Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-05-06
TO THE QUALIFIED VOTERS OF THE CT
nv f1F RICHMOND


What interest have the citizens OF Richmond IN sur
rendering the mixed bass In what way can 1t promote
the prosperity OF the city! My limits forbid more than
a few general suggestions. The surrender VIII change
the political power of the State from the East TO The
West, Can Richmond rely with any greater confidence
upon the West than upon the East so to use the power
advance her prosperity surely not hcn , Is
in property and in feeling. Linked in one common chan
OF proud recoecnons OF the past. and ardent hopes Tor
the uuresittng around the same hearth stones wor-
shipping at the same atars and weeping on the same
graves Here in the East are old William and Ma
~, and Mount Vernon and Monticello, and Y ork
Town-obects alike dear to al and venerated by ALL
The West is alien in eeling-unike in institutions
dissimiIar in population and in property 1t holds but
one thing in common with us-tbe proud name OF Vir-
ginian And so little is this revered by them-so
weak is this single common tie that angry threats rude
w to snap it, are becoming as familiar in the West
household words. And such are their power and po-
tency, that the grave and otherwise cal m dellbe
ratonS ofthe Convention disturbed by unmlstakea-
BILE limitations that the West are determined TO hare
The poper divide the State And you are urged, as
a matter of interest," to desert your old friends, allied
you by every tie, and identified with you in all that
sances human associations and cast yourselves into
the of these strangers to your blood these aliens
to your interests and your feelings Ave, aud you are
told you cannot be worsted by the change. Can you
be beered And not Isl not better to bear the ills
you have, than fly to others that ye know not or
But you are told that the West will aid in building
up the city, by the prosecution Of internal improve
ments Be not deceived by this specous yet delusive
tale cannot here enter into discussion of this sub
ec but it perfectly demoDstrable that the West has
aided you in this respect, except when by SO
doing they have doubly served themse Ives. The
Trans Allegheny country has never aided work Of
internal impro calculated to improve Richmond,
except as the price OF some local improvement granted
them in return. Look at the Tennessee Railroad.
Running through a popuious and fertile region OF
South Western Virginia, and yet in all that county
mere trlfe only was subscribed to the stock. Yes
they will allow you to make railroads into their coun-
dInfr Rinhfrn hnf fhn Unp och
them to help build them, they are dumb as an oyster
The West has voted for improvements leading to Rich
mond Very true. But they did so not from any love
of Richmond, but because it was the only means of
obtaining power to carry out their own schemes. Give
them that power, independently OF Eastern votes, and
they will do what all judicious men do, seek the best
market, at the least cost. That market will not be
Richmond, nor in Virginia. The white basis gives
them all the power they want.
II you abandon the counties OF the East, for this
holy alliance with the West, will not the Eastern coun-
ties abandon you? The East pays two-thirds of the
taxes. They interested in fair appropriation Of
them. But will they no when divorced by you be
less whether these taxes expended in the East the
West-to build up or put down Richmond Nay, more
will they not be ready very ready, in the evaporation
consequent upon being deserted by you build up any
rival so that Richmond is put down? II human nature
prevails they will Thus, then. will lose by adopt.
ing the white basis, tho triendshipof the Eastmore
especially OF the Underwater counties. From friends you
convert them into enemies.
We have already seen that you will lose half Of yeul
political power You lose tine power to protect your
selves at the moment that you reject the protec
ton of the tde.water counties.
Adopt the white basis, any compromise giving the
power TO the West, and hive years will not pass befor.
the seat Of government will be removed from Rich
mond. This the West ardently desires-they have
long desired it. Some years ago, year after year. fo
many years the subject started in the legislature
And it for the last four years. nothing has been heart
upon the subject it is not because the desire has
the hope been abandoned, but because of convic
ton OF the hopelessness of the scheme 10 the pre-
sent division Of legislative power and while the tide
water counties remained true to Richmond. Let thu
division of power be altered, according to the white ba
sis any compromise, or let the Underwater counties
separate from Richmond, and the scheme will be re-
vived and the thing will be DONE Let it be done, ane
the value of property, and the wages OF labor in Rich
mond will come down in five years more not less thar
Is per cent. The taxes must 60 up the time
pay for erecting new capital and necessary govern
ment buildings What, then, will become of your no
tells and boarding housesl They scarcely keep up now
aided they by the influx OF persons into the ct
| during the winter When they go down, the butcher
the baker the grocer the gardener the house builder
furnlsher find, at once, very material part of the
means OF subsistence cut off This view very exten
sve. Icannot follow it further The withdra wal fror
| Richmond OF the large expenditure of money her
consequent upon the location ofthe seat OF government
will be most seriously and disastrously felt reachn
| even to the humbles; in the community. must clos
this article, already too long, do it with declarao
| OF my most solemn conviction that he is blind VIII
does not that Richmond has every thing to lose an
| nothing to gain by the white basis.
NO PROPERTY HOLDER.