Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-08-31
10 TIE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
YIRGINLI.
Tie Memsriat offhe Citizens Of
(f9gg,,ffT

County.
The undersigned, i0hab tuu.s Of county,
uniting Tor the purpO of obtaining sucs, anen,.-
mentstn the Constitution OF this con- mnnweath as
viii secure TO the good people thereof Ill the rights
and privileges, to which they by nature eati-
tied; agd of which tney nave been deprived by the.
early adoption ofprinciples, which ii not originally
and radically wrong, have become so by the suisse.
Pneut operation 81 natural and accidental Causes -
beg leave 20 lay before the Leg stature OF the
state, such exposition Of their grievances rs will
eslrbl.sb at once, the certainty OF their existence,
the extent OF their operation, sod the necessity f
tner removal. Passing ofer many lesser evils
connected WITH and inseparabIe from the existing
constitution, they are satisfied, on the present o.
casioo, to sInhae their attentions exclusively 10
oae; not doubling that the sane remedy which
Will be applied to it, will at the sane time be ez
tended to every principle 10 the constitution, mimi
calto tue rights anil happiness of an independent
people No doctrine has ceiyed more uniyer-
sal assent, than Tat in a republican government
the viii OF tae majority should be the law Of the
iaad. And yet IN slate. Boosting Oi tie pnre re-
publican character Of s institutions this first and
fundamental principle OK republicanism, does not
exist ioi to borrow the Language OF a late elo-
qusnt appeal to the people Of Virginia, /" the gov
ergment OF tie commonwealth Is actually in the
hands Of a minority aud what is sl more
psrnc.odB 10 tx general interests, ir the hands
OF a minority, ishabi;ing pa. iicn.ar section
oithe state. FJr;ynine ccuo;is, adJseent to eaell
other in the eastern sad southern sections Of the
state, Including three Of the boroughs situated in
these countless have a majority oiihe Whole num-
Der Of represe .tatyes in tie most numerous branch
Of fl," legislature. And these equities and DO.
rOughs contained, ~ 1910, Only 2G,166 white in
habtants: less tlisn haIfthe population Of the
state by 1888 se0ls"
Ia the other branch Of the Legislature the inc
quality IS still more apparent Incredible 20 It
may seem, 1t is nevertheless fact, that while The
country west of the Blue Ehigc, constituting three
hiths Of the territory cft'ie state and containing,
according TO the census Of 1910, wlliie population
OF 2l2056 souls, las but four i,siead Of vine seua-
tors, to which 1t - entitled thirteen senatorial
districts tide water. containing, according to the
same census, white population Of only 1917,
have thirteen. instead Of seven senators, ~bici,
would be their lust proportion THESE facts are
respectfully submitted to the Senate d iio Sc OF
Delegates ofthe state e Virginia, with the hope
that they cannot tiiI ;0 produce impressions, ln-
yorabe to the cause Of republ csnisn, and the jus,
rights Of 50 decided a majority OF t'e white popu-
lation Of the state. This done, iiie undersigned
look with confidence 10 the Legislature for such
ai rs thcy have the power to ant They Eeow that
the means If extending 10 them immediate relief
are not within the pow er OF the Legislature They
therefore DO not ask il. They know that the sew
eral counties are eated t. two representatives on
the floor ofth- House of Delegates and that
mere legislative act cannot prevent them from
exercising an acknowledged right.
Each Senatorial district too, has a constitutional
claim to one representative in the Senate and il
nnsy well be questioned, whether there be pow
in the Let sistnrc 10 ster or abridge this claim
Bnt what cannot be done directly, what cannot be
dome By law, may be indirectly accomplished