Wheeling compiler. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [i.e. W. Va.]) 1829-1831, 1829-12-09


ltleman referred as having made the asser-
tion. He. however, would aow affirm
that the non freeholders in the West are
II: the proportion OF three TO two. He
had been told that census had recently
been taken In Frederick under oath. and
that the proportions were as three to two.
and , 900 or 2. 500 persons la that county
were debaned the right Of suffrage. He
affirmed that the non-treeholders of this
community are a majority. and that the
freeholders are a minority. Here we have
measure proposed which Is TO give pow
er to the minority. This, then. came no
to his idea of aristocracy This was what
he meant-pohtical power confined to
wealth, and distributed with a pa,ronising
spirit. He contended that the gentlemen
who on ths floor. were engaqedin snsiain-
INC that principle. are a m,nur,l I'll mt
uority.- tie had thus rar travelled out of
his way to notice the principle on ~Sich
the ratio of representation had been dis,
cussed.
He had said that the principle ofthe ex-
tension of the right of suffrage ad been
held IN view for many years, aud had been
discussed year after year N the general as
sembly, as may he seen by reference to the
Journals. The gentleman compliments
the judgment of the minority of the COM
munity but poorly, when he says that the
ireehOlders were imposed on, and cheated
out Of their votes on the subject Of the
Convention. He knew not how it could
be pretended that they were not perfectly
cognlzant of the purposes for which the
Convention was required. The proceed
ings throughout the country, aud IN the
Legislature, were sufficiently known 10 ey-
cry one. In 1906 there was a resolution
offered for taking the vote for calling a
Convention. At that time II was Supposed
that the question had not been generally
agltated in the c0u Try, and motion was
made to postpone the resolution. IL was
considered unwise to take the opinions Of
the people at the polls. unless there was
more evidence that It was the public wish,
as The only effect would be to Increase the
public dissatisfaction. The people were
then 50 divided, that prudence thought Il
would not he proper to meet together ia
Convention. Such was hs own opm-
ion at the the time. and hy saw another
member Of the Convention VINO was Of
the same opinion. The subject was alter
wards brought before the Legislature, aud
bill was introduced into the House Of
Dol, :; sruo, rilC "a 0,iuIttC ~ aHich was
subsequently modified, with great propue-
ty, because Il went too far The bill mere
ly provided for the taking OF the sense Of
people on the subject of calling Conyeu.
ton. The bill was rejected ia the House
by a small majority. They who voted lor
It represented a majority ofthe State. iaus
IL appears that at that time the disposition
to call a Convention went so TAR, that a
bill TO take the sense Of the people was re-
ported in the House Of delegates, founded
on the petitions received from the people,
and in which the Acknowledgement Of mum
bers was reclied as grievance to DO re-
dressed. The grievances st forth ~ the
petitions were reciled IN The preamble, but
were stricken out, lest their Insertion might
have an injurious effect abroad.
BY reference to the Journals Of 1916.
p. $50, It would be seen that the Staunlon
memorial was received and referred 70
a committee, together with the petitions
from other parts Of the Commonwealth,
and report was made specifying tho
grievances which were set forth by the peo-
pie, which underwent long and Iabored
discussion m The House OF Decgates.-
The report was adopted, and, "A bill was
ordered to be brought in. Afer The
preamble, this bill reciied the objects Tor
which the Convention was 10 be called,
VIZ: to equalize representation, to equallzo
taxation, and to extend the right Of suffrage
10 all who had permanent common inter
est IN, and attachment TO the Common
wealth.
Thus in 1916 the objects Of iae proPos-
ed Convention were fully known; and u
must therefore be manifest tiai me amend
ment proposed by the gentleman from
Chesterfield, was not Of character 70
satisfy the demands and the wishes oi Tie
people. Until the present session, he sta
ted that he had never heard Of ihe dcscuP-
ton or tenuyes named m the proposition
IF the gentleman from Chesterfield, add
which he regarded as one Of his most I'M.
Mr.. Leigh. in explanation, said that he
..,arded this as the most trivial Of hts OBJ
cots. HIS great object was to extend the
freehold qualification 10 freeholders who are
not now qualified.
Mr.. DoDDRIDGE said that there was 70
such object contemplated in ihe Stanton
memorial. lie had himself never heard
Of such tenures as the gentleman describ-
-, IL. $3.50. IL a..