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

IN the question lot ns see whe err would be erpe
Jent to base representation upon the quaiihed voters
of the commonwealth. ,; a., ,
There are two objections to our dong So one rela-
ting TO the slave interest and inc olsr 10 inc 'aNhg
and annropriating powers. 1t would be neXpedlent
J J nstafoss saws the gentleman from Halifax, Nr.
En,rxns y 10 give the Legislative control to the west
because thew own comparatively lew saves anu cam
M, he presumed be well acquainted "ih the Pc
Iir LEGISLATION which is TO affect that property, as
tha"a who hold them in larger numbers. l am not
.,. With the soundncss of this objection The leg
otion rrsnccting this species OF property is exceed
;nqy limited compared with that touching other inter-
esfs and il is generally ola simple KIND consisting OF
mere police regulations BESIDES uo n U' see
man owning two slaves may not be as well qualified to
rao laws for their government as the man who owns
twenty But if did not greatly misapprehend the gen
cmon he maintained the proposition That HE eglsla-
i've nn,rcr and control should always belong to that
,oron of the State where was TO be found The great
ps amount of interests Is this the principle by which
hn nronoses TO be guided If is, how happens that
instead of charging the rel resentnlon from The cities,
he is for curtalng it, In this, as II seems 10 me- he IS
.,riknelv in conflict with his arowed principles for Of
oil suh;ccts there is no which gives rise 10 half
tho omont of LEGISLATION that of commerce. with lis
immeasurablc and diversified relations and connections
Where do we find the interests Of commerce most TO
obom,d: Undoubtedly about our cmporlums! About
Norfolk and Petersburg and Richmond and to surh an
ox,ont that if the genteman's principle was carried
ont those places would acquire an almost controlling
weight in the legislature Yet he is for aordging the
number of from those places, or
from the city OF Richmond What inference arc We
RI dcducc from all this | fear the gentleman relied
nou this argument more as an excuse for holding on
IN mower than as a reason why il should he accorded
But. Mr. Chairman it is idle to attempt to disguise
the fact that the difficulty lies deeper than the one SIG
pested BY the gentleman from Halifax, and TO which
have just referred There is dstrust upon the PART OF
eastern members, not much of our ability to dis
charge the ordinary duties ofegisla:lon with respect tC
This property as OF our fidelity TO the institution itself
they fear, that if the power should DC conided to Us
We would abuse il, by embarklng IN some mad scheme
of The speech made, not many days since
Iy the gentleman from Prince George (Slr RvEs) seem
ed to be intended as alarm bell 10 the people
~ an attempt TO excite them TO demand in imperative
tones of their representatives here that they should moi
urr cder upon any consideration the power 10 tic west
have heard in the course of this debate nothing which
81 grated pon nv car speech of the gent ,mal
from Prince George could moi but feel that if there
really was that dsrust which the gentleman seemed Ia
signify it would be better al once TO dissolve the bonds
which bind US as one common people or what pleas
urc is there in remaining together if the cherished feel
prs of confidence and brotherhood no longer exist. II
hc mower now claimed BY the east, is to he maintain
cd upon a consideration like this | should like to
know it. should like the people throughout the whole
wcs, 10 be apprZed Of it, 1t is due to them that they
should know in what estimation they are held BY their
brethren of the cast 1t might be well. too, 10 set
forth the reasons which have operated to form this
opinion of western integrity. We offer yon The most
solemn pledges which human ingenuity can suggest FOR
tic security of this property. We say to You take the
| constitutions nscr in il any and every guard which
| ,our wits can contrivc and yet answered that
these pledges and these guards will be disrcgarc and
broken down by people, whenever the political pow
cris conlidcd to their hands. Now, sir. think know
omehng of the sentiments and dispositions OF our
western people. think may venture to say for them
tat once having plightcd their faith to The observance
Of stipulation like this. that argument, no consd-
Grafton no power on earth could prevail upon them l.,
disregard their solemn obligation. The intimation Of
such distrst iSlin my view the highest offence which
can be offered them. Violate the constitution to &c.
troy your property in your slaves. Sir, if NY own
acigbors-as much as love thcm-wcrc to enter mp.
on such work. won tear from my heart every fibre
which binds it To the graves OF my family and war up
IN those who would practice such pcrlidy There i
no real ground for apprehension upon this score, anu
trust that those of this body who have INDUCED such
tears will have fully and freely rclinquishcd them be-
fore our deliberations shall have CLOSED.
shall -av upon this branch but will pro
| coed to discuss the question i'll connection with tn
taxing power.
| have been not little struck in the course 81 TIL,
icbatc with the remarkable stres, which has been Ia
upon the dangers attendant upon the exercise al thu
lower 1t has been characterized and truly So the
,reat instrument of oppression in all the various gov
rnIncnts of which history iurnishe, examples Bat
what has struck peculiarly has been the ute,
|
,pprc>>ions attempted 70 arouse fears,
lie great and wide distraction between government
| md the governments abon which we read In Other
governments the opportunities for the exercise OF ti,
power are various and multiplied. In they are
ew And sir Just in proportion as they are restricted!
IS the danger Gifts abuse diminished in other govern
nents the channels through which the money that j..
irawn from the people Is expended arc deep wide al
numerous Not 50 here We have no fleets 10 sustain
armies to provide for-we have no pensions, hoHn
ties, exclusive privileges. We may well say that
with us there is but cln,ic through which the ,iiS.
,arsins power operate, and ii is The great arrr,
| Il the State through which the life. blood Of the
commonwealth is poured, giving strength and energy
cxrcniiies of the system. 1t is hard t.
auw the power to appropriate money for works ni in
>erna mprov ement, can under we'll ordered govern.
ment be abused Yet it the exercise of this power
u rather the surrender uf this power to those who fec
the greater necessity for its exercise which is to fill
mems minds with such painful dread. The very ar
lurnccment of the object for which the appropriation
10 be made would seem to imply guarate &c against
uury Take into consideration either one of the rca
Internal schemes which are likely to involve heavy
| utav of money. Contemplate It in all its prJbabl,
esults and then if the bcNettS 10 the entire
| commonwealth are not immcasurabv beyond the cos
its construction Look for example III the great
S hwe.tern Road and at the Central Road Suppo,,
ttem to be plvted and will ask ii any cnth.ia>
yet in the widest flights of his fancy pictured IL
;ou The vast results which are 10 follow. | shall Ger
u.uly not attempt to describe the results which M Tho
I'D Of my feeble vision can forescc. There is one how
ever which deem it proper to refer We have
large raa orty of the white population of Iii,
STATE in the west ana il things remain in their present
condition that majority will become larger and larger
O.r. open these great avenues of trade ana the
tide Of white population vii! Immediately set towards
,our eastern lowlands, cities and towns Tic vast
products "f the western and southw vacvS pass
,ir, ruugh the heart Of the commonwealth to Ii east.
ordcr will not only attract capital but population:
ihcsc elements will stimulate manufacturing enterprise
and that in its turn will give new and additional i'm
pe,us to commerce Who can tell the point TO which
may attain the rapGity with which our population
will increase when these are in complete OPERA
ton! The West will no longer continue in the ascend
in white population and if she should I've in the
Enjoyment Of the sccptre of power when the cast Shall
uvcrtakc and outsrp her in the of population he
assured sir, she will not hand over hesitainglv or
srudsinsy bat with shout "foy and cxuaton which
Will make her hills rcverberatc.
Mr. Chairman, / have said that ali the interests
Of the commonwealth will be advanced BY the
prosecution OF these Improvements. If not directly
they will be indirectly. Their accomplishment viii
nave the effect to cut off the chief Of complaint
upon the part Of portion of our citizens Tile only
ground of complaint to which my attention has been
called is that the people nhabtng the Underwater cour.
,huraf lar,, ~