Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-04-18
E.ERGE.HeNR
REFORM CONVENTION
II G,LLAuEa, Publisher to the Con
Fhrn, ,;ea 70 Sg WILLIAM G. BsHor o' al hspor'er
No. 20.

i SAI ~
NO. 90
rH G,LlAuEa, Publisher to the Con
Furn'.aea 70 WILLIAM G. MsHcr, 0H,t et Reporter]
,.n. 81 W.. LETCHER. IN Committee q no role,
REMARKS :" March Ii, 1851
=. 1ETCHER rise 10 a"",'s have tbn honor
aA'. ,s,, of Jutv TO those "'''' ~ ,r n ,e
IRON. rossnt lin part On this nos" "f NV constusnnr
~ If gentlemen rather '' feel that in rising
than from an! NJ many disadvantages. Inc position
now, do so "ho'l have never held seat III any dc
Is 10 my mill through 'ae PA n;S,ana n"
noerSn nj Eockhri@c A'5',.r,;,n labor also un
elected men''e' % o,,n. OF, q! the fact, that am
der dsadTau',S,' scutlcmaa, Mr. Sccrr OF hcfi-
competed !" ,r his t;nc talc'>, ms
moha ,nsiva Information "'I WV hrno ..
FIR mere cc'ai'' .'. IT,, shall; not be much
position ts ;, il is. that II mf NC >','' ~ ~
attain. Ccrta' h,n have reason 10" 10 anticipate;
more pr'io'ie ,,o make the same ho'Ss ~ '"e "os"'
can never t,;..c, ,r,'d has n;'';o ne''FI nue.
that IN. us -, :, .ay on this occasion, ihlchu ~
In what M" 40, ma man will hc II a loss to under
speak PAM S, mean ard Ia whom refer. IN
staiu cA'i III men aud measures, pas ana
.e'I ~ hat freedom which becomes ~
w. "n,lr in the faithful discharge o, r's
dny hut while will do 'hs' ~ ",ISv xtrnnntS
stack upon any one. MY t.'"t.' -
nor aurh, Sc! down in malice. ,;,, which i no,.
Do S iccnIy upon the important Sulec' "n,i. - Nv"
,ccnn,ar tho attention oil tiiS 'o'i,, ' 49,. $500 ,.
,.s hat should so feel. come mere from uia' s'r'
and growing west which n,s IT Inc hand. of the
oA.. - litr.~nmcntal majority. who nave always
VA ,ha control OF public affairs IN tbs STATE. come
brrc rs one OF the :latIT$ Hor'i sous =. .," So
~ demand !cr my pcH {. 'u'n;', ''' w. . - s.
~ J,na II the hands u this convention equal
70 ,hosr r,hts that will secure 10 the people OF
-, v;rrn, that political equality ana equal po!ti-
wy Which is cnoycd By tn people OF Eastern IL
;ua Tina, political lia; &n 'i'' c!;'a oii'.a pu"
O. we have not enloycd under 'hc existing
Had YOU occupied cur ia we have sui.
Tins oi The inCu:;y and tic injustice '''a' VIZ a,o
. ~ hd , ,n,;ori,y ci 93,uOj white people III Las
torn VIRGINIA brca subjected 10 lie rule CT a.ior.. "a
the ncopc Of the state. would YOU n'.e S.'"''NH 1s
the same patience that has been cAhlp'eu .: uIi ,ei
No never, You would have raised fr'ieliioh' or a
ry,n,inn o,r lonc ago. and Tie government wo"G
bay. been swept away a with II" ots"il .! "csIS-
tcn Bu, we haze quietly sulnt0 :" a.! ms u. 'e
exn,ctation that about the year lS'o '!c 'iou VI ou'
deycr,acc would arrivc-hat We shouiI lHc'' OBTAIN
sar ,h ;nr,r ,yha, we ia majority OF the free white
nopplaon OF Sir,inia) had RICH, 10 Ieni!d-l!c con-
troll of This government. But it seems from the IAN
gua-e cnpoycd in the discGssosls "h'ch nave lahci
place in this BODY that are not to cNpcc' reseS OF
our grievances crc: nov" ueitlehc complain ''''' e'
western members come here dissatisfied with The exist
ing order OF, things. am, the lcntlenah Who addressed tc
committee this morning Mir. Sc0Er acsuaS t2u Us, la'
if the east had treated Us Is we soua nave pctN treat
ed-ii the east had kept tight rem over Us, as pru
dent and wise parent keeps over his children; mat Inc
cor,nI,nts which are now heard OH this floor. from
western members, wou: have 'ccn made TO"
much tighter rein does the gentleman imagine could nave
been kept US Is ii not enough that majority I"
the lrccmen OF this state, have been ard are nov" con
trollcd and governed by minority Is II not enough
that this minority have appropriated to themselves al
most all the honors, offices and etounents oi TINS gov
ernment, 20: s"Teniyve years. Coming here rs We &c
now with $4,000 majority OF the ircemcn oil the state
-,,llr lnpss Ike en-
selves, "ncu who knew their rights, aud knowing dar'
maintain ITEM, is il not most unjust, nay. IS II net IL
,ultinc that We should be told hy this minority, that liz
mower will not be given up to ard that We mus: SUB
init 10 their control lon.eri Yes are told ~ Ia
gentleman from Albcrlarlc (Mr. RAHpoirm that VIC arr
g doomed -that our defeat IS inevitable here--and Tia
we arc to go out of this convention as we came INTO
in the enjoyment Of greater portion OF our potica
j equality Can this be sol Verify it looks something
l;tc i when gentlemen boldly proclaim III tbs discus
sion that in.er,s." is tie great Controlling princ!p!s
win men The gentleman from Faufucr (air. SCOTT
:.vowed his sentiment soae weeks ago WIS set "a.
Cd Nj, morning b. the gentleman from the c!iy OF h'ch
n,on1 Mr. Scorr} and believe can safely say, iha
.r.ry man who has spoken that side OF tic question
has EXPRESSED his concurrence iii Inc justice aid 'rutn o.
the sentiment But the gentleman from Lancaster f
Hun very candidly avowcd mat TIC came mere luily
;aad win the belief that was the interest of his
ons,iuonts to retain the power in eastern hands, and
ia, he would spare effort TO accomplish tins END
M gentlemen really believe what tE"y say DO gentle
.n he;ieys that honor, justice, patriotism cador and
80 "c, arc .tincd bv s:snttreNl Are all the noheG
and higher qualities that adorn and elevate the character
&c man rooted out and destroyed and the selfish and
vicious qualities only ef Why, if this be SO, God hel:
the people Of Eastern Virginia
While | readily coacede to eastern gentlemen, IN.
h, IN draw such portraits of their constituents and o
e,cb other as they may believe tho facts justify the;
must excuse me for Directing to their capacity, aiit
DENYING their right, to draw the portraits OF peo
ME OF whom they know little or nothing. claim
that the people Of Western Firginl@ whom have Inc
honor to represent in part this conventions have some
lt,le regard at least for the claims OF justice, patriotism
and conscience and should despise myself, If could
nav that represented constituency 50 abandoned a
his doctrine of = Interest would seem TO make them
What sor of people have we ID Virginia. n me po';
trait, drawn bY eastern gentlemen, correctly drawn
7. il true that all the nobcr ard more elevated motives
that prompt men TO action, are hopeiessy silea
and That sordid interest," and an unhoy lust Tor power
all that is left US Are such the motives tal coaro
I'M. cast in this unrghtcous war; that IS now beng
agcd AGAINST the west If is pretty near tme IN
indeed tia, time has not already arrved to accept the
nrono,ition which was rendered to us, by the gentleman
from Halifax (N1r. PuRkNsl It Is pretty near time 10
.epecae. If we united with people OF Sueh ciiar
cte- and if we arc to be the victims OF their UNJUST
claim to exercise power, because II Is their interest
IN assert such claim, then there can be no common
bond of union between us. There can &c no common
bond OF union between people So danetrcay opposite.
a
he provided The eastern people such, as their own
REPRESENTATIVES, have described them
great deal has been sad abo;lt the excitement oi
western membcrS, and gcn,emca have told M
that was very unduly excited. ana that unac asy
,um was pe-hap. my deserts, lhai seat III i'l'
convention. acknowledge very caadidly that ever
since I came here have been somewhat excited, and
would like to see the coming here under such CT:
cnmstonces as VIC of the west have come, who woula
NOT he excited But insist, tha. we have exhibited i'
less excitement than to have been cNpectcd--laI
less than the situation of matters between the east and
west, fully justified lis in exhibiting. How has 1t beer
with gentlemen on the other side of this important CUES
ticp Has no excitement been exhibited by them, on
this hoorl Every one who was present must ackno"l
.lg. that when my friend from Richmond rose last
night. to repIyi TO the gentleman from Mason Mr. FISHER
tina, he manifested the most extraordinary degree oil eX
element, that has set been exhibited in this body IN
deed he seemed be wound UP TO the very highest pch
Of excitement! The gentleman was excited to such
degree that he was unwilling to proceed with his re-
marx. a, that time and begged that he might beai!ow-
cd one night for cool and calm reflection Yet what
VA. ,icrc. in The speech Of the member from Mason
that wa, calculated to excite that gentleman or indeed
any othe. member on this hoor! Did the member from
Mason make an understandable or undue assault upon
The cas, or upon the personal feelings or interests OF
aav member from the cast, that c"ad excuse such an
ifps gentleman