Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-10-29
VIRGINIA CONVENTION.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26

Yesterday, the Convention met at ii O'CLOCK
and was opened with prayers by the the Kew.
Mr.. Sykes, Of the Methodist Church.
On Mr. Leigh's motion, the Convention re-
solved itself into Commute oil the "ho'e-
and the President named Mr.. P. T. Barbour the
Chairman OF the COMMITTEE.
On Mr.. Powell's motion, Mr.. BaIooun'ook
The Chair Of the House, instead oil 81 ing a.
the Clerks table Gas is usual IN me mouse o.
Delegales) for the greater convenience oil see
! ing, and being seen by, the Members.
! On Mr. Doddridge's motion, the fepor'
from the COMMITTEE on the Fill Of Rights, sc.
was taken IN. declaring that no alteration be
made in the 9in Of Rights; and II was adopted
without debate or opposition.
Mr.. Powell then enguired.i il any proposition
| could be offered as an add 10 he Bill oil
Rieh,s-such as the Resolution submitted a
few days ago BY the gentleman from Norfolk,
(Mr. raylor.)
The Chair pronounced il TO be out of order.
| After some conversation between Messrs.
| Doddridge, johnson ard Taylor, MIR. bod
! bridge moved TO take up the Report from the
J Legislative Commute: which was agreed to-.
But on the suggestion Of MI Powell, the Com
mittee recousidered the question OF taking up
the L. sislstive Report, and laying it on the Ia
Die: winch was carried in the aft NATIVE. And
| then on motion, III. question Of re-consldering
the Report OF the COMMITTEE on Inc Bill OF
Rights. wa, carried in the affirmative. Where
upon, the Bill of Rights was self read, II ST
by the Clerk, and then by the Cbarman-wheu
| Mr.. TAYLOR moved the resolutions he had pre-
yiously submitted, on Friday last, as fellows
Resolved ISL That the elective franchise
should VI uniform; SO that, throughout the
Stare, SIMILAR quafca ions should confer SINH
lar RICH, # suffrage.
Resolued I'd, That among those entitled by
! the Constitution 10 exercise ihr elective iran
chise, there should be entire equality Of suffrage;
so shat, in all elections, the suffrage OF ont
qualified voter should avail as much Us that OF
another qualified vo:er, Whatever may be the
disparity Of their respective fortones.
Resol,ed Sd, Tina, equal Numbers Of qualihed
voters are eni,led 10 equal representation,
Throughout thr State
! Resol,ed 4fh, TIA. as individual Drage should
b" equal withou, resprc' d" the disparity OF IN
di, idual fortune, so equal nun'6e' OF qualihed
70 ers are entitled .quai representation win
GU, regard to the disparity oil their aggregate
fortunes.
Resoired 5M, That in all pecuniary contribu,
ton, to the public service, regard should be
had TO the ability Of individuals to contribute ;
and as this ability to pay, from disparity OF for
tune is vnegual, i, would re unjust and Cypress
i've 20 requ, each itizen TO pay All equal amount
OF public taxes
| Mr.. I. then moved change in the Sd reso-
| luton, so as to read, (Which was accepted by
the Ccmmiuer):
"Resoirei Sd, That repre- sentation should be
| uniform throughout The State
! Mr.. Taylor rose TO address the Committee
| in support Of his resolutions. He stated, that
he had not come 10 the House prepared to go
| into the argument, bu, he should not shrink
| from the task and that he should proceed 10
address them with the profound feelings Of DE-
t, renee which he felt for such an assembly. H.
ought the resolutions were so plain that they
required no labured argument, TO supper, them !;
that they were such as were founded on The
principles Of our government; and that he
| should content himself, therefore, with an ex
| PLANTATION OF them, which he though, would
rons,irule their best and sufficient defence -
That they related TO two great questions; the
righ, of suffrage, and the principle of taxation
That they, however, bore upon subject whic h
engaged the faculties Of every head, aud he
pulsa ion Of every heart, viz the basis Of re-
presentation. He stated, that when he came
here, he had come with mind perfectly open
to conviclinn-,haI he had sought light from
every quarter, and conversed with gentlemen Of
|
self confused by the multiplicity Of argumtn s.:
as The eye is blinded by the excess Of light !;
and that, in this dilemma, he bad bad recourse
to his OWE reAeo lions, and had analysed the
suhjec, into its frs, principles; that in consi-
dering this question, he should think himself
bound to consult truth more than consistency;
and to subdue the pride OF opinion and ne
pledged himself, openly and publicly, to aban.
don such opinions, as he might now express,
The moment he should be convinced of their err
ror
! General T.then read his resolutions ono by one
He s,aed, that the Committee would per-
ceive that these resolutions grew out Of one
general principle the Elective Franchise and
TIE manner in which it should be exr,ted; rbat
by the iheory Of the American Cons, itutions,
the sovereignty sided in the people, and tha,
the best mode Of administering tina, sovereign.
~, was by agents elected by the people--,ha,
thus all our institutions rest upon the great
principle Of Representative X, publies-,ha,