Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-01-31


VIRGINIA woriI resemble young of large expectations
after the death OF rich relative She would be nra
with tine idea Of much prospective wealth. and as IN
youth would plunge into every extravaganza. borow!n!
nrrc jewish upon the cfed!: NJ his ro-
nsrtive fortune, would State launch oG into an un
conceived extravaganza appropriations,
thc IDEA o.. accomplishing every mad scheme OF internal i'm
provenen and of cdrcnna in the luness OF her plitn
opy every poor un1uehi child within her limits and Dor
row millions millions Tor the accomplishment OF thes
designs upon the crea!, 81 her mortga.ed domain
'lanya man, sir sober, honest aud Industrious. has beer
utterly ruined b. having fortune left him. tc has beer
d ar led The commission of of
IDLY, which in his former flnuiical moments he wou,
never have conceived OIL berrayed y the idea OF the copa
at!vey un5ounded wealth which he in the enjoymcn
o fund which 10 his unaccrs,omed vision seemed to
principle of exhaustion; acting upon the ancer
maxim, easy come, easy 90 until his last state would 1T
far than his FIRST his wants increased and new objects
presented for his desires but powerless TO attain hcn he
would be- far m-crable-a desplSed bankupt-tan The
poor contened being he was al FIRST.
just So sir would Virginia. with such suddenly acquired
means, with such prospective fund 10 draw upon with
such rich estate 10 mortgage be mpeed in her inatuaon
by the gcnus Of destruction the commission of such !o
lies viii end in her degradation TO the depIoa5e coni
lion OF debtor praying release from his liabilities in
court oil bankruptcy
But there is other consideration which presents sel;
10 my mind with far force than any other which has
been urged or which In ny estmlon be urged in OPP
position these resolutions and which exceeds its
portancc all others together.
II is the question which first advered the con-
dillon o dependence in which State would be placed by
tls new CONNECTION win Tile General government IL ls
no less question than that Of National consolidation; per
haps no less than the question Of the existence of slavery IL
self.
What is proposed be done by these esou,lonsl Either
10 demand distribution Of the proceeds the sales of
lands, or actual PARTITION OF them in kind among the
States.
In tie event Of PARTITION which is regarded by the advo
Gates OF these resolutions he desirable disposition
winch can b. made of this domain where would The lands
which would fall - the portion of Virginia be locatel
IL II supposed mat they will be located IN The South IN
slave territory, in country that ultimately become
slave territory, South oi 36 deg 80 mini
There scarcely such territory belonging 10 the Uni!
ted States not one inch will ever belong Virginia You
caa ocatehe lands acnc where free soil ana,icsn, triumph
ing Southern imbcciy has declared that slave shall
go They will be located, know not where. Ii
may and most probably will be, in OF the
important Statss; perhaps in Iowa or Wisconsin.
The night which, under such circumstances we alone
exercise, will b. the right Of sothc right OF :nd
dcton viii eX!st The Sste Government which they liz;
government .Aecsinp the power 10 Law taxes on such pro-
p.r,y and discriminate in favor Of its citizens by
way u r.iaiaon innic injury upon sareholding
proprietor within her limits, against The citizens of Other
States, AT other States themselves.
shall not stop dlscuss the difficulties which would
spring Up, or at least the inconvenience and annoyance
which would arise from the exercise by The State Of any suc
indi>rGtaoie II GIT! shall look al another important
consequence which will follow this partition in kind among
the several States will look lis effect upon the State
itself as influencing lis relations not with any other State
but with tr lEon ., States will regard in it's federal
effect.
Suppose that the indigniies which have been constantly
offered 10 the SOUTH and which Ep OF meek
Oehance nave been submitted to- rather than involve, by
oPP1aIpn, inc Train OF caIamtes conequent upon dssou
ton o the Union should BE- again renewed and that still
deeper and eas suiebr Insults and more outrageous
MES, should re PERFORATED by the numerical power Of the
Fe!eral Cove nmen,whal would be the effect produced
upon the public mind by this connection OF Virginia with
oie okes by her holding property within the jurisdiction
Of nihef governments!
Woad these nign.e. be suffered? would the time
for ns execution Of the heroic declaration dpo
matte oombis Of resisting, c, all hazards and the las.
extremity ever arrived would Virginia agree dissolve
Union wnen II became no longer worth preserving
Coui she be dnteestcd Judge oil her actions and
u ill., OIL! resting upon ct 10 preserve her honor and
her jus: rghl>7
Waa would DO tho effect Of her holding this property
(witha tile jurisdiction of another Stae from which she
iustd the Chief source oi her 10 maintain her
honor ana 10 resist even 10 tic destruction Of The Federal
Uni IN, Submission had become crme7
There never wa. Uond-holder who di.unonsi,
and ;ie'e viii be- Under circumstances, he DC
brought ~ destroy hinscll by destruction OF his Gover
lie SELF !nsrss, the preservation If
Union, f.. hs has Just .4 in.rcs. In lite peseIs
i1a ii ms property.
The Dl,lsn Government; is preserved By it's National deb
III the important elements of It's existence It's
haHt. army u ooadhoiers excrs greater influence
sustaining Tie government than Inc ii soldiers The
interested IN The pEeeeva2.s O.! their property
oic: oas ~ III. PRESERVATION OF the property Of others
ara the oondho@ef possess lar he greatest interest OF the
PuG; oft - me- SIR that Eagshiian who processes the
m0s devotion IL MS county, drscants most upon It's
advantages ~! most eo'es ir The freedom OF hs govern
nett uG4 w..i ,f0uouacr greatest DonGnvuer vi
tnr Alis iem.
would Virginia, the iand. holder of the State Of
Wisconsin, o iowa be induced by the motives OF
ersevsc IN The preservation o government
longer "oiln ess.> Her people looking 10 the sources
aii through the sa ~ hr lands would
aer honor sooner aa" sacrifice her means hey would
6neG, that, after dssoniioa e! The Union she, mn alien
St.t, ca:d nser eNeIci5e s!s Of property she
lai exercised et during Tie continuance ot lie coneierd-
..,p, o: might be regarded
5eUi" and had Terrible consequences Of civil
!ney wouc not abandon the sacrifice this subject OF
r wesi,t and ocid submit 10 continue in the Unon At
L ~ .ha S.,ptnu rtuhfu md
every pncp!e II honor Virginia would be utterly depen
upon FEDERAL Governments; she would yield pas
OBJ. ditnce would be- In the language OF the follow
Of snaus Loyoa, ~ corpse IN the hands OF her supe-
!.of.'
Mr Speaker this Federal schemes i, strongly
If icierasm; worthy OF the blue-lght Federal.
n liz. county las produced. lite bind chain
around this Union unite aud consolidated by mngng and
interests OF State with those Of another;
i compressin. the into great Federal whole and
10 crush the South Ivy such consolidation.
have been States gifts man. believe my para
mount allegiance ic first Cue - Virginia have always de-
sired promote oil that could tend 10 centrifugal force IN
the Feter1I Government. The consuminlon Of wha; l.
desired w these resolutions would tod to promote cent?
petal IN the Government, and ior that reason ot ali
others would repudiae lei.
might argued the States have the same in
erest lands which they would have, were they
arccicd and paroned OF among them, nad Tor that rea
on The in preserving tho Union even in 'io
alton u. tIcir rights.
The siu,ale answer 10 such supposo is contained IL
th :,c aiAge: "Hnat cp,:ybcdys business IS noaodys
u a., u,, i,- The SAM interest in the proceeds
saes Of the public lands applied the general purpose
leravpq The expenses Of the Federal Government, which
c would did know the particular land. which were our
own Ii is The dfrrcnce between common interest ana
distinct ana separate interest," the difference between posi-
tive certainty If distinct possession and an underlined right
Of property, between tenants in common and sole tenan,s
VS. have IT, ndi-ilnc; and undivided interest We
would have q positive, distinct aud divided iacrcs
nave hus, Mr. Speaker, thrown oil :cw views which
have induced oppose these resolutions will NOT per
sist " accumuallng arguments Whatever effect may
have prodac,G tire minds ri others, these conde
rtiun alone have been sufficient convince OF The In
s5pcliency Of adopting any Of these schemea f.pu
iac hcu ALL that this House is prepared 10
diac hcn also hat is prepared TO maina:n the stand
long occurred Virginia. nnd that will degrade her
10 this POSITION If drpendencc.
Tax ~ Mr. Speaker ii il is tho fixed policy srss, in
pursuing oppressive and unqroducvc system of
internal improvement. Ii peTsuasIun can induce this
House To pause the Of wasteful AMI earnvag2nt
uppropraon which hns signay characterized our iegs
ati,n tax u.s. tax the children o Virginia, bu, drive 10,
our mother srce-oeggar suppan Tor aims 10
the Government OF the United States.
s--oAe>--------------------
VIRGIN LEGI lat X II.
TUESDAY, JAxrARY IS lS5l.
SENATE.
bill! esemp,ing fee white mules above tho age Of fifty
an Ieported from the