Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1851-03-21

q
/ laie< me here, but The 500 sanud II the min
elitia q cd. ~ Tie welded u ers 81 old Pats mac
| and Shenandoah allow uf 4 .ay. no, noe ren
senial or happy la Their on Nor .deniicsI 10
their destiny hen FaSi irIs deco bosom al abe
ocean. than should be, | cb say with as sfdeat
love a. elnws in tie hrea gpf her proddes, son,
east and vest aud al Virginia forever.
hutsuFe this igdre 70 IsRtrsie and enforce
The sentiment, and ] will, [ adalged. extend il
20 say, that as these meat6rog streams ii dif
tefent source ana seemingly nee eslrahgsd and
brought together by some gRst convulspn. rs
our ancestors We're by nppfessitn united IL The
revolution. now coilsnmmahe their uRipn VI that
romantic spot much aturfed will hencalerih.'
according % all huns caIe ission Al le4s. min,
Gle fheir cnnlinuoas flow ihsanel an siIne 50, III
pie WIN base one origin. s--.llsat We, asa ps+.s
guage, one tenoMn, and une cduniry, vita com
mon Interests 10 unite us 10 one great ane ulafi-
Gus COMMONWEALTH, shall continue lar MANY aees
and generations yet To come, To live in un;iy and
harmony together under q common gnseenmen,
and a common name, and thar name, ain sure
all caDcur. Virginia and none other and MI orly
for ages and generations, but foEever Ard
will hope and hope on 10 the last ihalthis / IL be
our destiny. notwithstanding what have heard
Without and within those consecraied walls. and
within and without this ancient. this iimehnnor
affairs we are gathered together, FROM: every
porinn OF tlis old Commonne RfIh 10 consnlt b
deliberate and trust God, 10 act for tie com
mon good. not sectional Interests! And ' lii IHo
bopeif, why not, when can ray FIR myself and
my respected colleagues and hose We l,ate The
proud honor to represent inihls assembly, that
is nn part Of orr nature BE- Of our purpose 10 in
adulge epenn embryo fnr one moment, the thought
.oi separation and division Never. never, no,
never, so Yng as there shall remain 10 us sin
gle ray Of hope II obtaining oar just and eqral
rights. No, as for Us, however il may be with
others. wewouId rather see ihe' liillS and noun
"a ms that surround us, attached as we are 10
them, as nature formed them, ard as we hare
been accustomed 10 look upon them even frrm
our fhtldllood, epdeared to us hy all their ht5y
ASSOCIATIONS in cur recoleelions Of ,he liast add
=, nativity, melted into One vast heap Gi ruins
covering in the mass our hentes Our all even
the graves OF our fathers and our fureaiheFs
leaving tomb nor stone TO tell the sacred sp0i OF
Z heir repose. Than we would rise up 70 sever the
bond that binds this people in unity, as lie chill
dpno a common mother.
Drenrylng this enyiable position, favored with
every natural aud Artificial advantage We only
ak 10 he permitted to omsin part and parcel Of
Virginia, under free al equal form oligoyern.
ment, truly republican, 70 secure us inllhe fRil
enjoyment Of what we have. and under such
and under no other, may hdre for in
tuiuTe. Well. the question meets ns here, have
we stch government For v hat have we as
semhled F what pu poses have we tieen ebo
sen and delegated To this old capital by large
tnajofiiy ot The electors of The whole State.
class hope 10 sec enlarged. We have been
SEM Here, charged with Tie sacred daty 10 amend
and reform our existing constitution and govern.
men'. in. safinns and important particulars, and
Iitt 49,
dreed inftferiual tor The great ends Of its insti-
tation Aud j apprehend, We should have very
lutte ~ the way 10 prevent our arriving and
speedily AZ the end OF our lalessliy, ard thatiis
this question 81 The basis Which lies at The thres
hold We cannot lake a step We cannot mtive~
an inch ii appears until we settle il, and-iix the
uIon which lie whole gosesn ment is
tn resi-. and most unfortunately upon this question
We stand here divided ~ Two parties, ard neatly
equally. by geographical line NAKED by
rs though. astHas sptly remarked by
the distinguishes gentleman from He1Eico, al an
e nv stage % eur pror eedingS. principles run
&,th nnuptains = entertain adecled einr@n,
tal|it ~ question oi power WAS involve,Kin .ihis
contest, ami ~. IueststnNa pfincpie,'Ne could
-cirse very setne l. there any doubt OF TINS
NONE IN lie weird on ny mind; none.
We'll, in tegaid u This maiter, my constituents,
If ruserned 81 interest. w.hich The hunura be gen.
tlelnan y bo addressed yen on yesterday, told ynu
governs all men and all things, and lies At The
foundation pi government. would occupy preclsel
Is the opposite 10 that upon which they have ia
siructed rne 10 stand here, and SO may claim, 10
be ain exception 10 THIS rules With those great
natural and loeai advanvases--~iih every great
work Of Improvement nearly already made, we
desire, which ynu know you we're ~ mplaIically
told yesterday by The honorable gentleman, is nrt
case with The East. and is tar IRON feing
trne as Ia The West Will our markets Beyond
The limits of the State, aid Vel almost AT our
door, while we are 10 lie taxed To make thereim
prtvemeuls East and West, without direct tene,
iii from either; in this situation, H. is manSesr,
we have more 10 fear, in that respect, from pow
er in the hands OF The West Than 10 those OF The
East, for we have nearly as large slave pepu-
lation as the East, and far larger proportion
::nan The West, while our lands are richer and
higher assessed than those Of either, ma mach
more so than those ufihe West; andwe all know
lhatitis upon these twogfea proprietary interests
slaves and tands-upun Which he taxing power
presses mos, GENEROUSLY and % must tall with a
heavier hand upun US than eihe Edhe Eart oE4he
West, whoever wields The power. i il most
clearly demonstrahe, then If Me are 10 be governs
ed BY interest, or il We were to be influenced by
the fear uf taxation, whieIts seems 10 be the main
ground assumed by our Eastern brethren Tor
holding on To power, thai we should 10 with
them Hpnn ihe basis question. instead VI witRthe
West To be still more explicit, it. in our opin-
ion, this was simply question at power. as as
serted hy the honorable gentleman from HALIFAX,
(Mr PuRKfSs.) ii there Was no principle IN
yoved in il. or il we believed principle was on
the side OF the Easi. and thht : majority 81 in
terests,r as the honorable gentleman from Fau-
qu;eE so powerfully conierded, III one seciion oil
,s.,rs II
monwpalih a. one community was Tie true re
! publicaa basis, then tie Valley, 81 at least my
end OF il. would from Interest and priaripEe b..
found on this question on The side OF the East in
| stead ar with the West Thee Two pnweriul
motives wonid impel us. Bit we are nor able 10
concur in the view that there is no principle 10
yoIved--thai it is simply contest sr power
when. SO far as we are concerned, we know that
Ills not so. We cannot cnncede that a-minority
located jr one seclion ofths Sta:e, which happen
f,r The time being. 10 own the most wealth,
should therefore govern The Stale andRtse majori
~ Of fhe people This scontrary 10 our feelings
| and all our notions Of rieht. II would violate
firsi principles and the right Of self government
I We were born and inspired with different feel,
mos ard sentiments, and we have been fangh
| d,fT.ten,ly-ue have lfafnFd otherwise frqtn the
| b,ohest sources and llie hlgbe<t authority.
OGr bill oil rights 81 ptFSstt eFCtAirs. aiat -
$50, E vested ID and consequently derived from
i IL ,so,is-tlat magistrates are Iheir trustee:
"a s.,y.nts. aud a aillitnes aEnenaale toihem
"a ~, : maj.nity OF The community hath Al
ars,.h;,.hle iualienahie ard indeiessale right 4
$3.50, lie. ~ abolish their government 10 suci
shaII be indged most conducive Ii
.,.'h,;r ueal: that elections Of members Z
'-'S ra.,s-ensatstes III The people ought !,
800 $50 ~ ,t,si all men having sufficient evi
=. ~ s.,as.e,t COMMON Interest 10 and a.
3, 80 rasnutssnili have The right q snl
=. ~, ,le.f.fstSai II rights made b
,.s,i.sv S,ates 81 iEiS Uninfi--anj whe
,ne 49,. ear,ainIv need mi Nell ynn TIA