Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-06-15
THE CONVENTION.

The most important question, both regarded
'ntinsically and in reference TO tie nearly bs-
lanccd state of The parties, which will occupy
the attention of the Convention, will he, the
adjustment Of The basis of representation. II
seems 10 US TO be somewhat anomalous, that, at
this day, and in this country, where the doc
rine Of equal rights is the 6Tst political lesson
taught to our Children, il should be found ne
cessary to vndics,e its CORE ctness. Yet, such
sthe fact. Tenacious OF the power they have so
long Justly held and injuriously welded. the
middle and tide.water sections of country have
called inhibition TO the aid Of fa,.citd interest
They csnno, look complacentIy on the loss Of
The power of controlling elections made by the
Legisla ure, and which have heretofore almost
invariably eventua,ed in the exclusion Of men
who were so unfortunate as 10 breathe Trans
montane air. They cannot behold with indiIe-
renee the pow er they have heretofore exercised
TO give or to withhold, at pleasure, quietly but
steadily and surely sliding from their grasp
This is the grand secret of then struggle, hch
in order TO tonch popular prejudice, they exc
out by appeals 10 the fears of the timid and the
pockets OF the penurious-appeals which many
of them intend 10 be, as they know then, to be,
ad eapiandum-in behaIfof a principle nnsound
in theory as il is unj ust in practice. But tho
i" Lion of the West" in this State is like his
namesane of NewYork, not easily subdued,
when contending for the right. II is nOw con
tending for tho most inestimable right pertain
Ing TO representative government-to wit, for
tquat repre- senation-tha the owner Of fiocks
and herds aud manufactures shall have as
much weght in the government as the slaveh0l
der, and that the voice of the most humble filler
of the soil shall not be overpewered at the polls
by the additional influence which the posses
sion of particular species OF property conters.
If the people could meet en- masse and frame
their constitution, instead OF delegaiing the
power to representatives what man would dare
go in that assembly with five negroes at his
heels, and claim three addition al votes over him
who had none No man would have the te-
meriy TO be guilty of such an action. And
vet, what would not be done by AN individual
iu a convection Of the people, is urged by
section Of country, in an assembly Of the peo'
pies representatives, as matter of clear and
lndisputarble right This question, as has been
hundred times observed, is not as between IN
,leuendent sovereignties, where mutual conces-
sion and compromise are not only admissible,
but necessary, as in the formation OF the Fede-
raj Constitution. Nor is it one in which any
selfish considerations Of policy or OF feeling
should be permitted TO mingle. We compose
one sta,e--one people-each having equal
ris hts, though possessing unequal things
And no portion Of these rights ON be surIen'
dered without proportionably degrading him
who gives them up, To talk of cqmPTomise,
then, on this question: is idle it will no, be lis
tened 10.
SO tar as we have been enabled, by com
harrison of our own observations with those Of
others, IL would seem that the friends Of equal
representation will certainly have majority Of
'hree in the Conyenlion-ana we shall proba-
bly, pick up few Of the same opinion from
Districts which have sent majority oil mem
bers opposed to it, Our calculation is this
The aibe Western Districts, SO
Albemarle District,
Campell District, Tone deubifn,)
Loudoun District,
Accomack District,
10
The Fauqmer District disappointed public
-.d;au naIo,.tad xobn aI.h