Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-10-28

ED BY MR. SUMMERS IN THE VIRGINIA
STATE CONVENTION, ON THE % OF
MAY, 1851.
Look to the position ia which you seek to place the
people of western Virginia. A large majority OF the
people OF This commonwealth live west OF the Blue
Ridge mountains, all as true and firm but not so fret-
u or excited upon this question OF southern interests
and southern rights YOU Yourselves are aud as any
portion OF the south are They come into this conven
ton and ask you to give them equal politica rights.
But you say 10 them "hush! doatt say word about
that you must ask for equa rights now; don't ask
for tnow at all events, while abolition is rife around,
and while these OF the north are watching out for
every argument that they catch at against US -
Have you ever thought OF the condition in which west.
Virginia has been placed! 1t seems to me that in
some respects We are the most unfortunate people IN
the world. We live upon the borders of Ohio and
Pennsylvania, where, hitherto, it has been almost i'm.
practicable TO retain our slaves. Where have not
slave labor enough to perform the work OF the country,
and yet enough to keep out, to some extent, whe la
Dor. That is not the with yourselves, for you
have abundance OF black labor We are standing
as the sentlnels upon the outposts the wachmen
the outer walls, guardng this property for you. But
when we come here, we are told to keep mouths
shut lest our own complaints, lest the demands we
make Tor our own rights shall furnish argument to
foreigners who seeking to interfere with this nEti
tuition &c to the county OF Wood, of Jackson OF
Mason of CabelI of Wayne all The counties upon that
Ohio border and bring from eastern Virginia. Tide
Water or Piedmont. more determined feeling OF re.
sistance to all aggression upon the interests OF eastern
Virginia. and of the southern States, than S to be found
there. 1t is warm because it has been excited and
kept active by border difficulties. Has not the county
OF Wood fought your battles for you with the aboli
tionists in the State Of Ohio! Is there not now
warfare between Parkersburg and Marietta between
the county of Wood on this de, and the county of
Washington upon the other side Of the Ohio river,
upon this very question The county of Wood, few
years ago, large slayehodng county, but it has
had its slaves reduced now down some 300, and
why! Because thay have been unable to retain them
because they have been entced and carried off by the
| these DpoDIp ha
guardians and sentlnels upon the western frontier to
warn you OF the approach OF the enemy and fighting
them off Their own property has been sacrificed BY
their position, and rom your inability to protect them
ct, when they come here to unite with you in forming
government, they informed that they are not to
have equa! political power because they are not trust
worthy; because they do not know as much about
slaves as you do, therefore, the gentleman from
Halifax MIR Edmunds) maintained, they are not as
capable OF e2slang about them you are. Not be.
ing trustworthy they may them high or inter-
ere possibly with the right of property in slaves That
Is the condition OF things which you seek to cast upon
US. This is the exhibition which you are now aking
before the world
say it sufficient to the gentleman from
Fauquer, to all that he has said TO the character of
this debate upon the part OF western members TO stale
the fact that some Of his associates have daredyes
sir use the word-they have dared UPON this floor to
nsnuate that the western people be trusted
with power because they have too little interest in slave
property to ender them safe repositories of that
power; that we have not slaves enough west Of the
mountains to make US true to the slave interest OF
eastern Virginia and OF the south. We are told that we
have INDUCED nspeeches and in arguments calculated
array the against the east, and that our argu-
men,s have tended to iname rather than to calm and
soothe the western people. What have your argu-
ments tended to do? What have the arguments of
upon this floor tended to ac-
conpsh? They have tended whether designedly or
not to breed distrust in the eastern mind against their
western brethren. Western men have been held up
to the east, as men who, it they to be trusted
now, have, at all events been, the object OF past ap,
prehensions OF some sort. They have been held up
here examples, to and alarm. Your eastern
slave holders have been told that the people
know nothing about this property, or, at least that
they know not enough to egslae adyisedIy in re gard
to it. They have not the same feeling and interest ia
this property that you have, and it might not be safe
perhaps in the hands the western people
The debate that took place IN the Legislature at the
session OF 1912 growing out of the occurrences in
the county OF Southampton, has been referred to by
divers gentlemen upon this floor
1t was my mention, after [ had heard the gentle
man from Meckenburg, (Mr. Goode, for | did not
hear the gentleman from Prince George, tMr. Rves)I
was not In the Convention when he spoke but have
his remarks, and personally certainly have
nothing to complain OF whatever in regard to the
that the gentleman thought proper TO pursue-
say, L had intended, ii suitable opportunity should
present itself refer very briefly to that occurrence
not because affects me personally in any wise for it
is part OF the public records OF the country open and
accessible to all, and all are at full liberty to examine
and make the most OIL But gentlemen have brought
forward that debate, and the votes then given to have
influence, not against the in the transactions but
against the people of the whole west.
They have used IN arguments calculated to n1ame
the eastern mind in reference the trustNorbuess of
the western people 10 regard to the safety OF slave
property. | know very we'll that gentlemen acouit
all OF US at present oil any direct purpose to interfere
with their property, and have disclaimed all imputa-
ton upon western members. But we have been point.
cd to that portion of legislative history as an ex-
ample Of what has been done, and from the past we
are asked to Judge OF the future. Now | apnaal to
the candor OF the gentleman from Prince George INF
Rives,) and the gentleman from Mecklenburg, (Mr
Goode,> to say whether it is just and candid upon
great question like this where attempting to SET
tie the organic law OF the commonwealth for ali time TO
come to bring up and rely upon that occurrence which
took place at a time when east as well as west were
united IN 1t, to operate upon this argument alone against
the west?
Mr.. Rives having interposed to explain the object
ofhis remarks, Mr. Summers proceededl
Now he will remember that there is a pronos;ton
reported from the legislative committee, of which
the gentleman from Mecklenburg is chairman mon
that subject, which meets the appreciation of every
western man on the floor, so far know and we
are prepared at once to insert in the constitution if
the suffrage basis shall be adopted, any and every
you may require or advise upon that subject
We nave told you to insert IN the constitution if you
desire It, an express PROVISION, that it shall moi be
competent for the Legislature to emancpate slaves or
to impair or laterfere IN any manner with the right
OF properly in slaves. We prepared to insert In
the constitution, you choose, IN connection with
the suffrage basis provision against the individual
enanc patton OF slaves without at the time sua
bic provision being made for their deportation beyond
the limits of the Commonwealth We have offered
eastern brethern any and every limitation hatth
wit OF man can devise on the subject, and we have
asked them TO devise and propose themselves any pro-
vision which they may regard necessary and Proper
Where then was the necessity OF going back to an
occurrence whchtook place twenty years ago in or
der 10 show the state of public opinion existing at
that lime, and above all, where was the propriey of
the effort to make impression that this Yves
tern movement, and was evidence only of western
sentiment?
II IS my purpose to vindcate the truth of history as
to this transaction 1t is not the first time that it has
been referred to. am gratlfed that the opportunity
has been presented for fair and full exhibition of
the facts, and shall be made It is portion of our
history which has been to some extent misunder-
stood, and which ought to be put right. | say en-
phaucally that II was not western movement | will
demonstrate that it had its OH gin eastern Virginia.
that 1t was sustained by eastern men, aud by eastern
votes, that eastern men as well western men at
flnt radI in niIni1,n AZ