character TO engage ouTaentnu' WHAT'S there
which has within more 10 interest, In exce or demand
action Nothing, Si:, nothing which involves high
er CONSIDERATIONS oil policy uiiler feelings Ut patriot
ism nothing which in liz results, either nr failure or
success, 10 bear along With it, fr all time to come
prosperity and grandeur nation, or our hapP
ness people.
II is not M purpose Mr. Speaker, after the extensive
ground which has been uken, I'D the vide field OF dis
cusson which has been travelled over 10y the able gen
tcmen who have preceded me- and VII" have scarcely
lift ho0k mhich to hc:g argument, 10 enter into
d. tail upon tie subject Indeed. Sir, amply and at
the mInutey hayr they covered erry point
OF controversy that he who approaches the subject at
this hour OF dispute scarce achieve more than ha
zard the dullness of petition. confess, Sir It's too
much Ike entering the Held when the battle has been
fought aud It's no, my desire 10 be considered as enter
ing the lists with feeble lance, to contend with the
"chieuins and knights Of high degree, who have won
honor Al tenown IL this tournament No, Sir, mine
shall rather be the lot of the humble squire. whose duty
replace ,e aceGponS and rcGdlHsthe arm0"r which
may have been tT0hen or unsettled ny te SHOCK OF the
loray.
have deeply regretted, Mr. Speaker, that upon this
grcnt question: nIImGls connected with the welfare
and prosperity Of the people Of sr1y P0rhon OF the
Common wealth; looking 10 that long "S which extends
from the seabOaId throughout your Southern border to
the mountains have been 10 come 10 The
of the interests Of that high and generous people
that from the scGhourd comfy u! Norfolk 10 the Allie
ghany county of Graysnn reaching some 300 miles aud
embracing country Inch prolific Providence has
choicest dressings there have stood orlh
advocate ItS high claims 10 the consideration OF
this House the county of Ptsy lVania aud her little
Sister The immediate WrSiThii Halifax, and Meek.
ruhurg, and Brunswick wealthy. high minded and Ii.
bprul as they known {" be- sa.uG have found no.
thing tins occasion stimulate their pride, 10 excite
their generosity. their pIicutSm that that gio
rpus cnuury whose bosom is The bounm valley Of the
Roanoke and which rests its hrsa upon the rm"unaln,
and is feet upnn the sea, the fame oi whose and
tie luslrr Of whose daughters ar as ir'v"bia rs their
hospitality unhcnndrd and iGcr, should siun'"r IN an
nr.urnuS apalhy-Nay, SIR, that they should wake
only To crush Ma i1ris would Duk" To sustain and
re-lnvgoale her, whilst the gloomy aud land locked will
DEF of he mountains is coming forth III its might,
10 redeem from the poverty and ruin that threaten us
Surely Sir my friend lrnm halifax mistakes me temper
OF his uropp (he will cxcus" Ine, know, for lnkng snO
when he rndeavuurs impress upon MS The !Cea they
will rev, a scheme ike this. Surely, Sir, Ee under
rates their patriotism and hca!iy when he would have
us believe that they would d"nnnncc scheme, which, by
rr1nvte t0aiiDycncg, might slightly increase their bur
dens, yet, whIch, IN lis ultimate results must so much
increase the public prosperity and rebound I" the public
honor Yes, SIR. the accompaniment OF VI" Scietne
presented To US. my friend from HALIFAX IS fearful that
will be orero.s upon The people; not that he doubts the
utility OF the wnIknnt that he doubts the lnconcevabe
benefits accrung 10 the country from us achievement;
but he fears that may h"r;hen and Cypress the people
ECONOMY" "EcOnnmy. is his motto; 'hewaIe how you
tax the peopirbrwa!c that you push not the patience
too ar-be ware that you pml 10" their patriotism 10 TOO
severe lest" When it, Mr. Speaker, let me ask
nv friend from Halifax, that h. learned these lessons u
reirencie and economy IN The affairs oil Government:
Where and when has he discovered, Sir that the people
will not endure amgh than frugal r'gd and parsI'non'-
ous expenditure OF the pHGtc rCGcEuc How long has
he been accustomed hear from his constituents, ar
10 sing 10 them, that dcieci"bie note Of frugality
which sounds in our ears: Sir, | thought the
pentleman's music had been set to tIit'rcht ga
NUT We have heard no tones OF this character IN
respect that 0htr GOrcra'e, to which The gentle
man is wont TO cast bis eyes for all that mighty and
grand and worthy Of a' praise and accrplation: aye,
Sir when every nerve OF the body polite is strung ana
every fibre stretched 10 swell the ExcheGuer OF that
gigantc Government, whose concerns alone seem 10 al.
1,ac, the attention and regard at some Of u.s. when by
tariffs nposs aud excuses with an ousireched and
greedy hand il gathered almost our only smiling where
were the gentleman fears Tor cXactons from Inc Peo
ME? Where were they, when that Government threat
ned 10 eX,nrt these inguliOus gatherings even al The
poiat Of the inyonst9 And afterwards when that same
Government sick with safety and fevcrcd with uIlnes
threw on, that mighty which even its Voracl0us
s,ou,och cou,d no, digest and scattered with Il wild und
loose and lavish hand lis cnrrup"g "'geSSrS over Inc
lund-wlierr then. ! say, was the warning voice OF
the gentleman fivm HALIFAX ST., -'"d ihia SCENE OF
drunken extravagance and scramble, e was not hparu
IN raise il even TO ,rhiSper Of Remuneration Nl'h u.s.
who have seen and felt these things, the cry OF Econo
NV from such qpar,er may well excite our surprise
When the lavish expenditures Of The Federal Govern
m.n waselui in amount and unwlse ana unnecessary
in their object have brrn winked at, II not approved,
can we n, such lime this, and upon such SUBJECT
The trsqn Of which is give LIE aud energy ana
strength 10 the land uf nativity hear tnese hohrs
upon extravaeance without establishment: Gan such
,l,rs ba and .oyercomc us like summer cloud, and
no, xcilc our special wonder:
But. Sir. the argument Of my friend from HALIFAX 49,
that ,.a, portion Of Virginia over which propose TO 'S'
tend nur iupov ement is not $50 terrible ana "eony as