Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-10-30
W.. u.--.N bal

county hiuicngh stripped of all Official charsc.
'e' un"er .he coioni"i government they met in the
mouth oi March, IT'S, 81 caIhnc ,hemsev..s $780,.
un they assumed the exercise Of all the pcvv.,. -
government. Although in Harch they had resolved
fat all ther iunetions were a' m end the count ~
having submitted to- their authority which il was
to d" 10 the existing state of things, they met again ~,
the month Of May, and in June proceeded 10 "a 81 nv,
ordinance authorizing the election of delegates to sit
inconvention as their This Ordinance il thu
basis % our present election law. Under this ordi
nance the convention which formed oui present con-
stution We're elected, and until they met their pre-
continued 10 exercise the powers which fhcF
mad assumed. ~ :
When they made the elcs-tion law IN whom did ty
adareSs 1t! Their own election was evidence thun
they posscssedthn confidence of the land holders ana
the iand owners had submittedto their povernuenf
Ibey themselves consisted of 13I freehodcrs pron
eriy authorized To act w no placed them m that sna
Ton The frccliohlers of The country and to them
they looked IN return, and to no Others They cleo
Ted those who made the Constitution of I776 ana
the Constitution thus made by a part of the nee
holders was not compact made by ALL for the
oehent OF or but by part, for the benefit Of a
Par.' II there had been no description Of citizens
IN the Commonwealth bot one, such as were possess
ers OF 100 acres OF unc,tyated or SO acres of cui
ttvaied land. or OF a town lot with dwelling upon
~ ihcn might the compact have been truly called
ana considered compact by ALL and for the benefit
OF oil, and one which might have been adopted for
altfuture times. Tins was not the case
The Constitution which was made did little moro
than to continue the previous state of things That
Senate took the place OF the Legislative Council n
House OF Delegates succeeded the House Of Burgess
es anu The Executive head changed In name
4 nose VINO constituted the Government possessed
&c s2rrc i-.-4iicdtiors and were elected hy ira
saHie ard :hcy Continued in possession of the same
power When this State received her charter from
the King OF England the renres entaiion in the house
of Burgcsses was toeratly fair representation of
the Colony it then existed. At that time there
were but few couptics in the Colony and there was
II" interest but that OF the planter, siuce agricul
lure was The UNIVERSAL profession. Such reprcsen-
TALON therefore, Tor such coiniupity mig hit be cpp-
sldered Just fair and equal and suitable to the pc
mus of the age, ard of the Colony. But owipa To
causes subsequent in their origin that representation
Which may have been once just and equal. has now
become unjust and most grossly unequal
In time Of pro:ou0d peace the Inequality of ron
resentaiion was productive OF no III consequence
Owing to the unforiiied condition or the frontier g.
the sparSeness OF the population, the western
counties were continually engaged in war.a state of
Things Which remained Til Waynes battle with tho
Indians.
Before the Revolution considerable chances ve,. mad.
beioe tbs Revolution e counties round the the
Governor subdived small precincts 10 each OF
which In the House of Bu.esse were aioxe5
Hence, look te colonial map shall find the epe.
sen;aton Distributed i'll double. treble add luacsupl. popor-
;ions around Williamsburg Augusta had hss, tW
representatives while equal allowed 10 each
s?gasy aud ens 10 each horous having representa-
Thu; representation grow bs unequal with tina,
grew up tire public dissatisfaction. At length IN
iob ihic opinion was brought tear upon Senate Ee
referred 10 this fact the history the Sa,s in order 10 nue.
a'on oass was new an alarming and cruel innovation
ana had never before Virginia since TIE
have not been poured the Legislature requesns tina.
eS;e, snou .. Gle Sr ,ie purpose Of correcting tie
rom dIck aud Henry counties until 1914 were as reolI
Iary looked Tor as the annual returns of the All these
asked for riorInaiicn of the elective franchise an
extension of suffrage equalization Of represent anon
In b3 TO proceed with mis- friend from, Northampton Mr. 70
sta, That bill brought House of Deleps,sx g.
throwing Them into seSa,oaI ;,; % we counties by
kpflty .t,.ll6
tile whole ct the white population represented nv r
senator's Wide the remaining three hhs represented by
twenty This inequality has M bv ,hoss 81
our citizens who 1--we beyond the Blue Ridge and no eenemsn
wnn hs ene 10 Tes's, the convctnn that from me-
quality must have resulted msule and great parral
evil When the Constituents of gentlemen from the YVES,
aenanded TIE passage Of bil to change this inequality being
opposed by the majority from the last every aitenpt
defeated, and the bill Ultimately rejected The porssc
non 70 take II up after being laid tie table, put down
There befnrr this time single eastern cous,,o
lawyer ocmneuce 70 did uoi saw ,hat the Ssi
power change the districts They stated tina, be ssr,. $500
which made the Constitution laid OF the districts and Ihs, 90,
that instrument authority change them could be- 6ra
the most natural If consequences this refusal chance TIE
districts produced next session Of the gisls,ure 49,
cr memorial from meeting citizens a, S,sn,op
praying that measures might be aded take tie sense sf tho
people subject Convention All who IN
hy TIE practical inequality cf the representation sought es
sanity and with all tire zeal Of ren who feel grievance IN a,cyy-
tain the Of the people subject of Convep,;oo
looking the only remedy Tor existing evils
In lSib7 bill yas reported with take the s.rss
ofc people aud although was here affirmed thai The nrno
s''on for white population basis rad until now been
heard NJ the stale e great s,ugge was then made on ,Is,
point which advocated one side and esis,. % a.
ohrr with che utmost ardo anl ability and auos,-
gentlemen IN this Convention Who then Taneea
themselves under the banners ri each side Some in fvr
at Convention Invested only with limited powers; thew Ind
not extended Their views general powers as hev aser,r
aud the country might be prepared go uto revo sr6
reformation OF te whole Of the Constitution lie was fvs. mo-
posed to eqaLc the members Of the General Assembly on %
basis OF the white population To eqaze the land X and ON
motion of gentleman from Faax, extend the nzht of sC
fsse subsequently amended by his colleague so as 20
give the qualification 20 such have permanent common
interest with aud attachment the community he bIi va
then passed In tins limited form. II bill 10 auhorz, he
taking OF the sense Of the people the subject Of Conven,o
To equaze the representation the population bas M
extend the sh Of Suffrage, and to equar land tax
After an Intellectual struggle strike clause rrnetns
suffrage, the bill passed bv majority rre,epe neayly
three touhs oi ne white inhabitants and wa, sent 20 The
senate The gentleman from Norfolk nov in the Convenon
opposed the l IN all its Tie moved an ansndmens
pending the discussion in blank representation Oh
saves, wheher three hhs tine wbnIe then explained
ms amendment was supported Tor abandoned
he gentleman dd not state how he h that blask
whether with 35hso the whus number Of avss with an
hs powers eoqueuce he ed in his proposition and was
Cly able IN 25 Of the House Of Delegates with him a-
cordng his (Mr. Ds) recollection according that Of