Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1828-12-18
CONVENTION. BILL.

10 report Il DILL
The bill agreed to by the Committee, and which
doubt will briefly be reported 20 the House is sub
siantially: that four members Of Convention, shall be
chosen from each Congressional Distr,ct-thut the G
lection shall takepace along with the election Of mem
bers of the G. Assembly, in April r.xt that freehold
only, shall vote for members of the Convention
that the Convention shah meet during the approach
ing summer at the Capitol in this City-and be cnti
tied to tho compensation per diem and for mi
lcage, members of the General Assembly.
We hope it will not be thought indccorous, il at
fhis time, we submit few remarks upon this impor-
tant subject, for the information q our readers.
If the Convention chosen upou the plan proposed
by the bill, these extraordinary results will be exhibit
cd; In the Convention body of men called for
the express object of amending the Constitutions
majority will necessarily be found opposed to ull
amendment
The principal object Of calling 4 Conyention--the
consideration which prevailed with the greater
Der to support the CALL undoubtedly the wish of
correcting the vast inequality OF representation in
the House ofDclegatcs. We believe it may be assn
med that without the operation OF this consideration
the people would not this time least have gone
into the But what viii be the effect OF the
bill providing for choosing the Conventions upon the
basis of federal numbers, the representation Of
three ffths ofthe slaves: Why, perpe,uatng in the
Convention the very inequality of representation now
complained ofin the Constitution of the House OF Del
egates The excess Of slaves being held IN that diYs
ion of the state broken up into snu counties, must
give them in the Convention the pame or very nearly
the same preponderancc there that county represen
tation now gives them IN the House Of Delegates
What is to be hoped from Convention 50 consti-
toted? Most certainly, not the correction Of that
grievance-Cnequal representation in the House of
Delegates-which the influential cause in calling
NJ For all other purpcses OF reformation it perhaps
would not be very material upon what plan the Con
venton organized. Men from MI quarters Of the
Slate, equally agreed and equally interested in
reforming the Executive and Judiciary Departments
But is Convention worth having, that docs cxort
from the hands OF the minority of the State the pow
er they have so long uniustly held and transfer it
where it ofrght belongs to the possession of The ma
jority This question has to beanswcred b. men ev-
cry way competent to meet it--by the Representa-
tves ofthe majority ofthc people, themselves MINOR
fty in the House Of Delegates But wc shall not be
surprised if the Convention Dill is passed by its ene-
miles, and rejected by It's friends.
We shall to- morrow, ask the attention Of the read
er to some things that passed in the Conmittcc-our
limits at present not permitting it,
Death Of Capt. TLeiIp,d-Capt. Simon 4II.el-
land, of the Schr. Mary, of Warren r. I. died yes
tcrday morning from the effects of the wounds inic-
ted his head by the william or Williams who assaled
and robbed him on Thursday night. He never reco-
vered his reason sufficiently to give any account Of
the transaction. A Coroi.ers Inquest was held over
the body yesterday, and the persons he was last in
company with and those who found him in the morn
ing examined; but nothing of consequence was elci-
ted IN addition to what stated on Saturday. lie
left vessel he had been on board of at Rockets
about o'clock on Thursday evening return to his
own, in the Dock lie quite sober, and had $40
or $50, and watch with him. Next morning he
was found, we before described, III boat at the
Locks between the vessel helc and his own speech
less and senseless, with large cut his brow as il
inflicted with an and another the eide of lis
head, and severe confusion on eye. His money
and watch were gone. Ills hat was found ~ low
water in the river with bricks in it.
Our city is at present infested by gang Of most
daring villains. j. is unsafe for person to walk the
streets olone at night; and bolts bars and the watch
are insufficient to protect property. Besides the
cases, we noticed Oh Saturday, oil pc rsons being
knocked down and robbed, we have to add those OF
the Clerk OF the Steumer Norfolk, and Mr.. Raphael
ON their way from the steamer 70 the city. The one
was attacked near whore Capt. MLcland was; the
other at the head Of Rockets near the Old Presby-
teriun Church They were both knocked senscless,
severely injured, aud robbcd.--On Tuesday night
two houses were broken into, and the store Of Mr..
Ellis attempted to be forced
The perpetrators Of these alarming outroges are
sill going at large-prowling about the city seeking
more victims and moro plumber Nor have we heard
of any exertioIs being made to detect them or pre-
vent the commission Of further acts Of violence by
Them. No reward has been offered for their appre-
henson--no patroies formed, except we believe in
one instance, BY few good citizens about the Dock.
We trust the proper authorities viii delay no
longer in Using energetic means to protect the lives