Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-12-08

1
unless we be guilty OF open, confessed naked act
OF arbitrary power. How can any Constitutions be so
framed as 10 guard against violence aud arbitrary pow
| III any part of the Commonwe aih shall have made
up their minds 10 face the opprobriu Of such conduct
your Constitution and all its guards be of any
Vaiue no matter where power Is by constitution aire.
gnaon cannot be retained. Resort must be had an
arbter-snd that arber sweeps your Constitution and
Your kepubIcan Government together from the face of
the land.
Aud here let notice one Of the arguments Of the
gentleman from Augusta MIR Johnson.) He made an
omnons remark which ! have not forgotten. He said.
mat I'll We OF the East had no slaves, their places
would be supplied by white men," In what sig ni6ca-
lion did he make this remark Suppose their places
were filed by white men? then we are asking inucb
less than we are entitled to- 4f lfs
But their places not supplied by white men,
what them Are you to form Constitution il they
were not here! As II they did belong to the Conn
monweaith and formed part Of it's interests, The
observation shews either that we ask less than Is our
due or gives for the forebodng that the new
Constitution is TO be fashioned il slaves mere
n'ruders here, to whose existence regard Is be
given. r III.
Permit me TO make another observation told YOU
mat IN looking AT t, important aud delicate interest
was TO he regarded not merely a subject OF taxa
lion, but that ought to look steadily on all the dam
gers which surround it, Isit necessary for tell
his Assembly that in regard TO these interests respect
Is TO be had TO Legislation which affects il pro-
perry! That wi'e regard TO the interests and feel
ngs OF the Eastern part Of the State present
sistibe claim on brethren oil the wese not TO push
their theories so as 10 take away from the power
govern our States and make laws for their police By
the transit of power hands not with our
situation AMI dangers, ard shielded by barrier OF
mountains, who have no fea TO sharpen their intel
ec TO the approach Of evil and who know not how TO
adopt laws 10 the wants, the condition, the feelings
and the passions OF the slaves regard TO those who re-
tain them in bondage interests Of property merely
bat Of life itself, implicated these, and all their
dsarest connexions. .al =
pass with much pleasure from such subject TO
view more congenia to the spirit in which entered
this Convention. Sir, came here not to exasperste
In hQ fha nfotl.a
the march OF reform, Gas far reform could be allowed
TO go but to enter the task of repairing the Consu
ton, IN perfect good aith with professions not upon
my lips merely but in my heart made on this floor
to suit the occasion, but resolved on and promuigat
ed before 1 came here 1 reject as an unworthy
suggeson the idea that the Of any member here
Is intended as mere deception to begue this
bly, and to cheat the people out of their rghul claim
to reform. Ii must be obvious you, sir, and this
Committee that il is my earnest wish to avoid every
topic calculated to disturb the tranquil udicous and cam
did consideration by this body, of every subject which
comes before it, In the progress of the debate il has
pleased many gentlemen who in favour of adopting
the report of the Legislative Committee, to represent
the West as having suffered for years under the most
cruel neglect of its rights.
bringing their complaints 10 the Legislature, and be-
ing either rudely repelled treated with the most cal
ious indifference Sir tits i'm my power TO shew
that the principal ground OF this complaint, is gross
mistake OF the nature and state of things Even the
last and latest complaint that which gentlemen urge up
u.s. most aggravated grievance; that is the man.
ncr in which this Convention is constituted is utterly
without foundation. regretted to hear the gentleman
from Augusta urge this topic with view 10 influence
this body After enumeratng other causes of complaint,
he reminded US of responsibility resulting from the
gross injustice committed in the apportonment by which
the representation in this body and that
majority OF this assembly represented minority of the
people of the State.
did not understand him to complain on this subject
that the question whether there should be Convention
or not, was first propounded to the rechoders Of the
State. | am sure he could not complain of this. IL
any such complaint is heard in any quarter of this
House, let 1t at once be sienced for this Limitation
prescribed by the advocates Of Convention themselves
IT was those who sought to have this Convention
bcd, who volunteered in proposing such restriction
The qualified voters of Virginia to whom her sovereign
power is contded were those TO whom they made Their
appeal to decide the question whether the Convention
should be called no, the sane principle they
were made the electors of this body Instead Of claim
ing the utmost extent OF the principle here insisted on
giving uncontrolled sway to numbers of all classes re-
ference was had 10 the voters only. Now, find foIr
the result OF the calculation of friend in whom have
all confidence. that the following is the of repre-
scntaon in this body Of the different sections of the
State, having regard only the number Of veters: The
tax, was $4,000 in round numbers. This sum is to be
taken as dvidend 10000 ont Of this 90 00O on the
land books OF the counties, beyond the Blue Ridge
and SO, 900 those OF that Ridge. According tc
the apportionment of this number among the "a Scna.
tora Districts that dividend divided by o. will give the
quotent of $500 reeholders each district Take the
$4,000 which includes every the land books
the counties beyond the mountains; divide that by 800
and the quoenis9 nine districts, therefore beyond the
Ridge is the utmost claim that can be asserted by tb,
West, and have they not o? But let US look further
That number Of $4,000 includes all the names on the
Commissioners books in all the counties of the
Ridge. Now, appeal TO the candour of gentlemen Of
the West, and the Sheriff. returns when say that
large number of these tenth Ieast-are
the names of non-residents Am not correct! is not
much OF that land idea and is not much Of it owned
by residents of the eastern part of the State or non
residents of the Sate' earnestly DESIRE and it would
give me nexpressibe pleasure to dsabuse the minds
oil our western brethren this subject. I ask those
book and to say If one-tcntl is not less than the
due allowance The consequence is, that they have
nine districts when If the principle of the gentlemen
from Norfolk and Augusta, (Mr Taylor and Mr.. John
SOM TO be strictly applied they would not have
more than eight They have, then, larger represents
ton than they are entitled TO, and this though total
y disregard the slave population Of eastern Virginia.
This view is profitable in it, be airing on another oh.
sc These returns for 1929 and therefore adapted
TO the augmented strength Of the West AZ the present
time. Now, psrnt me 70 use their own claim Of rapid
ucreaseand thus 20 ehrw low far short these esti-
mates must have been Of The number Of in the
year 1917, when nv arrangement Of the Senate
rial districts the West thea allowed larger rep
resentaon in the Senite than they entitled TO-
ask Therefore, whether IN the change Of the Senate
rial Districts, instead OF being depressed and derauded
they have not been assigned larger share Of po
iical power than on their principles they
titled 10. Yet II j. said and said again. sud great stress
has been laid The assertion. that they anguish
ing under The oppressive legislation Of hard heaTed
minority Look at their representation o the House Of
Delegates They have 80 members out Of PA that il
more than TO Is. Reduce to the proportion OF 10
6, and their title the basis s only one-third
OF The entire number, viz 10 II. During this whole
time therefore, while all the dolefu complaints
been uttered they have been n the practical epovept