Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-02-27
Debate in the Senate on the Convention.

gdn's amendment to Gen. Dade's, being mndeS con-
siderotion,
Mr.. MORGAN said, that having some days before
submitted for the consideration of the Senate an a.
mendment, to the amendment, offered by the gentle
man from Orange, Gen Dade,) he begged to be per-
united to make few remarks, which would at once
snow the difference between the two proposed amend
1nents as well as between his own proposition and
the provisions contained In the bill as it came from
the House of Delegates.
In proposing the amendments which he had offer
eu his Chief object to remedy what he believed
to be defect in the original BILL and to make il as per-
1nct as possible and to determine whether the choice
OF delegates to the convention shall be submitted to
the body of the people or to the body of the freehold
crs He believed, that the delegates in the other
branch of the Legislature as well as the people
OF the district which he represented were almost u
unanimously III favour of Convention. for the purpose
OF cquazIng the representations yet he believed also
that they felt partlay for their present iusti
buttons, and that IN going into convention strict re-
gard ought to be had, to those boundaries by which
they had been always guided in their choice of del
egates to the Legislature. He of the same opin
ion.
Dir. Morgan differed from the gentleman from O.
range, who had cuntended, that the bill CO obtained no
principle at all. He Mr.. M thought it demonstra-
BILE that the blu contained the principles ls that
people t to be represented equally, according
70 The free White population and 2dly, "that each Of
tue counties and corporations ought to be preserved
us independent celebrates for the election of dele
gates to the proposed convention.
MIR. M. said that he thought the Legislature ought
to adopt some bill, by which there would be secured
to the people, i'll the great sections of the State an
equality of representation according to an equal ra
tho of free white population and also to hermit the
counties, to choose each one more delegates ac-
cordng to their population Such bill he thought
would do more to satisfy the public mind than anv
district system, which could be devised.
The gentleman has said, that this is not the time
to dispute about the political power of the different
SECTIONS OF the State, that it impossible i'm the pre
sent case, to have relation to sectional power or feel
Iur
Ir. NJ. said it might not beinproper here t. remark
the striking analogy of our present situation to that
nf Athens, about the time Scion called into now
rr. He said the people had become almost uniyer-
sally displeased with the severity of their laws and
inequality OF their government That in their dis
Lutes about reformation, the pcople of the INLAND
country commended for perfect equality; those of the
loWland country for dominion the hands of the few:
Nhle the commercial party Of the community feared
the acquisition of power by either of the Others and
tue poor being oppressed by all, found favour in the
Influence of none. In this situation thew mutuallv
agreed to subint the institution of new form of
government to the wisdom and virtue of Solon He
accepted the authority and although he did not inst
te the best possible form of government, vet it was
The best that could be established at the time and
nqucstienaby constituted the foundation of the flu
ture happiness and prosperity of the people, To the
rich he gave the principal offices according their &C.
Teral Classes while he secured the poor the privilege
VI voting n tho assemblies ofthe people. This sub
Stanlally gave them negative upon the affairs ofthe
State and constituted them the best security for lib
crty and freedom.
How striking the similtude between the state of
feeling N Greece ut the period referred to- and that
OF our own country at the present time! We of the
fpands MAINTAIN, that all to be accounted
equally free and independent, and entitled 10 equal
political rghts-we the part ofthc low land
CTS, well by their votes, as by their rnant ainpp
bat the power in tx Legislative councils of the state
shall remain as heretofore in the hands of the fey ,
q denial oftis equality Of natural and political rrft
Mr.. Nj. SAID he considered the gentleman from Oranre
q loWlnnder, although that gentleman might think
otherwise, but could doubt that the great line
Which nature had drawn across the state 1the Blue
Rdge) was the true division between the uplanders
and the owanders of this country and he regretted to
TO sec the question, now under consideration made
one of power between the two sections of country
rather than one of right and equality.
The gentleman from Orange. prefers his amend
Dcnt to all others, and is not difficult to account for
1t: he contesses that 1t is unequal Vet rs much as it
approaches somewhat to equality, the west must be
satisfied with IL When examined, it will be found
that the gentcmans district by the bill lacks one DEL
Ggate according to fair ratio of represent tor-and
by his amendment will have nearly one too MANY
This DIdy be good reason fer his preference To
prove the correctness of this opinion he would refer
to the actual population. In 1820 the free white pop-
Ulation of that district was 90, 925.
BY the bill as sent to lis by the House of Delegates
TINT district will have four representatives in conve1-
tlon and a fraction of unrcprcsented population Of
A-517 The rHtlo for representative being III o.
= ought to have more delegate, but by the ron
tIemans arnendmcnt, his district will have four dele.
gates, and lack population of 1904 to make up the
ratio of district Tor of every four deegatcs amount
ing to nearly one delegate too many. MIR. NJ. said |
that by his amendment, that district, would have i've
delegates and fraction Of 1861 that this Of course
was much equal than either Of the other prope
stons, and he thought could not be more lust WHY
would the gentleman ask more than an equality, If
this inequality in the gcntlemans amendment is to be
overlooked, how he expect any thing like refor-
Oaon Of The representation in the future legislatures
IF the gentleman will net accord Justice to all men,
and give all their equal influence how can he expect
others to yield their undue influence to him? lie
ought to recolect. chat those who ask for Justice
must first render IL to others. On what principle are
tesc senatorial districts based They are perfectly
aFbitrary and territorialnot any ratio of popula-
fon, nor according to ancient county usage. They
ire wholly accidental. In the discussion Of this s1t