Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-06-10

ton then made to adjourn anu carried aer session
MIR. MIlLERs resolution will come up again to-day.
VIRGINIA STATE CONVENTION.
Remarks of h. j. BOWDEN, in Committee Of The Who'll
May 10, 1851.
Mr. Chairman ii is my wish 10 occupy the attention
of the Convention than some len or fifteen minutes
After the lengthy debate which we have been listening
last three four hours were TO oetan you any con
siderable time should BIZ lniclnS on is oody cruel Du
by no means unusual punishment Laughter
Endeuyorng DC concise-nlendlng truIhuIly to per
form my promise and occupy in fact but few
moments | proceed al once without Introduction, with
what have say, my design being estnare in media
res" and not 10 linger oiter on the of.skirts
Before doing this beg the indulgence of passing word
TO those gentlemen who have been kind and cUnsdera
vi our welfare offer their friendly advice TO of he
east who think proper to advocate and maintain tile com
promise So far that advice touches the relations exist
ing between and constituents, say 10 these kind
friends that the question contained
scripture is pertinent and appropriate TO them: "Whc
made ruler Judge over another mans servant Z
To his own master sandeth allch" intend 10
fall in regard this compromise before my oTn consfu
entS; and occupying firmly believe do occupy posi-
tun which is entirely consistent with their interests,
which CARRYING substantially and in the SPIRIT those
pledges which made them when became candidate,
had until within the last half hour determined take
part this discussion, but ~ remain an nnobsve anc
quiet in these exciting SCENES conscious OF my own
rectitude and cunfding firmly in The judgment and neg
" Of enlightened and vuOus constituency The course
intended pursued by me shall lake with
of right and proper principles and motives which viii DC
icnt 10 sustain and commend in my own conscience
nd 10 m; heart. My speech Ia not intended as de
cuuirscend 20 nothing of that kind II is designed
aid and the country especially that part from which
come have proper understanding Of and 10 attain cor
rect conclusions concerning must important and momenta
ry question Finding erroneous Impressions concerning
question prevailing here there is great danger they
will currency elsewhere; and TO neutraZe their pnis
fleets have been induced to rise and lend my aid IN
administering an antid0te.
Mr.. Chairman, | from portion OF the Common
wealth of Virginia which has heretofore neither received
asked for Thing the hands Of the General Assembly
That District may be ascerained from the reports lying
your table has received solitary cent by way OF
appropriation from the Legislature of Virginia. was s-nsi-
Div struck with the when asceraincd 1t Tor 10 tell the
truth was that such the history OF our
Igisa lun until became member Of this body and nves
pated the documents that Ina, been laid upon yOut table
II is nevertheless fact that whilst nearly every portion OF
the has received something in The way ap
propriaons the district which have the honu in part to
represent has at any tme ab be condaa TO The pre-
moment, received cent o! The public money we
been wise DESTROYS Of receiving thing that Is to
raised by taxing and nppropriang powers OF The go
yernmen: and had we been 'et alone had been
tent II you are determined however TO make shpweck Of
public treasury may be forced reluctantly TO JOIN inc
weckes and engage in The general scramble for The rich
spos "rard nantes gurgRc rdsto.
We have but thing ask Of this government and tat
procction be protected in the peaceful enjoyment oil
our slave property from all aggression let il from what
quarter may and 10 be secured against onerous ano excess
sve taxation.
To express the iden in manner perhaps better cal
culaed communicate my impressions accurately and u
VIII mat the OBJECTS my uesIpH
by the MIXED basis the federal number are iwo-iold
l. 70 protect slave property from dangerous and I'M
just legislation.
To guard orr section of the State from oppressive
ton which they apprehend may be imposed on them oy
other portions OF the commonwealth for the purpose Of con-
srucing internal Improvement works oil local character
in which neither they nor the State al large mas any OF oui
very little concern.
They heretofore considered the mixed basis the
federal number appropriate by which these oo-
ecs might be attaned but the grand object and design which
they had in view not TO obtain basis another basis
end their ends security and protection and 80 lar
as am concerned and far as believe their interests or
their wishes concerned the Indifferent so long
the object s carried
In regard 10 the safety of slave property entertain no
sort of apprehension. Most woful will be the day 10 this
cOmmUnwcah-let the blackness Of the shadow Of death
upon and enshroud iwhcn guard and ensure the
rights Of the STAKEHOLDER shall be called upon suppress
and annhiaie the rights Of one hundred thousand majority
of the free born whites. deadly blow than such an
argument imports, has been evecd institutions
by the vlcst fanatic incendiary of the north That so
large majority oi the white people Of this commonwealth
in favor of dwelling our institutions and uproong The
very foundations of social system, is belief too horrd
and appalling TO be entertained for instant. dismiss It
unworthy Of consideration and proceed the subject OF
taxation connected with internal improvements.
And first Of ALL this branch Of tine subject, make the
bold inquiry what protection has the mixed basis afforded TO
my constituents hereoforc The mixed basis adopted
in the convention Of $780, and has been since and
the constitutional law OF the land. Has it secured
to my constituency protection against oncrous taxation =!
Has guarded the State against burden of heavy pub
lie debt The universal response is that il has accomplish
ed neither the other. The State debt has been in
creased from million and quarter in 1880 up.
wards Of twenty millions Every Of internal I'M
prOvenen mania has been allowed rage and
from the Blue Ridge Tunnel to the vies little pre-
cinct speculation in mud turnpike the money OF my con-
stituens has been avy and prodgay wasted and squan
deed if had been light and worthless The chat that
disspaed by the summers breeze. The mixed basis has
proved aud utter failure If il has been ian object
Of derson 10 its enemies" it has At proved 10 be
object of "inelancholy pity" and regret its friends
Let proceed at once and compare the mixed basis with
The compromise Under the mixed basis you get small and
wholly unreliable majority in both houses say unrclia-
bic majority and the justice of The observation cannot be
gansayed questioned TO prove that these small MAORI
ties which struggling obtain under the mxed
basis cannot be relied and totally incfcient-that
they will afford protection whatever you have only
fleet on The fact that under present mixed basis appnr-
oncnt we have had for the last years much
naiortes in house tn gentleman This floor
elsewhere contends We should have under The constitution
now forming whether you incorporate into the plan of the
committee "schedue A. the amendment propoundcd by
the gentleman from Fauquier, (Mr. Scott.)
Well then. before commenced inquiriag, lei ask
aSan: Under the present miscd basis constitution how
and what extent have been protected from un
aunl How far has the internal Improvement system been
curtailcd and arrested Let whether the maady
which The wise of s90 designed 10 cure or at leas:
mitigate has in fact, been healed under their system Of
whether its has not been increased and
lis most alarming symptoms aggravated and lnliamed
Sre how plain saIcmeu; o facts answers all these cues
tons and relieves from every Doubt Since 1880 the debt
o The Stale has Increased from 81 500 10 49,
To which last named sum- the debts and liabilities of the
State mad risen the adjournment of The last Legislature.
The official lately made TO Virginia by her able
Second Auditor Mr.. Brown, shows that
On the 3Oh SEPTEMBER last the public debt OF the State of
Virginia. held by individuals and private companies
S9035 ls9 30
OF this deb: there's held in Great
Britain So 1863 959 80
In Frunce and Germany 1865 800 90
Total in Europe s2,7ss,2ss so
In Virginia 565l,45l 90
In Maryland 392l39 20
In the District OF Columbia ll040O 90
In other States 800 60
Total in L. States 6,2o6, 900 90
Aggregate amount in all e,035, lss 30
The apparent Liabilities of Virginia for guaran.
tied bonds issued by companies and corpora
TONS 10 complete her improvements 9425 1852 40