Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-04-18


to another fact. and that is that tho mere spending o
-s money il not all tina, has been done for Alben,are
Il has had the effect Of giving Importance TO- ana
greatly enarging Charlottas"-Eas attracted popula
n and business there and has been the means OF S'us
increased prosperity the whole county These eXpen
dtres have lead to all inc. III the amount
Of taxes paid bv Them the benefit of which they ar,
claiming 10 the adjustment Of the basis OF representa-
lion Now let us see how much We have received III
old Augusta.
9ugusta County, in aeeoun! .cith the Commonwealth,
Dr..
To subscription to valley turnpike COM
To subscription TO Staunton aud James
80 tnrnnikc company, 5000 o.
To subscription to central rail road, oooUO w
Augusta springs turu-
pike, S'oVo "
~ .s sJU,r rroaJ $4,000 OC
~ on, half cost of the tunnel, 100000 o.
Warm Springs and Harrisonburg ooo a.
~ xalfav plank road oI,s00 o.
Add for deaf aud dumb and luuatic asy
lums, o00''oo y
Making total expenditure Of sloi''4oo "
The result vii! stand thus
Albemarle has received, ss"Il'.po "
Augusta I'si4oo "
ca +hot a,h,marle il in debt s1,c23.Suo OF
To raise large sum like this, Of 81 ,023SoQ, will Sc
yerely try that bank of Yours my frleua Laughter
Mr.. S0UTHALL I will wait until the master cor,
I,i.sioner's report, and file my exceptions then
Mr.. LETCHER. will give you leave to make thu
exceptions but hope you will set 10 work, and ha"
the money ready by the time the exceptions are decided
ILaughter7 1t strikes me that the gentlemans quota
lion, addressed to my colleague from Augusta, Mr.
sHaFFgY) might come in very well here
Charge Chester charge, on Stanley OH"
Laughter
want nv friend to recollect ALSO that while he
charging Augusta with being under the command Of Ma
lar General Sneifey in the plunderng line, that Abe
m,re has been successful punderer, under tbs
leadership Of certain gentleman. who has been in tn
Legislature for long time. Laughter. We coul'
miy ret half AS much he, and no doubt had 20 10.
r"ii for all We did get Laughter. So much for that
What have we met here for What was this Coaveu
ZION called for What is the object stated in the bill!
authorizing Is it not to prepare constitution cl
the people of Virginia And 1t Is ought not the con
srnion to be prepared for the whole people of Viz
,,nu or at least majority of the people Of Virginia
This Convention called to asiend the presen:
,tltution and why. Because 1t was objectionable to
majority of the people of the State. We were to as
enble e:e and reform IT, 80 as to make II acceptable
N the pe,pIe of the State and directed after
that reformation had teep made TO present it the pco
mia for their ratification That is the object, stated
"a the BILL and let Us sec what 10 going on here
& conceded that gentlemen were elected to this hody
IN ma
sihl hut if that could not be done then to make it
captabe 10 majority of the people OF Virginia. Were
they then sent here by the force of governrn e1ta
majority" present constitution which should bv
made acceptable only to minority OF the people, auo
tn REQUIRE the majority who had been denied their right
nv due and bv the force OF circumstances to
der those rights to that minority. for another term OF
twenty vearsl Why, We have heard great deal said,
in the course Of this debate in regard to conforming u
the will Of the people, and imagine there IS not DIS
hout+h Stat in 1yhic il M.
clearly understood by ninety out of every hundred
tina, we we're sent here to make constitution for th.
"najority OF the people, and not for majority o!
;nterests' We were sent here TO make constitution
for those who had minds intellect and voition and tn,
and the reason to Judge of the character of our
work and to pronounce Judgment upon ii when pre-
scented to them, for adoption
Rut not So the gentleman from Fauquer tells US. liz
avs that we will get other constitution than il
which the mixed basis provision, is Incorporated 9th
r gentlemen in this debate, and before our adjourn
ment in October, have told US the same thing. Now
npeal to them to know, whether they ~ere sent her
b these constituents to stife the popular will and
1c;as with the popular feeling Of Virginia? Were the
ent here to proclaim to the people, we know your viii
INT we will not execute it: We come here as represen
,,,ives to be sure but will conform our representative
duty, to what we believe to be matter OF "lnterest
in which minority of the people of the State alone
are concerned? Are the governmental majority here
really prepared TO defeat the popular will to tramp
the nopuar wish under foot, to disregard their obg
.ons to the majority of the people, and to DC guide.
alona nv that great and noble principle of "nerest
which seems to be in the ascendant just now, in east
ern Virginia: defy any man In this body, who ha
duo regard for honesty and sincerity to lay his han
non his heart and in the presence OF his God say tina
he believes that mized basis constitution vii! DO ac
enable to majority of the people of Virginia. Their
!. not man in this body no believes 1t, or would
1ure the expression OF such an opinion And yet b
dIress by denying to the majority their rights year 81
+ year this power sought to be retained IN the hand
i MI
iory of the people, against their consent 10 gente
men know with whom they are dealing? Do they b
laye that the western people are siavcs-hat an sens
of their rights has departed from thcm-and una! inc
nave not the power, the will and the determination
resist tvrannical spirit like this Because Tbs unJu
exercise of power has been submitted to IN times pas
Is it therefore to be taken for granted that Its eXercs
!. 70 he submitted TO in all time to come: Let me tc
Gentlemen that there is danger ahead If this course
nerseyered in. Let them beware, lest they drive IL
west to despair The farewell rendered 70 the ives
bv the gentleman from Halifax may be accepted SCORE
than they anticipate. If they want division OF IL
State. they are taking very effective means to brir
ahon, 80 sad result If they want to drive off IL
west from them-if they think VIC are demanding tc
much let them tender their plan OIL separation and IL
western members will consider 1t. From people in
helpIess candition, forced in times past to submit
eastern rule gentlemen must recollect as was said
nv friend from Richmond, (A1r. ScorT:) they hay
now grown up to mature years. "ith "hile poPuati,
of nearly 100000 They have PR? cry, and everythr
necessary to constitute etale, aiu iGt nlI t Sc"'
men, that western Virginia would not be the rt Stat
formed on, of the territory of one Of the old thirteen
that upon application has been received into this unto
Do gentlemen forget that Maine was taken from Mass
chuses, and admitted into the Union: II gent!enle
persevere in their present course, they can force us
adopt the example set by Maine They may do It, al
then let the consequences rest where they ought. Ii
them be upon their heads Let them take the odun
which will attend such deplorable result. Let the
bear the public condemnation, which will inevitab
follow. They feel that thev arc in the wrong-th:
they have pursued most unjust and unwse course
policy, towards the west-and they feel and know til;
they stand condemned, in the eyes of the world Fee
ing and knowing this, will they persevere--wil the
: force us to adopt the alternative indicated.
We have had great many comments BY gentleme
upon the bill of rights and now let US take it up an
candidy examine and consider the principles witch
enbodes and which have been the subjects OF so uuc
comment and special pleading. Many Of these gentle
have told US, that the bill of rights intended e
in z state of nature, and that il has srplca