Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-11-26

however, would now affirm that the non-ffeehollcrs
IN the West are in the proportion of Three to two
lie bad boon told that had recently been to-
ken in Frederick under oa h, and that the proportions
were three two. and 1000 or SOC persons IN
that county wc-o debarrcd the right OF suffrage. He
affirmed that the neutrality-suspicious. of this community
are n majority and that the ffecholders minor
iy. Hefe we have measure proposed which il to |
give power 20 the mino ity This then, came up to
his idea of arsocracy. This was what he meant
political power confined to wealth, and distributed
with paronzIhg spirit. He conepded th2t nc
gentlemen who on this floor. were engaged in sus-
tanning that principle minority of minority -
he had thus tar travelled out of his way notice the
principle on whch the. ratio of representation had
been discussed.
He had said that the principle of the exclusion of
the right of suffrage had been held in view for many
years, aud had been discussed year after year in the
GENERAL a ssemb!y~as may be seen by ree TO
the Journals. The gentleman compliments the judg-
nent OF the minority of the community but poorly.
when he says that the iTeeholders imposed on,
and cheated out Of their the subject of the
Convention He kne@ not how it could be pretend
cd that they were not perfectly coguizant of the pur
poses for which the Convention was required. The
proceedings throughout the country, ard in the Lee
is!aturc, were sufficiently known to every one. In
1906 there resolution offered for taking the vote
for calling Convention. At that time il was sup
posed that the question had not been generally ag-
taied III the country, and motion made to post
ponc the resolution. II considered unwise to
the opinions OF the people at the polls, unless there
was aloTe eNluenre that the Public wish, The
only effect would BE- TO Increase the public dssaiis
faction The People were then divided, that pru-
dent men thought 1t would not DC proper to meet to-
gether IN Convention. Such ms own opuion a.
the time, and he saw another member OF the Conven
: ton who was Of the same opnion The subject was
afterwards brought before the Legislature. aud a bill
was introduced into the House of Delcpa es the pre-
amb!e OF which was subsequently modified with great
lptopriey because II went too far. The bill. merely
provided for the taking of the sense of the peopls on
tAe subject of calling 4 Convention The ell was
rejected IN the House by small maiosii. They who
voted ior II represented 1iori OF The State Thus
II appears that IL that time the disposition TO call
Convention went far. that bill take the sense
OF the peoic was reported in the House of Delegates,
founded tho .'Iiiuns lived from the PEG Die aud
IN which the d,Srunciiscmen OF numbers was rcc-
ted as grievance 10 be redressel The grievances
set forth IN the petitions rccited in the pream
BILE, 5ut stricken %, their insertion nigh;
fhavc az 81. usIoUs effect abroad.
by reference TO the Journals of 1915. p. I3o it
would b. seen that the Stauntru memorial was re
celvcd, ard referred to Committee together with
the petitions from O her parts Of the Commonwealth !
ana report was nade specifying the grievances I
winch we're ~e forth by the people, winch underwent
long and aoorcd discussion IN the House of Dele
gates Ihr pO.t adopted, and bIll was O
deTed 10 be brought iD. After The preamble this bill
rec4ted iLe objects Tor which the Convention 10
be called VIZ 10 equail1e representation, Cquaze
TAXATION and 10 extend the right or suffrage to all
VINO had pcI manent common interest ill., and attach
mant II The { ImmoHwcalh
Thus IN 1916 the objects OF the proposed Conven-
ton were fully known, and il the -efore be man
liesi that tn amendment proposed by the g-nh enan
from CAcstertcl not Of a character to SATISFY
the dem nds and lie wishes Of tao people Until The
present session, he stated that he had never heard Of
hf description Of tcuufes named IN the proposItion
OF tie gentleman rol Chesterfield aid which he 20
2 arded rs one OF his most important objoc'
Mr. LElGH. IN explanation said tlIat he retarded d
this as the most trivial OF his objects His great OBJ
jet was To extend the freehold quucaio to free
holders who are not now qualified. II
MIR. DODDRGDGE sand there was NJ such object
contemplated IN the Staun Oh memorial. IL had HIM
sen never heard OF such enures The gentleman de
scri1ed TIL now. His position that the eXten
sion proposed by the gen eman from Chesterfield was
not the extension oi the right of suffrage winch was
thought OF and asked in 1916. He admitted that II
was valuable extension, but 1t falls very far short of
the object Tor which the Convention called. He
had no recollection of this sort of freehold SVhnt
was required by the Staunton Convention wns nm
equalization Of taxation, equalization of represen
taon and an extension of the right of sufra ee to all
who have permanent common interest &c Here
Mr.. Doddrdge rccaptuated the facts he had COM
mnncaed on this subject, and then proceeded to give
history Of the legislation of 10 in reference to his
object. 4 bill was introduced passe4 and sent
to the Senate, to defeat which the Lt. 10 divide the
State into Senatorial districts W. introduced After
all this Legislation, and all tits discussion in he Jar
Gus public assemblies, nna IN the newspapers he ask
Ell II was respectful tor the white population 10 saw
II not known that this extension was not the one
which was required, and all which was rcqulred.-
The gentleman from Amherst, (Alr Thompson, 81, )
the OBJECTS OF the Convention were openly avowed
aud discussed aud circulated IN his district. Such
Mr.. ID i'd ldge said, the case in his district The
ncehoders, therefore, could have been cheated:
none were cheated there man capable Of
cheating them Of their votes. II was well known
how far It desired tiat the suffrage should be cv
tended He called attention 70 what had been said
BY iis colleagues tins subject, and 10 which he
could MOI aid much IL ntrc,tod The attention Of
The Committee to the points which had already been
urged on this subject.
The gentleman from ,vi,le com
mendng the state Of our public nor.s tributes them
10 the Ihince Of our goye'nucft; declaring that ro-
yerumenis have an infIcp>c in forming and improv
ing public opinion. That legislation, under every
Iorn Oh government has This effect, IS a political
trutl'--it Is not The whole truth however, but only
half O'''
The law-gver to be wise must regard public opin-
lon' Ills laws must, IN great degree, spring % out
Of public opinion aud ne confornable 10 H. and tins
who public opinion acts The law gver his laws
nag aud VIII act back that opinion, and serve TO
direct and improve II. Tins, public opinion on the
one hand, and Legislation On The other haye n rcci-