Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-01-24
cir representatives in the said Conye

effect. to their representatives in the said Conyen
ton: be 1t therefore
Resoiced, further, That the members Of tho
said Convention, chosen in pursuance Of these re.
solutions. shall be considered as ipso facfo. in.
structed by their constituents, 10 submit the Cor
stiuon, agreed upon by them, 10 the full and free
arbitramcnt OF the people. 20 be ratified or recc
ted according to the expressed will of majority Of
the persons qualified 10 vote for members of Tho
said Convention.
Resoiced, further. That the members of IN.
said Convention, shall ia like mann sr be consider
cd, as instructed by their constituents 10 provide
adequate means for the protection of slaves within
TINS Commonwealth, from undac and UNEQUAL tax
anon by the practical government, to be, By them
proposed; and, more especially, to adopt il az a
constitutional principle, that the rate Of taxes i'm
posed on such slaves, shall not, at any time, es.
coed in just proportion, according to value, tho
rate OF taxes, imposed on real and personal pro.
perty.
Mr.. Brown, explained the reasons which had
induced him to offer these resolutions lie said
he perceived that the House had arrived al such
point, that it was impossible that any bill wou,j
pass, which he OF his constituents could approve
J. ne Rouse had no constitutional right TO act on
the subject; much less could they restrict ths
Convention. The people would ret GO into Con.
vention on any basis not approved OF by them. II
was not i'm the power of the legislature to cornpei
them; all that that body could do was, 10 recon-,
mend some course 10 them. Ii YOU pass a siatu,a
on the subject. and they did not think proper TO 40,
under it, you would be placed in an awkward sit.
uation. He commended. that they ought not 10 ACT
sy law, but by resolution. There was precedent.
ne said, Tor this course. After the formation of the
federal constitution, the legislature Recommended
anu provided by resolution for the organization Of
Convention torra,ify or reject that Coustitu,ion'
IKE acknowledged. that that precedent was NOT
binding; but 1t was surely entitled TO great res
Pect, as it was the mode of of the srea,
men oil the last age, Of the founders of all our in
situations.
There was another objection. Whilst the leeis
nature mad no power to'prescribe any pr.nciple I,
be acted on by the Convention, they had the now
or to say, whether or not, they would LEM, the all
oil their public officers, and appropriate the money
TO pay the expenses of the Convention. lie sa;d
ne tha both OF these propositions could be
under the consideration Of the House at once The
resolutions, he thought, offered one more chance Of
getting the principles for which he, and those who
acted with him, commended. Mr.. b. then recapit.
ulated the principal features of the resolutions IN,
moved 10 lay them the table.
MIR. Braxton enquired, at what time IL wash,
tended by the mover TO call up these resolutions,
MI Brown said, that he expected them TO be
ae!eu upon before the bill was finally disposed Of
Mr. Doddiidge thought that the re solutions con
tanned kindred proposition to those that had al
ready been submitted TO the House, aud that thew
ough. to be considered together
MR.. Brown was aware, that Resolutions could
not be offered as IN amendment TO a bill Bnt Tho
aousc could act upon either, according TO thsir
preference. - ''e''
Mr.. Brax;on expressed his opposition to tho pro.
Posiuon 10 lay on the table. To this mode of ep
isiaon he objected, consuming too much fin,
proposition was offered and rejected and TN. ner
tinacity OF gentlemen induced them TO Offer Il ;
every form and shape Of which it was susceptible
me same proposition he thought had, in other
words, been already decided upon over and over
again. and if there was any consistency in tba
House, II would be now rejected.
MT. Drown, after expressing his unwiIlincness
10 emoarrass The proceedings of the House, mad.
some rem arks which gave rise TO a frni,Ie,o con-
versaton in relation to point of order land then
MIR. Braxton, resuming his remarks. said. that
almost every plan that gentlemen could conceiye
mao oeen submitted, most deliberately discussed.
considered and decided upon Thew lad no,y az
rived at the very eve of deciding the ouss,o,. .
proposition was made, sonevh new il was ,rra
IN It's iorrn, but nearly the same thing with other,
'hat mad been decided. This course, he though.
nen 'a God;m 10 occasion delay Some gentle.
me form they wished, seemed disposed TO create all
me alhculty and embarrassment they could. He
could tell them that the people in every part oe
ms eA:ehuee commonwealth were clanorous for
decision OF this great question.
MIR. Brown discIaimed all intention nc produci,o
oeiay. lie did not intend TO discuss his resoI,I
'ions' Tor he submitted them to the wisdom and
I ,h, in; oi the House. The only question
'hey involved was, whether it was right TO pro
ceed by resolution or by bill? He felt Il his dutv
70 ofier these resolutions, because they embraced
The great principles tor which he contended
mr.; atkinson, oil 1. OF w. had forborne to dis.
| he
gave; but Ire could not help saying that TO him il
seemed somewhat remarkable that the sleeo Of
single night should produce such important chan.
gesas seemed 10 have been made on the minds NJ
some gentlemen. He thought Mr. Brown had
oeen very fortunate to have found out since tI,e
votes OF the day before, that the Legislature ba1
no right TO pass any iG,c whatever on thi, subiect
ana, especially TO make any command in relation
tot: All the propositions on which the House
nae oeen voiing, required that the people should
assemble ana vote tor the members 10 Conven.
'on. Where was Mr.. Brown when these ,ronosi
ions were considered and voted upon? lad he
MOI voted upon them all, aud for several of tbam,
why aiu he not then rise and tell us that we had
no right TO pass any iGc on the subject. that the
only proper mode TO proceed was by resohifion,--.
iisa moi the gentleman at the last session. .iyoca-
tco 'he law which require the people TO vote m
.ie question OF Convention or no Conven;ion,
Did ne not then support that law. Where then
was his conviction OF the proprety of a resolution.
ralher than an act? But, as the old saving is
'ne case peing altered, alters the case" when
proposition suits gentlemen, all is right; we hear
nothing oil these distinctions But when n docr
mol; when they find that all the counties are 10 be
represented, they discover that all is wrong In
stead OIL passing the law Of the last session. WIN
"ast upat resolution was not passed that we
ought TO have Convention, &c, He mean, M
osIesPsct 10 Mr.. Brown when he said that the
must DC 10 embarrass the proceedings of the
rouse; ior the same proposition had been decided
severai times before. MIR. A. said he represented
small county, in which there were but 27 votes
io' d Convention In the spring--anJ these ne did
hot Deiieve voei Tor Conven ion to eou.,,-si,be
representation Altho' such was the opinion NJ b;s
county, yet he came here 10 give every facility N
we majority 10 alter our old constitution If ihev
PIeaseS' anu u gentlemen in favor OF Conven.
tion chose 10 take the responsibili,v If dsS,a,;a
the measure, let them ,lo so. - ,,,oIis -. ss'.2