Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-27

referred 10 Mt ill for the purpose Of showing the gre;
injustice he did to the west by GrralgunS them upo
That ground. 1t is well known to all within hearing
me, that that unfortunate debate originated III
the mast remarkable pnnics with which any people W,
ever seized. 1t is Well known also that that r.ile o.
natrd in the east that action by the legislature ut tn;
time was called for by almost the entire EASTERN pres
and that the subject first introduced into the llnls
oil Delegates 10y prominent eastern member Oh thi
body large pornn Of the east rettionod the esisl;
lure 10 net upon the subject, and eastern gentlemen wer
most prominent in tia. action 1t il true hat the west
crn members when thus called to act upon the eubec
du by Their votes express the opinion that there ou
10 e some action on the subject but they never incs
ted py ANY vote Of theirs what kind Of action should i
had The only distinct proposition for action subm:te
on ln subject, was submitted by distinguished gentle
man from the enst Cir. RASpoLr) now a member
inns floor aludc to the post natl system of tmanc
pauoI and not e, en- vote was taken on tho subject
lh IL hot strarg" then that under these circumstance
eastern gentlemen should rise up here and arrsisn tn
west On charge of making an assault on eastern right
ana slave property OH that occasion. Twas no: mem
Der OF that legislature, vet had an opportunity {
SHOWING somewhat oil the great excitement which the
prevailed The year following travelled through Iii
eis, and found that the panic on the subject had bc
felt even there. astonished to find that II larg
number OF wealthy planters from Eastern Virginia ha
under the influence of that panic land MANY OF then
were from Southampton sold ont their lands and slave
and cmIgratec to that free state At that time indeed
Ilie
Up by Virginia population, who had been driven /,
tlnt State, taking with them considerable amour, o
wealth. under the influence of that pani How strang
is it then that eastern gentlemen should nstcad of
pressing modification that the eastern people had bee
carried away under the influence of such panic hav
gone to such extremes in gning the western deega
ton and cndcayorng to hold them response bic for it,
hope that there will be further reference that sub
icct in the Of this debate for do not think tina
any good grow out Of it, If they but pat :hc
trial this question, tell gentlemen they will gair
nothing b. It, but on the contrary it will result very
much TO their prejudice All attempts to egislate N
this delicate subject easily be prevented in future
By constitutional prohibition.
| This Internal improvement system il now the
settled policy of the State. Does any gentleman
here dream that that policy will be abandoned
| Does any gentleman here suppose. for o moment
that Tie State of Virginia will permit the large in
terest which she has in the great central improve
lncnts to be sunk forever. And indeed, is there any
gentleman here who, for moment would consent that
this great State should stop these improvements upon
the of which her future destiny and her future
greatness depends. No, cannot do the intelligence OF
any gentleman the injustice suppose fora moment
that he contempt that the central improvements
10 be abandoned They are the only improvements oi
any consequence which not now provided for.
say now. rs did before that | would ny soon. aye
sooner, depend on eastern support upon whatever basis
you may organize the Legislature, to get appropra-
ton to complete these improvements. than upon II
portion of the west Away then with this idea that
the to be taxed to death by giving to tie west
their JUS. majority in the legislature. l think it is
founded III the diseased imagination of gentlemen.
cannot for my life pcrcc"c that there ground for
this apprehension Some gentlemen know object to il
as democratic principle. King numbers has been de-
noEnced here by many gentlemen, and was not lit
tie astonishel to find gentieklen who have beer
ALWAYS looked to leaders in the dcmucratic ran
such iur n-tauco my friend from hali!x, Dr. III
MuNDs) who has been regarded OF the higl
priests in the democratic tenn pie denouncin this great
democratic principle of the right of the majority u
govern. These gentlemen, indeed seem to take eSpo
cia pleasure in denouncing king numbers. We'll nov
| Imagine there is not much difference whether ar,
governed bv thirty tyr.nta or thirty thousand tyra:ta
YOU are Ia be governed by tyrants, it makes yer,
little difference in what precise form you have them bn
would rather take my chance oenoy the argtHt por
ton of liberty when that liberty is controlled by tn
largest number than when it is controlled BY the small
lest number.
Gentlemen have referred to the examples OF the IN
cient republics for the purpose OF sustaining Their cnu
Citations of king numbers. The :rpublics OF anclcu
/! Greece and Rome have been invoked examples 70
the purpose of establishing The position which they la
asserted with regard to the tyranny of king nin&era
To whom are indebted for nearly all the literature
which we now possess! Is it not to these much abset
republics Of Greece and Romeo ! would like 10 know
what monarchy what despotism Of that day left to pos
terv any tfn., like the rich inheritance which Is be-
qucathctl to us by these much abused republics
would nsk gentlemen whether the citizens Of these
Gent republics did not enjoy much liberty and hap
piucss and were they not as prosperous i'll their pc
cuuiary affairs as the citizens of the despotc govern
mcnts which surrounded theml Were not the Greeks
as free ~ the Pcrsans And who is there that would
not rather have been Greek adescennnt of Greek
! .nan Persian slave or the descendant Of Persa,
! sluvc2
Yet according to the argument of gentlemen here
the despotisms which surrounded little Greece were II
"a .l,, 81 l,la St,y..
The same renlnrk might be applied to republican Rome
Who would not rather have been citizen of republi
can Rome than n citizen of that same Rome when re
graded and borne down under the rule Il" the emperor
Who would not rather haze lived in Rome in The palmy
DAYS OF her republic than to have lived there I'M
| der the tyranny of Cnignla or Nerof let, nc
coring to the argument of gentlemen the subjects the
sIay.s of the cnerors were infinitely in better c"nd
ton than the rceiuen Of Republican Rome. But the
examples of the ancient republics which arc quoted
here not analogous cases to ours for they were moi
representative governments The principle Of represen
ttion was not then understood 1t is comparatively
modern origin. Gentlemen have invoked another ex
ample for The purpose of establishing the gricvusis com
plant which they make against king numbers. " h"
is that 1t is the republic of France. Now do moi
appear here rs the apologs of the French reproc bu
without any hesitation will say thnt would infinite
" have preferred to nave lived in France in the time
of the republic than have been subject of either
the Louises Do you not believe that the gr eat haas
OF the citizens OF France ennred larger I'D louNt
liberty aud happiness during the reign e' terro,
for that was confined for the part Ia til cite.
than they did under the degrading despoism Of Loui
the XIV None but the faroritcs, none but the nob
II could scarcely be sad to nave had any privileges du
ring the reign OF Louis NV. The great body "a tn
people were serfs. than sls We:
sav, most cmphatica'ly, that would infinitely pnefe
to have been citizen of the republic of France tn an
have lived as subject of Louis XIV, either OF NJ
successors But what does this argument Of the geu
tlcinan prove if it proves any thng If you ca uno
! submit to king numbers, TO whom will you SUBMIT
the majority ought not govern would like to II nov
who ought to govern You only establish the pm
cipc that the majority cannot govern by showing tia
they are capable of governing, and when You est
! sl that .act you have revived that old exploded tor!
doctrine once more That ia the extremity to which
Won must be driven These positions can be sustained
! upon no other ground; they can only maintain them
selves On the ground that the people not capable
| of selfgovernment.
But [ think it was clearly demonstrated by tht
gentleman from Berkeley, Or. FArLKsEE,) to whose
speech | listened with great pleasure, for it wa:
,hc snacch of a statesman, one of the ablest, most
conclusive and triumphant in its arguments to which
! have had the pleasure Of listening that this much
| boastcd mixed basis system will afford the poor
est kind Of protection to slave property Why
to me very clear if property requires protection tarons
Representation it can only be by prescribing proper
tr qualification to the voter. / cannot for nv life.
a;nc that vou increase the safety of property. by
70 man wifi nItf