Virginia Free Press

are a frontier district, and if the dangers apprehended shall ever befall this southern country—if I may be permitted reluctantly to use one of those bold figures that are so fashionable now—if the angry land portentous cloud that hangs above our horizon should ever burst in its wrath upon us, gentlemen must perceive that the granary of Virginia with fields as beautifully laid-out for battle as ever Bridgewater and Chippewa presented, and that important work at Harpers-Ferry to get for-will be the Flanders, the battle ground is the contest. I say, then, that this is an important and delicate subject, and that whatever our friends on the other side may maintain, and say in reference to it, we are not content that it shall not be fenced round and guarded in every manner that our skill and judgment shall direct as proper and right. This is a very easy task. There is no difficulty in the way against putting in the organic law, a provision forbidding the legislature at all times hereafter to pass any law in any manner interfering with the relation of master and slave. And what next? Put in a provision, in the amended constitution, that the legislature shall not have power to call a Convention hereafter, at any time, to alter or change this provision at all—and there is an end of the matter. It is a simple task and we have examples of the kind. In regard to the senatorial representation in Congress, the federal constitution expressly provides that it shall not be subject to amendment—at any time hereafter, and so in regard to several other of its provisions. Such is my recollection of the character of these provisions in the federal constitution. But be that as it may; it is immaterial to this question. I am merely devising a plan by which this question may be carefully considered and reported upon to the Convention, not upon individual responsibility, but as being the result of the solemn deliberations of a committee who will sit down and consult with each other upon this important subject. The line of act regarding, the other power—the tax laying and appropriating power, as an apology for resolution upon the Convention, it be proper to remind so has aT: By my colleague, that upon this district in the commonwealth stated than that which I have Sa represented. We, as has been Is subject lately, but nothing toteeira, Went y Gory year Thovsamia or over and t aD,'and tcome it. Inalructed upha Scantassed in our Stbere are not op- a: 'Fsystem ol inter- Wey aro perfertly 'of the burdeas, of Coara uruchs tiere must oe,io carry out eucinsin, they have charged us to Nook to it, that they are not made the victims of a wild and reckless-system of internal improve. ment, A system thnt is, in fact, nothing more than taking money from'the pockets of one part of the people, and putting it into the pockets of anotber part. I attempied before that people to show, and I am prepared t a proper time in this body to show, that this thing daa be done. That while the great arte- rial works of Internal improvement, ought to be fostered, if not carried forward upon State account alone. yet in regard to these loeal works, these purely neighborhood improvement, upon which there- have been so large an expenditure, of late years, the system, ihsystem it may be ealled, ought to be, and can be suppressed. Now I submit to the convention the ptopriety, not of committing to a special committee consisting of a small number, the work that has, been atready prepared by the legisla- tive comoyittee, but of referring to it now, in the miidst of this debate, ·to be reported on promptly, these twolparticular subiects. One of ihem un- doubtedly flocs run somewhat into the labors of the legislative. eammittee, and the special cbmmittee will avaif itself, doubtless, of their labors. The is- aue is now made up in the course of this debate. whether where can or cannot be such guaranties, or limitation upon the powers of the goverfment, in corporate in the constitution, as will Temove the diftieultieh-of our eastern friends upon these subjects, and particularly upqn ihis latter subject. I am glad to see the debate taking that turn, for in my huinble judgment, it is the true question.- And while we. who come from the lower end of the valley, aro as determined as any gentlemen on this nloor to stnid up for the great principle involved in report of he mixed basis party is one which carries with it insult anddegradation to a large portion of the peopl of the commoa wealth -and shall main- tain it, and I trust successfully. against all odds- yet we are ufterly disinterested in the result, so far as the questipd of pclitieal power is eoncerned. In fact, it will make no change in our position in re- gard io oar share of political power, no matter which scheue shall prevail.' Leaving this quertion out of view. we are identified closely upon other subjeets with onr eastern brethren. It is our mis- sion-and-dutv here, and we must perlorm it, to look to this subjeet. And I ask of this Convention the means of doing it through this cominittee, and as the best forin, in my judgment, in which it can pos- sibly be krought to our notice. Permit me te add this additional remark. The resolutiogs which have been offered on this subject, by gentleinen, are various. The resolutions which I have tha honor torotfer, and perhaps various others, have all been resclutions of inquiry. I take-is for granted that ho gentleman has espected to see the very phrajeqlogy of his. resolutions ineorporated into the ned constitution, and that they have been written with bhat degree of looseness, if I may so express it-ppeak certainly in regard to my own. -which peybaps would be characteristic of any mere resolutihn of inquiry. When gentlemen now come to noiire the question, and meet the proposi- tion that gairanties, ample and sufhcient guaran- ties on theabiect may be sramed, we are met with sneere at wlit they term mere paper guaranties.- All that I hake to say on that subject is, that gentle- men will have to come down to their work on this subject. If i not a subject to be sneered at. Far from it. Butihose resolutions proposing guaranties come beforeris now, in the forin that I have just deseribed, ar when in course of the debate we are called u on to advd these propositions, we are asked what are vour ienlar provisions?- One gentleman takes up provision, as the gentleman Irsin Fauqnier; resolution of my colleague. agd submits it ce criticism.,and passes on without paying mieular attention to any other peovision. Tius they stand in the de- bate as propositions presented by individual miem- bers of the Cavention, and we are not able here to determine wfjich is- the one really intended to be ut forward. I have here offered a proposition Sich is calerlated to effect that end. The ooject, refore, ot t is resolution, is to charge this special minittee weifh the duty of selecting the particular umitations,, so far 'as connected with this subject; Ind to prepare such a-scheme as will secure the very ends ani objects announced by our eastern brethren iu this deoate, as being the objects which y desire to aecomplish. What ihen is the result? for this suffrage basis, and conte to you Und security in our hand. 20 b ade up., and according to the orms crerandi mittee, that w We in the lower part of down to the narrow ground intelligily form, the ording tojour best judgment eri each of the objects as to the madus ve Inds the but ctedominaneg Fhe ielivitely debate better then of will than polirical take thar its of rawe rue this diree com- ac nd ia miludgment the issue will de made up and we cat airly try our strength upon it. The time for sneerieg at paper guaranties will have passed by, and weican argue here as brethren the great questicp, whether the very obiects which you pro- pose to acebmplish by this gra with a death-like grip to this S and holdiog on Shed, and at the minancy of po- litical powdr, may nol be aeei same lioje fall justice be don- to our Western of this delale in regard to ths being a mere strug- gie for poliijcal power. Now, as I have before re- dere to represent, has nothing to do with any such struggle. ay one who will take the trouble to ex- amine intd tne subiect will be satisfied, that by the adoption et eitber echeme, wre shall be left just where we dir. We cannot be aifected by it. We are obaoxrts to no imputation of the kind, nor do I believe tha either party here is. But there has been. maeh aid upon the subiect of this being a mere strugge for political power, the amount of are not cardi l or sincere in battling for this great which'is ad emputation or charge that gentlemen prineiple. ae West are told that what they pro- pose is nnt only ihe assertion and establishment of thit theie o G' is to run their arms up to the elbow unjdst as w litas an ungenerous imputation. On jhat they bde been vested with this power by ire is to hord o to it; that they may elect their bowers so tral to the human mind. I do not erilv of ei.niee. While we come here occupy- Ss rabre e wu oaer to ver Eastere idieads ihis great nijiciple of republican government, but Into the peo c treasury. I believe that to be an the other ba our Eastein friends have been told pome meand worse than chance, and that their de- rovernors. &nd their senators, and exereise all those lieve it. bne course I propose will test the sin- g disidteresidd ground, as weof the Valley do on fxe
representalives mos: nzgacjoes, aLar in their sentiments, mitice. to join.in co. from lhe Wiest, 2sdo la protrction to properiy, socesired my friend from Faoquier, as ind told; did noi express e sentimen in re ird to this subject. as aho of the act that it are gentlemen here who hay Iy, I admil, bot veey gen heads" on ithis subeet, ar dasis per sei without refere. complishediby it, ercept th: power. f do not say that th here. but I ask that gentlemi eralitr of eeling on this suh this committee. Now, wh guarpsties,-let gentlemen. tr them show that they are jesd they subjecr themsel'es to the that i is the lust of power that clingiso teraciordiy to the power hold.· On tt.e other hand, we antiey y.Gar Western friends, ested is this subject of interna ws jk that the representativ any par- e on the committee, toe shoon will affect the sub- ject ticuler of interas limitation when improrevork or propot and of this to avert committre is before the and ascertain we ther they are alone contending for great prin-ple whether true as has been imputed io them, that it is a desire to get at the poblic treasury alore, which promptsthis clam- or foresndrage basis I will not detain the committee longer. I trust the Canvention will reeeive my-apology for my oc- cupving thus much of the time of the Conveution. The resolution is presented at this late day. when the necessity for it bas arisen, and I trust, thevefore. it will be the pleasure of the Convention to award us tbi commnitee. I bave no doubt that befoie an- other week closrs, they will make their teport, and the debate will be directed in its proper channel, and that the resulf may be that we shall bring our labors to some sase, proper aud harmcnious conclu- sion. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON LIMITATIONS, GCAR- ANTEES, &C.