Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-11-07
Eriraei of-a letter 10 the Editor Of the Aerandr'd
Gazette, dated
4" RICHMOND. New. 5, 1929:

Since The reports Of the several Commit
tees, the CONVENTION has been engaged III
constant and Luxurious disc ussion OF the hrst
p solution Of The Legislative Commi''ee, dc
slsr,ng that :" representation in the House oil
Delegates ought TO be apportioned according
10 whi,s population" This is, BY far, the most
Interesting question that will be agita'ed. II
involves one OF those unfortunate contests Tor
,ower, which are, OF all ihlrgs, most ditf1co"
10 settle. The people IL The upper country,
rosded by the long curse OF arbitrary anc
nigga. div mis-, ule TO which III, have been sub
jsr,rd, and satisfied that transfer OF power
mus, he the necessary consequence OF rquaiiz-
ing the legislative represen'a 'ion OF he S'ae,
demand, as a righ, apperiaining TO he mao
ri,y. a repr. sehtation proper Toned to their
whi- population Their claim is resisted IN
the p, ound that (aIth"ugh in a m'noritV> 'he
people Of he lower country pay the grratest
pur ION Of the take sof the State, and have,
therefore, right to retain the power OF Gov
e,pmep, in their own hands. The contest has
owen rise TO one Of the most animated and bril-
Ian. discussions l have ever heard. All the
,,,nei,les Of constitutional law have been most
., IL develooed, and every inch Of ground ha,
be, n contested with zeal, surpassed only by
the dignity ard drcorum with which the bat
lie, n both sides, has been fought The debate
is still 10 progress, and will probably continue
10 the end Of this week. MIR MONROE Is the
onlv Que of our We erar S'a'esmen who has yet
TAX, n part IN h. discussion; aud has course was
pr cissiy >uch as may be an icipa'ed from '5rm
oil de,igred and ral, ul,ted to repress the in
dis, rect srdcr Of the younger members OF The
CONVENTION, and to bring The contest. ii posi-
BIZ. 10 pe aceaole and harmonious termi'4a-
tinn.
A. far as can be adhered from the indiea
tion. given, The vote, On this hrs' and most I'M
por, ant question will br in Favor III the upper
c up,ry The IS mrmasrs irnm the ives side
Of the Blue Ridge are unsnim w. in favor OF
tL- white basis, as il IS called 10 'n.se
ma, he added, with enurr Certainty, the
four Delegates from the LouG"un Di,'ri'', Tour
from Athena, IL, two from Piusy'van's, end
three from Bedford, in It.. Eas'; making altos
p,,her 40 or a majority NO Totes will
nr,bably be added Mr.. MADIs-s, OF Orang",
and f;en, Taylor, Of Norfolk, who think tht
n inciplc commended f., by 'hr upper cou1 nv
r,eh, in theory. and will accordingly vo'' Tor
!. unl.ss pal,ied s Mr.. ADAMS would say)
by the will of their constituents "
The n, K, question will be on the bass vt
represrnrstlon 10 the Senate. And here, nor
lion of tie members from the upper country
Will verv readily yield to the TAX -paying m'no>
riy msjoriy of repr' sen'atisrs, by way OF
check,ir, by 80 doing, they can, in anv degree
barmonize he di>cordAni fe. lings OF The Con-
yen,,oh and Of the State, and insure the adop
,;,r Of the new Cows tuition Bat from the
widen, ,hr- ats occasionally heard from h, a,rd
partI,ans out If doors, ard f,om nd's,ree
threats once or twice uttered in the house, 1t is
not impn, slble that no OF rs Of eonrlliaIion
ma, accepted; in watch case, the upper
country viii be to,s rsihrd, ~ united ,or,
TO s,ser, aud maintain h. FIJI rxi~ni OF its
rights, aud thus throw Fl, a ONE, tie od'ous
bondage in whic il Ia, hiih' TO bren e d bs
. small minority in he Eastern and Southern
actions OF the ate.
"Mr. RAxDoLrH IS here, as well a, elsewhere,
an object Of gres, eurios' y HIS health is
br,er tnan j. has been for some im- past; and
amongst his friends, he INDUCES, as her fore,
in = great degree of pleasanry and sarcasm.
He declares his determination tn take no part
in the proceedings Ut the Convention and axes
IN, sea, every day AZ e ba' of he Presidents
hair. entirely oul # the range OF the speak
err; Unable, however, 10 contain himsrf en-
,ir, ~, ne is, every now and then, "eard, IN
,hr III under tone, either Promp ing and eneou
rapips his friends, or sr,iicis'ng lis opponents.
He IS particularly annoyed by the "umberiess
Vi, tors, of both sex >, hat crowd the lobby
the gallery, ans the vacant stsls Of the haili