Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-12-09

tiers, that the calculation proves erroneous YOU
th en- nave surren Tered to the hands of minority oil
the power Of the government, and, If the minority
controul IN one branch, they will controul IN both
The Interests of the minority will thea be coniid.d
to minority But adopt the proposition OF the
gentleman from Frederick, aud il will surely bc nc
knSwledgGd that government will operate, a.5 was
intended should operate, the power OF being sur
rendered neither to majority ur minority. The
interest oi the minority would be cOnfided To tAc
oeIdie, and of the mojUIity TO the House of Dele.
gates Ii would ee left to The House of Delegates
to submit proposItIunS, and the Senate 10 reject
them Tins would b. the practical opera ION OF the
proposition If thu gentleman from Frederick. If 1t
should Chance by folly inuslice, that any law
should b. pro sd by the majority prejuicin 10 The
Interests of The minority, then the law proposed
would not BE- cnacted-it would be rejected by the
controlling power vested in the Senate; this was tine
true view OF It--ihis was Il sure check.
But the gentleman from CAesterield has said that
we agree 10 tins proposition, 1t wall only give the
power sooner or later TO me majority, destroy tins
chcck, Of calling a new Convention. TIE same on
J"cl'oh would apply TO any proposition, thut had hecu
suDmt ei-to he propositions OF In gentleman trutl
Al5eina7ic and TO the gentleman from NORTHAMPTON
IL might be said to each OF them, tina: they would
give additional means a constantly increasing ma
Jori;y, to call new Convention From this cousid-
Grafton, The propositions OF the other gentlemen were
no more iiir' Than that proposed by the gentleman
rom Frederick We know from experience that
the people cannot act, bar through c.ieir agents an
che General Assembly. You rive to the majority
the House of DsC5uies. Ihe people demand
CONVENTION, All their agents concu-rIng with them
pass pli Tor thai purpose. The Senate then can
reject the b IL passed. Has not the Senate then
more power tnan the whole I.eglslaise Assembly #
our proposition is adopted? But gentlemen say il
Is mere nominal power. Is il true, tant II IS a
mere nominal power Is il not an effactual m errup-
. i ia we WISHES OF The majority, Us expressed
through their Delegates
lie was deliberately of opinion, that from the very
tuition OF the Senate. the ftars of the grut,:
men On thiS head could never be realised. We have
Sens nlap
siiion Is before them one-iourh of the senate
which has received its elc ton continues G,r
three years; Onn-!ourtl for two wears -.o,,ri
WI" arc not again brought back to the people;
anu again an 'thcr fourth sum CT 10 dismissal AZ
the Spring elections. The apprehension Of tc,nuorv
tumnit does not affect them, "a it does he popular
branch at the Legislature, when they give their vote
out tw' short months before the election lis exne-
iIence "I the Senate, enabled him TO s'a @ lha. il
I'd nways maintained lis tirmness. But the s .n,ta
olght not To have power To resist tn. Deliberate
WISHES of It9 constituents, when properly xpc.srd
it "Eo"'" ony nave tho power TO arrest nprov dent
ihlndic'onS legislation. There is wGc distinction
between pular tumult and the calm deliberations
OF the P"ope. When the Senate repre- ents the in
tcrcSts OF the cast, how 1t be confronted nv ti,
popular will of the west? The REPRESENTATIVES, Of tho
people, essentially OF this side OF the Statc-wnat
popular Glamour could compel them to swerve: Win
the thuhdnT from the mountains reach helr ears con-
ie ring here III security, and wh,e surrounded by
their constituents? " neither viii they Weld TO tho
tram1n wishes or Ci-uIOntane interests,
The slave owning interests thu 6'une represent,
ana 20 tnom oi9ne a'e they responsible. WIZ they
yicid, ne would ask can they yield' Suppose iaS
bill Is passed requiring the immediate contributions of
INC East aud intended for the exclusive ADVANTAGE of
the W est 1t goes to the Senate-the rebrcs,.nta-
ives OF Tie East, the peculiar guardians OF your pro-
perry VIII they venture TO go homeand saw thai thew
couid not resist the wishes OF their western bretren
and viii they apologize in tie ma gnanmty oftheiy
souls they surrendered your rights to the interests OF
the west IL was said that the House of Delepates
no n tO pri,r IN
stop the wheels of government. tie would answer
thlt no body OF mon, annually elected, dare do such
thing Il was said that the Scnrte would be influ
enced and controlled by the House OF Delegates -
For his part he never feared the like. lie had seen
the experiment made. lie recollCc,cd that the Sen
ate had at one time, rejected money BILL almost u
unanimously although pasSedtho House of eeuatcs
oy an overwhelming majority But was said that
thc ochae was the arlStOcratc branch of the GOV
Inen, and was by this change rendered odlous to the
people The charge of aristoc tcy OH a man of IN
togruy would but make HIM the more erect-madc
g"nSt man ct tInld nerves, what would be its Of.
fcc' They would fear the rroVPs Of their neiuhbpr,
when they would re homc--that il would o. trea
con to trust thcmand they would be obliged either
70 SUBJECT Themselves to the contempt OF their associ
atcs, or retire from society.
Was there not q sufficient sgcnrv i'm TN, consider
alton that the Senate appointed from local inte-
rests! II we are To found our government OIL the
fears Of the people, would never found any repre-
sentative governmcnt--Wc would have to 90 back To
possibility OF abuse Of trust was no argument a.
galnsl the p-oprcty of placing rust IN others.
lie had Thought ~ proper sub.nt these views on
n government founded on the plan proposed by the
gentleman from Frederick. The objection rs to dis
srnsions between the two houses had ITS weight with
him bu not all tn, weight which was claimcd Tor it,
lie depended exceedingly, OH the discretion with
winch the power OF government you'd DO exercised
by he majority, AMI controlled by the minorty-and
bo hls" dePended on ,bc chsructcr or Virginia. Ho
would confidently submit IN the pcoplc with these
'ccks. tie had some experience IN the matter The
> 'noc OF virginia had been for long time con-iitui
cd dhnrontly from the House of DcGgatcs,ns to tho
distribution of power, and yc' violent dissensious
--no lncurabIe evils bad taken plscc.
Ny }. concluded by oNpr ssiug his hopes that tho
CoTmttcc would choose such nsu ION AZ would
bo carried ~ Che House by larg' majority anu as
would be ncc'ptub" TO IN" p'ppi- ofthis State
MI. MARSHALL said that the Convent wa cuual.
y divided ON the question before it. Several projects
had boon proposed on the basis of white population
alone me combined bn-ls of whto population and fe-
I"ral numbers, and the basis Of axatun and pooua
ton. On these quo tions the discussion had been
carried on to an unusual length and ill all the argu-
m a. hnuzip1 M ti,r L., a