Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-09
Remark, cf M: CHgllDLLSS, in Connatsr If he
lFhoic, IprI 2 1851.

lFhoie, AcM 2 1851.
sir Cii.iMDLISS. Prudence dictate, to at Ia:
stage Of the discussion TO DC silent. Froprety anc
isiitd nc not to iGIc il this .;caic Iut con
troll in, sense OF duty to that generous contitacHc
who honorcd me with scat upon this door, demand
that should give expression to their views the in
tcrcsting question under consideration. 1t is no
my purpose to 81 the wide field Of discussi"
wh:c' this debate has taken. II is not NY in.en
tion 10 argue the whole question, because there ha
already been Euch c:olu"nce ard talent brougl
to bear upon il tina; fad myself cncompasscd bY diff
iiculty, IN finding anything worthy of being submitted
should engage in tbs debate at all but for the FIRE
quent illusions which have been made TO the little ont
! side county from which come.
to my friend from Grecnbrer (hir. SMITH Al
apology, for when l submitted some weeks ago.
few remarks 10 this committee, in direct answer Il
portion OF the observations which lel! from him.
confess that did it under excitement which oHrh
not 10 have ie especially when much better cause
ior excitement has been given since his speech wa:
uttered. Slr tie direction which this argument has
taken, though il has oten Inspired with feelings al
deep sorro; haas ceased, confess, to have thai cx
citing effect which it di! when first took my sc,iiare
could not he nscnsi5ic 10 the remark which dropped
from Lie Very eloquent gentleman from the county o!
Augusta, who first .,!a:, ssa! The committee when he
spe.c of Tia. .'gln,:a!- ;Hc Of indignation" whir,
wuu! rise up ano'ls. us Constituents, should the pro-
position which is under discussion he adopted AN.
form part OF the organic ais OF this State. listened
with deep feeling t. rcmacs oil that character conf
from Ike did, and entertaining, as did, great
respect Tor the talents oil the speaker Cha; respect be-
in. enhanced ~ he speech winch lie delivered OF that
occasion coacss that remark of that gave rise
TO feelings Of no ordinary interest in my mind But.
sir, it was not onl ";round-swell Of Indignation
that was to rise from the valley, but stmberinS
volcano was to pour on, It's lava whenever this basis
was fixed upon the people of western Virginia. The
gentleman from S!oaoagaia CIR WiLLEY) represented
his people there =: sIurbcring volcano that
would burst whenever this question carrie east
crn Virginia desired it TO &c carried.
hir. WILEY. hope nv friend from GrecnsYc
will take INTO consideration the conditions which
that Tocano was to wake up. Its sumbcrs could only
he disturbed b: the tremendous voice that to sweep
up r,n the eastern shore and across the Blue Ridge,
described by the gentleman from Halifax, (ar Pun
SSs) 1t was 10 depend uronsh hose voices, and thun
derinss, and ghtnns described b. the gentleman from
Halifax and l. was only upon the condition OF their
being heard ard that the earthquake TO make
its appearance. Laughter.
Mir. CliAMBLl$S. Then Il is POSSIBLE that there is
vo'aho OF that kind. II is possible that the people
of western Virginia may he resting sl'lmberinr
To!cano. which mag at any time be aroused and sGa@"
It's destructive lava the surrounding country, aad
bury our institutions in its desoIatiag sweep. re-
GREETED to hear that remark.
The gcntlclnaa from kanawha (Alr. SMITul did Inc
the honor to refer to tic little county in which reside
. would not live said he, lin the county of GrceI>
vile And why: Because. | presume, for re:.
son-hc Is too "auro;~. too bold soldier: he has too
much nerve in him 10 suffer from fear. Surely he would
net expect 10 DC bu;clercd while can live there in
perfect saic!T and security. But! in all probability,
there Eai be another cause why he would not live in
the county OF Grecnsville. presume he would pre-
fer l!Sis in COUNTY in which the people not re-
qurc'l TO ray such heavy taxes. presume he would
rather live IN county that pays hrtyhree cents per
head upon the white population, than in one which
pays Il IS. Ins may be some reason why he would
prefer living in Inc SaIines Of kanawha, rather tian
IN county on the outskirt, Of Old Virginia which
g supports nearly 40G0 slaves
That gentlemen took occasion to lecture eastern Viz
ginans upon her course of legislation, and the ingu,
dent and imperfect manner in which she had managed
her State affairs. i the first time. since the
meeting Of This body, that have listened with sorrow
to remarks which "erc calculated to degrade this time
honored Commonwealth. 1t not the first time that
sic has received anathenas and hann "a,'na Ling
;iii;Ig. She is tiic proud mother Of us all, 10
"ho!n we should cling with love and affection and in
erest which should be holy and undyng. In what
is Virginia so Low in the scale of States: In what Is
she nuch behind her sisters in the contcderacy Can
,hc not look tn the memories Of the past. Can
she not look to those monuments Of her glory and |
greatness that sonc Can she not look to her pres
emit prosperity and vigor TO her from that false
position in which gentlemen have sought to place her
She boldly challenges comparison with others. Her
population and wealth annually increasing. She
S being covered with network of internal improve
nents which will develop the mighty resources in her
possession. The rich and eXhasttsa treasures of her
aUoIl 10 nc poured
INTO the lap OF the seaboard Is that all; Are these
The only monuments of her greatness? Look nj her
colleges and her universities.
The University .pf Virginia, that proud monument |
Of the wisdom sasacity and patriotism of him who |
,lumbers at Monticello, is proud evidence OF her ri
sing spendor and not of her decline and downfall Look
At the schools scattered the commonwealth, and |
tell me if she has nothing of which to be proud, and
which mark her glory and renown.
But there is a;othc thing that should a; least prevent
tinno fr1l. ,to oh.
ing his with mismanage in its affairs
{ nGer whose auspices, pray, has this mighty giant OF
the west grown up The answer should silence those who
utter their groundlcs5 complaints against the present
constitution and the Eastern administration under it, By
its happy influence Virginia has well ng! dou-
b ed her white population and reached the maturity of
manhood. Ami yet it is from that very section Of The
stale that complaints continually heard. The |
rowing greatness and prosperity oi western Virginia
should seal Ecr lips in silence, the subject OF the NAL
oil the eastern governmental ma ority.
The gentleman complains Of another thing. lie |
complains OF Tic wasted fields, the di!apidacd dwell
ngs, the want OF agricultural prosperity and
cial independence OF the cast, and ntimacs that
will give him the power he will make these waste pa- |
res blossom as the rose. How, | ask is that to
be effected by what magic wand is al this mighty |
change to lie accomplished: Through what i;sir!-
ncnt1lit. fare deserts to become fields covered with
The clustering riches Of hr!rdaat harvest: 1t rn,st
DC done by systcn Of internal improvements which can
sc expected other way Than by taxation and con-
ribuilon anG tina! contribution must from this
very poverty stricken eastern Virginia, which The
gentleman thinks only petit larceny could be commit
ed It's to be done b. that system of taxation which
already brought treasury the brink Of ruin
Underwater to her depressed condition. ] hope and
trust in God that if ever Virginia pc renovated it
will not be done under the management ard conduct Of
he sagacious" gentleman from kanawha and his con-
celebrates.
Mr.. Chairman, there is without doSbt, vast amount
Of intelligence and talent in this body. In my jn1g-
nent it will compare favorably with any BODY q ncn
ever assembled in Virginia or anywhere else But not
@thstandng the high dcgc of talent congregated here
was mortified when the gentleman from Rock
bridge (Mr LfrcHEn) bringing to his aid in this discus
sion oi question of SO much magnitude this, the
cord of convention which was held in Stanton in |
1928. He took peculiar delight in bringing forward
some opinions which supposed to be entertained at
that time by some of the members Of this Convention
Mr.. lEiCfiER. do not desire get credit for |
more than am entitled 10. The record first in |
t.oduccd BY the gentleman from the city OF Richmond
liIr. ScoTT,) ard not by introduced il in reply
TO the views taken by that gentleman himself.
NJ. CHAMBiISS. II was introduced BECAUSE tic |
gentleman who introduced it personally rtercs.ci
but is that an excuse Ter :hc intelligent gentleman from
RockbrGsc (lIr LETcHEn) to bring forward an arg,
ment like that to influence the deliberations i;his be-
dy! If things 81 that character introduced here
ask you ii is apology, for such ar:unen,s-sha
IL.