Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-02-03

ttude, can suffice TO 6verawe re into silenceI
upon question which invites me to decide, who
Their the constitution, the faithful guardian OF
ourlberty and laws shall stand as it's, or through
rash and ill-advised career Of political reform,
be subverted and undone Sir. it must be ad-
united that the question before you is IS mo-
mentous as any upon which representative In
telligence can be invited to deiiterate. 1t is,
therefore, entitled TO the most patient and attcn-
tive coosideraton--s,ich consideration, un,ler
the kind indulgence Of the Committee, shall
endeavor 10 bestow upon il. Shall enocayour
to Slew that it would be unwse and inexpetiient
TO convene the people to redress the grievances
with which the constitution is charged, even tho
The provisions OF the bill, on, OF which this re
ldress Is expected TO originate, were fully ade-
lquate to The attainment OF such an end
| The objects, which the advocates Of political
reform have avowed their greatest solicitude 10
attain, are, an extension of the right OF suffrage
a dimmuton of the number of Representatives.
now elected TO serve in General Assembly,, and
an equalization OF Representation in the same
Body.
| IT a.dmnution of the number of Representa-.
tves is at all to be desired it is true that this de
sderatum can only he effected by convention of
The people. Hardness and expense in the enact
l'nent OF laws, and in discussions which often
times originate in the fierce collision of Earring in
terests and opinions, are, perhaps, the usepara-
Ible attributes of every dcliberative Body as nu.
Imerous as the General Assembly of Virginia
These evils and imperfections are known and as
lcer;ainetl, and ought not to be continued, if we
mad any assurance that they could be suppressed.
without the imminent hazard of introducing
lotiiers i'll their stead, which would be infinitely
more dangerous and hurtfuI to public order and
Isecurity But the calamities which might orig-
mate IN the prosecution of the means necessary to
Icure these evils and imperfections it cannot on
tier into human Sapacitv to .
convention to deliberate upon the constitution for
purposes OF political reform, ano its most sacred
land precious principles will be, N all human pro-
liability, blended with It's most Objectionable de-
ltects, and all will be involved in one pene- and
lndiscrlminate confusion. What was before q
most useful and harmonic whole, will then dege
lnerate into rude and undigestcd chaos; and
with due Difference and devotion TO the political
archItects OF the present day, the prediction may
Ibc hazarded, that they will never be able to build
IuP such n noble and admirable monument of CT
VII and political happiness, as theone which they
contemplate to destroy Yet the very evils aud
lInpertectons which are admitted to originate
out OF a numerous representation i'll the Legisla-
ture, are greatly mitigated by those concomitant
advantages which are inseparable from them A
numerous Legislature affords the community out
LOT which it is composed, the most eiTectual Sc
lcurity against inconsiderate haste and oversight
~ the conduct of their public servants while it
keeps the aggregate stock of representative wig
dom greater than it otherwise could be; because
the more numerous the representative Body, pro-
vided it be comprised within practicable sphere
the greater will be the probability of obtaining
mt and intelligent representatives to transact the
important business of legislation. When, too.
the representative Body is numerous, there will
be always found in it variety of intGests, par.
ties, and sects, which will render itimpossble
for a coalition of the majority of the whole body
| taE tl,a.,,
those ofjustice and the general good-lt may DC
fairly questioned, then, whether a convention of
! the people, would deem it expedient to reduce
the number of Repres entatves in General Assem-.
ply; at all events, the expectancy of such re-
itucton IS not so manifest as to justify conye
4 ION OF the people; ameasure, which the expe-
| ence of all ages has demonstrated shall be re-
sorted to, only upon the most urgent necessity
which is always hazardous, and sometimes vital.
| iy destructive of the public repose
! AS to an equalization of the representation in
the General Assembly, it is manifest and undis
puted, that, as far as it respects the Senate, the
appointment of whose men bers is believed to De
more UNEQUAL and Objectionable than that ofthe
members OF the House of Delegates any prono
sed alteration for the better may be constitution
ally Effected by the ordinary Legislature And.
II 1t be competent for the ordinary Legislature TO
arrange and equaliZe the Senatorial Districts.
and, so to remove the defects with winch tbey
are charged, it is infinitely better that this
should be done in the Legislature, where nothing
Icouid create any fears or Inquietude for contin
uance OF the constitutional security which we
%" enjoy, than ina Convention of the people
which would dissolve the Constitution, and there
by expose IT'S most valuable principles to the
hazard OF injury, perhaps of destruction If
supposed that, although the ordinary Legisla-
,ure have the constitutional power, vet they
| ave not the disposition to egualize the repre-
sentation IN the Senate, the suppostion will G.
qually apply to such Convention of the people
rs is proposed TO be formed for the I,egish-
ture, and the Convention TO be formed under the
provisions ofthat Bill, will be constituted of
theyery same materials, with this difference only
that the number Representatives in Convention
Will be reduced to one half Of the number OF re-
preventative in the General Assembly, by reou
ring OF tie treeiolders to elect to the Convent
on but one representative from each county in
the state But such Ammunition can never pro.
duce the consequences which are expected to a.
rise from it for it is immaterial to what extent
Gentlemen may propose to reduce the number, Of
Representatives in Convention if it be done, in
the ratio which the Bill prescribes the relative
influence and direction of the residue ofrepresen.
tative power will be precisely the same. Hence
IT IS fair TO conclude that there is no greater pro-
liability that such Convention of the people
would more efiectully equaze the representati-
on either IN the Senate, or IN the House Of Dele.
gates, than that the ordinary Legislature could
On the contrary,such Convention would assured
W tail OF its intended efficacy, and resemble SUI
DerStructnre reared uDOn the very foftu,laf,ct,f