Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-01-17

perry OF community, may be enabled to oppres,
inc inc, majority, II property be entit representa-.
ed. that laws affecting the rights or persons, win
always be equal in their operation. This must de-.
pend upon the will and pleasure Of those investe,
with authority And experience has too often
snewn' how easy IT is for mankind to feel power
anu forget right An aristocratic minority. pos
sessing The power, would, in his opinion, be more
uisposed 10 enact laws comforting personal pri
viieges ON themselves, than a republican majority
would pc to impose unfair taxation on property.
Mr.. X. hoped he had said enough to- exnlain
The motives by which he had been governed on IN,
present occasion. While candor and Justice 20
himself, required an honest expression Of his ind
Vidual sentiments in favor of an equal apporton.
meht oil representation among the free white popu.
iauon oil the State, paramount obligation 10 his
constituents would dictate his course. He should
submit the amendment to which he had alluded.
as affording all the security to property which the
most 'imid could desire: and which, while it OK 4
cuaes the idea 81 representation of slaves, places
all Tue taxable pery of the Comnonwea up
on the same ding. II is also recommended BY
the consideration, that it may be regarded as al.
lord'ng middle. ground, upon which to compromise
Tue dI'lerence oil representation between Congress
Is rather nearer to tue latter than to the former
oupposlng the Convention to be composed of 100
members, as recommended in his amendment the
proportion OF representation, assuming Congress.
sioIa districts as the basis, would be IS member,
Blue Ridge; assuming the compound basis of raw,
nue. and white population, there would be 65 mem
oers on the East side, and 30 on the West side of
The Ridge: and assuming Senatorial Districts as the
pass, there would be 62 l-2 on the East side and
81 LIZ on the West side of the Ridge. These CAL
cuiatons shew the ground of compromise which
Is offered by the proposed amendment In max
ing his calculations, and ARRIVING at his conclu.
sions upon this subject, Mr.. r. said he felt as.
sured that his judgment had not been at all biassed
by geographical lines. While looking over the
Map oil our Siate-while directing his attention
either to her mountains or her plains, he regarded
our whole territory with the patriotic pride of a
Nirgnian, wishing exact and impartial Justice 10
di' ana desiring The prosperity of no portion of
me State at the expence or injury of another He
mad not been influenced by what this section
would gain, or that would lose. 1t is obvious
however, that just apportionment of representa-
uon VIII result in loss OF political power to the
extreme Eastern and Western Districts and in a
corresponding gain to the two Middle Districts of
the State, which would thus hold the balance of
power. But, it's easy to perceive, that the yari-
Gus and conflicting views upon this important sub
)ec,' cannot be reconciled, except upon some prn-
cpe oil compromise. He, therefore, hoped that gen
urmen would meet i'll spirit of mutual concessio,
aud orbearance. Mr. X. said that he was not an
Incorporating friend of reform He had never
oeen so unreasonable as to expect from a Leeis-
iature, organized like ours, a bill ORGANISING :,
convention upon principles of equality. Our gov
ernmentis IN the hands of minority. The State
Is governed in the first place by freehoders. cem-
posing, as he believed minority of the whole free
white male population above the age of FL years:
and, IN the second place, it is governed by a ma
lority OF counties, containing a minority of H..
ireehoiders oil the commonwealth, thus e xbibting
Tue singular phenomenon in a republican state Of
more than three fourths being governed by less
'idh one iourth oil the whole community Cen
'lenen who expect all they desire, under src, /,
state OF thngs, must of course be disappointed Tn
representatives on this floor are bound TO act in
conformity TO what they believe to be the will of
lheir constItuens-dnd il is well known that now
or whether Justly acquired or not, is always Weld
ed with reluctance land but seldom without n s,rug
gle. A Convention, upon the eIementarv nrinc,.
pies oil equality, can be obtained in no other wav
lhder existing circumstances, than by voluntary
iha simultaneous movements of the people, asking
.either The favour nor the interposition of the e
ei'iaure' lie earnestly hoped, that there would
De no occasion for resorting to so hazardous An ex
pertinent. He trusted, thst.the good sense oftha
legislature, would dictate the propriety of ayertin@
'uch result by carrying the will of the people
mo erect honestly and fairly. For his own part,
he had prescribed TO himself no limit as sine ma
ION IN voting upon this subject. He would vote
n tne hrst place, tor such propositions, as he he
reveal would be most agreeable to his constituents
should these fail, he would then feel at liberty r.,
.xercise a sound discretion upon the subject. sn,
eit assured, that he would be sustained h., 81
neral and enlightened community he renresen,-
'a' ny Vou"g Tor organizing a Convention unon
Utmost any terms, rather than the state should ~,
;ohvuiscc from one extremity TO the other, by am
'uoruVe attemi'. He had no doubt that such
you'd be the sentiment of large portion of Viz
.lnla-and therefore hoped, that after ,ve has
dithiuiiy contended for those propositions which
we might consider most acceptable 10 our resnec
I've constituents, we would then endeayour IN
pproach each other, in spirit of Cancellation and
compromise, in the adjustment of this inportant
work. Mr. X. here alluded TO the argument tbat
Id" peen addressed by he gentleman from North
hpion (hr Pdrker) 10 the delegates from Tho
mall counties both in the east and in the vast,
nd said that while he duly appreciated the mo,
ives oil gentlemen in acting conforuabIv IN ,ybot
hey Conceived 10 be the will of their constituents
'e wa somewhat surprised that this appeal, how.
Vef plausible aud Ingenious, should have opera
ed so powerfully upon the ,cesfeyn deleaat;o,
ere ne citizen OF small county i'm the west
he would much rather lose portion of it's ,ve;obt
u tue convention and IN our future Legislature.
nan see Convention organized upon princin,e
eu'"eu 70 con niue the present gross inequality
representation IN the House of Delegates. He
obsidered the great cause of Internal im,royo
neni 10 be intimately connected with ,hat aIio,
heht OF representation, which will transfer to tbe
nuuIe country, extending from the head of tide
water u the Allegheny, that proportion of poli,ica,
'eisiH 10 which II Is entitled The interests NJ
n ., small counties in the west, are identified
Win those OF the western and middle ssc,;ons IS
ne state And IT must surely be a matter of more
Importance TO them, TO see their country in,nroy
a, and the value OF their lands augmented n, "a
inurs oil intercourse with the East, than 10 retsi,
over winch can avail them but little under tbe
resent system oirepresentatioD. Mr. r. said he
al nade these remarks, in consequence of the
ieitity oil interest which he conceived IN ex;s,
etween This city and the western country, eo
ir as concerns the internal Improvement nj The
late. lie thought that no portion nj tba 60
ioh"ea'h ought to feel more deep concern in