Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-11-19
REPORTED FOR TIE wHIG.
VIRGINIA COW ENTI0N.
Debate Of .uonday, Noe. I6--Conciude2.

Mr.. l ANEW Will SAID That When ne CalS INTO
the House this morning he had little expectations I'd
not the remote wish to take Share in he d.
bate this SUBJECT. lie had wish 10 participate
;nthc slightest degree III the discus ion of any sub
ject &C general nature which might he depending in
tbs body lour as the question presented was in
terms undciiued that which the report of the
Select Committee couchcd All the know ledge
lie had Or men, aud all the uformatiou he had been
able ~ acquire in the science of politics. had satisfied
bl that no good ever did, result from the
discussion III general political propositions under the
nope nj c!lcmg any agreement as to the basis of any
pracucai political scheme. All such schemes when
developed, aud they must at some time or other be
developed nus ie brought to the test of experience
and utility, and it ought to constitute no objection to
any pohtcn plan that it is not adjusted to precise
rules Of art; nor to any other. that is sylogisv
deduction from any supposed gcrcral truth / the
principle OF plan be seen to be good, it will b,
adopted although at with al general basis: ~, I
= on the contrary. thu details oil scheme are wrong
= VIII be rejected, although it may be admit, ed in
theory and apparently perfect III plan.
W e may adopt any detail without eiiacting anv
good end He had, therefore, first regretted the
course and direction which proceedings had taken
and had then almost determined to take 10 part IN
the discussion until the matters debate had assu-
ed some form III which he m-t he enabled to i,,dr,
OF the fruit. The debnte, however, had now gone so
TAR thai it would probably be saving of lime TO push
one step further, order take view of the pre-
else question 1t presents itself. With this view
lie would ask the attention o.: the Commttec for n
few minutes, while lie made reply TO the rena rs
which had fallen from the venerable gentleman from
I,oUdoun.
Tho question, by these remarks IS tl,;s.-N~,,i
Should constitute the basis of government? and then
What should constitute the basis of government OF
Nirg!nia' What is most apt 10 that iruj,ry, What
IS nov the CuEstituon OF VIRGINIA? When that
gentleman tells us it is tlc best IN tho world that i:
has endured aoovc half century doing all manner
OF good to those for whom It created and where
there Is none to testify that 1t has wrought any evil
we must take this universal Concurrence us rst;ro-
ny III favor OF the principles which il is now based
tie considered the Constitution of Virginia which,
.!ad lasted above two hundred years full OF practi-
ca perfection, and he would not EXCHANGE il for the
theories Of Locke and Sidney, or auy otnc~ snec,o
tive scheme whatsoever He did not clam for this
constitution merely prescription of ifty-tur wears
a!though that would be strong testimony It's favor
but he claimed for 1t the benefit of prescription re-
CURING to the beginning of the Comm aud
even beyond mat to tile origin Of representation ~
Virginia Since that time there had been but few
changes. What was the first basis of rcnrescnta-
ton while NIrglnIa was yet colony? In 1919 or
1920. the first House of Burgesscs assembled If
Jamestown. What and whom did they represent
They represented the different plantations in different
parts OF Virginia. or, to speak CORRECTLY the diff
ierenI settlements of the colony. Our fathers first
spread themselves along the banks of James river -
me settlers were OF different degrees Of wealth and
character ard their settlements Wore separated from,
each other by water courses which it was danpeIous
10 pass and forests which Ii difficult to penetrate
In assembling to make laws for people thus scatter
cd, the settlements required to send rcnr.sn,
tatlTes without reference to wealth or any o,hnr r,
terence except to the interests ofthe different settle
!ncnts The basis OF representation tIereE,ro 10.
interest. The representative was TO renresa,t tLo
Interests OF the body Of which he was ,nerohc- =,
the foot ct the Falls there one interest which had
Its representatives. NORTHAMPTON and AcrcrnncI H. y
another; and Norfolk another, because t.r interests
were pecu.'ar. Zach peculiar interest contrhut cd
ITS proportion to the whole. 1t was the in;e-osi 81
c'ch 10 contribute 10 tir- public good 10y p.o,uct,
these peculiar interests Whence do Won dcri,a a.
idctt From tie only source whence we could DOW,
;S-trom the history of the Interest itself fIe did MOI
Inquire 1t 1t extended to so 500, to 500 or ODC
individuals If the interest OF sufficient import
ance, 1t was entitled TO repre- entation first on IL o.,
account, and then in its relation to he whole In ro
cess OF time these settlements extended further tn
wards the W est, and to the North and the South
and assurncda more distinct character. Thev v,erc
then IN degree separate interests, but thew were
Tuch more nearly one than they now are Bat CON.
Dceidd not permit the whole Of the sottl,Dants
20 act by Representatives or that anv ono 80;
should represent eli.
In 1854, the Colony divided into sbirns and
each sent Two members to the Legislature Wa.
'hls representation on the basis Of numbers or NJ
wealth. No: in giving represent ton tn tho ebro
the same principle adhered to which rave n ron
TeSentatlon TO the plantations that inter, 81 rsght
have place IN the Legislative Hall in order tIat
!lie representatives might know what their various
interests were, and how far they could be pronnteJ
The frontier counties. Hcnricn, Nor hamilton Mo-
folk, and the Isle Of Wight had their peculiar in,
eSts In process OF time, there was more than one
IN the same county. In Jenrico, as she nreu. u,
Importance and popula ton, there were two inioro
the interest OF the frontier pioneers and TINT NJ tho
eastern sac OF me county were very different and
each was entitl, to its representation. vow H.
baye peculiar interest send to represent vour nar,
t!calar power; and thus have gone on diyiJnr With
the increase OF population and wealth and convent
coce rendered the divisions necessary in order that
eacf might have voice in the Legislature Such Is
ne oa5is on which rcprcs"nta'ion was founded II,
virginia, and that basis would have been parCaci.
ana would nov be perfect, but for one circumstance
which every one IS prepared to r.i,ody ~ ono -,
incht' IN the original distribution Of the countie
i!nes OF deaarcaton were necessary am these were
uIa"o round narrow spaces, within Which p ciliar
interests dld reside. These were regarded in Ito
CONSTITUTION, ana each should have lis represents
ton. The Convention. carrying these desops int
execution and unwilling to CHANGE. except where il
was necessary 10 prevent practical mischief oud f.
ca these County limits. The object wa. oooJ In
} } county OF Warwick, there vas 10 one parlicg