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

SAID QlVlOc IL give ulc IDy snare vi Iuo
Wa, that the language of the real mother: No!
No. The rsal mother with all the natural instincts
that adorn and dignity and grace the sex, with
that feeling that all venerae ard adore, said dc
not divide tho child but give the whole to the false
mother rather than hurt The infant" So say. Dc
not divide this child give aaye, take the power
take your white basis before will be instrumental il
dividing this commonwealth. Take the power but spare
the child. Great applause.
| Before conclude and | am q long way from it,
am not like my friend from Accomac who does 10
know when his wind begins to blow when it viii
stop. Laughter. know when shall stop and thai
is when | get through But before get through
mean to show the absolute nsgnifcance and unmpor
lance that should be attached TO this basis
fyou take the compromise propose, mean to show
that the protection TO property which you ask will be
more secure and more permanent By far than sny pre-
position which has yet been submitted. This Who'll.
question has been argued from first to last upon the
principle OF taxation ard appropriation if that was thu
only SUBJECT for legislation in which the people of this
commonwealth were interested. have told you, tina
have other Interests in this commonwealth besides
thus basis interest. have social interests and socia
rights political interests and political rights the right
of political equality have the interests OF my children
who growing up and who are to be citizens of h.
commonwealth, in what part Of il cannot forsce
have their interests TO protect, let them be on one side
the other of the Blue Ridge or Allegheny mountains
have the whole interests Of the east and the west tc
protect There are also other subjects of legislation be-
my friend from kanawa (Alr SUMMERS in his able ant
eloquent remarks submitted to the Convention state
Of things 10 exist, which he portrayed so wildly TO your
minds Suppose that controversy should arise between
this State and the federal government. Suppose the pro
position of 1915 TO be repeated that convention OF the
people Of Virginia should be called to decide upon the
course this State should take. Have no interest il
the basis OF representation in that convention Bu
when YOU to proposition of legislation Of thai
character, gentlemen will pardon me for saying and
do IN off IN opDff I,e
commonwealth or any individual in it, my sympathes
are most decidedly with the west and against large
portion of the east. Gentlemen will pardon me for
saying that feel little apprehension at the pro-
grcss Of this dlsunon spirit in the commonwealth OF
Virginia. A disunionist! DO not knor that such an
animal exists Such pcrson-l beg pardon-such an
Individual can be found in the west, hut do know
never hfa Of dsunionis upon tho other side of the
Allegheny mountain in all my life. If they should have
one they ought ~ get him and exhibit him IS public
show. Laughter. You will find 4 good many the
south side of James River. But when you come TO the
question of representation in convention for this pur-
pose confess my sympathics would be with the west
and | would rather they should have equality OF
representation than minority.
Now what is the compromise? What are the effects
to be produced by II upon property: Take your mixed
basis take the mixed basis that has been proposed to
this Convention and which gives you ority OF four
tecn and which you call protection TO property How
long will it last. You have the power bestowed upon
you Of fourteen majority in the Legislature, which is
dormant power not used but perhaps in ten years under
another census that power departs from you and departs
forever What do you establish then: In lieu Of this
protection TO property, you have the white basis fixed
upon you aud forever, without possibility OF returning
to any other What does my proposition offer you: II
gives you protection and most ample protection, not
y to majority of the property east of the mountains but
the minority o the property the west side of the
mountains, which protection is to be perpetual the
constitution ITSELF and as long the constitution en-
lures, that protection is guaranteed to you. Why Be-
cause i'll the first place the west cannot tax you with
out taxing themselves, without your corporation
They cannot make appropriations without your appro-
baton and co-operatlpn they cannot appropriate
dollar without majority of the whole number Of rep
rcsentatycS elected to both branches Of the legislature
requiring therefore the cooperation not of one house
only, but majority of the whole number in both
houses. make provision for the future leave il
10 others 10 take Of themselves We can make no
provision i'll this constitution which would bind those
who are to after ithcy think proper and have
the power to call convention to frame another const-
tuition theywll do it. And whenever the west shall
be- in favor Of it and the cast shall cooperate in both
branches of the Legislature for it they will be entitled
it, and mn not the man to say they shall not have it,
They call convention alter this basis Of rep
rcScntion without the cooperation of another portion
Of the State Ny firm conviction is-ny hope is, that
! if this compromise be adopted and carried into
practical operation will be found 10 operate so haro
niously justly and so equally upon all parts of the
commonwealth that there will BE- no disposition to
change it,
said that this question had been argued with refer
! ence TO the powers Of taxation aud appropriations
And what the great subjects of taxation and appro
pration: And how are the people whom represent
Interested in this sub lect will attempt show
The subject Of taxation and appropriation applies al
most exclusively, Chat is the difficulty growing out Of
it east and wes) to the subject Of internal improve
meuts. Well, now il that is the only difficulty upon
this question, would not hesitate to say, would rather
the west should have the power to and make appro
prations TO complete those great works Of internal i'm
provemcnt, upon which many millions have been ex-
pended for the benefit of the east as well as the west
than that the east should have the pow er to arrest them
in their progress. This question of internal improve
ments is one OF temporary and short duration, which
has become question OF Importance since the year
| lS29-more important now perhaps than prior 10 the
adoption of our present constitution because the spirit
of internal provemcnt5, as said before, had its orr
gin III this State since 1922 You have three great
works Of internal improvcmentnow going on the James
River cana the central rail road, and the southwest
rail road. Do MY constituents desire me TO adopt
a course, by which would put it in the porcr Of the
legislature sof the commonwealth land declare that
purpose in the constitution to arrest the progress of
either of these great works-thcse central improve
ments by Withholding the power of taxation and appro-
priation 10 these subjects.
! When they are completed, the motive for appropria.
ton and ceases entirely Do not talk about your
two or three millions OF appropriations made BY the
last Legislature to mud turnpkcs-to fill up gullies
and cover over dchcs-t has all grown out of tina,
log-rolling system that the gentleman from Logan Mr
FERcusoS) has depicted graphcaly-l,as all grown
out of the apprehension that this constitution about
to put it in tic power Of the legislature of Virginia
to arrest everything like internal improvements
Catch who can and hold on to all you cap CATCH wa.
the word last winter Is there any reason to appre-
bend after you get through with these great works
of internal improvement that there is to be any sys-
tenn of og-roing in the west TO appropriate eastern
money that alarm u.s. Are there no jcalouscs be-
tween the northeast and the southwest; Will not
these eaousies exist and manifest themselves upon ev
cry occasion proposition is made for mud turnpkcs
eren' When was it ascertained that these gentlemen
legislators of the western part of this State were so
anxious to burden their constituents with unnecessary
taxation; Does not every Of experience and
knowledge in this commonwealth know that the eastern
people bear much moro willingly with heavy taxation
than the west: Do you hear the complaint against
eastern representatives for appropriations made as
you do against western gentlemen: And do you sup
pose you are TO be taxed when they will be compelled to
tax themselves and tax every species of property, pro-
ductve unproducve, 10 the extent, that they
will tax you for the purpose Of making waseful cxpen
diture of money! No gentleman can apprehend it. No
one will expect it.
But suppose they do. Do you not have it in your pow
er by the compromise PROPOSE 10 arrest it If the east
are united against it, the whole west may combine and
may logro it and cg-pe it until they get it up to the
moon and they cannot appropriate dollar for inter.
nal improvements without the cooperation of the east