Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-12-15

which had been several times i'm the
OF debate and witch, az he believed, not UNDER
stood generally It might be we'll Tor him. who had q
sgreat share 10 the passage OF that law to give some
cconnt OF - history, andof the principles upon which
itwas estahlisted.
Daring the course Of the debate on the proposition to
call Convention in the yss- 1916, was Frequently
said that the Western, Country was % rn~qns'ly
isprsented in the Ssnse; and that this inequality
being created by the existing Constitution itself could
not be remejied by any of the ordinary Legis-
lature. This idea was new 10 tim.-Hs bad never
head il suggested before. nor had he any conf
denee in the .uggesion then. These opinions were
stated by bin la the debate, coupled by the decs-
ration, that he hal entertained little doubt II was
competent TO the legislature, TO arrange the Sem
soriai Dt,,rict', whenever, in their disci elton,
they saw IN 10 10 so; and, tina; this had been
done several times already. In equence Of this
declsr alton after tho Convention Bill passed. he wa.
sppied toby one OF the members from the Western
part Of the State assist in effort rearrange the
senatorial Districts, in manner more equal than they
were then arranged.-To this application, he yielded
ready assen and supported, with all his ability, the
motion for leave TO bring in such bill. This motion
we opposed by the gentleman from ID. coke, MIR Dol
dridg~) dnl oher'. upon the ground, that II was a
measure, MOI warranted by the Consii,uiion.But al.
Ter warmd-hNe, the motion was carried. and Com.
mite was appointed (of which he one 10 bring in
such hill
In conversation with the fien,ls of the measure. it
was ssr~c that the West was then entitled 20 repre-
sentoin in thu Senate fully proportional 20 their quo.
IA Of The land.tax paid by them, they wished aug
ment This represensicn they ought to have
ment OF The lands. and enlarge their quota Of h.
iax-Ths suggestion ably accepted by The gem
uenen from the West favorable to the bill, which,
therefore assumed the shape it Of bill 10
reanportion the land tax and TO arrange the Senate
rial Districts.
The land tax being disposed OF, il was therefore,
omitted in all the Subsequent calculations upon the SUBJ
Ject Such Vas The history OF thi. Bill He had hop
ed thai the pioeeeding' now would terminate in the
came manner The psole of the West were then
tsbed; they only waneI equal representation in the
Senat thy ssij ,h.y had il in the n. of Delegates.
and hat W. should hear more oft If we gave them
the sane IN the Srnae. He hsd seen good result
from forming he repre- enation in the Senate thirteen
yrars IL, had know ledge how far good then
obtained. ard he was willing TO gain the good
ON tn came cause They lid not at ,hlt lime
look to any generaIes and speculaons as to who were
the peonle, hut discussed the question statesmen,
and decided that portion oil the country emit
tied to certain ton, and the other to o her
certain representation. They found fraction i'm the
wa' and threw It into III. hands Of the p,ople OF The
West. He would take the map of Virginia. and
George Mason's Constitution, and draw one lise,
which would meet the concurrence Of all Th, he be-
heved he could 10; unless, the gentleman from Au-
sus'a bad said-hi. was 10 be considered as qnes-
ton OF more POWER. IL so, the humblest particle
could not be surrendered without n abaSing degra
eaiion We are entiil9 10 power, said Mr.. Taze well
but we are willing TO part with share Of il, lift is
asked in the way wish IL that did not satisfy gen
u~uen. he could not satisfy the in any oth.r way
he was wiling tomeet them on the ground oil compro-
ne, II there mantle station OF similar spirit on
the other side But il they were expected TO be
giving all until the people OF the West satisfied,
he would al put down his foot and give nothing
III the consequences should he dissolution of this boz
DIV, he could not help il. II go till the
Yves, cry hold would be useless, forNhe West would
have all. He would give nothing, unless he met
by The spirit OF compromise the other side. He
wished 10 preserve all the Constitution that was good
no more. He would give up all, where practical mis-
sht~f hrs resulted lie TSNA go farther: where there
was probability that mischief would result, he was
willing 10 provide remedy The people did not send
hin here TO pull down the fabric the foundation one
in order 10 build up agan-to alter cry thing de eat
every thing, The people sent him here under know
iehg" that such were his views. They had he AVID
plants that this instrument detective md pro-
,iucing Insc hrfAthey had the ewes felt the mis-
ce but they sent him 10 enquire into the fact Ifsatis
ned that i does work evil he ready 20 adop, the
prac Zeal remedy, when il Inhibited to him. For tha.
lie came aud he would honestly go 10 the end; but
when we are told we came here TO discuss que stion
al pOtcer with them who say ''ve have right and will
have power he could only answer, questions OF pow
er are not settled here In courts questions OF right
are settled by jurie but there is but forum for The
settlement Of questions Of power. and but inst ru
Inent by which it can be obtained. In Sparta, there
arose question OF powera demand was sent
MED with threahat IL II was not given, he who asked
il, would Gene and take il. The answer was--come
aad take it. He came, but he did not take it
MIR. DeDDRIDGE said he W shed to make OBJ
rcryatons in reply 10 the statements Of the gentleman
from Norfolk. That gentleman had said that, Ivy the
law of February 1917 reforming the senatorial repre-
Fenaiion, reference had not only TO white popula-
ton, but interests and other circumstances from an
examination of which il resulted that the West were
entitled to eight senators and fraction, and that the
East yielded that fraction TO the West, which gave
them nine members. Mr.. ID. said he would not RELY on
his memory and oppose it to that of the gentleman from
Norfolk, but he would appeal to facts which could
err, whether they were tested by Pike, Gon, Dill
worth.
The senatorial bill of Feb 1915, was based on the
census Of 1910. In 1910 the whole white population
was 55l 0O0 disrsgarding the fractions of thousand
-of this population, 2l2,000 found west OF tho
Blue Ridge Out Of twenty four members of the Sc
nate, this population entitled the West to nine members
and large fraction which they lost that the
tora arrangement Of that year regulated by white
population and by nothing else. BY the law of 1917 it
required several annual elections to give the West their
nine members. These members did not come into the
body until 1920. The of that year showed that
at that period the West upwards 900
ted Since 1870 the increase Of western population has
been nearly 100000 and of the % O00 leaving
west OF the Ridge upwards Of So 600 souls unrepre
scented in the Senate.
The gentleman had said that in 1917, the West had
their full share in the House of Delegates. How
correct that statement may be, will appear from the
following tacts--In 1917, there were 80 counties and
towns represented This produced House of 202 mem
hers. There then 81 counties west OF the Ridge
having 63 members. The population being SOL 900 in
and The number OF members 202-the west
population being $4,000, entitled them to rs I-2
members Instead of 6s, being deficiency of 10 IL
members, which being added The East, gave that quar-
ter OF the State an advantage divided vote of 81.
There was as little accuracy in the other assertion,
that the West satisfied with the senatorial arrange
Inent declaring il to be that justice and equity re-
qnired So far from his most Of the members from the
West voted against the senatorial bill in all its stages
and never agreed to accept il until the Convention bill
which went TO the Senate lost.
The inequality of western repre- scntation in the House
of nnI h,s aacI ein .toIo