Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-03-20

n
! the new government. ~ = - :
Mr. NJ here introduced table Of calculations.
! oy whicn ne SAID II would he found, that by the
Dill. political power was much more equally ape
portioned among the Senatorial Districts and tie
large sections Of the State, than had been EXPECT
ed; ane, although the District he represented had
not its due proportion, he would not have offeved
the amendment, 10 the amendment merely to .on.
rect that error, as the whole country west oftse
Blue Ridge would have, by the bill, very nearly
an equal proportion Of political power according to
the free white population Of 1920. But as he was
In favour OF retaining the principles Of the bIli
and there are some inequalities in its provisions
which can be corrected, he had altered SO much
OF his amendment as applies to the distribution Of
me delegates among the countries and corpora
tions TO put the bill in its most perfect and defep-
sibie shape, to prevent other gentlemen von con.
demning its principles for small errors in its de-
tails and thereby advance their own propositions
he bill will give the section OF country south OF
the James River about its proper nu rnber OF Delc
gates according TO the last census and the CONN
try west Of the Ridge will have very nearly ifs
proper number: But the country from the Ridge
GOWN 10 TIDE wafer, north of James River, will
lack three Delegates, while the country from
thence to the sea board will have four too many.r
ny transferring three Of the Delegates from this.
last section OF country, TO that between tideyyate
eho the Ridge, and one to the west, the three
great natural divisions Of the State would be eur,a-
ly enough balanced in power according to their
iree white populations: But such change cannot
De mace without depriviRg severa! counties os
their Delegates.-This is not necessarv perfacf
equahty, 1t Is true, cannot be attained by system
Oh county representation, but il can be as nearly
saa,ned, oy such system, as by Districts; andsui
hctenuy so Tor all practical purposes. a
by the amendment he had proposed twelve Dol
egates are added to the l47provided for in the BILL
making IN the whole number $50. These Dele
gates are distributed among the Districts havinpt
by the bill the largest pted fractions AND
are TO be elected by the counties having the lar
gest fractions, also unrepresented Each Dtstrics
VIII Will, nave number Of Delegates bearing to The
whole number in Convention the same proportion.
that the free white population of each Distrir,.
bears to the free white population of the yyhn,s
state; and the electors OF each county and corpo.
1auOn; exeep' Williamsburg, Of its own Delegate
vi DeieSates, without regard to residence excepf
that It must be in the State. The small eounfies
VIII have one Delegate each, and the larger conn.
hes more according to their population. This wiz
be fair compromise, although there seems IN No
some inequality;yew while gives 10 the large coun
ties equal power, it secures 10 the small ones a
certain representation.
MI. NJ said, his amendment was proposed win,
We" 10 just and equal distribution of ROVER in
every section OF the State and of the ~ addtonaI
delegates, three are to be elected by The ueop,e
south OF James River above tide-water, and. one
G .;s s1 west oil the Blue Ridge: three above
tde- water north ofJsnes River, making the 10:
and one delegate is 10 be transferred from -tl,e
country below tide, up towards the ridge on the
same ne SIDE. ny this arrangement the country west
OIL the biue Ridge will have its proper number Of
delegates according 10 the last eensus:witb small
surplus or population; and the country east Of The
Ridge will have its equal number If dela.,tas
o ou,. iscklne small traction os population. The
oniy Inequality OF consequence in the whole state
VIII be found In this district (Rchmond 81 \ ana
one adjoining, Hanover, ssc.) but as these de
ricts have the same common interest and viii
ac' toeetner' no injury can result from the email
inequality between them. IL is true the whole
country north of James River and below The heaa
o. ude-water will have one delegate too many--
this results from the fact, that this district ss
more small counties in IT, than any other On, -;
the state-but the lost fractions of nonnla,;,
winch makes the representative for this one dele -
gate, are scattered over the whole state, and no
Part can nave much ground Of complaint 80
MT. M said, by his amendment the east viii
nave w delegates and the west g. making a ma.
Jority IN favor OF the former of 20, being the same
majority there would be by the bill.
:, ZIP NJ said, that by The amendment Of the GEN
ueWan rom grange, the east would have Gu dc
iegates, and the west &c, making the majority %.
in favour Of the east He said that some senate.
rial distscts by the census of 1920 had doubIea
me ,ree whi'e population OF others; and that ever,
by mat census, according to the senatorial district
system, there would be an unrepresented pop,,IsZ
ton in the west of $50 that by adding 10 iIak
number the increase in the west, eseeediDe that
OF the east, there would be at least an ,nrerre =
scented free white population of So 75O: xv hIeib.
east would lack fee white population sccordiyr,
10 the Tauo OF representation, of 2S,272. By the
gentemans amendment, if adopted, the east viii,
have about A delegates too many and the vest
bout too few, making difference in the ,na;nr;
ty OF q, while the east, by the census of ls2c1ia
entit'ed 10 majority OF about Is delegates i'm fIc
whole number OF SO. This majority ,yould he
much less according TO present population; but as
that can only be ascertained by analogy IN "a,
increase between 1910 and 1920, the westsru
members do not, although they might wiz,
great plausibility,) claim IT, They eI,i,n -,
cannot be disputed IN point OF fact and what ,b,s
believe 10 be wight, and they are ,rDwill;na ,oacy
cept OF any thing less. fHese Mr. NJ made 60
verai explanations from his table OF ca,c,,I.s;so
10 shew the inequalities Of Gen. Dade's aruen5
mcnt1
Fhe gentleman has asked, if western reforma,.
expect TO eonsede nothing? Mr. NJ Womb -
swer unhesia,ingly, that he would Weld ro,I,;n..
that his sections Of the State must stand uoon' a.
equality with other sections Of the State i'm Inc cor
vention; nothing that he would do. should denrs-.
cate its rIghts,-he had no authority TO conseda
any 'h'ng.-tiis constituents asked nothing from,
any secuon OF me commonwealth, and must ba,
oseTs al iesst ioF the present, under any arrange
Ineh, 'nat can We effected. MIR. NJ. ssid that So.
veral counties in this district which bsd oran...,
more power than their population entitled
nave come forward with magnanirnitv sod a.
terestedness, and declared their ,siiljnsusss -
yieid up theiT undue power, for the coIn1.or,
goon or tne Wholo community. II we ,sL S,o,, ..
yield up any thing yo1 Justly entitled IN sIaI,
we not ne tod That we have no sight 10 asL IL; Ta,,
men are willing 10 relinquisb power which a..
have long enjoyed bat when the voice n A.. 80
Tnunty, has declared that some change ,o,,s, g..
made, an nave yielded 10 this expression &c d.,
pune WIZ, and are ready 10 unite in afIordinr "a
eilnss ior the people 10 meet in convention. nd
ing 'hs' however every portion OF the State 81 49,,
uesDous' not only to retain the Influence /, No.,
possesses IN me government; hut 20 Secure IN h.
sell an That can be obtained, sc.as IN sppoasa ~
ant IL.