Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-05-17

Lnc puOtC prosperity. Ho VhSr ~ . ~
l can remember, took the Abolitionist ground,
that sareholding is a sin and ought for that
reason to be abolished. With us it was merely
q question Of erpediency and was argued with
special reference to the interest. Of West Fr-
ginia." The question was one, therefore, Of
interest and expediency alone. In that debate
it was characterized and treated as n social in.
Jury, and not as a Uiyhting curse; or as "a gel
lor fsrer and Il black romit.'
But 1t is said, again, that the signcrs of the
letter expressed the wish" that DIR. Ruffner
should mot %continc' himself strictly to the
views then expressed. Our desire is to have
the whole argument in favor Of the PROPOSE
ton" &c. What proposition? Why simply
the proposition which went to the expedicncy
of slavery in Western Virginia; not a PROPOSE
ton which went to the social, moral and politi-
cal dcnunciation Of the whole institution. To
this latter extent. the pamphlet really goes when
it speaks Of slavery rs u course more dtStrHe'
tire in tx cbtct' than war, pcstilence or OPP
preston of rulers. civil or ecclesiastical, "aS
this consuming plague of slavery, as \ black
vomit ana yellow fever
The Opposition have labored hard to prove
that | aidcl in the circulation Of the pamphlet,
but the ef.rt has signally failed. This pamph-
let, characterized by themselves as an 'ince"-
Mary," ha, been published and circulated
through thdr leading organ. The most often
sive expressions relating TO slavery, have been
embodied in a pamphlet gotten up, under the
direction of their ".State Ltntrot Committee
published " their orders, and on the first
page in capinls, is found the injunction, "Rend
aud C;rculae," and in obedience to that order
il has been sown broadcast over the whole
State.
Appeals lave been made to the people Of
Eastern Virginia to oppose my election, be-
cause Of my curse i'll the Reform Convention
In regard tt my action III that body, | have
only to say hat I faithfully represented the
wishes and interests Of the people of my dis
trict-that | fully redeemed the pledges which
| gave TO them prior TO the electlon-and that
my conducts rs their representative, commanded
theirapprob baton. Am | now 10 be condemned
by men in Eastern Virginia, because ] would
not urrcndcr the rights and interests of my
constituents: If ] am to be struck down on
any such ground, | will welcome the blow
withplcasurc. As n representative Of the
pcoIc | will always cndcavor to reflect the sem
timcts of those who have honored me with
their confidence and clothed me with the re.
prcSntativc trust.
line sectional controversies which unfortu-
match existed at the time of the late Reform
Convntion. are to be revived: if ], as a West
crn IAN, am to be arraigned and condemned
for ~ opinions and actions at that time. it Is
but ght and proper, that the people OH both
sidcs,f the mountains should know it.
Wen the work Of that Convention was APP
provl by the people, in the adoption Of the
Constitution, | supposed. these sectional con-
trovSies were at an end, and that Iirgi-
niaM. East and West" were united "in one gio-
omrothtrhood;" that forgetting the past, all
woul, readily and checriully agree, that the
CnioIshould be perpetual. and each section
woul vie with the other. in the cultivation Of
kind feeling, in the advancement of the pros
peril of the State, the protection Of her inter-
csts, nd the promotion of the happiness Of all
her ciZcns, wherever located within her bor-
dcrs.
line early days of our history, Virginia
had direct trade Of more than So, 900, 600 an
nuall and if our State had been Justly dealt
by. iiour federal legislation, instead Of having
dimii,hcd, that trade would have been largely
increed. For my reference to this fact, in
one osny speeches in the Convention, | have
been raisned by my competitor, and most
unjusy charged with hostility to the interests
of thcity of Norfolk. Is not the fact as | have
stated: Will it be pretended by any man.
that t, direct trade of Virginia now. is what
it vast the time Of the formation OF the Fe-
dcral institution? Ii not, what has caused
its dcsuction? Let my competitor and those
who I'll him favor the protective policy,
whichas had the effect Of building up the
commc;al importance of the North at the cx-
pcnsc the South, answer to the people Of
Virgin and her commercial OWNS and cities,
for thispd result. Account for the fact, that
almosthe entire direct trade Of the country is
centreat the North. upon any other princi-
pie tn: that stated.
In Ii. it is charged that | favored a division
of thctatc, unless justice were done to the
West. giving TO that section improvements
that We absolutely required, to dcvclope her
resonrs and promote her prosperity. IN
the onlman in Virginia who has committed
this sin 1t cannot have been forgotten that
many Estorn gentlemen in the Reform Con-
~veution, accarcd they would rather see the
State dyidd, than see the suffrage basis
adopted. a carly as 1916, when the Con-
vention qlcSon was agitatcd, Eastern mem-
berS of the legislature and Eastern Editors,
declared thcwould rather see a division Of
the State. tn; see the views and wishes Of
the Western oplc adopted! In 1856. it mas
proposed | in a.rge public meeting at Norfolk,
that Norfolk onty, Norfolk City and Princess
Anne, should 'parate from Virginia, and unite
themselves vii North Carolina. And why:
Because the Lislature had not granted them
such improvcn,tS rs their interests demanded!
C,,ot r.u,. tt.. 4, al I,-t,ra nn,1. ~
the periods mtioncd, and now il | am to be
condemned, lchosc condemn Inc who arc not
as guilty ms melf.
As a ReprcsGativc in Congress, ! have, on
all proper OCEANS, defended the institution Of
slavery from Il assaults of the Abolitionists.
Upon all queonS relating to slavery, my
votes will be find recorded with my South.
ern colleagues. lot q measure has been before
Congress, duril my service, having reference
to the institute Of slavery or the rights Of
the South. whithas not received my support.
To my colleaguin Congress, for the past eight
years, without gard to their politics, | APP
peal, to vindicatme against the suspicion, that
| have been unfhful to the South-hcr insti.
tutions-her rigs-hcr honor.
| was in iavopf the annexation Of Texas,
which added a Ne empire to the South-my
competitor. who's held up rs a better pro-
slavery man thai am, was opposed to annexa-
ton. In the Gig years Of my service in Con
! gress, | repeated defended the South and the
institution Of Slery from the assaults Of the
Abolitionists-n competitor during his Con.
gresSional scrvi never raised his voice to re-
bukc the Abolini>ts for their assaults upon
our rights. Noa speech, not 4 sentence can
he produced, mich he has, on any occasion,
vindicatcd slavS against the assaults of its
enemies, either or out of Congress, prior to
this canvass. ' competitor and his Oppose.
ton friends, vot, in ls4S, and 1852, for Mr.. S.
Med. Moore n Mr.. John Echols, as Prcsi.
dental E!cctorS,oth Of whom had signed the
letter asking b publication Of the Ruffncr
pamphlet. T%ha,pporters Of my competitor,
appointed Mr.. hts, in 1852, EIeefor at large
for the State o firyinia, and this was just tr0
years after he al delivered the Powhatan