Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-12-29
THE CONVENTION

TUESDAY MORNING, DEC. 30


hfr' N"alcs resolutions offered on Saturday; the
first rendering the distribution of power in the SEN
ate therein provided, unchnngea6r the second prov
ding for the future apportonmrnt of power for The
House of Delegates, upon he basis of resident free
hoid voters, whose !rceolds OF an annual val
Nc OF not less than SIS, These resolutions were
offered on Saturday, ia concert with those of Mr..
Cooke, touching the Judiciary, and with Mr. Hen
aersons, touching tie Executive. IAN OF which
appear IN the Saturdays procccdngs) NJ Ncale
Is from the East, the other gentlemen belong to the
western interest and the conjecture is that the three
strings of resolutions the result of external
understanding, and that the concession in NJ Ncales
resolution OF rule of future apport,onmeu, was in
consideration OF revisng the organization of the
Executive department, by which the choice Of the
e'oFernor Is gwen to the people. Be this as it ma "
Mr. Neale after nearly the whole day had been Ia
Ken tp Ill discussing their merits, finally Withdrew
MS resolutions 1t plainly appearing that they could
not command Il majority and similar fate we pre-
sume awaits those Of Mr.. Cooke and Mr.. Hen
derson
=" 18th hardly dssentient, the Convention con-
ours IN the justice of rule for appo, tionnp rem
resentation according the future fluctuations Of
population; yet an abstract proposition ASSERTING
tic principle, was yesterday rejected and it Is
manifest, that no rule OF the kind can be devised
which will, while it attains the end. remove tb,
jealousIes and apprehensions of the East The
same considerations that influence the Enstorn n,o
Jorlty to resist the apportionment of power mon
the present state of the white population restrain
them from agreeing to adopt a rule the reasona
oIeness Of which, is generally admitted.
indeed such Is the extraordinary state of thipcs
IN the Convention, that we consider any GOOD ro
SUIT as athing rather to be hoped for than e,nect
ed This extraordinary condition of things is pro-
duced by the anomaly, that majority of the Rem
resehtatiVes OF the very people, who IN the Sprino
o! 1876, voted for the call of q Convention bv q
majority OF nearly 5o00 is against On effcct) all
ihdterlal changes, now that they have assembled
ut ciahSe OF course IN three Of the Albenlarle
p'eSeh'a'Fes' mas produced this paradoxical re-
Hui'-a Change no doubt indicated, by the state of
oPi"ioh III the District which they represent. AS
1t has always been in the General Assembly, en-
1t Is now in the Convention-power j. in Tho
hands OF the representatives of minority of tho
people AS we have never heard that men (e,co,+
Deoclesian and the Emperor Charles w who nos
sessed power voluntarily relinqushed il ,y coo
no rational ground for supposing, that the minority
III virginia is going 10 prove exception to the
general rule of mankind Concessions will be made
expect that these concessions will extend TO tho
point Of the mnorty's surreudering their powor
Ito the hands of the majority. The word ofprom-
Use may be kept to the ear but it will assuredIv
ha broken to the hope.
Perhaps ali the changes which tIo r,aior;tr ,,
desire, will be effected in the other branche.
OF the Government, and this both because thev
are right in themselves, and as gldinp 70, the
Legislative pill, which they are desired to svolIo,
For our own part, we will sustain any new Com
s'itution which provides for future amepd,nents
and makes the provision of such nature as thu,
It will be available. The friends of Reform o,,ch.
20 make this the test Of appreciation or rejection
ant not resolve upon rejecting the expected co,,t;
'ation because it may not in their opinion be foun6d
Upon proper principles. contain allth amendments
they desired What is lost now, NAV be recoyerod
d. ( .iiure time
Meanwhile, the Public at large is disrusted !, mo-
small drgree with the Convention aud its nrocooJ
i'E. curiosity Is bIuntcd, novelty worn off and tho
ie0p'a are no" counting the cost and wonde-;n
40" :; is, that so many wise heads, have in tbroo
months time, been able to effect nothing. The do
bates which were devOured at first, have become de-
tsStefu, and long speech is dose which scnrccI,
will encounter. This state of pnbic fociy
aust prove extremely prejudicial to the reception
winch the work OF the Convention shall find with a.
people, and 1t ought to admonish that wise body to
use all expedient despatch, and return as expcdit;o
ly as possible to the bosom Of the constituency.
VI we have seen lnhographic likeness Of John
Randolph Of Roanoke, by Mr.. Martin Of this cjtl
token from the portrait lately executed bv NJ
Harding. 1t IS an admirable copy. and well ovc
cnted. We understand also he has T. in contor1
plation to execute q similar likeness of Chief Jus
ice Marshall from the same painter We ryisL
hun success, and hope the public will patronisc SO
neserYihg an artist having the superior claim cr he
ing one Of our own citizens. w
COMMUNICATION.
II Those who wish to witness tho sn1ood;, ,, 3.
biLion Of the grand SOL1R .BJCROSCOpE, III
do well to embrace the first opportunity, as this Is
the last week viii be exhibited in this CITY end;
on Saturday, the I'd Jan At the .Mascua
acc ~ st