Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-01-28
DEBATE ON THE CONVENTION.

Mr.. PARKER. or Northainpton rose and express
cd his sentiments M favor of tho substitute. He
graduated tho committee on their having arrived ut
that stage of its proorcding. He wished that he
might have the satisfaction OF conwrutulany them on
the same vote in favor ofthc proposition he advocated,
as bad been shown in the vote rejecting the amend
mcnt Of the gcntlcnan from Essex. Mr.. T.. took a
rapid review otthe arguments that had been urged BY
gentlemen opposition TO the views which he cntcr-
taincd on the subject. Some of these arguments he
had heard with surprise, aud thought that in the Sc
qucl they would be brought home 10 the members
from the western counties. great outcry had been
raised against the injustice and inequality of the pres
en state ofthngs, in reference subjects OH which
the cause of complaint, if any cause existed rested
with those compaining lie was surprised 1T the va
rious assumptions that had been made merely to suit
the views md arguments of gentlemen. One gentle
man had even gone far III tho spirit o. his dissas-
faction with his Eastern brethren, as 20 CHARGE them
with usurpaon und oppression, deliberate and preno-
datedand what rendered this cvrnr Injustice still
more outrageous was, that 1t WIS attempted TO be
fXcd upon the vencrated mon who achieved our lib
critics and founded the free institutions under which
we had lived so long and happily. Whilst this
charge was laid ut their doors i; was ATTEMPTED to be
shown that the people o the lower country had sica
Oily adhered, from that day 10 the present To- the
same system of niquity and niisru!e; and tina. our
acts ofegislation had been bottomed upon the same
prcdcternnation 20 retain power and TO exercise it
Tor selfish ends. hr z. acknowledged he had listen
cd to this charge with excited feeling and could DO,
but consider it as he had before said most cruel and
unounded. Fit had been the object of our ancestors
TO retain the power nj the state III the hands of the
fcw IN the manner described by the gentleman from
Brn Se (Nlr. Doddrigc,) all that he had TO say was
that they had done their work most intellectually
They ought to have Topped off the whole territory
| West of the Allegheny Mountains. And if they had
done So, the people ths side would have sustained
no material loss, regarding them con; rbutiops to-
wards the support OF government. The territory was
already cut up into many small countless that many
or them did not pay the expenses of their Delegates
to the General Assembly. He did not make this re-
mark with spirit os dissatisfaction or disrespect to-
wards the small counties IN the West but ONLY in an
argunenative point ofvicw. lie recollected that TN
I former occasion II petition presented from
Harrison for division ofthat county and that there
was also contemplation signed by numerous per
SOUS Now, if he was disposed to go into an iiber-
al Inscription Of motives, like the gentleman from
Brooke. might he say. that the counter petitioners
feared TINT If too many small counties were created
III the West, they would unite with the small couu; es
IN the East on any future struggle for power, This
would not be honorablc-IIe Knew that no such con.
sderatiun influenced them.
! Mr.. =, regretted that MI Doddridre had throw
out the dcfanccs he did. Alilo the glove had ben
larry t'hrown down, ne was not disposed 20 take it
uphe preferred to act in the mild spirit of the bill OF
rights But h. would tell gentlemen that threats ar
dehances were ridiculous they knew nothing Of Old
Virginia, If they supposed would regard them with
my other feeling but that OF pity or of scorn-Ue
conld be led, he could be persuaded; but he ncyer
could be ntimidatcd aud BE- driven. Hcwould ad,ise
gentlemen at once tn stop with all such vain efforts
Ii they were to act upon the principle of physical
counties in the West, and then turn their attentions
| towards the East. That work would surely clam
their first attention But take hecd-so soon as Won
begin to act upon this principle and commence 30,
conquest OF the refractory at home, the East world
fly TO their clictthc blood OF brother would no sn;t
by tho hand of brother Air. L. drew hero n ,r,;,re
oil civil conimoilon, which nc acknowledged OH crht
never to ind place in the contemplation of YirGir
lans; but gentlemen must excuse him. for some IL
ing when i'll addition to the odous charpe prof;arrrd
against n ancestors and their desccndants the low
land arstocracywe had also been told tI,at rhrs;co,
force was the basis OF all government since il was tho
inst rIiInent by which the will of majority was ia ho
carried into effect. lie thought the time moi distant
when the West would find necessary TO conciliote
the East and particularly in relation to the apronr
atoms from the fund for Internal Improvement Tho
middle and Western districts We're alone interested
IN that subject, and when tie struggle should arrive
between them in relation to it. the East would have to
decide, by throwing its weight INTO the scale of fiat
party that seemed to them to be rioht
Mr. J. said he had seen no spirit of Cancellation nm
the part OF some gentlemen, III relation to the bill un
der consideration. What had they offered to the
friends OF any other mode, but their own that dsoav
ed temper to conciliate' Their conduct rcscrnblcd
that of the spot child eGter cryinp lonr fine E,r
convention, they were at last about 10 get I, i,,
would not have II, unless they could get p-erscy
a. they wanted IL The cake must be cooked i'm their
own way lie could TIL gentlemen that If ihov did
not take convention in the way in which it w6s OF
tered to them they could not get il in any other wav
hey might resort to what other they pleased;
they might II they thought proper up Tor them
selves but III that event, be hoped they would sond
among Us that portion 0i tao Western proul,. v.ho
thoubgt with the East, q who would be retcIs in Inc
West, and we would endcayor TO provide for then.
Putting the representation On the basis OF white
population, or on the basis Of Congressional District,
nc contendcd, that the Eoetcrn counties woud stif
have the pIcpondcrance. This was susceptible oP
proof. But p cierrng as he did, county rcprescn-
taton rs preferable in every respect, il was proper
tlt nc sUuld also show that upon the basis Of white
population, the counties opposed 20 IA Convention
would he entitled 70 majority OF representatives or
what was. the same thing. the Delegates from these
counties would represent plurality Of the white pop
uiltion' ftnese positions could be proved ho trus-
81 that thc clnmor ofgGntlemen would ccaso a. uI-
lounded. There were three parties on that floor
struggling for representation upon three distinct
pincipics-ono claimed representation compounded
Of persons and properly or Of persona and iayat;on
snother, that il should be based upon " li,c populn
ION aionH tnd the third, that the rcrrcsentation
Should be by counticg, in conformity 10 the nncion,