Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-03-01

' ',"uth then sacrificed constitutional rghi for wha
men 'alny supposed The sake Of union: bui ,h,t s,,
'e so lar from satisfying The arica spirit of the Norti
as hy Invited and encouraged other and more ,lnrcror
ssies'lnhs upon Southern rights The Wes, is here nskc
~ saefihce not constitutional but an inalelnbe notr,
ncy are called upon 10 rcpudiae the long and iondl
ttiied doctrine of the political equality Of man viii
rls ieilow man, and 10 recognize and acknowledge
pc'p mat practically applied 10 the two divisions of rh
.'ale dlsirancses upwards Of one hundred and sev.pt
thousand Western frccmen. And for wharf tn sinco M
ul'an'y awakened and unnecessary fears OF division
wv "'' whose wealth consists chiefly in species of nrn
cry hn s not found 10 exist an eanaI extent among th
lo"hains oi the West. But suppose we now Weld nov
i y sell to the men OF the West Suppose we nov
u 70 Inc eAoroltant demands of The East and acknow
'cuee or The present. our political nterority have we nm
assurance that the concessions made will not nyit
s Aactons on the part OF our skmastersl When vii
ef ears DO slencrd And where will their exactons ston
ie' te example Just quoted answer these questions II
ah eAape is cleaning from the recorded history of rh
county, hht has practical bearing upon the issue nov
Joined between the Eastern md Western divisions Of I'M
"lae. And IN voice the soemnity OF which fully com
iensitc with the Importance of the crisis almonsbc
no West 10 stand firm and united and with high resolves
meet una resist 10 tile "ast extremity" even the ncpien
steps o encroachen upon the natural rights OF her eli
zens Let lis profit by the example This bill is To become
aia" 'ni let II not bc said by the antiquarian OF COMING
years. whist coming over the pages OF the history of OH
tmes and amusing himself with the foies and nconssen
ccs OF representative Stale government that one Western
man was ound 10 subscribe 10 the antrepubcan doctrines
VI ihs Dii our interests feelings our hopes and ou
ears are the same Our destiny is one and inseparab. Lei
us not divide The crisis in our history uught
WIN momenIous results Let stand firmly together and
with calnness and xedness purpose worthy Of the
son meet the approaching storm And above all lei
not by voting Tor this measure become willing pariy 10 our
own political infamy and disgrace
But, sir wish one word 10 the East in
To this measure and do in the spirit of Kindness and ,d
monliion Man is creature of pre- Idice And now piye
You timely warning not TO array the prcudccs cf The pop-
lous West against the pecuar Institutions of The Sonh
on now have friends in the Wes-men with bold hnrts
and true, who ready ana whose hay, c
Gently pledged 'Ge 10 stand by the South even in the st
extremity Yet you distus these men, and are unwilling
Ia acknowledge their political equality and give them that
voice in the legislative councils Of the State To which &c
cordg 10 The pancst dictates Of and sound policy
they are Justly entitled. With con,roliau majority Of
twenty nine votes you abou. 10 force upon them ea
sure which virtually dofancises upwards of one hundred
and seventy thousand OF their fellow citizens The West
iuy understands why this is done but will be unable 10
comprehend the logic by which is justified You may SC
Iec from among the schemes YOU have heretofore de-
vsed Tor the purpose OF retaining in your hands pepon-
dcrance OF the political Of The State any plan ha
you may ohoose and cali itby whatever name may please
yotr fancy bcstyou may adopt the ''mircd" the "dera
or the combnsa basis of reprcscniaUn-he result is the
same-he West would rcpudae them ull and stand where
sne no" stands upon tho eternal and unchangng doctrine
OF the political equality OF mankind The people of the West
Know why IS that they thus politically prescribed and
graded and would II be than madness sDpose
thn, people could look with favor upon an institution
tnat lo them is made engine ooppression Thcreope of
le West are now Southern in thought; feeling ard action
The grave and exciting question ihai agtcs the peo
pie and ienriuy threatens he union o these States is
TO the people of Wgsra Virginia of dollars and cents
They stand higher and hoirr ground. II with them
question I'll Constitutional right; and for the mananancc o
ih right lei but IN" North strike The blow and The signal
Of resistance The part OF the South be given and you will
lind the tents OF these men OF The mountains pitched side by
side with those OF The East with the Sothra flag proudy
nnirrled and gracefully floating lc,e lhem But sir be-
ware beware, warn yo teach these four hundred
and ehiyfve thousand Western irccmen, the chyalry of
who are ready need be- 10 unsheat the sword in defence
o Constitutional right, that you have respect for their
unaenabe Natural rights The eyes of lie people Of the
Yves, are now anxiousy fixed gpo and let them
acfin
nal principle Of Republican government farce and i tit
sacrifice fol the shrine OF Eastern ambition for legislative do
mnaton: rsi You teach them al tho that
rights Ia shadow and not great principle worthy OF their
supreme veneraon and homage And et them not see that
BY boldly advocating Southern rights against Northern ag
gresson they only increase and strengthen the fetters
which they are held in political seryile bondage.
repeat airs man s creature Of prejudice and no ap
peal 80 potent as the passage OF this bill could be made
the irc1nlcrs o the Wcsi. Pass this bill and instead
Of geographical, division drawn the centre
81 Ihe Stale by the hand ol nature, you will create
division o much more fearful and deporabie caracrr.
The geographical boundary Of this proud old Commonwealth
will ever remain the same but division of feeling, OF
rest and sympathy will follow and longer. in either Of
heae respects will Virginia be uSlr. This Is an unplen
SAINT subject, and will pursue il no further.
Mr. Speaker, the Iine and circumstances under which
this bill ia about be forced upon is inauspcious the
West aud adds greatly 10 The injustice Of the If
the mixed the Federal combined basis of representation
is 10 be forced upon why not wait I'LL after .he OF
1850 shall be taken and the lands of the State revaued!
The West has been anxious Convention since the
present Constitution went into opesaon but for several
years she has been patiently waiting for the Of 1885,
ana OF her lands that her population and the
value OF her taxable property might hr officially known and
fairly represented This move did moi come from the West
1t is Eastern measure supported and upheld by Eastern
delegates When the move was made in the early part of the
session. the West looked upon II with suspicion.
young man, and member. said nothing publicly
the 0ccason but well recollec remaking friend who
me- timeo Dnnaos et dond ereaeSand recea: de-
veopmenis have only angh The exceeding appropriate
ness of The quotation.
If yon will force into convention upon the combined
bass OF representation let have the advantage of the in
creased value of Western and r decreased value Of Eastern
lands and something more reliable than calculations made
by the Auditor upon uncertain data amt he correctness of
which calculations cannot be e6cd without Herculean la
bo But since property be represented and 10 have
equal representation with individuals why lei the Audi
make another calculation from the statistics Of 1880 and
lS In reference To The value Of Eastern and Western lands
The statistics of those times show, tina. during the time
which elapsed between osr years Eastern land actually
decrea.cd in value Sl9a2 54; an that Western land
creased the time liz Of s24 93 CSC
Now sir, sNpI.osng like increase in the lands OF the
West and like decrease in the lands of the East between
lsio and 1885, and estimating the tax upon il according To
il will give the West relative annual increase of revenue
10 the amount of near $4,000 And when we consider,
that according TO the basis of representation fixed by this
bilwhich is no. ihc eas remarkable feature Of this
remarkable measure-tyery half dollar pad into The State
Treasury Scsh5 much in ihe scale as living
possessed OF thought feeling and action-the West
has cause o complaint that she Is forced into Con-
ycniioN al This time and credit given her in the settle
ment made by the gentleman from Halifax for this S5 000
But sir will argue further the principle of represen-
aiion contained in the bill under consideration fur
he attempt show he ncorrec,css and uncertainty of
the data upon which lis calculations founded 1t is
founded upon nusceii Involves political heresies unbe
coming the age in which live and is intended end in
the political sublugaton Of the West prond say,
am Of that school of politicians who believe tina, The
length Of the citizens purse is the proper Standard by
which 10 determine his capacity 10 exercise properly the
elective franchise And offset comparison that
was instituted by tie gentleman from Nelson, lr Perrow)
betwef. tic Eastern slave and the hardy abore of the
West, Twill snte that the of Si0 disclosed The fact,
that while larger majority Of t,c whine population OF the
State was found in the WGsi yet there was 979 more adults
in Eastern tha in Western Virginia. who could not read OF
Wl.,e,
viii only add in concluson that the people of the West
10 adopt the language used by this honorable body not long
since know their rights and intend 10 maintain hem They
among their native hills The book of nature sqrd ou
before them in grandeur and beauty, teaches hem The doc
rne of the political equality Of maIsind The natural cie
ments administer alike and with bountful hand TO the
wants of the rich and The poor the earth unolds her dder
alike the peasant and the princes and should they
wish give expression to- and cothe the doctrines therein
ghl them in becoming language hey Would quote iroa
State paper not unknown 70 sireTiAT ALL Mss ARE GRE
ATED EQUAL
PRINCE EDWARD---The Farmvle Republican states
that James H. Wilson, Esq, has been nominated as tn
democratic candidate succeed the resent represe
from Prince Edward Mr.. Wooton who declnes e-elec
tion. The Wings have no. ye. made nomination.
~