Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-01-10
RIOH nn oMD, JAM.Io.
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURES.
HOUSE or DELEGATES.
CONVENTION

| isidy ia IN" Chair, on the Convention hi H. and
MIR. Doddridge's motion TO strike out the first S.c
lion being stili under consideration,
MIR Anderson. of Bote,ourt after few pref,
| .Cry remafks, IN which he expressed his unwil-
iingnesS 10 consume the time of the Committee
said, that he felt it his duty to make some repIv to
| ms friend from Wesmoreiand (A1r. Newton y
| WIN some modification, he agreed with that gen
uehdh IN MS general proposition, that all govern
menus rested on the principle OF compromise. But
aant me proposition unrestricted and you were
| inet at me onset with the enquiry, by whom il
| .hat compromise 10 be made. Was il to be made
4 ny ue boroughs and Counties, UNEQUAL as thew
| uhqueslionabiy were, or by the whole people Of
me state iuiiy and equally represented! No one.
"e presumed, would deny, that the parties to the
conn entitled their pleasure to alter or
ABOLISH 1T but this should be done as their free
ana voluntary act. And il they could not attend
~ McPIid persona, they should be equally and
Justly represented in the Convention which should
undo take the work. The whites, he considered.
| were the only bona fde parties TO the contract
anu III any attempt 10 change it they, and they
| aIohe, ought TO have an influence. Whilst Mr.
they had arrived at different conclusions This
was perhaps owing to the fact, that he looked TO
| the white popula ion and Mr.. n to the counties
aS Inc parties TO the compact. He commented on
,,e i,hpIopIiety oil regarding any other standard,
or referring oany other of power than that
70 which he looked. That gentleman had assert
gu mat me compromise proposed by the bill, was
! d iair and honorable one. This position he con-
4
| seu no compromise whatever; for, all the conces-
sion 1t contained was made by one of the parties.
oy hat portion OF the people, least interested i'm
ina. species OF property proposed to be allowed
participation III the Convention, against the wishes,
| Tue interests and the feelings of the other Mr.
! "A. expressed his strong attachment TO Virpini.
| ana deprecated any event that would disturb the
| harmony OF feeling which ought to exist among
er citizens.
Mr.. Old said, that he could not but consider the
nv 10 I'M
,iuoh TO this oill,as somewhat extraordinary They
nae detained against il, as not being i'm accord
nee WIN some pre-cOnceved views or principi-s
,h-its, but have not attempted TO shew how il
VII operate 10 the INJURY, or endanger the rights
We people III any part OF the state. The gentle
man from Brook, (6lr. DOddridge) who last adj
dressed you, Genounces il as containing feature
Oh property representation, thing that never oc-
Cured IN any Convention he fore; but he does moi
shcw, that such provision is unreasonable or
would operate inJuriously TO he rights of the peo-
PIE, or That II Is incompatible with the objects of
all Tree Government; and the arguments of the
gentlemen from Frederick and Brooke do certain
~, however discained, contain strong appesl
10 our Tears. portion Of their arguments NAV
DC rendered thus:-We want IA Convention ami
we must have 1t III our own way or not at ALL
beware now you reject our demands, for we shall
never make another appeal to this House-lorce
l"ich Is the foundation OF all political power y |
Is WIN us, though we deprecate its use-but If
you reject our demands look TO the consequences |
~'O''' - "AC teSc proper arguments such
an occasion: l will now Sir, endeavor TO do what
these gentlemen did not. 1 will examine into
ie merits OF this bill, and h-ther it is cal
c"."teo 10 pfoino;e Tao proper objects os govern.
iheht. Dir, what conceive TO be the proper oh. !
Ject OF all free government, is afford projection
10 lis ci'lzens,-proeciion to their rights OF per-
sons, aud their rights Of properly. The first of
'heSe objects, is simple, and easy of attainment i'm
every representative government, because this |
class OF rights uniform in their character The
personal rights OF the citizens oil Brooke and OF |
Princess Anne OF AccOmdck and of Lee togetbar |
WIN those OF every intermediate county, are |
precisely the same. The representatives OF one |
section oi The state cannot pass laws injurious TO
the personal right oil another section, without
eqiaiiy affecting their own. But, the rights of |
property are OF very different character-they
are numerous, various, and difficult OF adjustments
anu III relation 10 them, ii is manifest, that the
representatives from one portion OF the state NAV
enact laws, burhensomo and oppressive 10 the
people OF another, not only without feeling the
pressure themselves, but greatly % their own adj
vantage. IL appears 10 me, there fore that I'm
every representative government, no, the per-
sons only but the rights aud interest TO be affect.
ed by Legislation, should be duly and properly re-
prr'ented; and more especially, those rights which
Cannot, IRON their nature, be UNIFORM and there
fore, peculiarly liable TO suffer from par,.a, and
unjust legislation.
MIR. Chairman, the power of all free govern
ment is most felt by the people through the med-
um OF taxation. This is the power of sucb a go
power that excites so much anxiety upon the sub
ct OF our present deliberations; and il is the hope
oil restraining OF CONTROLLING this power, that has
suggested the various propositions that have beenI
presented 10 this House. 1t would SEEM there
lore, mat taxation and representation are neces-
sarlly connected-that taxation should not only en-.
ter into, but mainly regulate, the apportonInentI
oil representation, as the only means of guarding
against the abuse OF this power. But as II
l. me OBJECT OF government 10 afford protec-
uon, both to the persons and prOpeTtu of
Us citIZens, representation based upon the
compound ratio oil population and taxation, would
sectH to afford the fdirest prospects of etJectur
both Objects and ! am in favor OF sdoptine ths
Congressional Districts, as the bases of represen-
tati0n, because they are existing divisions of the
otd'e, mat approximate as near practically me-
cesshry, TO this combined principle; TO illustrate
which, beg leave TO state 10 The committee the
result OF calculations which have made IN rela-
ton TO the Eastern, Middle, Valley, and extreme
W estern sections OF this Commonwealth The 3
Western Districts, for the election of members oil
Congress, comprising % counties, contain a uouu.
laon OF J3i $50, Of which 12l igl are free whites
and pay tax of .53j,Il2,Ol.-Jn a convention |
composed OF 80 MEMBERS proposed in the bill |
thus section would, by white population, be emf.
lied TO l772 members, and by taxation IN 7Q1 -
combined ratio Exclusive Of the fractions) ~ |
AID that is the number which is proposed 10 he
given TO them by the bil.-The 1 Valley Die.
iicts comprising ~ counties, contain a population
Ct 1915, OF which I32,7l7 are white and nav |
: tax Of 90. ly@,Jl.-Jhcy would be entitled bv
"hite population 10 10 members, by taxation 10
u ID. The coinbncd ratio excluding fractionsl
10, and this Is the number propo-ed TO be oivcnI
them in the biIl.-The eastern districts co,Snris
ing 81 counties, The cities OF Richmond aud vii
hamsburg, ani the Borough OF Norfolk contain 4
population Of 3OI Dol, OF which IS 10 are white
and pay a tax OF Si26,5jl ,76.-fhey would I've