Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-09-04
For TIE ENrQUIRER.

run LIE Lev tLO1AEH.
As much has been said on the subject OF nequal-
lty a! Representation in the Legislature OF Virginia,
and as il has been made fruitful source of discon
te't among the people OF the Western parts of the
State, have been induced to examine nnutely
into tie affair, and ascertain how far their COM
plsats well founded.
i assume il rs sound maxim of political iur:s-
rrdeece that Legislation snd Representation should
be prnportioned 10 the number of ssns governed
or represented, and to the quantum of taxes paid
towards the support Of government because the two
subjects intimately CON- ected that no gov
ernmcnt can exist without them.
1t becomes necessary, then, that reference should
be had TO some data, from which our estmates are
10 be mode, and assume the census taken in 1910,
by authority Of fhe u S. for population, and the
returns OF the Commissioners Of the Revenue, tor
1915, in the Auditors Office. for the TaNes---The
results viii show with what gree OF justice, iibe-
raty and disinterestedness this clamor has been
cited.
The whole population of the State in 1870. in
Federal numbers. was 97i, 277, OF which number
there were oriree whites, 554. 53i-the rect slaves
AS there are presumed TO be various Interests To
be represented. in diff rent sections Of the State
will lay il of in four grand divisions, namely all the
Count from the sss-board to the head Of i;e-wa-
ter to compose the first divsion--ail the Counties
from the head Of tidewater to the Blue Ridge to
compose the second division.
The Counties between the Blue Ridge and AL
ieganv to compose the third division, and the coun-
ties west Of the Allegheny to compose the fouth
division.
Federal Numbers. Free Hzaes
In the I" division, there are eSitS9 I4osi
2i division 46S 245 2I7 O97
Sd division 40 Zoo 1877 Ol6
18th division 1o4 2s7 9i 2as
The whole amount of permanent revenue, ~
shown by the Authors Books, IN 1875, was about
S605, 0lS $500, OF (which there is psid
by the first division Si57 $50 5000
"a 40. 500 All ~
81 do. o4,765 9s
18th do. 65. PIG 80
II then, assume the Federal Numbers for
our guide, in sscertaining the number of R-presen-
tatives toiwhch each division is entitled, we find
the following results.
The 1st division will have 6 48
Cd do 10 o6
Sd do. : Sd
4th do %
If assume the Free whites as guide, and reject
every other confederation
The LIT division will have 80
zd do. 10 20
Sd do. az
Ath do. i 81
And it we assume taxation as guide, the result
WI be, that
Senator's Delegates.
The is,diyisicn will be eu.itlcdto Is
I'd do. 12 1903
Sd do 81
4lh do q
These results sllew most ineohtestibly that the
people othe first and fourth divisions in The EASTERN
most, snd those west Of the AlleghaDy, have an
undue weight in the legislature. the eastern division
having unjust preponderanee both in the Senate
snd House OF Delegates, ard the westera division
having similar weight Ia the Lower House, while
the middle country falls tor short of its due weight IN
both houses, whether We adopt the other sys-
TENS ofrepresentstion.
Thus, you will find that the country between the
board, and the head oftide-wster, has So dele
gates when their Federal Numbers entiue them
TO 4S, their share sttaxes as and their white po-
pulstion 10 So.
That the country west Of the Allegheny has NJ
this time 40 members in the House of Delegates
WREN their federal numbers entitle them to e.
their white population to 81, and their taxes 10 orv
2l----wle the middle country, composed OF lhe
second and third divisions, falls short rs follows
The country between the head of tile-water aud
the Blue Ridge has at this time only - delegates
wien its free whites would entitle Il to 10 Us fed..
raj numbers to 90, and its taxes 10 103. And the
country between the Blue Ridge and Allepany has
at this time onlv 80 delegates, when its free whites
woud entitle il to49, its federal numbers to 81 aud
the amount of taxes to 81 delegates.
The whole State is at present divided into 81
Senatorial districts, & the House Oh Delegates COM
posed Of 200 Semb re, OF whom
SO als FROM the ist division,
~ fom The I'd do.
so from the 81 do.--Acyl
30 from the 4th do.
lfs scale OF representation be foy1ooi according
70 the federal numbers there oagit 10 be iS75 in
habtents to each Delegate, aud sbnut 80,62s 70
each Senstor~-And If tne same scale be applied 10