Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-12-22

were proper rep-l them would lead 10 the unplea.
SAINT and Improbable enquiry the objects which
The public revenue was applied; the districts in which
IL was expended, the local causes which increased the
expense of government and would impose on us the
nvidious duty, which certainly shall perform of
indicating the various counties in the Eastern district
which do not contribute their share of the Of
Government. But we must forbear from such TOPICS,
they do not become the OCCASION.
IL will he proper Mr. Chairman, to disarm this oues-.
ton OF some OF its terrors TO partv it of some
OF its charms for the other by examining with care its
effects on the distribution ofpower. among the different
districts OF the commonwealth. The calcuons on this
subject, have been made with reference to the House
OF Delegates, and upon tie supposion that that House
should consist OF an hundred AMI twenty members
They are made upon the Auditors estimates of the po
pu'ahon OF the present year. These supposed by
some gentlemen to be inaccurate, and the Auditor does
not himself rely with confidence upon them;-but
assume them as approximating the truth sufficiently
Tor the purposes OF the present argument.
Let us, then, compare the power Of the four great
districts Of the State, in such House of Delegates as
twould be on the present basis the equal represen-
tatIon OF Countless il would be the compound ba-
sis proposed by the genleman from Cupeper and it
would be on the basis of white populaton.-The COM
mittes will understand my references the districts, If
they will remember that number them from West to
East donomlnating the Western the first district.
In such Heuse'of Delegates, the relative power Of
the several districts would stand thus;
O. on ne n eas' q equal County representation.
First District, 27-sd, 1854, s2-4th, 4s.
Common Basis.
FRS District 81 l.2-2d, 81 1924 42-4,h, So:
Simple Basis Of ,chite population.
First, oZ-Zd, Sf-Si. S5-4th, 20,
Divided by the Blue Ridge, the East and West would
stand thus:
BY equal County Representation, w. 45-E. rs.
by the combined ratio, AZ III
White population. Sc g.
In making these calculations we disregard smair
fractions and convert large into integers tina we
NAV give the results in whole numbers
BY this method of calculating the effect Of the two
propositions would appear, that, adopting the com
pound basis the West would lose and the Ea.t vain two
members out of one hundred and twenty and that a..
basi fbsW
East lose eleven But il instead OF taking the whole
number OF white persons the basis you take SUCH
ony as are quahed to vote, there is to believe
mat The result would be materially varied We have
10 means OF ascertainng the nsmber of qualified vo-
,ers,-there is no record them any where and we
have certainly no data from which we would ecima,a
them accurately.-But we may approximate tbano mar
haPs sufficiently near, to purpose of lustra
uon, by estimates from such data we have
Un,il came into this Conve abn, Mr. Chairman
had habitualy considered a. repre- ,euta,on annor
tined according TO the whole number of white peope
IN e Inherent districts, and one appor,ioned according
70 the quaihed voters in each, substantially eouya-
ens-l had supposed, that the ratio of the one would
he air index Of the ratio Of the other | had never
carefully examined the subject. tin my duties In tn,
Legislative Committee, called my attention to il and
induced me to doubt the correctness of INV former i'm
pressions The able argumentoi the xe nteman from
my attention 10 4. and induced me-
10 tnk, That those Impressions probably wrono
There is much weight due the consideration that tboso
VINO perform mental seryces,-he law labeurers the
eu,va'oTs oil land which they do not own, are in the
Eastern Districts principally slaveswhiIe those who.
perform similar functions in the Western Districts ara
CHIEFLY white persoDsj and this consideration tends n,
ne conclusion mat The ratio of qualified voters to the
whole white population, would be greater in The Easr
'hah IN the West have appealed to the ony doc,-
ments IN my power TO test this sts og
persons charged with taxes, furnished us bu ne Ali;
or' lie mas furnished two lists-the one of the num-
Der oil persons in each county and corbora,e town
charged with any tax. on town ios or part of o,vn
o, or any parcel ol land not less than 25 acres-the
other, oi the number charged with any tax on proner
y Now, although each of these lists contains ,nale
aud female, young and DID, black and white witbout
iii DETERMINATIONS; and, therefore cannot info-,, 49,. 80.
rectly Of the actual number of adult white malss 49,,
either; yet have thought, that probably thew yonId
not very far misiead W. if regard them as an ndex
oil the relative number OF free adult W bhe males II; ,h
several districts and as an index of the relative number
OF qualified voters in each. H we take the Iist If H.
charged with taxes on land, giving the ratio of res
hold voters, and the other list giving the ratio or %
tiers, when the Right of Suffrage shall he ev,.nda =,
hon'ekeepers, who pay a revenue tax then upon Tho
pass The qusihed voters, the relative power Of The
Districts would stand thus: $50
According to the land lisi-.lst Z7-2Dd % "a a1
4th, 36
the property li't-1.t, 20-2nd, 2l-3d 80
4ih, 81 ~
Dividing by the Blue Ridge, the power womb be
According TO the 6rst-west, 4T-East, 49,
according TO the second-We.t, 50-East 10
Thus, according TO the favora b. of the.e .s,;
mates, the West Guild goin and the East loss Z a
bers, in house Of an hundred and twenty andIha ,
Jory on the Eastern side OF the Blue Ridge would ,s
main 20 % u ie"
These statements may serve to shew. tia, aI,bounh
upon any basfs OF representation which has boa -.
suggested large portion of power will pass from lie
Underwater district TO those above tt-vef rpon No H..
ss, can The power pass now from the Eastern IN H.
Western side Of the Blue Ridge and that upon m a n,;
cipie Tor which we contend, If IL pass at all II ,nms,
pass at distant day slowly, gradually safeIv-unacS
companIed by the dangers which have been anprs
hended-they may serve TO show calm ref ctIon fhst
he sake depending ON the present contest is not 50
great, the prize to be not valuable the loss 70
be sustained not 30 dreadful, has been pictured In
our imSgns,ions. may have occasion again to refer
10 hem IN illustration OF my views
In taxing leave, Tor the present. OF those calculations
Whch nave introduced as cOrrectives Of the estimates
mace on the other eide, cannot forbear remsrkng ON
the seeming Inconsistency Of gentlemen who losing mn
occasion to throw rijicule on numbers and poc.1 a.
ribmehc have arrayed them against us in most forn
da6e phaaDx and have drawn from them their stronge,
most expressive arguments have no donbt thai The
tables OF population and taxes which have gone ont In
the public, With the arthmecsl calculations of gentle
men, on the other side, which have a accompanied them
and iher inieences Of change Of power and danger M
oppressive taxation, have been the principal cause Of
the great excitement in the public mind, and ~ ,be
alarm which Is felt in the Eastern districts OF the Com
monwealtb;-an excitement and alarm which have al
ready done mischief, and threaten TO do norc. ,.t;L
have already, through the instrumenialifv oC ins,r,
tons, deprived an honorable m9mter of his 90 a. a.
Hoor, and may soon cODiound the councils of mi, c
vcniion mean not at all TO intcrposr between lie
district and IFS delegate is for me 10 inonige inf
the causes which LED TO the instruction and The conse-
quent rcIgnauon;-bu as member Of this Convention
anxious Tor the harmony and profitable os abos
--ss fiuLen OF the Commonwealth, deeply interested
~ its weltare, cannot but laUent The example, which
hi H