Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-01-13

posed to a representation upon white population
alone, as in conflict with their interests If he NAV
Judge from the conduct OF their represen, atives IN
that floor: and uniting them with those who were
opposed to Convention altogether, they constitu
ted majority.
Mr.. p. contendcd, that the only power Whit,
The Legislature possessed, was derived from Tho
present Constitution, and related wholly 10 sub
jects OF ordinary legislation and il they acted a,
oil on the bill, they must do it in their Legislative
character, and in conformity with the Constitution
\ % man respected the will OF the people NOR.
than he did; but that will, even If it had beer
ascertained on this particular subject, could mo,
De obligatory upon the legislature, and compel
them to do what was in conflict with the Consit,,
lion. He said, that he had yet 10 learn. thar e
the whole people Of the Western counties were 70
instruct him to do particular thing in his lepsIa
1--WE character, that he was baund to obey them In
Opposition 10 instructions from his own particular
constituents. Although he threw out these re.
marks upon the general principle, Vet when tbe
House should settle the principle in controversy
N relation TO the Convention, he would be found
VIKING 10 give efficiency to the will of the ma
Jority. But, in acting upon a subject of sucb
grave Importance as the present. he contendei
that there should be no preext OF doubt a, TO tba
wish or will OF the people in voting for Conyen-
tion And, In proof OF the correctness of this posi
ton, he quoted the very able report presen,sS =,
the session of 1916. by Nj Dodtritpe. where ,h;s
principle was laid down. He referred 10 the vo,s
taken in the spring, to show that there were No,
only doubts, but that great division of opinion g.
is,eu' In iact, me conrailety OF views entertain
ed, even by the hiends of Convention had beer
SUCH as in their opinion to render ecessarv TIA,
'hey should meet in Convention, and enJe avor 10
reconcile them. Hence, the Staun,on Conven
uon' ne mad heard what had been the course
pursued In that meeting, from gentleman WHOSE
discrimination OF judgment and powers of mind
"ere, In every respect, not inferior 10 those con-
ceueu. ny common consent, TO the VERY ohle oe,
uem.n IL from Brooke, (Mr ID From that ac-
count, ne was convinced, that Mr.. ID. was NOT an
~ entitled to the reputation he enioved for ,.I,
cut that he possessed great dexerity in the arr ~
management. He begged him to believe. that in
gaming Nun great manager, he did not spea.
t an ih'in,ous sense; Tor he meant dsrespect
70 NM That gentleman had been the friend of =
convention upon the single principle of eouaIizins-
the representation in the Legislature But. ,vbeSS
nc met the representatives Of the friends of Con-
sehuoh at stanton, from every section of the
state, even from the extreme Eastern shore "a
found, that they had other objections To the nrss
constitution, which they wished 10 remedy ana
without the hope of remedying, thew were M,
uispo'ed 10 go into Convention; when the gentle.
man IRON Brooke, and others found tb;s 10 H.
the case, they surrendered their Gormar n.nC.I Ue
ues 10 some oi the features OF the present Chns,;
luton, aud were disposed to alter them. Hem.
u was that the right OF suffrage was proposed N
the .M.enasa, tlow iar no one could te) hence.
'he pi oposlIon for remodeling the Executive ami
making other changes in the Constitution IT,,
extension OF the right of suffrage had been a
source OF anxiety in some portions of the countr,
oS', ON me Eastern shore, there was one source
Oh dissatisfaction, which induced so many of The
people TO vote for Convention He me,n, ~
eAa iuinary power possessed by the Magistrates
ana the County Courts, and the aIledreJ abnses ~
Una. .nas power by them. He had the honor of once
representing the county Of Accomac nm ,b,t g.
and was charged by his constituents with 80;
uoh Tor Convention, botoined upon these abrsa.
IL was voted out by the House MIR. Parker go
IN, ,at ne mad great respect for the Magistracy OF
,. country nut with all that respect, he Thought
,hat some changes in relation TO them would 1ha
beneficial. Ii other chanre in Tho n...
Con."'uuon mac been expected, but that in reIa
ton 10 the equalization of the represent,t;on ~.
:, nv. 's .at the same vote, any thing near
IL, would have been given in the co,,nt,, NJ ri.t
ainpfon He had called upon his own on,;,..
AZ me late election, TO express their onin;ops a.
VIC "nehuinents necessary to the Constitutes
aau ne naa heard no complaint of the principIe nj
NOT ~ , as al present established He did
10, ~. "i'~ tnat there was a majority of the con
Siituehts oil that legislature who preferred III a.
representation should be based. excusiya, - .no
"hi'e population If such had been the exner,,.
have u hoan n1 voters OF Northampton, there would
se oeeh Few, II single vote, in favor of a Con.
-Vention. lie commended, that there wac ~
majority oil the free white population Of The St.,
',i;, idvor oil representation by white popula,;on.
az, r ueSaro 10 taxation, county limits and prom
cry The free white population embraced p par,,
many more than the voters-more even tn .t,y
i": he majority of all these were, however,
CANNED, as in favor of a Convention and ~, a.,
principles too, now contended f,ri ~ va Va"
,,sn,a' s1'Iie what strange, he thought, that gen.
temen, who had only the doubtful moior;,, eu.
Pu,ueu'ar class OF the community shouIJ ins;s,
WIN sueh airs OF triumphant certainty fiat tho,
ia" 'he majority on their side and tbat n go;
.aF0r 700, oil all their notions of eynediency 60,
'is"'' ne asopen to convictions but Inc had no,
yet seen any evidence that there was p,.;a.;,,.
" '''c people In favor of Convention for the ,,
~ pose, OF even Tor the principal purpose of O.
I'%""ing the representation in the LogisI,t,,
20 di DIS ne could form opinion on thai suh;s.,
oi iI was only minority in favor of such :, nro-
r5 ~ .his opinion were tested by the ra.
',,osfi m IN the stanton Convention. what
"ouid ne Inc result? We're the me,nbars =; .t 'a.
BODY sent there for any such purpose -. ',a'
OF even mainly The people, acting in tbe;, 81.
ma character, had gotten I'D that Con,an,;f
" uo'ls 'nis' nad they not acted by counfjes3 RI
IePteseh'ation IN that body, was COUNT, 70
,iei ,,o, 70 an hients and purposes-andi if conn.
mes were 10 be dsregarded in the plan NJ onS1"..
Zng Convention, would IL No, hs - " organi-
uie spontaneous example SGT lis INV ,l,s ,,a.., '.'
.ne Case oil that celebrated Stannton fCS oPI.' W
uoh me people ask for Convention on...t'
.a' we should give them the facilities of forr,,;.
Ii question occurs, how shall we ,vhass
,vo ooo', ~ we extra legislative character which
we give them the facilities In the forms ,,,
. sisionS OF power known 20 them alwavs and ~
'doisneu ny the Constitution, to wit co,,r'.
presentation Or, should we Introduce son,a re-
"d We III Whicn the people had not been accns,o,'
the n,oJo ~ ana politically! He insisted that
S o. procedure in the Spontaneous ,na,,a
he's Oh the people, in the formation oC ,h .
W IEchuon' was powerful argument In, 60
VI ,'e proposition for county Representatives. ''of
n "a we iook TO the conrariety of oninio,, -. At,
,oo,,, ~ ~. 's we should find that there ,s
room ior doubt as 10 what was the will s s was
n :