The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-12-21

s.
towns which add much to their population and
wealth. But this is not The cafe with AmherR
We nhaot rich mountainous country, inter.
iperied with many rapid rivers, which renders
our Patiase TO the feat of Juice, extremely diff.
hcuit and are our inhabitants, a:c farmers s,
planters, cuiivating the foil for fuoport, to be
compelled (many of them to ,rayeIt thirty and
torty miles to their court houfe! Theft. are in
conVenences which fec'n TO demand legislative
Nsen''on: Mr.. Speaker, this application is not
produced, as is of'en infatuated, hy men loci.
ing OUT for Offices but err, rsses from the neo.
pie, who, from feafe of their Inconvenience.
preis forward to ak of this houfc that accommo.
dation, which has been 10 long withheld from
the'n. Conhding in the wifion ind iuf,ice of
the legislature of my country, fubmt the ii,b.
Ject 10 their ,leC6ou.
Mr.: Clarke (ef cunrhelD faid that when ,his
ihhject vas before the houtc on SATURDAY, lat.
ne then itased the reatons which would govern
n'tn IN the vote he ihoud give: that he then
enumerated the caufes, which would iuaifv
tue Legislature, in deviding counties; and
therehY extending the rclief akeJ for by the
taha9isanis OF A-uh.rd be then informed The
houie tn2t extent Of territory, amount OF re.
venue, paid into our treafury, the populations
aud proipet OF remaining local tnco,venirnce,
wee the only proper fubjetts OF noniry, on
occa''cns like this. Mr.. Clark fsid that he
A
hertz 10 be diicuHei IN its own merits: he did
not intend to make auy invidous ccnpari-
mons as 70 the relative 6.nation of Amherft
with che little county of Warwick, or any Of
her htters, he n.oClI rely on the pre1e ;n;r:eht
cisiins the citizens or Amherf had OH this h6uff.
which 20 his mind was too ftrong to be reGtt-
ed: he was too confident of the prooriety of
the petition laid down by him to believe THAR
hugie doubt can at this time hover round,
ha do xNE u
walls 1T MIR. Speaker this point is confeded Il
only remains for me to refer gentlemen IN the
very correct tatemen: IF fads made nv nv
worthy TREND from the county of Amherf;
as TO me population, extent of territory. 10
ca! Inconvenience ; and to which, fir YOU NAV
add. the unavoidable delay {! had alnoa ra;d
deniaD of ju:tice, owing to the number Of
cau'e', now before the court Of that csunty.
AS TO the fcmarks.mate by the worthy gentle
man 'r1" Franklin, reeativeto the judicial d..
tritt, he could not fee. how they could spoIy
to ;he quefion now before the houf. if that
was the fnhieIt of inquiry he fhou!a then pre.
pare himfrlt toinvsHigate, that, Ike every O.
Their quetion, on its own merits if Cir we ia,
not attend 10 the prayer of numer ,us and ref.
pectable portian of our fellow citiZcnS what
may we not ex3e6 7 do not fir mean 70 IN.
hnuhte that this people will revolt, for know
them 20 be too respectable, but vii, they ,ot
havejuit canf- to complain : ! think trey win.
l., iir, have had the honour Of feat in this houfe
long hnce the prayer of this people was
hrt heard ] arm informed by gentlemen
1t has been heard ever fince we find it ftill
heard, and gentlemen laying this is not the time
to devide counties that the Legislature is aIrea.
dy too numerous, and that we ought to amend
our tate contribution: if gentlemen are feriops
on that point, he wss prepared to meet them. =
and examine whether that infrument was flf- ;
ceptable OF Improvement or not, hut fir, nm.
I'll that queltion is regularly before this houre.
let us conhue ourielves to the point before ia.
If, fir, the time to devide counties is not when
the caufes which / have Aated exit, aided by
the respectable number of petitioners, which a.
mount to II hundred, out of 1000 freehoIters
mutt confefs that am uniformed when the
time will arrive; and would Thank gentlemen
for information. As to The ircreafe of expence.
Mr.. Speaker, it will have but little wait, as
there will be only two members more added
to this body. Upon the whole, Mr.. Speaker.
do hope gentlemen will "trip the fubjeet of all
but its real merits, and If :hey will, think I
may confidently rely on the paTage of the bill,
Nix. BURYELL.
Before the queftion ia taken, will make fome
remarks in reply TO the gentlemen; they GER
tainly mifrnderftood me if they fuppofed the
power of the Legislature TO divide counties is
quettoned. Nothing could be more remote
from my intention, than to give fuch an inter.
probation to the contribution. But, as the con.
ititution had ftttled the ren-efentation in the
houfe, W. ihould violate that ratio by giving
Amhert four members on this floor nfead Of
two. 1t is true fome counties require dyiion,
particularly Montgomery, which extends 200
miles over rnnuntainnus country, interfeGted
by water courfts difficult TO pafs--the inhabi-
tants of which are dragged froE, 90 10 100 miles
to their ccurthoufc, uftead Of 80. But it is AK.
ed will we accommodate people who have not
pe.itioned the qacftion is readily folved by re.
ference to the journals, they have repeatedly
folicitcd relief neie6tually, at the laft fefior.
| from perlonal experience fuch an application was
made.-T'he gentleman from Amhert has told
us, the magistrates have not erected G,i.ablc
public buildings; that an order is fcatcely regf.
| tered, before it is refcinded This feems TO be
| part of the fyaem of coerGon by which we
are to be driven into acqniefcence they have
funds to detray .he expences, or authority to
levy them, and deferve to fnfftr for their difor-
dance. The only real grievance have heard,
arifes from the delay Of juftce; which may be
remedied by more dlligeece among the nasif-
trates, by increafug the number Of courts, or
lengthening the term. The danger Of removing
the Dfritt Court from Franklin, it has been
faid, called forth oppoitiou TO this hill. rea-