Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-03-11

because / cannot do it without violating the co
which is due to another body express the ceph ~ -
ing which entertain that subject. and le"' IL;
shall be too late in action in regard TO IT, in
race going on between this body and the one , W.. -,
the capito! yonder, and | am afraid tney van I'll ho
victory-that shall be TOO lae-and tha' hrasc
very much in the position if may use nome, PA
of locking up the stable after the horse i stolI' 10
remarked lust now am perfectly persuaded INA. le;e
can be such limitations and guarantees I'M g.
the new or amended Constitution rs wiz, "1i MI
to eastern brethren, and also u u. IL. a,,c,
lev for we are identical with them 10 tia' It'pe
all such guards against the abuse u ~ - r;phi
and revenue appropriatng power, as we nave = oh
to demand or al all need 1t may be ooi'e " s"N
a way too, as at the same time to place inc , ~
internal Improvement upon all lniitels NOR. s a.
basis and lead to the adoption OF Just system"
yelopment Of the resources OF the state iioic 80
,ora r,n;lIv and infinitely more wisely than Is no"
going on in our legislative halls. That Is the
which at the proper time il it shall fall to my io 70
address the committee shall endeav"r 10 n' va
The gentleman from Farquier remarked ~ .sroon
sion on that subject do not concur win mn, u. 'a,s
opinion am perfectly willing contde IN our brethren
N every part of the State upon this subject AT present
have no distrust of western brethren now. Dut
trust that the work OF Our hands VIII '' - ie.: le.u
twenty wears and By that time new generation VIII
have snr,nr up aud know not. rs We are tod In
,crpure what day may bring FORTH much less what n
decade of ten years will produce in reference to this
delicate and important subject And permit me To re-
m,rk as reason for offering and pressing this
ution upon the Convention tina, there is community
in this commonwealth deeply Interested in both Of
these subjects than that which have the honor in par;
to represent. this floor have examined little into
this matter and strange SEEM in two counties
which | represent, Jefferson and Clarke, haze the
densest slave population in the commonwealth. 1t is
curious fact but it is true that for the extent of terrific
ry The slave population is thicker there than any
other portion OF the commonwealth We are frontier
district and if the dangers apprehended shall bcal
this southern country-f may be permitted reluctantly
to use of those bold figures that Fashionable
now-f the angry and portcnous cloud that hangs above
our hor should burst in its wrath upan Us gen
ieen must perceive that the granary Of Virginia with
fields beautifully laid out for battle Bridge
water and Chippewa presented, and that important work
at iiarpcrs Ferry fight for-wi be the Flanders the
battle ground in the contest. say then that Iii.
an mpor;au, and delicate subject and tina, whatever
our friends the other side may mnt,n and say in
ference it, notcoateut that it shall not b. fenced
r"unl and gua ded in every manner that skill and
Judgment shall dircc, proper and right. This is n
very easy task There difficulty in the WAY agai
putting in the organic law, provision orhidding the
legislature in all time hereafter pass any law in any
interfering with the relation of master and slave
| And what next Put i'll provision i'll the amended
constitution that the legislature shall not have powc.
to call Conve nion hereafter, al time alter or
10 change this provision at aand there is an end of
the matter. 1t is simple task and We have examples
OF the kind In regard to the senatorial representation
in Congress The federal constitution expressly provides
that it shall not be subject to amendment any time
hereafter and regard tn several other OF its prDvi
sios Such my recollection of the character OF these
provisions in the federal constitution But be that aft
NAV it is niateria this question. am merely de-
visng plan b. which this question may be carefully
considered and reported upon to the Convention, not
upon individual responsibility but as being the result
Of the solemn deliberations Of committee of the body
who will sit down and consult with each other undis
turbed by the formaltics of set speeches. with all this
beautiful language and eloquent defamation tina. srcry
Entertaining but sometimes very Improbable.
In regard to this other power-the tax LAYING and rev
enue approprating power apology for pressing ,.
resolution upon the Convention, at this time it may
be proper remark has already been shown by
coIleague tia. upon this subject there is district il
the commonwealth more deeply interested than that
(which have the honor, in part to represent. We
rs has been told you upon this subject lately have moth
ing to ask and nothing to desire We pay every year
into the treasury thousands of dollars and above
lanvthing that can come back To Us and the common
wealth is perfectly welcome to it. But at the sam,
time | come here instructed upon this subject
for it was fully canvassed in district and while thu
people there not opposed to just and liberal
system of internal Improvement and while they ere
perfectly willing to bear equal share OF the brhens
of the Commonwealth, il burthens there must be- Il
carry out such system they have charged Us 10 ooi
to il, that they not made the victims Oft wild an
reckless system of internal improvement A system
} that is il fact, nothing than taking monc
from the pockets of part of the people, and putin.
it into the pockets Of another part
attempted before that people to show, and an
prepared at proper time in this body to show thu
this thug can be done That while the grea. areria
works of Internal improvement, ought be fosered
if net carried forward upon State alone ct ii
regard these local works these purely neighorhoot
Improvement, upon which there have been so large u,
expenditure Of late years the system il system ma,
be called ought to be, and can be suppressed. Now
submit to the convention the proprety, not of commit
ting to special committee consisting of n small mum
be the work that has been already prepared BIZ til,
legislative committee, but of referring to it now in thu
, midst of this debate, to be reported on promptly
these two particular subjects. One Of them undoubt
edly does somewhat uto the abors of the legisa
tive committee and the special committee will ava
itself doubtless of their abors The issue is now mad
up in the course of this debate whether there can
cannot be such guarantees or limitations upon the pow
of the government, Incorporated in the constitution
as will remove the difficulties of eastern friends up
on these subjects and particularly upon this latter sub
| ject
am glad to see the debate taking that turn for il
, NV humble Judgment, it is the true question. Anc
while We who come from the lower end of the valley arr
determined as any gentlemen this floor to stanC
up for the great principle involved in the suffrage ba
sis while We believe upon careful and thorough
animation Of the subject able to give it, that
the principle involved in the report Of the mixed basis
party is which carries with it insult and degrade
ton To large portion OF the people OIL the common
wealth-and shall maintain it, and trust successful
ly against all odds-yet utterly disinte,es. ed
the result far the question of political power
is concerned In fact it will make no change in our DO
son in regard to share of political power mat
ter which scheme shall prevail Leaving this question
out Of view identified closely upon other sub
jects with eastern brethren 1t our mission and
duty here and mast perform it, to look to this sub
ject And ask ofthis Convention the means of doing
through this committee and as the best FORM in my
Judgment in which it possibly be brought to our
notice.
Permit me to add this additional remark. The re-
solutions which kave been offered this subject By
gentlemen various. The resolutions which II have
the honor to offer, and perhaps various Others have
all been resolutions of inquiry. take it for granted
that gentleman has expected the very phrnseoo-
gy Of his resolutions Incorporated into the constitu
tion and that they have been written with that degree
Of coscness. if may express it speak certainly
in regard to my own-wheh perhaps would be carac-
:crstic of any mereresouton of inquiry. When gentle
men now come to notice the question: and meet the
proposition that guarantees ample and sufficient sraran-
tics on the subject may be framed are met with
sneers at what they term mere paper guarantees All
that have to say that subject is. that gentlemen
will have to come down to their work this subject 1t
is not subject to be snecred at. Far from it. But those
resolutions proposing guarantees come before