Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-07-15

ar coming here This is the rule Of my action until
The constituents Of my immediate district shall recall
mo from their service. Nor do consider it material
what the government Of the State has heretofore been
whether u monarchy, arlstocracy. or democracy; nor
whether the same has been we'll i'll administered for
uon these points we have had great deal OF argument
The question in which most interested is what
shol the government be in future, and how It shall be
administered!
Sir. we have been truly enlightened with another
eoer, nosition taken this floor 1t has been
toted and substantially proved by evidence the truth
If which no one doubts that there has been great waste
of the ubc money in this State by the LEGISLATURE in
anpronrations of one sort other. Well gentlemen
ba3 atpnned here we should have had no difference Of
opinion on the subject Blu! what do they tell US fur
there Whv sir they say it has almost oil been for the
benefit Of the west The has not had much accord
inc 10 them rery little from the treasury, and will
want much Mt any time. Now Mr. Chairman, when
e remember that the Blue Ridge is the dividing line o.
east and west Virginia how hard 1t Is to believe the
truth of such propositions ai especially when We oos
in documents upon this subject ana more esPecan!
when we rccocc that the has always had the lon.
end Of the lever in the Legislature How strange IS II
that our eastern friends, having the majority OF tn
Legislature in all time past, should have burthened LIE
Sta Is with such large debt for the benefit OF the west
Suraly il IL no. expected that one here IN The ve:
place of the records this subject can b SO auped, a
70 believe the truth OF this assertion. Sr Chairman
western Virgina has had OF the scraps III appro
prationl for which tender her thanks to the eastern
majority and have doubt, sir that the west wouid
like to have and is entitled to much more: but I'll
,raran.e chat eastern Virginia has had ana will gel
her fill hare nh more than her share Mt al times
But We know that the liberal application Of the public
money in useful internal improvements in nj. parts at
the State ought not to be complained Of by Ii is
only the rnssppicaticn OF il upon such worthless
that We oueh, to object TO- Improvements valuable to
the State ut large. whether i'll the west the cast
Is IL j. 10
money and the public credit will be we'll spent. And
SIR / am not one who thinks the public money ought
he parcced ot IL these appropriations equally 10 every
uu rtcr of the State Imp .veInents, IA think ought
TO ro1mence here IT Richmond. central puin. and
extend themselves outward TO the cxrcmltlcs Of the
State in every direction But let lie repeat again. that
Tie idea is really strange tnat almost the entire Cost ."
&c internal Improvements of the State, tn. James
River Canal, should be charged To the Vest. And
gentlemen appear TO have been sincere in these
charges for Ley have had account after accol! from
the Auditor made here prove what they have expen!-
Oh fur the west, and eastern gentleman extended
his account against the back tn 1900 and stated
lha tn west had paid her expenses. Now. ST..
do not know care how this is-lt l. Inmn eral 10
our purpose here. If it true, would it b.
strarse Eastern Virginia naturally l. level region
we'll provided with her rivers and her bays, and requires
but little public Improvement Western Virginia. pos
ses-ing more territory than eastern rgnla l. an i'm.
mensc tract of fertile and valuable land and much broken
with her mountains and her valleys possessing bound
less beds of minerals of kind other valuable
natura IS perhaps almost other region OF country
to the SAME extent And who doubts the proprety al
making internal mprovementSth"re, not for our benefit
sir alone but for the benefit r. eastern Virginia well
as ail the surrounding crunrvt Tho man who doubts
it is anti-nterna Improvement Mt heart at any time
and in anv place Aud my remark Is that the good
work has already commenced i'll the State, and let :"
On nur share of has yet been but small but give
ia patience, and will he attended TO after while
hope But MIR. Chairman, do not intend now TO settle
the account Of eastern Virginia with tho treasury OF
the State. No. sir will leave these vigant eastern
gentlemen o settle their own accounts. They will nj
end 10 it. But desire remind eastern trienG,
Of little which the west holds against the
cas-, that not heard spoken of by them on thi
floor fear they lave forgotten ii. know that, With
in nv recollection iftSsl of these western pundrrer
as the? have heen often termed here, from tie count
of Russell alone in the a,e with Great Britain losi
their lives in winter ut Norfolk. guarding eastern
N.rc'" and her peculiar rights from the plui'9- OF
Great britain. besides the immense loss Of lie from al
other quarter of the west III the sama cause
there But these old matters, we will he told
barred br the statute of limitations. know, sir that
during that war, many orr han was lci' laheress
many Il wife left widow. mant family without
. guardian protector, il western Virginia; ali for what
sir (. Ali in defence OF eastern Virginia. Our fathers
went like men, like noble Eirgiuiau$ % gdaTd their
State and their whole Stat nj the expense q" their
lives nnd thclr fortunes: YES. they lett the e"vatrt
hc,ithfli CLINE Of their homes. ana wen: dowr I" Nor
folk To be killed by the eIe!v, hut b: the sck"s-
and disease tneh common tn the place" but now t. |
use 81 horrcv phrase how circumstances alter ciscS
We are now regarded western frontier. not even
et!tcI tn the civil liberty common species We
can guard property aad life too. in time of war hut
c.l,rot he trust" with ourselves an our property
il time of peace. Ii the wet able and wil!ii. III
that war some thirty five ago TO reps" tie forces
of Great Britain and protect our fellow in the
AZ. ~ un1x IN
small. minority in IN" State. ict me ask gcntlrr'. il
:, ~ since We are hundred thousand majority In
State we might considered able ut the polls 10
defend rights and republican prnep pies Yes. and
.ht not our eastern ncighbors need on" support again
III some emergency or other
Mr. Chairman wish to be distinctly understood by |
this house. Western Virginia has her eyes wide op"
tn ler present relation with eastern Virginia. The
west have not time. been Ignorant 81 the nlu
ticc done them this basis question but in IN" other
Convention and i'll fact in all time past till about 1910
they knew they minority of the State in numbers
and therefore upon republican principle" felt bound IL
submit Not now, sir they stand now in large ma
,ortv-and ali Corner I'M urics to the west upon this
subject are sought 10 be renewed and carried into
the new titutinu and forced upon the State" Yes,
sir the majority ts floor representing minority Of
the people are in the of shaping constitution
that suits them. and their minority cGns:ita"ns which
aon q he submitted y the people in hopes IN conf
mel them 20 accept IT, rather than remain under the OIL
10 ,nder such circumstances: but they free,
I have said and il they suffer this game b played
IF on them now for will say that they in I'll
time to come submit to what they do. let tn"
people decide what they will DO
Moreover. sir, il. relation to our present dison Of
81 tcrn ard wcstnrn- would remark that govern
nant or society of any kind public private pros
per. that ia divided int" 50 many parties. struggling
against each other. We. ~ have said have pccu-
a ties in Virginia requiring tina, the east shall govern
Shnt,Ii IhDn Non,
-ir The Blue !!i,c in the State has always hcr:".
divided the eastern and territory of the State
l.t it never ongh in fact have designated any par
ties Mt ALL among the people Western arc gene
rally and gransn of the east. and why should
tterent political sentiment prevail Why should n |
tfcrent interest prevail each side of tn" Ridge
nd especially why should arist,cracy predominatc
one side. and genuine democracy on the other For,
hope sill bc parioacd for saving that this he
tn" strongest popularity. not # til" property Of III"
State. but Of til" population Of The State and it is this
popularity thar is doing mischief here thar Mi the
peculiarites of property in til" State put together Sir
th. is the total Of The p"'ar;tis of the State.
aud il is the sum total Of tho of til" difficulties ii
this body and in the State large, disguise il gen
Il men may Surely it s not earnestly expected that
stern Virginia will quietly submit any l'nger what
she has been complaining of long. Let it be reen
bsred that at this tim" there is majority large
nj. hc R,dra Viii ri. ocht