Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-11-17
ss tctos,g o at1 GaatstN.

TUESDAY MORNING, nov. II. 1879.
The Basis.rhe vote was yesterday again ,alen
on test question, namely, Mr. Lcigh's amendment,
proposing To make Federal numbers or the white po-
puaton and three hs of tho slaves the basis of re-
presentation IN the House IF Delegates very ami
mated aud interesting discussion ensued, historical and
CONTROVERSIAL may be by reference to the note
VIC have elsewhere made of il. The question was
decided, and Mr. Lcgh's amendment rejected by the
same vote, 10 to IL: thus clearly shelving that here
is small but unfnching and nhexiblc majority, in
isvor Of white populations the basis Of Represen.
,ation IN the House of Delegates. Let the question
DC varied and disguised it may, we arc persuaded
that the sagacity of that majority is not to nc hood
winkcd, and the frmness not 70 De shaken. They
and the people they represent, will never consent,
that wealth shall supcrsede numbers and hot polti-
cal powcr shalI be distributed no. according to free
mon. but according property. In this great s,rug
GLE they icsi that they conending for the prin-
cipe that gives soiidiy TO Rcpubc-fora Republic
itself People Of the middle country! Will you in
this great crisis desert your Representatives. Viii
you surrender your Republican principles to ina.
giuary interests VIII you in order to retain power
TO which You are not entitled, or to guard against
mlschets which merely predetermined surrender
lRcpublcanisn itself?
Some remarks appeared in this paper n few DAYS
ago. relative to the reply of Mr. Johnson to propo-
Stior which was supposed to have been announced
By Judge Upshur in the course of his argument viz:
tin; there are no principles IN government Upon adj
vcrting to the argument of Judge Upshur we find
that his words were these In truth Mr. Chairman,
there are original principles of government at all
Novel and strange the idea may appear, it is ne
verhcless, true in the sense in which announce il
There are no original principles existing in the ma
turc OF things and independent Of agreement, to
which government must of necessity conform in
order to be either Legitimate philosophical. The
principles of government are those principles only
winch the people who form the government, choose
TO dfopt AMI apply TO themselves. Principles do not
Precede, bat spring ont Of government
This Is certainly very different proposition fro
what we understood it to be, from the argument Of
Mr.. Johnson. Without either admitting or contro-
verting the proposition as here laid down, VIC with
pleasure correct our involuntary error, and now pre-
sent the idea as it fell from he Speaker.
Statement of the numbers of white people, res
pectvely represented by the of Saturday reeo-
ting Judge Green's amendment.
Numbers Represented by the 40.
West OF the Blue Ridge. Si0,s19
District of Loudoun and Fairfax, 1892
District of Abcmare, Amherst. Nelson,
Fluvnnna, and Goochland, 5000
Three fourths of Bedford, Cambcl and
Buckingham, o2177
Half of Franklin, Patrick, Henry and Pitt
sylyauia, 1Gst7
Total 402634
Deduct these numbers from the sum total Of vb;tc
population in Virginia under the census of 1920. n
Wit, 632,ooO, and it leaves to be represented nv
'ne a. VINO voted Tor Judge Green's amendment.