Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-03-25
Debate on the Convention.
SPEECH OF MIR. soUTHALL,

A
AMEND THE CONSTITUTION.
MIR. SOUTHALL said were he TO consult his feel
i1gs, the Tins OF the House. ho would decline embark
ing in this slrsdy Protraet-d debate. Al Que period OF
the discussion Re had felt disposed his views
the subject under consideration and with that object
had given his attention the Ks IL the gentleman
from wylhe. When he, Mr.. s. to the House this
morning. however, coming as he did with the expectation
OF hesux the gentleman from Fauqu-r, he had conclu
dsd TO iorego the privilege altogether OF participating in tho
debate that eeneuisn. wtin few moments past, hav-
ing informed Mr. $. of his inability from 10
address the to-day, he, Mr. 5. would. unexpectedly,
ask to be INDUCED whilst, in somewhat inpcpared co.,
dition, he submitted OF tie considerations which
brough, his mind oppose the substitute Submitted BY the
member from wyhe to the bill reported by the select
| Committee.
Standing here, Mr. s. said uniformed OF the feelings
and wishes OF his mmedat. constituents subject
vital AFT, citing their best and dearest interests where,
upon any question earth, those feelings aud wishes,
when known should be reflected he felt greater RESPONSE
bIity resting him. and than ordinarily anxious
sieude that he might find himself faithfully speaking the
voice OF 4 county which had generously honorcd him
with its esteem and confidence He eli he SAID an add
onal for trespassing the House the fact that
reflection aud the eSpedence and developments OF the last
fifteen had brought him 10 change OF mind as 70 the
proper bash government and he hoped. additional
apology for his venturng the door this me might be
found the magnitude OF the question before for sir
said he that ordinary enquiry the occasion OF no daily
occurrence the consequences Of trivial character which
the society, which proposes subyeit
political edice, 10 abrogae the organic laS and
solve government into its original elements
from pUiucal moorngs, and embark upon wave,
be tossed we know where and voyage. the
ssi OF which could tell In this OF agitation
and cApeTiment-o; enlarged liberty and progressive
dCmoeraey-goVerumens seem 10 be looked upon The
creatures OF season. q be put up or pulled down.
be abrogatej and again fashioned and moulded by every
sroad Snd stump politician. For himself Mr. s said,
he approached this question u7mindul. he hoped. OF
great importance to and to postsity-camng did,
calm and deliberate and pregnant it
with the veal OF the and future genera
lions.
The gentleman from BOtetou has Just said that he op-
a.. -.
orgsuizsu' OF convention what is called the
I'D bass should the people declare fsyur OF convention
the ground already EXPRESSED by the gentleman from
Wythe;-tnat he here for Justice
lief the ppressiOns u the m,Ority in Ibis House-a
majority the gentlemen pleased inmat. who re.
fused spproyuato7s internal turred
deaf the clms OF West. and who Insen-
sbe The Just demands OF the people in tina, portion Of
the comGl5nNe aiih.
declara n OF ,hi, SORT Mr.. S. said, cam, with an
Ill grace trlm the quarter IL DID He had stood
that the ado>ate u pfu1ont aud rational System
OF internal improvement WITH cDnsttuenoy whose libe-
raj and 4 hsied Safe policy gave their
delegates here reasonable discretion upon the subject,
without lettering their minds aud teing their hands
quesi Of general and public interest," he had, during his
legislative course, looking. he trusted he did the dis
charge OF his duties 10 his own people and 10 the
wealth at large, Coae for those measures of internal
provement wh eh thought best calculated advance
the common inte-e o. a common cOuntry. He had
deavore4 mp-es, siiilIr up the Eas'-
gentlemen He satisfied that the agitation OF the
question Of Stale Convention, occasioaed solely by
THIS SUBJECT o. lneT1ai improvement There might be,
here aad there, in the opinion OF some defects, real
imaginary the existing constitution; but these alone,
would be sufficient overthrow it-wodd never
induce, Mr. s Ight p'uien and rejecting people
upurn the social fabric. 10 ihnOva'e up eorm IT,
he had h.rere, AZ this and eyous sessions urged upon
ude-water gentlemen, TO whom the Creator had been
bOuntifu IN blessing with broad rivers and navi-
gable streams, to vote reasonable appropriations TO
Western breth to aid them Ia overcoming their
ians, and finding svenue 70 the East of the wealth
which now o'ke from by impossible barierstp do
rlsre ; us me-
strengthen the bands that and form
IL m interest, what we are politically, p ople-the
and mdVsb.s. IL was, therefore, Mr. 5. said, with
it;e surprise, that he heard the geEemsa from BoIe
iIur;-who had just tskea his sea- charging upon the
JOy tins House uPoh the Eastern portion of the Stale
Oppression Of the Wes-OppressI n OF tho West IN reu
sny OPERATIONS internal Improvement eluding, as
Mr. 5. sup josod, the defeat Saturday last the
James River and Kanawha bill Sir, with what jusdce i.
this allegation madei Ii the gentleman viii but look among
his household, Il he will but his eve his
rank he Nil hors who 1t tina, inflicted the injury
upon niul;hat gave the blow which dashed his hopes
and caused his amenistsnsi and whilst as gentleman ut
his wbng, aad pours forth his regrets the los.
measure which ne had much heart he
East did ~ No, siT when the lime had come, when
enough Eastern gentleman stood forw ird aid the West
IN obtaining g.ett and desirable improvement, Iut
about &c eater The bosom Of the Valley TO gladden. the
hearts. ard 10 realize, 10 extent, the hops Of
brethren there it, approach Is forbidden, and Its progress
arrested by the vote OF tneRiyOne members from the
West! a dsasr IN its chrac and much be
depOred. Blu, sir the face OF this vote, be told by
PRESTON he West and by another that hey pro-
scrbed bu, 'hevers of wood and trawes Of water
for the East is unfOunded in fact hs is remark
abe character Let tile West then, after this demon
straton, 10 talk Of Eastern oppression.
Mr.. Long OF Randolph Mr. Sou,hlll yielding the Aoo)
sad be from the North Wtsr, and would explain his
position. lis predecessors had generally voted for i'm
PrOVements His people Ind prcJudces against the
Of the James River and kanawha Improvement and
against the President Of the company. lie knew il be
will OF -nas Of his constituents that abroad
he ed In he linz
Mr. SouhaI resunng said he knew very we'll the James
River Canal into the gentle mans country: but
he would say the Stanton AID PaIAerburg Road did
road made wholly State account, and ty wh1ml BY
the opprsssiss majority Of tins House BY dirso ap
preparation from the treasury Of dollars in the East
to three IN ihe West and yet, said Mr.. s. while short
road, he had had partly IN charge which portion OF his
Constituents dePy interested, and Tor The Of
which he mad felt anxious soctuie asking did
but tSo doas from the publ for every paid by nd
yduas had the other day been crushed by the JuggeTnau
Of the Bi and Ohio Ru rad Company Carrying in
s train sufciency Of Western defeat the appi.
clton-a road winch whenever made, whilst 1t would he
wgs assured return ample profits nent.
would se've - uI the valley 20 US and bring politically
c'ossr together But, Mr.. Sou1a said, he did not rise
10 discuss tIese matters; he had been somewhi drawn
into these preliminary remarks b. the decriiOn Of
mOnsne gentlemen, that they oppressed and pro-
scrbed peOpe. Believing, he did hat foundation
pKsted for the assertion ide IN THIS debate he unw
Ling 10 Eefmt u 70 PISS wholly unnOiiced.
He, Mr.. pfoyo,,d, then, come directly to the m in
and great issue wnch The comp ting propositions before
the use senied In its eXam'naiOn, he should avoid
well local geographical dcruuOns the existing
constitutional divisions Of the State, with particular
population aud uesh. lie shouI do this becluse he IN
tended ~ look great prn up forming he
ed the clemens Of ali sound practical gJyetnmen and
which every where, every lsqd wnen emerkes from
OF that OF society necessarily ought and
most he looked order to recurs safety and happiness.
What the propositions before usI You have the bill
| recommended b. the majority Of the Committee, which
proposes. should e. people declare favor Of Conven.
ton, that such Convention should be organized upon
basis Of population aud property combined;
to 1is and offered as substitute for t. you hiyo the bill
Of the minority the committee, which declares the
Convention # called, shall be based solely population.
Favoung he did the bill OF the committee, Mr. Southa
said he wiling humble we're his prtensions, to
the advocates Of the subsiute upon their own
thonly, ana ygdi-aie, no hoped the memory Of those
who fret, 1916 adopted well those who, $780,
. re-adopied the Bill Of Rights.
The gentleman from Wyihs assumed that the dsclgra-
lion Of Rishs and the EXISTING Cons ruu,n inc N
slsIen with each ohcrlhli tle pincne 81 OBJ. fret VIE