Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-02-10

any OF that member, a voice IN taier connselss
Would they have any right to receive one repre-
sen, alive because he was freebooter, and 10
exclude smother because he an not feehoiuef
And who shall appoint the place OF meeung; ~
~ord, who .hsll fix the standard oil decision on
all those various and numerous points which must
be agreed on before such body could proceed
with any sembance of regularity, order or equal
it,2 Wherever the people shall undertake TO ex
ercise this power witbou the Intervention OIL the
| legislature, we may be prepared tor scenes Of
angry contest and disgraceiul confusion which
| the most desperate friends OF Conven'ion' would
not witness without horror. The hall oil meeting
| would be converted into bloody arena, IN which
the sifes Of personal strength for place and power
would -upercede all sober deberation, and defeat
every hope of pubic good. There Is no.mode'
| save only by an act OF Assembly, by which
Convention he properly or safely "rgahis-
! ed. Conflicting interests must be compromised,
| dscordant views must be brought into harmony, |
4 by the people, meeting together IN the persons oil
their representatives and speaking through Their
voices, the language OF kinine-s and Cancellation
! A nd il this e-tng work must al ome time OF
another, he reformed through our instrument atty,
| why should we not proceed with u now! why
trust this delicate subject 10 he dangerous excite
meI.t- of future iDie-, when we possess already,
all the authority which future times confer, al
| all the information which future times can I'M
! part.
| Permit the at this point, Mr.. Speaker. briefly
f, to recall The propositions which it has been my
object to esabsh:
| l.. To submit the question in the simple form
:. Conve ton" or " No Convention, !" will ope-
rare 10 deceive the people, and subject the state
to great aud useless expense.
The question ought, If practicable, TO he
submitted in such form T. indicate to the
| people, the nature # the change hch i, contem
J pa'el.
8 1t is practicable so to submit the question,
4 he n of he Il l. ntem>
| pia cd, will lie distinct, ndi ed b the mode
| in winch The Conve ition my tie organised.
d. We have full po,oer submit the q ie-tion
10 the PEOPLE long with plan for the ofsaniza-
ton of the Convention
| no. propose shew iha he plan of Con-
ven ion contained in the lmenis, is sonly
, he best, but the only plan which fee
warranted in submitting.
| At this point of the discussion, it is in vain to
dcry, and impossible To conceal, the ohecs which
the two partie-to This que.,io" h,ve in view. II
| Is on both side-, naked contest for pow YER The
small counties anxious TO retain the power
which they now Possess, and The large counties
are struggling TO deprive Them Of il. This power
Is derived from The representative principle, that
principle may exist IN the tao branches of he lie
-isl~ture Al present, representation in the Hous'
oil Delega;esis by Counties, and in the SENATE, by
Districts. arranged on the ratio oil free white
r pulation; ana the question to be t!cerHi ed
Is, upon which OF these two principles Of repre-
resen alton shall the Convention be organzetl-
The amendments propose the county represents.
ton; ia. friend. OF Convention contend for he
RATIO Of free whe population. These Two
schemes, and these onIy, divide the parties IN
THIS house
requires but little argument TO prove, tina on
al subjects of Legislation of general nature, az
fecflns alike all the different interssis and all the
dHrren rtions OF co ,ntry in The common - eaith,
~ j. oil no cous'q 'enre from wha quarte the re-
preventative comes The people of Warwick
would be perfectly safe in the hands OF the De
iegates from Frederick, If al. the measures of those
delegates were calculated TO AFFECT, in the
mode and In the same degree. the people OF bOh
those countie-. a unity OF views and interests in
| the people of those widely distant regions, W orl
| impel them % the same course at pubic policy
a'1 me woes given by ole oil them, would Eece.
| sa'h accord with he wishes of the oher-
Hence /; is manifest. that to all public and ge
neral purposes, the system Of coun,y representa-
iio'', Is Tree from every -onable objection. So
iaf as 10 ii views and temporary objects are
CARED n other -y-ien PIE cnts greater adv.n'a
Scs. Give 10 gentlemen the Utmos latitude in
the frincIple for which they lteni End one
county can ever possess ropullilon enough TO car
ny ~ private and peculiar ME sures by its own
unaided strength. All measures OF that kind,
mast be ndl6esaed TO The justice OF hers TO thar
feeling OF equity, and that disposition to accommo-
| date. winch are found alike in the people and 10
the legislature OF Virginia. This branch of the
subject, however, has been already lucidy
examined and so forcbIy pressed by the gentle
ma" rom Amelia MIR. Nash,) that content my
self with referring the house TO his argument
ieel Hattered by the fact that TO his topic our
minds have taken the same route, S, / will no al.
tempt to say over again, what has been much bet
ter said 10y him. Bot take leave TO add, in
spirit perfectly respectful TO my opponents, thai
PIiva and local views are not the proper objects
| o. constitutional law. convention called 20
frame constitution. should l1ols only 10 The grea,
outline .! governm eut; 10 the establishment OF
those fundamental principles OF right and Liberty
which apply alike to all places and to all times
| 1t, for the reasons already assigned. the system
OF county representation be perfectly adequate 10
all the legitimate objects for which conventions
are caled, i. is for another reason, decidedly su
PeTsor TO every other system. In all governments
constituted like OR own, il is of the first i,Dpor
tance that the representative should POSSESS an in
tImate acquaintance with the feelings, the wishes
and the interests OF his cons uen,s The svs,em
oil county representation Is In a peculiar manner
calculated TO effect this object The people are
IN the habit oil meeting together their Courts
their rounty musters, their magi.trates' csurt.
snd on nIany Other occasions springing of coun-
t. gov sTnment and count, duties, | is At such
meetings that political topics are discussed The,
afford the resdes end the best opportunities far
the interchange of opinion aud The comparison
OF ideas II j. such occasions tina, In. c.ndt
date for public suffrage rrocIaim- bis O. VI opin
ions, & learns the opinions Of the people. Hence
the county representative can scarcely iced TO be
expressly Instructed on any point. He enters the
Legislative ILL 18th distinct information OF he
wl OF his co stItJen >, and ii he be rue To his
trust, every sentiment that he utters may be re
ceived as tsiibful expression of the opinions OIL
The people.