Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-05-17
The Virginia State Convention.
RlcnMoSD, WEDNESDAY, APRILs, 1861.
Speech Of Chapman ). stuart.
Or idgs.
TAXATION QUESTION


fered by Mr. WILEY being under considera,
ton, Mr.. S!UAHT. Of DoGdridgc, spoke rs fol-
lows:
Mr. President propose this laurning TO
submit few remarks upon the resolution oi
Convention goes into Committee Of the Whole.
| am sorry that more Of my Eastern friends
are not present, because it is especially to them
that desire to address my observations. 1t
will be recnectcd tha. when the Committee
rose last evening, was entitled 10 the floor,
but for the purpose Of progressing aE speedily
AS possible with the business Of this Convention.
{ was DESTROYS That the quts s.ion should then
be put upon :hc resolution Of the gentleman
from Monongalia, (Mr. WILLEy,) but yielded
very willingly, to tho gentleman from Princess
Anne, CIR. WIsE) to give history Of his con-
nexion with tha suhjac Of taX.tion and repre-
senta,ion in the Convention Of ls50-Jl, rs well
az in reference to his sentiments enteraine!
at this time. desire TO Say that We Of TIC
West have fc!; proi0undIs grateful to him li7
h!s past advocacy Of our rights and Cur inte.
rests, and we now entertain = like sentiment,
and are dispuset! to return 10 ilitn our mcst
profound thanks for the disposition lie now
raaniiests to accod US our rights. Sir Presi.
dent, it is with Giifiicncc ;hal | attempt 10 say
sny thing cn the present occasion. | arrogatc
no,hing TO myself, but, representing constit,
uency, as Go, deeply interested in this qucs-
ton, feel It to be my duty to raise NY VOICE
in behalf of their rights, feeble us it may be-
an not one IF those who are disposed to
fpld their arms and say that all is peace and
quiet; that the interest and honor OF Virginia
are in no danger. No, sir, look upon the pro-
Srn. aspect OF affairs as threatening and peril
Gus. If the ship Of State Gun be sterred clear
OF the breakers that surround Us in the i'm
pending storm thst is hanging over US, in
dark and portending Clouds | for one sha!
rejoice. ! cannot fai! to sac that there il
many dangers and breakers ahead, ald i. is to
avert these lh!res that We are now convened
IN this Convention. say that ain no. one
Of those who are in favor CT standing still
and say.ng all is wcll-all is peace. hel;e9c
that We are On The verg, tf civil war tka'
Kill bc forced upon the people Of Virginia,
unless hy wise and prudent corEsels it may be
hrerlrd. Entertaining these views and >enti
nents, hold that it is nur lirsL du.y 10 make
all right within our own hordrrs; scuk TO heal
all and every dSsension among our own pco-
pie. bind ourselves together Us band Of bro
people with enc olject and purpose. We can
read from very good authority that house
divided against itself Gagged; stand. Although:
We may differ as to the mod" and manncr of
rcdressng our national difficulties. We still
concur in the lac. that The institutions and
rights Of Virginia have heen invaded by North
ern free States, ard that X is Our duty and 0ur
right to ask at their hands 4 remedy against
these evils complained OF, and VIC Of the North
west are willing to unite with our Eastern
brethren in asking and demanding relief against
these wrongs. Mr.. President, pcrni! me to say
TO nv Northwestern friends who have argued
this question before the Convention, that it
seems 10 NE they have fallen into an error in
charging upon or" friends Of Tie Est that
they have said tha: We were unsound upon the
slavery question. j is butjus,ice to my East
err f.cn!!s 10 sag ilIa; in a.! t:lcr remarks in
this CoGgentiCn shici, have had the pleasure
10 listen to, ani believe that have been in
fSsitod dtssfsd bytntrh iSa'ig fna; Of
the West were uasound upon the institutions
OF Virginia Il has been left fer Western
nem5.r to bring this charge againzt lis
brethren Of the West-the only one, so Gar as
my observation has extended, who las charged
the West With hcing unsound on Tic slavery
QUESTION. To that member belongs lhe homer
ol bringing tha. charge against ". ! most
cherriui,y acunit lily + tstern brethren Cfhavirg
raaJc ;bc charge in Ibis body. Cnsouad, in
deed, ppon tbs slavery question. Why,
Mr.. President, can the history CT tic world
s,ow q people who have been moro lOya! aad
true toit!lc institutions Of their State than the
people Of Western Virginia have been, and e.
pecialiT "a the institution OF slavery. They
nuyc fcc many years stood up fo: the insitu
tion and rights OF slavery, when that very insti-
tuition has been made to bear most oppressive
Is upon the interest and rights Of the Western
PARTON Of ;Ile State Still you hare always
found them AZ their post And, now, when
this institution is not only made the means b.
which we arc ranged, but when it is conceded
that it s The direct cause Of all present national
difficulties, and when it js remembered that
&c have no direct interest in it, and yet, under
all these circumstances, you lad vi AZ our
,os.s ready TO 10 battle for it, and to risk even
the destruction Of cur National Government in
demanding its protection for you Car it be
possible that any man can be so lost to q S:nsc
OF Justice as to again bring that charge against
lis I Let Me say 10 vnn, Dir. President, ibat
The people Of Western Virginia are as aisinte-
rested, brave and true hearted people as ever
stood upon this green earth. | may assert it,
that the people uf Western Virginia ars .rnc
10 the institution CT slavery from principle,
willis, might bring the charge against you Of
the Els. that your loyalty to it Is prompted
upon interested motives. Yes, gentlemen, Of the
East, il is interest that no~ makes you ready to
rise n rebellion against your Government, the
interest you have il the protection OF slavery.
vhila we of the West sre advancing solely
upon principle, uad the wish to secure to you
your rights. Standing forth in this attitude,
will you not inete out to us eren.handed JUS
ticeY CT will you pursue course that ::iuSt
ALLEVIATE uo from you? lIow 10 you reconcile
to yourselves tho fact that you are calling upon
us to come to your rescue; e7en 10 help you to
dest:oy cur Government; s. government thai
is cndeared to us by many sacred ties, and un-
der which we hsve enjoyed rights and prvi.
rges which no other people ever enjoyed;
Government. TOO, under which We have pros
pereG us no other people ever have? Still TO
secure your rights, and 10 prevent injurie:
which you say may tnsne, you ask Us 10 Gu;
loose from the General Government, and run
The risk OF wsr aud conhct with our sister
States, not only our sister States, but truly in
the Limits Of which Cur fathers, brothers and
sisters ere. All this for fear wrong may be
done you And yet you arc not willing to re-
dress positive and grierous wrongs 10 your
brethren in the same State, aud those wrongs
inflicted by your own hands. You appear
ready to sacrifice your all in struggling for
your rights against your alleged injuries, and
ant willing 10 come forward and redress our
Injuries, which are much more apparent ard
nagrant tlan your own. We do not ask you
to ssht Tor our complaints. !: needs no arm
amcnt or State equipment to secure justice
and equality to your western brethren. All
that il REQUIRES ut your hands, is ITO 10 untn
others as you wculd have them do unto you"
The gentleman from Richmond city, (Mr.
RAsDoLHnJ in arguing another ques;ioa-the
question vr pro!ectian-said that we Q: the
West we're poor, not 10 an otfsnslTe sense, but
argued that we were made SO from the opera
,!ons Of tho Federal Government; that il it had
not bao, f,r thu C;sra tiouS Gs the General Go