Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-01-23
General AgssMbI1s,
ROUSE OF Delegates.
IHIiRsDAY, .iASl-

| Lewis. "
The Speaker laid before the House a comn,un;ca-
ton from the 2nd Auditor, which OH motion of Mr.
Dodd''dye was laid on the table
On motion OF Mr.. Muso,, of Fred the Comm,teo ~
hoads ana canals were instructed TO enquire into the
I'll incorporating company to construct
'o'hPihe from |lhc'iester TO Srhtieid in Jefferson
CONVENTION.
Mr. BTUrn oitIarrisun said he r,,se to Submit cor
tam Resolutions on the subject of convention ,b;rl
he asked 10 be read, and then should move 10 law f,y
the present oil the table.
MIR Bfo,on briefly explained he rrincrIcs of,J,esn
resolutions He had been led to enquire INTO the
powers OF the Lagisature and lie was entirely salts
ea' tiii' the Legislature had power to require the
people 10 go INTO convention III this form or thut
lie thought the language of recommendation was
peltef suited TO the circumstances than tina, Of COM
nland w hat sanction was there for ,totut.p
How could the people be compelled to execute q
law recommending them 10 20 into convention in =
particular form' Recommendation, was the lanuuaye
used by the convention at Philadelphia, and tIou9b
tnat precedent was not obligatory it was entitled TO
the highest respect. The bill had progressed to a
stage calculated to excite every interest ftle neo
PIE were ordered to go INTO convention upon princ-
pies obnoNlous 10 then-the county or
node-tley could not and would not obey Tho I,,,,
Iie oHered this plan as presenting further hone of
getting the convention on fair principles.
mr. bfatfoR enqulred If II the intention of
the gentleman from Harrison to Law the resolutions
Oh the table until the bill before the House y;os d.
posed or or to call them up ut intermediate stare,
Mr. 6ioon replied, that it was his purpose TO call
''cn up before the convention bill was disposed of.
mr. 6rHfton having entered into II discussion Of
the merits otthc resolution hr. ,o,cn Withdrew bis
motion for laying on the table.
AIR. Br0rtr proceeded to dcprecatc The course or
proceeding indicated by the resolution. What would
DC the effect OF cnter aiming these resolutions nondr
the convention bill? TO distract members with =
variety OF propositions. After so much time had beeD
consumed IN discussing the bill we were now told
!mhen Gentlemen found thatthey could procure
inc precise bill that they wised that the Legislature
had no power over the subject. Mr.. j. alluded in
strong language, to the complaints and INDIGNATION of
Tue people, at the time and money consumed long
speeches.
Dir. BrO7cn would enter into the merits of tbn
resolutions He wished to leave them ut least as the
evidence OF MS opinions the state of thnns now
existing.
lur. .4HinSon Of Isle of WI ,llt, endured when if
was, mat the gentleman from Harrison had discov-
erec that the Legislature bad power over This sub
JecE was 1t since the votes of Yesterday Evory
proposition submitted, had required the peopIe to
vote and the gentleman from Harrison had voted for
many oil them was 1t not singular, that he should
now say that the General Assembly had no powcr
over the subject He thought that the old adare
mat THE case being altered, altered the CASE appled
The gentleman would vote for bill that suited him
ouI When ne discovered that counties to be rep
resented; even old Williamsburg he was of opinion
that the Legislature haa power to pass law #
tc friends OF convention chose, said mr. A. to defeat
the bull be 1T sc-hc responsibility would be on them
and not on It's opponents, who willing to grant
Mr. Byo'on defended himself from the CHARGE of
inconsistency. The gentleman from Isle of WIGHT
had said that the bill for taking the sense Of the peo
pie, was imperative in its language and that he imr
81 had voted for it. He was misa ken in tho char
acter othat billt was not imperative on the nnonio
1t commanded indeed the ShcriGs to open polI and
ne willingly conceded that the Legislature had author
ny over them As to the other charge of his voting
Tor different propositions before this House he had
- nv lDr,,
oiloW that he approved either. He bad now for tho
hrst Tune, declared his views, and the gentleman
might have done him the justice to wait and see If
his vote would conform to his principles
Mr.. ,fdny renewed the motion 70 Law on the fable
b.T. fi0H moved to postpone them indefinitely. ITo
could sec in voting on the same pron6sition
day after day, and hour after hour
Mr' Crnig, while he approved the resolution more
IMAM thc bill, eit under the necessity OF voting fnr
postPonement. lie felt himself vanquished bV the
votes OF the House, and would yield. He thouoht
thcre was more difference in sound than in Substance
between proceeding by bill or by resolution lie de-
nlc" 'Gat INC convention biz if passed., a Inn
properly speaking. When the people acouinsced and
not before was entitled to the consideration and va
iidy OF law lie expressed the hope that however
constituted. the contention would do Justice
hr' D19cIn saif ne Should vote against postpone
ment and doomed TO perish perish sword in hand
Mr.. Lireg of P. George, while he was in favor oil
passing an act 20 organize convention was oppospd
TO the resolutions. lie was opposed to the basis ofi
save representations ana to recommending to the pco-
pie an extension OF the rrht of sufTnue If moro
rccholdcrs were permitted to vote, parties would be
formed in every county district Of rrcehoidcrs OF
to 90 10 the convention II bad beer
sad That the Dop-rcohoidcrs majority: if the
tact wae true. followed that bv admfipr tben, to
vote, the government would be placed in the hands cF
Of those who did not pay taxes.
Mr.. MAY suggested the policy TO the mover, oil
Withdrawing his resolutions at present to await the
ate OF the bill He Should be glad if they wcrc kerf
fb,cr- --CrO -
De comPelicdto vote for their postpone1nent.
MT B1ol7' IN reply, said that the reasons assigned
~ the gentleman from Petersburg were those which
rght to prevail on the House to take fc course hc
VSned' ana lay them for tie present on the table.
The question was then taken on indefinite most (
onencnt, and carried in the affirmative by ayes and
loes--ayes 1919. noes 81.
On motion Of Mr.. Loddridge, the Convention bill
vas again taken up.
Mr. fF'1W morcdau amendment 70 t',o h.. fixing