Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-12-07

1
their constituents that II was the best which
could be done 10 reconcile II parties He as
sured the House that he had not cac,laied The
effect which II would have upon the balance Of
power. lie had not looked 10 its consequences
| upon the West. even Tor five years bence-nor
had he calculated them in relation TO his own
District.
Mr. Mercer suggested lis reference 10 the
Committee OF the Whole, TO which Mr.. Upshnr
| cheerfully ageed-and which The House aecor.
dinghy ordered
MIR. Leigh submitted his own scheme Of re.
presentation To the House, which he had mem.
toned the other day his inlention 10 offer
The plan was read ~ follows:
That representation IN the House of Dele
gnies be apportioned rs follows
The twenty six counties " ing west of the Al.
lcehnny shall have twenty siX Delegates
The fourteen counties lying between the Al
ieghany and Blue Ridge, shall have twenty
three Delegates
The twaniy nine counties lying east Of the
Bioe Ridge, md above tide water, shall have
forty .two Delegates
Aud III, thirty sis counties aud four towns
'yins on Underwater. shall have thirty five Dele
gates
No more new counties shall ever be formed
of the territory lying east ofthe Blue Ridge of
mountains but the Legislature may in its djs
nreiion from time TO time, n n,Bjofiiy of the
| whole nnmber of both Houses concnrriup vh.nJ
soeper the increase Of population Of the country
west OF the Blue Ridge, aud The more conyen
| tent administration Of justice and police mev
| require, torn new counties not exceeding
eight. out ofthe territory west Of The Blue Ridge
| aud whenever any such new county shall be
formed, an additional Delegate shnll be ALLOW
ed 10 tho country wesi the Blue Ridge.
Aud the Legislature, having regard To the
relative state of the population OF the respectiyt
counties, cities and towUs, and three Gnhs If
both Houses always conCuu ing mny a,
any time. form two or more coDtignou. coon.
| ties into one District. for the election of one
Delegate; and may allow ono OF more nddilion-
| nj Delegates TO any county, CITY. Town ar
! district, 80 TINT none shall ever be allowed more
| than -four Delegates and mey reduce liz
| number of Delegates which may or .haIl he
| allowed 10 any county, city or town 10 which
| more than one Delegate mny, m the G,.t m
stance, DO allowed, so thar ouch be allow,d nj
least one Provided. that tho number of The
| II of Delegates shall never exceed one hun
| dred and fifty.
lie would phce his plan on tho table, that il
| might be printed and referred 10 the Committee
| nf the Whole klo assured gentlemen 4, had
been founded ON nm average Of the white bass
aud the compound bnsis combined together
MI Cooke rose TO say, that ~ the requcst oil
sundry gentlemen from Tho west and middle
country, and ociuated by the snne snir, III
conciliaiion which had moved the gentlemen
from Northampton and Chesterfield, ho woula
offer pinn which hs would empbnlicalIy cali
compromise He would read a. end tb.,,
present few combinations IN favor of it
His plan was rs follows
ReSoircdi That IN the opinion oi this Com
mlltee, tho Legislative Department of the Go.
Veinment OF this tommOnwenl,h should consist
OF Senate containing thDty siS, and a House
oil Delegates containing one hundred a. twenty
members.
lhei the principle ofrepreseniai.on in The II
~ Delegates should be the equal representation,
~ nearly ns may be, VI The free white peDnI.
NJ very pau oi the Commonwealth.
That the principle Of representation IN tlc
senate should be The equal representation. NJ
nearly os may be, oil Nil free persons taken il,
connection with three. lilhs of oil ether prrsons
IN every part Of The Commonwealth ar in
other words, the equal representation ihroueb
onl The Commonwealth, OF what is hmiliarly
called Federal numbers
That nm apportionmentsh should be made. n, sooo
as may be, after The next Census which sbaII
br thken under the authority of the u. Sta,es
OF the members of tho two Houses r.s,.,t,
nely, on the principles above stated. tbrougb
out the Commons cath.
That III default OF Census by the Gov.,
rnen' OF the United States in 1880 ornian.
iuiute donstiutional period il should ne ,ba
duiy OF The Legislature TO cause n Censns -.
The population Of this Commpn wealth Ia no "a
ken as soon ns may be after such defaul, shau
occur ""
That II should be competent 10 the JepisIa
lnre 20 substitute n Census made u,de1 a..
authority Of The State for the Federal Cepsn,
'pe 'a'ieT' ai'ef u shall have been taken, shall
be considered by the Legislature ~ In sec,,a,a
or Imperfect, provided, however. thu, IN, me-,
ensuing Federal Census or thsi OF ls30 shai,
be dehn'''vely taken, as the basis + the frst an
poftionmeni.
That there should he, as soon ss NAV bc az
ter the organization Of The Goyeromen, md,
any ne" Constitution, or any amended Coosii.
tahon winch shall be adopted by The peonle of
virginia, on The recommendation OF tbis c on
Veniicn and At The expiration of every ten v.,,s
thereafter, an assessment OF all the lands# suh-
Ject TO ihEalion, within The limits of the Com.
monwealfh.
Mr.. c. said, that this comprom;se bo,,,
least one recommendation which entities /, 10
the respectful consideration of this Houss +,
had The concurrence OF tho western and middle
members, or ofthe majority of this House who
had supported the white basis II was soon.
discovered AT the meeting OF the Conven,;on
'haf there was party who were friends 10 The
existing constitution, who though respectable
ioi numbers, aud still more Respectable far
ofiliant TALENT, constituted a small minor
ny OF ms House There was another party
consisting Of the friends ofreform. of inn,ys.
non, or OF change, who constituted large ma.
yoiy OF the House, but this party had DIVIDED
mo Two others, one of which coniended for
equal represent atom Of the white population q,
the Commonwealth. But they have discovered
that they cannot larry il through. For weeks
past the people of Virginia have been s,rainine
their eyes 10 know how Ear This aejtatin9
question is TO be adjusted The House is fully
acquainted wiih The circumstance, which have
prevented the settle ment of this question m
western and middle country had agreed to pre.
sent this scheme from the purest motives of
| pence and patriotism He WINS saiisiaa ~ 9.