Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1829-11-20
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
FOR THE ADVOCATE.
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE MIDDLE
DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA.

FOX THE ADNCcAIE
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE MIDDLE
DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA.
The decision OF the great question which has
engaged the attention of the Convention for
several weeks past, it is believed, will depend on
the influence exercised over some Of the mem
bers representing the counties lying immediate
ly below the Blue Ridge. To enable the people
properly to exercise the power which, all
proper occasions, they should exercise over their
servants, it is necessary that they should be in
formed. Having neither time, opportunity
inclination to search into documents contain
ing the evidence of facts important to be known !;
there is cause to fear that whilst they design to
further their true interests, they may endanger
them. 1t is the design of this communication
to put the people, of that section of fhe state es-
pecially, in possession of some facts and views
which may aid them in coming TO proper de.
csion.
| From the estimate made by the Auditor in
obedience to acquisitions from the convention we
arrive: with tolorable certainty, at the state Of
the population of Virginia at this Time. Those
estimates are strongly corroborated by COM
parison of the relative increase of population in
| W
1920. In the results which we shall now offer,
we shall, therefore, take the Auditors estimate
OF the white and slave population of the differ
ent counties guide. We will advert to
representation in the Senate, as the most sim
pie, and consider that as arranged on the basis
OF white population exclusively. Asking how
ever our readers % recolect that similar results
would be shewn in relation to the House of Dell
cgates, and that we have selected the Senate
only by way of example. And IF we shall sat
isfy the people, for whose information we write,
that representation in the Senate ought not to
be based on white population exclusively, it will
follow Of course, that the House of Delegates
should not be 50 constituted Every argument
will apply, with increased force, to the House of
Delegates.
According to the estimate Of the Auditor, the
whole white population of Virginia, is 6e2,26l.
The Senate, according to ,the report OF the Lee
gisatvc Committee, is to consist of twenty
four so that each District, 10 be entitled to G.
lect Senator, must have 25,427 white inhab-
itants. The counties west of the Alegany
have lSl ,2S4 whites, which entities them TO six
Senators and a fraction. The counties between
the Allogany and Blue Ridge, called the Valley,
have 1873, l32 whites, which will give them four
Senators and n large fraction, which when add
ed to the fraction west of the Allegany, will give
to the west an additional member. The valley
will then have FIVE, and the country west of the
) Ridge, eleven out of twenty four. From the
same document it appears that the Senatorial
Districts west of the Alegany will, on an aver
lage, have 1858 slaves, and pay $5,6S2 in taxes
Each Valley District will have, on an average
6,7OG slaves, and pay ;Sl ,392 in taxes Taking
tho whole country west of the Ridge, and Gael
Senatorial District will average 1910 slaves
and pay $8,2dS in taxes. The Senatorial Dis
tricts Immediately under the mountain do no
Contain sufficient white population to entitl
them to representation. The Loudoun Distrc
contains, according to the Auditors estimate
1928, but there is probably an error in tn
> estimate of tho population of Loudoun add fou
thousand for that error, g. it will contain % 425
: which, taken from % 429, the number necessa
a ry to eaGtle district 20 Senator, will leave
: deficiency of $500 The Fauquier Dstric
j contains, according to the same estimate, "a
I 1902. There is probably n mistake in tho popu
c lation Of Fauquier. The increase, since tb
@ last census, seems too large. Between 191
2 and 1870, the white population Of that county
: did not increase. Say then that Fagquier con
taiDs IL .,0g and that District will have 231Gt