Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-01-27
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES


| road from tlarksburg to Point Pleasant.
Various reports were made by the Committees.
On MIR Mays motion, the Committee OF Roads
and Internal Navigation were ins ruc,ed to en-
quire INFO the expediency of amending the act in
cooperating company, to establish Turnpike
from the town Of Petersburg to the North CARROLL
ma line.
On Mr.. Segar's motion, the same committee
were instructed TO enquire into the expediency OF
| Incorporating company for opening the Naviga-
| ton of the Dragon river
An engrossed bill " to establish town at the
Great Bridge, in the county of Norfolk was read
a third time and passed.
An engrossed bill " concerning the powers Of
| county of Caroline" was also passed
| CONVENTION
| Mr.. Doddridge called up the Convention bill;
and. on motions made by him and Mr.. Gordon,
| some verbal amendments were agreed to-
MIR Doddridge moved 10 strike out three sec
tons with the view of inserting others having the
sam object, but guarding against the necessity of
| an Extra call of the Legislature. After some con-
ver-aton on the improperly OF leaving it to the
| discretion of tire Convention whether or not thew
would submit the new Constitution to the people,
! the object of Mr.. Doddridge was answered by an
amendment Offered by Mr.. Mason, of +. declaring
| That II the Convention did provide for submit
ting tn" Constitution TO the people, then the pro-
ceeding should be pointed out in the sections al
| iuded TO
Mr.. Bayley then addressed the House He re-
| presented large county, and had been silent, and
should have remained so, but for what had fallen
IN debate. The people of Accomack had consid-
cred themselves abandoned by the Legi- Iature and
governed more like colony than any thing else
Hence they had given up their sectional feelings
and acted with the people beyond the mountains,
IN census o' his county wa not correctly taken.
| Tor u " Is les in 1920 than in 1870 whilst every
b dy knew il had inrrra ed He was in favor of
| IN basis OF county r-Prescnta ion graduated ac-
| Co ding 10 white population In Accomack the
whites amounted 10 1886 which gave them two
| members in Convention, md {, action of 1886
which would he unrepresented This fraction he
proceed d 10 show was greater than the pop,,Ia
ton OF several counties that were entitled TO one
| member each. He insisted that this inequality
was preferable TO the county plan, under which
the inequalities would be much grea er, for by that
all the counties were put upon footing of equal
| ny. Mr. Is did not like the feature which limited
,hr right oil suffrage in voting for members, but
he would torego that objection.-One OF the great
Objects OF his constituents was 10 have the right
oil suffrage extended The other States he said
had proved its value for us.
lie complained of thu conduct OF the Iegi-la-
lure towards his county in apportoning the Con.
sreSsionai representation in 1921. II they had
pun the district OF Accomack only at its proper
size and population, his federal county would lave
controlled the election; but the Legislature had
as early as 1901. made the district unrea sonaby
iarg', IN order to control! the prePonderance of
&C nnack. The. excess wa equal to the whole
Nr. after speaking some time in replv IN ar
guments used in the Committee of the Whole and
commenting on sundry topics, il was declared out
oil order to answer, in tie House, arguments adj
vanced in Committee of the Whole, and took his
seat
Mr.. MAY followed
He said that, might have been perceiy ed
rom his votes, the plan of equal county represent
thuon was TO him the most Objectionable of all the
modes which had been proposed for the organiza
I,,f he 4.
ed Ill intention, then, at any time OF asrritine
impure motives TO the advocates Of that plan On
the contrary, many of them were his personal
friends; and for patriotism, and integrity of p,Ir-
pose, they did not in his estimation Weld IN anv
other portion of the House.
~ ne could have obtained the floor at an earlier
period, he would have stated his objections to this
plan, and the reasons of his preference for Congress
sional Districts IL had been his wish 10 attempt
TO shw that people, in any part or period of the
world, had ever formed themselves into society
and formed government upon the theoretical
principles which had been ably advocated by
gentlemen from the west; that such plan of 90
cety and government had existed only in the i'm.
aginatious OF theorists, and never had been and
never would Ne, adopted by practical politicians.
He bad wished 10 maintain that even if such
principles were proper in relation to people i'm a
state OF nature about TO form their first government
they had no proper application to a people long
formed into civil society, aud living under On
vernment differently organized and under which.
so many various rights, civil and political, were
recognized and exercised Especially, that these
principles ought never TO he applied to a comrnuni.
ty IKE ours, in which a number of persons who
contributed so much to the wealth, strength
and revenue of the State were held in sa-
very: mat these persons ought not 10 be, and
were not IN TACT, regarded in our laws as mere
properly only; but were protected by those laws
from certain injuries; and were subjected 10
punishment Tor their violation: And therefore ,ba,
statesmen VINO IN The formation of new govern
Inent should have regard 10 the actual condnon
OF the people, and not 10 that in which tbeor;sts
would Imagine them, ought never to go into conyen
tion. without reference to this state of things He
would have been disposed to exhibit more al large
thcse views; but IL was his lot so often TO trouble
me House about its ordinary business that he had
fel that on question so interesting and Ohicb
so many gentlemen, ADLER than he, had wished 10
discuss, he ought not to respass on the INDULGENCE
whch was so frequently extended 10 him
~ was however proper that these general views
OF his course should be presented-He had voted
Tor the amendment which had been aGopfed; be
cause ne preferred 1t to the substitute of the nem-
DER from Allegheny, but he should now vote a.
gainst 'he amendment, in order TO retain the orr
eih'l pi',lor some other district systematic earn
esIy desired to promote harmony and cancellations
and IN that spirit, he promised, il the amendment
were rel cited, that he would propose to amend the
'ii, 30 ~ fo alio" siT embe-, 10 each % he
ven Districts WGst OF tie mountain, leaving five
only to the 10 eastern districts.-Ths would give
to The west ~, and to the east IS members in con
venton; and II was within three OF the number TO
which they would be entitled If senatorial districts
were adopted.-By this plan the concession would
be mutuai-nO principle would he conceded on Ell
ther slde-and The whole subject would be fairly
open Tor adjustment in convention.--If however
gentlemen would not meet him on halfway
grounds, such were his objections to any system
OF county representation that he would then vote