Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1851-04-15
: ,5I-II-s.- III. Il .YI3tE7 sois,6efn country

thoSe bold fgntes iIat A1ss % "a y
~ ~ ssngrv and poTlcntous cloud that hangs
hoso onS horizon should ever burst in its wrath
,Is gentlemen must perceive that the gF'e-
narv Of Virginia with fields as bea utply iald out
for battle as ever BEidgewateta and GhiPpeHsa pre-:
.ented and ttiat-inpOft work az FER
~ to felit f0r--wii be the Flanders, the battle
ground In The contest. say then, thal tn!sis an
important and delicate subject, and that w1ateger
sour friends the other side may maintain ano %
say in reference to il, are not content tnat II
-sball not be fenced round and guarded N every
manner that our skill and judgment shall direct
as proper and right. This is very easy tasK.-T7-
There ia no difficulty in the way against p9lllng
in the organic law, provision torpldding Tue le:
efslatnre in all time hereafter TO pass any Jaw 10
anv manner interfering with the relation OF mas.
ter.and ,slaya. And what next? Put ina progi-
sion in the amended constitution, thai the legis-
Iature aI1Il not have power TO cali convention
hereafter at any time 10 alter or change thts pre-
vision at aIl-aDd there ia an emu OF me mater.
tits a simple task and Ee have examples Of the
kind. In regard TO tho senatorial representation
in Congress, the federal constitution expressly
provides that it ehall not be subject Commandment
al any time hereafter, and go in regard to several
other Of its provisions. Such is NY recollection
Of tie character of these provisions nthe federal
constitution. Bnt be that as it may, it isimma-
terial 10 this question. am merely devisiDg
plan by which this question may be carefullycon+a
sidered and reported upon 10 the Convention, not
upon individual responsibility, bat as being 5the
Of the body, who will sit down and consult with
each other, undjstuI6ed by the totmalities Offset
speeches, with all his beautiful Language and
eloquent defamation that is. very entertaining
but sometimes very Improbable eFE 2
In regard to this other powcr=-ibe tax laying
and revenue approPriating poweF,a as an apology
for pressing this resolution upon the. Conventions
at this time, il may be proper TO remark az has al :
ready been shown by my colleague, that uponihls
subject there is no district in he commonwealth
L., NoA hot tIJhf "a
the honor in part to represent. We, az has been
ID you, upon this subject Iatelyt have nothing
to ask and nothing to desire. s. WePay eveEyyear
into the treasury thousands Of dollars over and
above anything that can como back to US, and
the commonwealth is perfectly welcome 10 it.
But at the same time, come her instructed upon
this subject-for it was fully canvassed in our
district, and while The people there are not OPP
posed 10 just and even liberal system Of inter-
nal improvement, and while they are perfectly
willing 10 bear equal share Of the burdens. of
the Commonwealth, il burdens there must 10
carry out such system, they have chargedus 10
look 10 it, that they are not made the victims Ola
wild and reckless system Of internal improve
ment. a system that is, in fact, nothing more
than taking money from he pockets ofone part
OF the people, and putting it into the pockets OF
another part.
attem pied before that people to show, and am
prepared at proper tiu'e IN This body show, that
this thing can be DONE That while the great arte-
fostered, IL not carried forward upon State account
alone, yet in regard to these local works, these
purely neghborhOrd improvement, upon which
there have been so large an expenditure, of late
years the system, ifSyseal il may be called ought
to be, and can be suppressed. Now submits to the
convention the ProPriety, not OF committing to
special committee consisting cI small number the
work that has been already prepared by the cgiSla
tive committee, but of referring 10 it now, in the
midS OF this debate, TO be reported on promptly,
these two particular subjects. One of them
doubleday docs run somewhat into the labors Of the
legislative committee, and the special committee
will avail itself, doubtless, Of their abors. The is
cue is now made up in the Of this debate
whether there can or cannot te such guarantees,
limitations upon the powers of the government, in
c0rPOrdsed in the constitution, will remove the
difficulties ofour eastern friends upon these subjects
and particularly upon this latter subject
am glad 10 see the debate taking that turn, for
in my humble judgment, it is the true question:
And while we, who come from the lover end OF the
valley, are as determined as any gentlemen this
floor to stand up for the great principle involved in
the suffrage basis; while we believe upon care
full and thorough examination OF the subject we
are able 10 give it, that the principle involved in the
report of the mixed basis party is which carries
with ii insult and degradation to large portion of
the people of the commonwealth and shall main
tain it, and I trust successfully, against all odds
yctwe utterly dsintCrcsted in the result, far
as the question OF political powcris concerned. In
fact it will make change in our position in re-
gard to our share of political power, no matter
which scheme shall prevail Leaving this que. ton
of view, identified closely upon other
subjects with our eastern brethren. II IS our mis-
sion and duty here, and must perform it, to look
to this subject. Aud ask Of this Convention the
means of doing it through this committee and as
the best form, in my Judgment, in which IL can pos
Sibly be brought to our notice.
Permit me to add this additional remark The
resolutions which have been offered on this subject,
by gentlemen, are various. The resolutions which
have the honor to offer and perhaps various others
have all been resolutions of inquiry. take It f1r
granted that no gentleman has expected to see the
very phraseology of his resolutions incorporated
t0kA thn NaV flO1tHb haT,a
written with that degree of loosencss, If may SO
express it'll speak certainly in regard to my own
which perhaps would be characteristic of any
mere resolution of inquiry. When gentIemen7now
come TO notice the question, and meet the PROPOSE
ton that guarantees, ample and sufficient guaran.
ties on the subject may be framed we mRt.witt
sneers at what they term mere paper guarantees.
All that have To say on that subject is, that gentle
men will have to come down to their work on thi.
subject. Il is not a subject to be sneerei at. Far
frOmit. Butthose resolutions proposing guarantee.
come before US now in the form that ! have jus
described, and when in the course Of the debate We
are called upon to advocate these propositions We
are. asked what are your neutrality-suspicious. =
One gentleman takes up SfGgle prov Sion, ,as the
gentleman from FauQuier did The resolution of my
colleague, and submits il toya fierce criticism. and
to any other provision Thus tbey stand in he de:
bate appropriations presented by Individual mem.
6ers Of the Convcntion and wears nor able here 10
dstcEmine whuhilg the one really. Intended 10 be
put forward IL have here sotlefed a proposition
which, is calculated t0effert that end The object.
therefore, of this lis tuchargehs special
committee with the dnty of selecting he nrtfcniar
Limitations, far as Sonuectcd with this slbiect
and 70 PfePaSe such scheme as will secure jthe
very ends and offsets ann0lneed by our eastern
Iheydesifeto acc6apItsh ihsn is sbs
We go for this stftf b9Sfs ana e5Tli to NON
withla bond and seeuFiiy IN otif hand q ~ i
The1issueis it1adsftP; dec6TdfEr Is F5ftfs
OF PleadiqB ssbseas narrow stoiipd
that we ought to acepp We lgRtF putt 81
the Salsey S