Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-12-29

AZ any snch complaint ~ heard IN any quarter ut this
House let at once be slcnCed for this limitation
prescribed by the advocates of Cunye themselves
II Was those who sought have this Convention
hed' who volunteered in proposing such restriction.
IN" qualified voters OF Virginia TO whom her sovereign
power Is confded, those whom they made their
appeal to decide the question whether the Convention
should be called or and On the principle they
were made the electors of this body Instead of claim,
ing the utmost extent OF the principle here insisted on
and giving uncontrolled sway numbers of all classes
reference WAS had To the voters only. Now, find from
the result OF the calculation ct friend whom have
all confidence that the following the of
presentation in this bod, OF the different sections of the
State having regard only to the number of The
whole number at persons charged ia 1920 With land
tax, was 9oO0o in round numbers. This IS he
taken dividend; $4,000 out of this o., 600 are on
the land hooks of the counties beyond the Blue Ridge
aud $4,000 on those east of that Ridge According
ihc apportiormert of that number among the % Sena
toria districts that dividend divided by % will give the
Gu"ent OF $500 trecholders each district Take the
50 900 which includes every name the land books
for the counties beyond the mountains divide that h,
$500 aud the quotient is Q; nine districts therefore
beyond the Ridge is the claim that can be as
serted by the west and have they ~ But ~ u.
look further. That number "f So 900 includes all the
names on the Commissioners books in all the counties
west OF the Ridge. Now, appeato the camdor of gen
uemen OF the west and To the shcriS returns, when
say that large number Of these uames-one tenth a
ieaS,-are the names Oi non residents. Am not cor
rect Is not much of t'at land idca and not mucl
owned by residents of the part Of the State
or non-residcns OF - St,tei earnestly desire and il
would give pr, ssble pleasure 10 tlislbusc the
minds OF our western brethren this subject. ask
those conversant with the western Counties 10 take ur
he land book, and to say If one-tcnh is less thar
The due allow The couScq IS hat they have
Nre districts, when ItIhe principle the pcnl,mcI
from Norfolk ard Anguish. NJ. Icyic- and MIR
Johnson wen 20 80 str:c'!" a~T,:oG tncv would r.,
hove more than light. Thoy have, then, a larrri
representation than they are entitled to, and ibi.
though totally disregard tie slave uOruiaj r II O
eastern Virginia.
This view is profitable in its hearing on another
object. These returns are for 1929 ard therefore
adapted to the augmented strength Of The west tn,
present time Now. permit, me 10 use their Owl
claim of rapidiuc-' asc-and thus 20 show h,,v IA
short these estimates have been of he nu;aL-;
Of voters IN the year l8l7, when by new orange
meat of tho Sera or al dis rIcts the west was thcl
allowed larrer 'cp' CseatatOn IN the Senate thar
in tn change OF the Senatorial DStrics, instead al
being depressed and dc rauded thy have not been
assigned even larger sh re- of political power than
, on their principles they were entitled to- Yct
u is said and sad again and great stress has LCen
laid the assertion that they are laneushinr under
the Oppress' J. gil alton ola hard-he1rted minority
Look az their represen atior in tho House of Dele
gates. They have 30 " m'crs cut of 2Il, that is
more than 10 ,. Reduce II TO the proDoriion nf
70 10, and their title on h same basis only 10 one
third OF the entire number, viz: to II. During This
whole tine therefore, while all these dolcl complaint
have been uttered they have been in the practical on
Ioymcnt of repre- cnaticn ten nor cent rraater than
they can justly claim Now, sir do moi bring this as
matter of reprolch, item debit or credit but nv
sole object Is to d!sabusc their minds i free them from
the influence OF imaginary grievances and then brine
them to the real questions before this BODY with m
hat spirit OF conchaton, harmony and good VIII
winch frank correction Of errors, is calculated to
produce cherishng as do the c-rnes hope that the
result Otthe labOurS Of the Convention NAV conduca
to the future good feeling confidence and affection of
sif'cr mt P'rts ofthe State. do this that may oy-
that ias'o'lng sore, that they may bc convinced,
tht they hay" misconcleved thor own situation that
No wrong has boon done them on their o,yu
prin' plcs, and that power has been m,ted to
them 10y their own scales and by their own we;phis
In the same spirit, and swaycd by similar influcn
COS, Will now advert TO the statement of the rcn-
tIcndn from Augusta, to show that on the very oun
ddtiOu he laid, if disregard means aud look ONLY
t. result the question Is, in fuct reduced %, mere
firm OF words.
But before go to that, let bring TO the notice Of
the gentleman from Augusta The influence OF the tri,-
clpc when reduced 10 practice, accoTdIn0 10 the
terms ofthe resolution Of the Legislative committee
as explained by his coadutor from LoudJun Mr. Mer.
cer VIZ the principle ofreprescniation the basis
OF white population. The Gentleman from Ioudoun
took this process He did not controveri the nrrno
stion contained IN the resolutions Of the gentleman
from Norfolk, but maintained the report of the ~
gisiatlve Committee, on the ground that the two
were ciuvolcn's lie claimed that canal amounts c
population would produce equal numbers of qualified
electors On this pc ulatc he assumed that tho 10.
tai numbers OF wH'tc persons - any rcriyu Of IN,
state was q fair exponent of The number Of 20
tors. II would Furnish and the numbers Of roi,ulo
\
different their sum, the result would be the same
whchcycr should be rcsortcd 10, iu mIIrgthe appor
tonmcni Fcprc-cntutIon.-lfiO 100 Of gfoss popula
ton Wherever suui ed gave tea voters and In that
proportions IL would be iustas accurate to take ,
gross population for your computation Of the amour
/ oi representatives. 10 take the voters
! The gentleman from Augusta, docs not daol viii
lhcSe eluh clients or go on those postuatos lie ha.
tired the elect. and has not coniccturcd that n
gwen number oi whites Iu part ofthe state fur
nishod ccrnIu number Of voters the same number
OH whites I'D my OF cr part would iurnsha Ike mum
Der "i Voi"rfllr hns found The pos'uaic of the ron
icm"n from Londoun 20 be lll'1c1us, and the re-. t
shows on" oi hc most striking and irresistible proof
fof the so91c'iy win which my flcnI fon Chester
h"ld seized ttc true criterion cf The question in de
/ bn'c. Though n its form lis rroro-ition wa.
supposed 10 D. To,0ir,~to 'ho f-clu0s ofthc West
llc result oflhcsc calculations furnished d,mous,ra
bic proof Ofi05 correctness.
H''lh't go into an cX animation Of ibe class. ficl
Mons W. ecnn'mnn from Augusta mal. or the ounn
i'G oi power 10 c1ch portion Of the State dcducc,