Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-02-26
Debate in the Senate on the Convention.
Mr.. MoRG.aNsS sPEECH-co,,;,,..,

senatorial district IN the commonwealth and nv .
combination of large against small counties 10 COM
ties could, and n much smaller n0mo.r may. e,act
the whole delegation TO the Convention, out OF tho
los counties and boroughs 1t is as demonstrates
as any problem in arithmetic. The object of the
large counties will be to break down county delepa-
ton entirely, and all the large counties will combine
against the smaller to effect that object and then
look to convention elected by themselves and prob
ably by minority ofthc people, to propose scheme
for that purpose.
Suppose the whole delegation TO be elected nv these
large counties under an excited canvass among can
dldates entertaining various opinions on the subject
OF the new government, what will be the RESULT No
man can tell What will the members say when they
meet IN convention They may and probably will
say as members of the Assembly have already sn;d
that they came instructed to for such proposi
5a'ns as WIZ wholly break up county representation
IN any orm and that they bound to adhere 70 the
VIII OF the people, or in other words the will those
VINO elected them; that the preservation of tho die
t1ct system oy winch they pcrpetuate their own pow
or Is the best form of md
they may divide the state into some "a or 80 distr;c,
Tor the election OF senators; and then for the solo "a,
symmetry provide that these districts shall eloct
each 4 or members to the House of DELEGATES the
consequence must necessarily be- that theso L.
counties in this way will to themselves all rio
p hcal powers ofthe government. Mr. NJ. said that
ms object IN giving to each county its own proper in
tuence IN the convention was two fold in tba 6rs,
place, the representation will approach nearer tho
peoples each county will be represented ndependert
~ brewery other county, and by delegates of their
own choosing. There will be unpleasant excite
ment IN the elections aud all will be sntisfed IN
GO into convention thus represented The du,cs ~.
that BODY VIII be discharged Justly and in barmonv
and the result will be the adoption of form of COW
Interests of none ~
a second reason in favour OF such distribution and
arrangement OF the representation, is that il will
or'g more members into the convention. He held !,
as settled point that the larger the number in con
vention, the more favourable il will no 70 roG
nation, that numerous body will produce q NOR
popular form of government. and enenatinn So rec,
y rom the people, will afford additional influence in
the adoption OF new constitution The rentle,r,,
from Orange, said that he had 63 objections m ,bn
amendment proposed by Mr. NJ, out of all this for,
mldable list, he has mentioned one onlv-tbe oro..
Auuitona expence, which would arise from this large
number oil representatives in the convention H.
Mr. M said, that when the Importance of tho snb.c.
was considered he thought if this was the sole ob;o
ton thnt no one would hesitate to vote for his amc,
ment. ~ "U
MIR. NJ said il was generally aoreoS that tho =,
lcgaes were not to be chosen by general ticket md
e state could not be laid out into precisely eoua d.
VISIONS he believed it would be better to adop oxis
ting DIVISIONS OF the Commonwealth and none ,,or
more convenient than county divisions Senatorial
districts on the other hand offered no ndvanto,,o
over those OF counties. They neither nnnronc6e5
meUFer TO equahty, nor were any applicable TO
the purposes of elections. NJ NJ donrcco,od ~
idea OF dividing the state into LARGE litlcts f az
election OF delegates, md would greatly nre6,r j.,
convention as well as in the new royernmen, The,
every county should have separate representation
WneTe large enough to contain the reonired nor,,I
ton. But the small counties in the ne,,, oo,,
ought TO DC thrown into districts CONTAINING the ro
o VI representation as near as practicabe in such
4aii''er tnat each such district may have one dele
gate. In Fennsylvania, it has been the practice p,
give 20 the large counties several deleGates accord
ing to their population ard to the medium counties ono
ana the small counties, where thew will admit ,,a
e loSe,her IN such manner rs to make the
proper ratio and 1re allowed ote and sometimes t.
delegates This, Mr.. NJ. believed was n GOOD nv
rangemcnt, and it was what he wished in this stat
IL seemed that gentlemen wished to mould the f,
tnre government according to the organjzotion Of ,r
convention, and by giving to the larger counties
small majority OF delegates in the convention no tho,
would have by his amendment, thew NAV tnLo "a
preserve that influence in the future Government,
winch their population entities them in rbo e,,au
ana medium counties, disposed TO do Justice cold
not object to this arrangement. While tho L.
countess not having the power to SUPPRESS tho ,bi
htuence OF the small ones, the small ones ovor
o ec ust Weight OF the large ones, all will act with
M UNDIVIDED view to promote the peace and bnnni
ness ofthe whole community. This organizot;opP rs
The body VIII certainly have tendency to pro,,o,
equality and preserve liberty.
MIR. NJ. SAID on the other hand any district sve
tom Is calculated 81 call out the same onrr,, 49,;
~ a convention that 1t will amonr the beopio ~
district system pleased him as well as his own a
ment or the original BILL When we lcgisIate on =.
subject of this kind it should be in spirt of eonr
ty and !iberality, and to avoid eyery thine ,rb;I
might have tendency TO arouse the preujicc. of -
brethren OF the same political Administrations ~,
the same state, and people the same community.
Among all the governments that have existed
none nave ever displayed more magnanmity and i1,s
tee, than the House Of Delegates in their late ;ot
ON this subject, voluntarily surrcndcrag their mower
and cquazlng it among the counties II may be
said TINT the small counties have been compelled -,
yield This is not true. They have Welded f,or, -
sense ofjustice and equality They had tho novDer -
retain for themselves any extent of influence tho,
Thought proper, and unless this house passes tho Hi
without amendments, they can still give themselves
nV 5a'ie power III convention, that they now possess
here IN the nceptve stage Of reform. and nnoncg s
onably the manner Of choosing the delegation 20 COR
Scnton may to some extent, mould the form of tho
future Government. wa" VI '"o
The Delegates Of some of the srnolor co,,,,io.
nave with great pausibiliy contonded that this is
not the place for introducing or eecng an eouliza
Ton OF power. But all have not so commended or
voted Many acknowledge TINT they have no right,